Review: Doomsday Brothers “The Real Monster is… You!”

 

 

Overview:

After Rafe inadvertently destroys the towns entire food supply, he and his brother head out into the wasteland in search of supplies. Coming across an abandoned supermarket, Gabe and Rafe find more than they bargained for when they are intercepted by a gang of mutants with the intention of killing every normal person they can find.

When Rafe is able to infiltrate the gang with a monkey costume, Gabe is left to be hunted alone. 

Hoping to find salvation in his hometown, the mutant group invades and captures everyone. However, Suzette and Johnny may get some much-needed couples therapy while finding a way to save the town.

Meanwhile, Judith continues her attempts to escape the fortified bunker she has herself locked in. Unfortunately, resetting the CPU does not help as it reboots Aenus, the operating system of the bunker, into being much more unhelpful.

 

Our Take:

Honestly, there is a lot of hope for this series across the great white north. Canada has a long and successful history with animation. In adult animation specifically, the country has produced classics such as Kevin Spencer, Undergrads, and more recently animated versions of Corner Gas and Trailer Park Boys. 

However, that does not mean that the doors have burst open for creators who have lacked the platforms to succeed with unique or experimental shows.

Adult Swim Canada has been on the air for over a year now.  Doomsday Brothers is the first series to air on the cable network that has been made in Canada for Canadian viewers. That’s kind of a big deal. And opens the doors for new shows to follow.

This episode alone showcases a unique cartoon, the likes that have never been seen on Canadian airways. 

Never mind the fact that it was made in our own backyard. If Portfolio can make a show about an apocalypse where there are robots named Aenus, then the opportunities for other Canadian creators have been opened wider.

Despite being ground-breaking, Doomsday Brothers does suffer from being too well polished. The show doesn’t push the boundaries, opting for innuendos over graphic visuals. Even the humour comes off as slightly immature with grenades going up peoples butts and whatnot. The show would have benefited from being rawer and grittier.

The most exciting thing to see out of Doomsday Brothers is the characters. Whether they are a temporary villain, townsfolk, or a creature of the land, every individual on-screen has a unique design. Gabe and Rafe are the only two normal humans we have seen. While the man-flies, the guy with a dartboard for a head, and blobs of goo are the norm in this world. The transitions which feature the strange animals of the wasteland are a fun highlight to the show.

Otherwise, we get an episode with a well-structured plot and direction. There is a lot to this world, and you can tell that it is layered. 

Specifically when a third of the show so far has been devoted to Gabe and Rafe’s mother attempting to escape some bunker. Meanwhile, we are learning about the townspeople one at a time, and the star characters have shown some depth. It would also come as no surprise if villains would make eventual returns for ongoing plots.

At least, you can feel like you have a better understanding of these characters and their purpose then you did after the series premiere.

Overall, there is no doubt that this is a quality show. There is enough here to get excited about the entire 26-episode season. The only flaw is episodes such as this one play things a bit too safe. ‘Show don’t tell’ is the old saying, and it would have been much better if we saw how the monkey lady gets intimate with the blob of goo.