Season Review: Human Discoveries Season One

 

 

It is easy to make the initial comparison of Human Discoveries to one of the greatest adult animated sitcoms of all time, The Flintstones.  Both take place in the stone age with the spin that the characters act and communicate in a modern tone.  Beyond that, the similarities end.  The Flintstones is not a series that can be competed with, it has surpassed being a simple animated television show, and become ingrained in our culture.  It would be like attempting to remake The Simpsons with new characters and style.  It’s just not doable.  Human Discoveries reimagines the ‘modern stone-age family’ with original concepts.  It has distanced itself as far as possible from the classic phenomenon and gives us something fresh and original.

That’s not to say that Human Discoveries did not take a few notes from its predecessor.  Much was the theme in the ’60s, when The Flintstones first aired, to cast A-list celebrities for the voice performances in animation.  Alan Reed and Mel Blanc were all well-known actors at the time of conception of Fred Flintstone, and Barney Rubble.  Human Discoveries also didn’t skimp when it came to casting.  Despite being created and produced by a couple of unknown writers, Chris Bruno and David Howard Lee, the series managed to capture A-list talent Zac Efron and Anna Kendrick.  The remainder of the cast is also filled out with a dynamic group of comedians including Jillian Bell, Lamorne Morris, Paul Scheer, and Lisa Kudrow.  The impressive cast brings with them their individual followers which gives the new series a much needed initial fanbase.

The one thing that The Flintstones had while it’s airing that Human Discoveries could not match was how it was released.  In 1960 when Fred Flintstone first slid down the tail of that dinosaur, it was broadcast on one of televisions largest networks with a prime time slot at a time when television was reaching its height of popularity.  2019 is a whole new ball game.  With cable television nearly irrelevant, the internet and streaming services reign supreme.  However, Human Discoveries did manage to collaborate with one of the biggest hitters of the world wide web, Facebook.

Facebook may be the most prominent social media service that has ever been, and that also means they have the money and power to compete in other online services such as local transaction market places.  It was only a matter of time before they decided to play the online video-on-demand game to compete with the likes of YouTube.  Facebook Watch may have launched relatively recently, being little over a year old now, but it has invested heavily into new programming.  Series like Sorry For Your Loss, Sacred Lies, and adult animated Human Kind Of, have already helped the new service navigate it’s following.

Human Discoveries comes in at a time when Facebook Watch is receiving over 140 million views per day, and still growing.  Still, with all of the possible viewership, the show had some obstacles to overcome. The largest of which was being treated as a legitimate program.  Despite the undeniable popularity of Facebook Watch, the majority of videos being consumed involve life hacks, TED Talks, and adorable animals.  The interpretation of the service by majority of followers does not include being a source of original adult animated programs like Adult Swim, Fox, and Netflix are known for.  Truth is, nobody expects quality content for the low price tag of free.  So, there is a stigma in all of us that if a show premieres on a free video-on-demand service that the quality could not match what our expectations would be on one of the other channels mentioned above.

Another significant challenge that the new series had standing in its way is the heavy competition that adult animation has become.  Once upon a time, the animation was considered for the immature and childish.  Again, it was The Flintstones that helped to create a new perspective, until The Simpsons broke the stigma for good.  In the 30 years that have passed since The Simpsons opened the doors for an animation to be a legitimate source of adult entertainment a whole culture has been born – which funny enough is the purpose of this very website.  However, Human Discoveries did not have the same opportunity as The Flintstones of doing something completely original that fans had not seen before.  Today, new adult animated sitcoms are being continuously released in all sorts of established entertainment sources.  And, unfortunately for these rookie shows, the competition is thick.

Human Discoveries premiered on July 23rd in style.  In place of dropping one episode, the series opted to release the first three to give fans a chance to see what the show was about and get hooked.  It was effective in that of the 1.3 million people who tuned in to the first episode, about half of them followed along through the ten episodes released subsequently in the following weeks.  Offering the three episodes not only gave viewers the chance to see that Human Discoveries was a legitimate quality sitcom but also revealed the ongoing themes and storylines.  A good thing too, as it is these things that help to differentiate the series from its competition.

Where almost all entertainment is fueled by some social commentary in one way or another, Human Discoveries hits the nail on the head.  It takes a community of people and strips them away of every modern convenience we have and forces them to re-establish themselves with current thought patterns, but without the luxury of knowing how a society works.  This concept allows us to rethink the way that things operate in our everyday lives.  Adding the element of naivety creates a new perspective on life around us.  Episode 2 “And Then They Got Drunk” is the most straightforward example.  Discovering alcohol is the basic plot.  But, it stems further with the discoveries of regrets, alcoholism, the need for R&R, and repercussions of our actions.  Again, in “And Then They Discovered the Wheel” the wheel plays a small part, as the tribe develops into a working economy with currency and poverty playing a role.  And, as these things transpire, typically the camp decides they are better off without the added complications.

