Cartoon Conversations #6: My Top 10 Netflix Original Cartoons

Welcome back to Cartoon Conversations! The semi-regular written essay series where I break down cartoons, their influence, importance, and purpose because someday I’ll meet that special girl who’ll show me real life is better than fiction but until then I’m quite happy with my arrested development thank you very much. Since I got to delve into how an open streaming market was going to impact the future of animated entertainment in the last essay, today I wanted to pay homage to the strides it’s already made in that direction. Fortunately for me, the streaming giant Netflix has accumulated a library of original cartoon shows that run the gamut from the mediocre to the outright brilliant. And it's been announced that their studio will soon be the exclusive home of a new animated series

produced by the Russo brothers

and written by the people behind 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' and 'The Tick'

About Magic: The Gathering.

So yeah, I feel compelled to give credit where credit is due and acknowledge the leaps and bounds Netflix has already taken in this direction, no doubt laying the groundworks for more and more niche projects that will delight millions just a few years from now, I decided to list my top ten favorite Netflix original cartoons.

But this once again puts me at odds with that devil I hate to love and love to hate, watchmojo.com. Turns out they already have not one but two top 10 Netflix cartoons video because of course they do. Life exists to thwart me. But even though I agree with the majority of their list, and yes some of their picks cross over onto my list too, I feel they missed out on some of the best of the bunch and they deserve some measure of recognition as well. Honorable mentions go to ‘Tuca & Bertie,’ ‘Disenchanted,’ and ‘Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series.’ Also, special mention to ‘The Kirlian Frequency’ which would have made one of the top spots on this list but isn’t technically a Netflix original. With that out of the way, here are my top ten favorite Netflix original cartoons. Spoilers ahoy, folks.

10. The Hollow

‘The Hollow’ isn’t on this list because it’s a great cartoon. It’s not. It’s good, but not spectacular in the way that some of the others on this list are. But I think it deserves recognition not as what it is, but as what it had the potential to be. Which is a really, really bad show. Just a one-time viewing is enough for anyone to realize just how terrible ‘The Hollow’ could have been but manages to escape being by circumventing the conventions that would have ruined it. The fact that it’s even mediocre is almost a miracle unto itself.

The premise is deceptive in its simplicity. Three teenagers wake up in an abandoned bunker with no memory of who they are or why they’re there. After a bit, they all discover they have some manner of superpower and that the world around them unfolds piece by piece with little rhyme or reason but seems to correspond with various puzzles, maps, and clues they find here and there. The slow reveal of the mystery surrounding their circumstances is as oblique and basic as you’d imagine, but is elevated by not going down the exact paths you’d expect. For example, at one point the trio meets the four horsemen of the apocalypse. You’d think it’d be safe to assume that means that the strange world that they’ve woken up in is a post-apocalyptic dystopia. But it turns out no, the truth is much simpler and the four horsemen don’t even come up again. Over time a love triangle starts to evolve between the three of them, but unlike in other media where this is a trope, it goes unresolved and even sees a few outright rejections that you’d never see in other romance subplots. The animation is subpar, very stilted and angular, but the movement is pretty good and even manages some impressive feats once and a while. Particularly when reality starts bending in on itself and the mystery enters its final stages, causing the world to flicker around them, blending the back and foregrounds. Apart from that though, the most remarkable thing about ‘The Hollow’ is how it manages to be unremarkable despite everything pointing to it being remarkably bad. That may be a backhanded compliment, because it is, but it's still worth checking out this Canadian import just to see what a close call this was.

9. Paradise PD

After their breakout show ‘Brickleberry’ was cancelled by Comedy Central, writers and animators Waco O’Guin and Roger Black optioned a show for Netflix. All they had to do to continue their unique brand of juvenile comedy was change the setting from a protected state park to a remote Colorado town called Paradise, and change the characters from selfish, angry, racist park rangers to selfish, angry, racist police officers. Consisting of the same animation style and largely the same voice cast, both shows are raunchy exercises in seeing just how unlikable O’guin and Black can make their characters but keep audiences coming back by writing in fitting punishments for them. Where ‘Paradise PD’ has the advantage is in its platform. Off of television, the show doesn’t have the same censorship restrictions as ‘Brickleberry’ and can be as gross, gratuitous, and gory as it wants to be.

The show follows the exploits of the embittered and overcompensating Chief Randall, his rookie and naïve son Kevin, the sociopathic sex-predator Gina, the amicable but psychologically scarred Fitz, the childish and obese Dusty, and the drug-addicted anthropomorphic police dog Bullet. Like any good comedy, it’s built entirely on zany characters bouncing their personalities off each other in an environment conducive to extreme situations. And the crazy town of paradise with its vindictive mayor, its arrogant sister city, and rampant argyle meth problem is both a big enough setting for the police department to experience a range of interesting adventures and small enough to contain their explosive personalities for tight, compact delivery. It’s a show of a certain taste, which is to say it’s so lowbrow that even Seth MacFarlane is asking it to grow up, but for those who can tolerate blue humor, it’s a hidden gem that could only be made for a platform like Netflix.

8. The Dragon Prince

Watchmojo also included ‘The Dragon Prince’ on its list and for good reason. Not only is it an original fantasy series with a unique sense of heart and familiarity, but it’s also a gorgeous testament to the power of 3D rendered animation. I honestly can’t think of another CGI show that uses shadows and movements the same way that this one does, often using one to compliment the other. Each individual motion, from the twitch of an eye to the intricate, choreographed fight scenes, are distinctive and eye-catching. This can be a burden in the few times that unnecessary movements draw attention off of the central focus of a shot, but it becomes less and less of a problem as you become engrossed by the story, which follows a pair of step-brother princes and a rogue elf assassin as they try to survive the physical and political dangers of their ever-evolving fantasy world.

