Season Review: Gary And His Demons Season One

Let’s cut this bitch.

In the history of TV channels and streaming services, that entity usually comes into fruition when they launch their hit adult animated series. When it was Netflix, BoJack Horseman was right there with House of Cards in terms of original series offerings when the service was pivoting from that of a mail-in movie company to that of the industry disruptor it would eventually become. TV Networks like Comedy Central, FOX, ABC, and Adult Swim similarly came to power on the backs of animated series like South Park, The Simpsons, etc. Gary And His Demons is that for VRV/Mondo.

In terms of sheer brilliance, it’s not on the level of Last Man, but it’s definitely one of two offerings from the streaming service that says this service means business. It’s far more streaming-ready than say a Cat Agent or Turbo Fantasy and there’s enough in the tank to warrant more seasons for sure. In terms of the technical elements of the series, there’s definitely room for improvement. Admittedly, it took a bit for me to accept Mark Little’s portrayal as “Gary”, but as time wore on he started to grow on me, so much so that I couldn’t wait to see what he’d do this week. That said, outside of Gary, the series doesn’t do THAT great of a job of giving me other characters to give a shit about thereby putting the load of the series entirely on Gary’s shoulders. It’s one of those things that, if the series were picked up for a second season with longer episodes, I’m wondering if that would doom the show because now Gary’s gotta work twice as hard to carry an episode. For example, if you look at a show like Archer, the series became better over time as the show focused less on Sterling and gave more light to the likes of Pam, Lana, and others that helped assemble an ensemble cast second-to-none. Gary And His Demons has to do something similar, if not at least get there half-way.

From a visual perspective, I’d like to see Solis Animation get a few more dollars here. Some of the aesthetic of the series is very drab with unexciting character designs for the demons and technical flaws in the areas of the mouth and lateral movements. There are examples of good DNA, Gary’s cut-scenes where he powers up and the fight scenes, in general, are very strong, but I’m thinking a few more bodies in the production of this series would do some good.

When first released, the marketing department tried to convey a Rick and Morty comparison, and I’m not in favor of that correlation. Whereas Rick and Morty have heavy inclinations towards a familial aspect of the show, Gary And His Demons is way more workplace comedy and that’s what I like most about the series…the premise. It follows Gary trying his best to retire and get a replacement but kinda goes back and forth on the idea until it’s too late. During the course of the 16 episode series, we learn a bunch about Gary’s history, like the death of his wife and the silly characters that comprise his extended family. All the while Gary is feverishly trying to fight off demons, but where THIS area is lacking is any real establishment of major villains or the reasoning behind these demons coming to pass. As a result, most demon killings get very little meaning other than the fact that they are more a chore and less a reason why the demons share the title of the series with Gary. Obviously, the title is “His Demons” which implies that Gary has major issues to deal with, but we don’t spend a whole lot of time with those neither, so either way, the next season would have to expand on this.

That said, Gary And His Demons is a quality series. The show, as a whole, needs a few bolts tightened but it’s effective and worthy of a follow-up or continuation.