This also stems to make Human Discoveries unique in another way.  Many adult animated sitcoms have been adopting the concept of an ongoing storyline transpiring through the series.  Streaming services opened the doors for shows like Disenchantment and Big Mouth to step away from the typical cartoon fashion of everything reverting to the status quo by the end of the episode.  Human Discoveries takes things even further, as we are not just watching the drama unfold, but a society as it establishes itself.  Conceptually, it makes for an exciting series, much in the vein of video games like Fallout or Arc.  Throughout the ten episodes, we have seen the characters go from a simple hunter-gatherer mentality to a fully fleshed out economy with jobs, currency, and relationships.

The original brand of storytelling is a nice break from many other adult animated sitcoms available right now.  Most shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, or South Park rely heavily on the formula of an A-plot and B-plot.  There will be two stories developing through an episode so that all main characters have a chance to shine, and the main story doesn’t get too boring.  However, given Human Discoveries nature, it doesn’t need the derivative formula.  Each episode features something impacting the camp as a whole and will view how it impacts all of the individuals.

Though to be fair, Human Discoveries does have its own ongoing B-plot that tags along with the overarching story.  And, it may be one of the best parts of the series.  There was no way we would have gotten through this review without touching on the elk.  William and Judy Elk are two characters that should not be overlooked.  They represent the animal kingdom and how they interpret and are impacted by the actions of the humans.  In each of the episodes, they are paired with a new leader of the elk, each with their own interpretation of the humans and further plans on how to deal with them.  Many of the outcomes are the funniest moments of the series, including a drunken Gary making out with one of the elk leaders.  In the final few episodes, an overarching theme was finally revealed that reaches the shocking conclusion to the season.  The animals are the underrated stars of the show.  Whenever the elk take the screen, it is pure comedic relief, with satisfying results.

An interesting fact that not many people know about The Flintstones is that it was not very well received by critics at the beginning.  There were many complaints about the show’s immaturity and derivative storytelling.  Well, Human Discoveries is not without its own flaws as well.  The animation and design are well funded, and a lot of effort went into creating this project. However, the show overall lacks any creative or definitive style.  Besides the characters having five fingers, there is not enough to differentiate a unique art to the show.  When we think of The Simpsons, South Park, or Rick and Morty, they all have an animation that is recognizable instantly.  Human Discoveries aims to close to trying to look like real life and doesn’t focus enough on being a cartoon.  This will make it difficult to package and market the characters, as they are without the fun and whimsy of other franchises.

There is one strong artistic choice that deserves praise.  The series often showcases its male characters as strong, ideal looking figures.  Meanwhile, there is not a female body throughout the season that is sexualized. In the modern age of feminism, this is a bold moment for animation and should not go without recognition.  The entire premise of the show is about progressiveness.  Beyond that, Human Discoveries practices what it preaches by treating its female characters with respect.  A step forward, it reverses the roles and often makes the male characters in revealing clothing.  Ugg, played brilliantly by Paul Scheer, is a perfect example of the dumb meathead, a reverse on the pretty blonde without a brain.

Speaking on the standout performance of Paul Scheer, the majority of the casting choices worked brilliantly. Jillian Bell brings her unique brand of humour to a character that fits.  The glue that is holding the mood and the show together is Trog brought to life by Lamorne Morris.  Not to bring up children’s animation, but we knew Anna Kendrick could kill any voice-over work after her performance in Trolls.  Surprisingly, the weakest link belongs to the A-list main character of the show, Zac Efron.  Unfortunately, Efron fails to make Gary unique or interesting.  He could have been played by nearly anyone, and the results would have been the same.  The uninspired performance is in desperate need of some energy and fun.  Thankfully, the series is so packed full of talent that there is no lack of humour.

Honestly, Human Discoveries has a lot to offer and deserves much more hype than it has been given.  The series is captivating, humorous, and has an intelligent take on society.  The numbers are there to suggest that there is a following, though there doesn’t seem to be many viral discussions happening beyond the show’s page. Human Discoveries deserves more, let’s talk about this show, it’s bringing out important topics and perspectives.

There hasn’t been much news as to what the future of Facebook Watch’s dive into adult animation is, but it would be a shame if this show did not get the chance at another season or two.  The fact that this is high-quality free content, there is no reason not to recommend watching the series from start to end. Should the first episode does not completely sell you, it is worth sticking through to understand the show as a whole. If worst comes to worst, at least one of the talented comedians is sure to keep you interested.