Review: Krapopolis “Krapocracy Now!”

Overview

Tyrannis holds the world’s first democratic elections, which is a terrible idea; Deliria finds a new way to antagonize the gods.

Our Take

The latest episode of Krapopolis, “Krapocracy Now!”,” throws the dysfunctional royal family into a crisis of legitimacy, all while gleefully lampooning the ancient world’s obsession with legacy and convention. The result is an episode packed with the show’s signature rapid-fire absurdity, highlighting the chaos that ensues when the gods and men cross wires.

The core plot kicks off with Tyrannis (voiced by Richard Ayoade, though not listed in the provided cast, he is the central character) attending “King Con” alongside a who’s-who of Hellenic royalty: Odysseus: King of Ithaca, Theseus: King of Athens, Volkar: King of Koth, and Oediphus: King of Thebes. Naturally, Tyrannis’s origin story—a decidedly non-heroic tale of gathering stragglers to form Krapopolis and declaring himself king—is met with disdain from his peers. Their disapproval spurs Tyrannis to hold a democratic election back home to validate his rule. In classic Krapopolis fashion, this progressive political experiment backfires immediately, leading the people to coronate the simple-minded cyclops, Shlub, as their new king.

This central conflict provides solid comedic ground, poking fun at the inherent ridiculousness of political systems and inherited power. Shlub’s brief, idiotic reign offers some great physical and observational comedy.

Meanwhile, the episode delivers a potent subplot concerning the petty squabbles of Olympus. Deliria’s resentment simmers as Athena (Amber Stevens West) gloats about the upcoming Thousand Year God Ball, to which Deliria, having been kicked out of Olympus, is pointedly uninvited. Capitalizing on the chaos of Shlub’s kingship, Deliria hatches a scheme, fooling Athena and the other Olympians (including Apollo by Ryan Eggold and Aphrodite by Rachael MacFarlane) into believing that Zeus will be in attendance.

The interweaving of the election debacle and the Olympian deception is executed well, allowing the show to satirize both mortal foolishness and divine vanity simultaneously. The episode feels fast-paced, ensuring every character in the sprawling ensemble gets a moment to shine in the madness. While the resolution (or lack thereof) to the political crisis is predictable, the journey is consistently funny.

The guest cast is strong, though much of the Olympian-specific comedy rests on the shoulders of Amber Stevens West’s Athena and Michael Urie’s Hermes, who sell the necessary air of divine vanity.

“Krapocracy Now!”” is a robust, satisfying episode that nails the show’s unique blend of historical parody and surreal domestic comedy. It successfully elevates the stakes for Tyrannis, reminding him that the hardest part of being a king is dealing with the people who elect you—or, in this case, the ones who elect your incredibly dumb father.