Season Review: Farzar Season One

 

Overview:

Fichael’s father is one of the greatest warriors the galaxy has ever seen. Defeating the worst enemies of the universe and liberating the planet of Farzar, the great Renzo left almost nothing for his son to accomplish. Nothing but earning his father’s love and approval.

Unfortunately, newly appointed general Fichael has been tasked with a mish-mash team of half-competent good-for-nothings, including a mentally unstable scientist, clashing conjoined twins, and a robot obsessed with getting laid. However, as Fichael and crew take on challenges like defeating the nefarious Bazarack, they slowly become an invaluable part of the kingdom.

Our Take:

Roger Black and Waco O’Guin have certainly made a name for themselves in the world of adult animation. Brickleberry was one of the most ridiculous national parks we have ever visited. Paradise PD continues to be one of the best-animated sitcoms in a well-stocked Netflix line-up. But as we await the fourth and final season of Paradise PD, the inevitable animation hall-of-famers are taking us across the galaxy in their new series, Farzar.

The new series is a guessable choice by the creators to take their efforts to the infinity of science fiction. It is a move seen by animators before with Groening’s Futurama or even MacFarlane’s Orville. However, despite the obvious parallels to Futurama, like the robot sidekick and half-witted lead, Farzar does take a unique approach. The series is ripe with nostalgic touches reminiscent of 80s sci-fi like He-Man or Flash Gordon. Additionally, there are references galore to classics like Aliens and Star Wars.

The most obvious thing separating Farzar from other space-based cartoons is the heavy dose of Black and O’Guin humour. Low-brow is the easiest way to describe the endless poop and dick jokes that fill shows like Brickleberry and Paradise PD. Farzar does not pull any punches either; it almost seems like the creators are trying to outdo themselves in their new series that includes a Godzilla-size penis and a society of talking poo creatures. Certainly, nobody watches these shows for their intellectuality, and there is always a time and place for a good fart joke. Even then, the series manages to take on some deeper commentary about relevant social issues, sometimes.

As much as this series feels like a repeat of Black and O’Guin’s previous jokes, plots, and characters, it is part of the fun. These creators are having fun, and watching shows like Paradise PD is like witnessing the adults playing with their toys. Well, their sandbox got a lot larger with the endless options available in the sci-fi genre. Further, fan-favourite voice actor Dana Snyder returns for another go-round with the creators and if you thought he was having fun playing Dusty in Paradise PD, wait until you meet Bazarack, the highly incompetent leader of the in-universe dark side.

One of the biggest questions around Black and O’Guin’s new series was whether they would continue a trend established in Paradise PD. The popular series manages to keep things fresh by changing the status quo of its characters throughout each season. Specifically, the third season of Paradise PD featured a post-apocalyptic town after a nuclear explosion. Well, the good news is Farzar ends season one with a bang. The tenth and final episode features an all-out war between Fichael and his father. The results of which have a significant impact on many of the regular characters. The ending of season one is certain to affect the series’ direction moving forward dramatically.

To avoid misdirects, Farzar is not for everyone. The under-the-belt humour and over-the-top disgusting themes are a required taste reserved for boys and girls that get a kick out of that sort of thing. If you are searching for an animated series that has depth, intelligence, and something to say, keep searching. Meanwhile, if you are a fan of Black and O’Guin’s previous shows, then Farzar is the next logical binge-worthy series. This series is built for loyal fans that want to see things taken a step further than Paradise PD or Brickleberry could have ever gone. Finally, these creators have gifted themselves a series without limitation, where the infinite is possible, and anything can happen. And I assure you, it does.