World-building is one of the most important tenants in fantasy writing and establishing a reality different from any a viewer has seen before is crucial if a piece wants to stand out from the crowd. ‘The Dragon Prince’ achieves this as well as any other fantasy, but is especially clever in how it uses color and light to reveal the nature of various elements of its world. Apart from the jolting bright colors appropriate of a fantasy kingdom, it incorporates celestial shades and backlighting to emphasize the mystic and the villainous, a curious dynamic that never fails to please the eyes. I also have to give the show a ton of credit from a representative standpoint. A step-family, an interracial family, a mute general, a king of color, and multiple female monarchs are all constitute vital components of the show’s makeup, some of which I genuinely haven’t seen in another cartoon before. And all of them are treated as fact, with the show never patting itself on the back for being inclusive. Kudos.

7. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

In recent years, Netflix has been experimenting with rebooting cartoon properties from the 80s’. One of the most successful results from this endeavor has been Netflix’s ‘She-Ra and the Princesses of Power,’ which is as vast an improvement over the original as can be imagined. While the original was bogged down by studio restrictions designed to sell toys more than to tell a story, this incarnation of the Princess of Power is free to fill its cast with as many zany and hilarious characters as it wants. And that’s really ‘She-Ra’s biggest strength. Everyone from the bored sea princess Mermista to the over-excitable Entrapta to the ever-loyal Scorpia are entertaining to a fault and even if everything else about the show was utterly terrible, it’d still be worth checking out for the stellar writing that supports these hilarious personalities.

Fortunately, everything else is pretty good too. The story follows Adora, a teenage girl conscripted and brainwashed by the villainous technocracy called the Hoard, who discovers an ancient sword that transforms her into a mythical Amazonian warrior princess. This transformation and the introduction of a few other characters make Adora realize that, shocker, the Hoard is evil and she becomes a leader for the princess rebellion, tasked with reassembling their scattered war council to make a united front against the invaders. The animation is very smooth, if a little stiff, and takes clear influence from anime and the so-called Cal-Arts style, filled with pastel colors, hard lines, and short movements. This lends itself to some fantastic designs that are, if anything, underutilized in favor of generic fantasy forests and evil lairs. But any faults in the show are overshadowed by a fascinating primary rivalry, great character designs, and a shot in the arm of sheer fantasy wonder that delights the young teen girls the show is aimed and everyone else for good measure.

6. Carmen Sandiego

Another of Netflix's 80s' nostalgia projects, ‘Carmen Sandiego’ is loosely based on the educational cartoon franchise, though this incarnation benefits from vivacious, stylized animation. Armed with a detective noire aesthetic, the show flips the script on the original series, rebooting the titular master thief as a teenage Robin Hood, a globe-trotting burglar trying to thwart the schemes of the supervillains who trained her. Apart from the cabal of international evildoers she fights against, she’s also busy dodging Interpol and A.C.M.A. and trying to uncover her own mysterious past.

One of the major strengths of ‘Carmen Sandiego’ is that it focuses on story but doesn’t abandon its roots. There’s still the “Player” character, here voiced with appropriate youthful energy by Finn Wolfhard, who briefs Carmen on her missions and includes educational tidbits on the local culture or landmark she’s about to infiltrate. The humor and heart of the show rest comfortably in Gina Rodriguez’s performance as the lead character. She lends an even mix of joviality and gravitas to what could easily been a one-note role. The show enforces its globalist themes with perhaps one of the most internationally diverse cast I’ve seen, featuring an Australian love interest, a bumbling French detective and his hapless English assistant, a pair of sibling assistants from Boston, an evil Texan gym coach, a Japanese master assassin, a Pakistani mad scientist, and an Egyptian socialite among others. That, along with a clever cameo from Rita Moreno, are enough for this show to make my list.

5. F if for Family

Anyone familiar with Bill Burr’s comedy routines would be forgiven for thinking his adult style of stand-up makes an animated show a far cry from his personal brand, but further reflection reveals that it’s a perfect fit. The firebrand comic has made a name for himself by outright ignoring social conventions in favor of loud, brash jokes that push the envelope of taste and political correctness in ways unseen since the likes of George Carlin and Richard Pryor. His crude personality and larger-than life routine could never be fully expressed in a live action show, it takes a medium where suspension of disbelief is boosted by the barrier of animation to communicate the full scope of his humor. Netflix provided Burr an opportunity to unleash his curse-riddled, rage-fueled comedy to his full capacity and he was more than happy to accept. And thus, ‘F is for Family’ was born.

Set in the 1970s’, the show follows the various misadventures of the dysfunctional Murphey family, consisting of easily irritated patriarch Frank, his long-suffering wife Sue, and their kids, the slacker teen Kevin, the precocious Bill, and the caged prodigy Maureen. Apart from Burr himself, the show features the voices Laura Dern, Justin Long, Sam Rockwell, David Koechner, and Kevin Michael Richardson in recurring roles. The show uses very simple animation, saving its budget for talented writers and voice actors. Despite that, it’s successful in conveying not only the aesthetic of the 70s’ but also the overall cultural climate of suburban America at the time. This phenomenon is boosted by the episode-by-episode plots, which always allow the characters ample room to bounce their conflicting personalities against each other while forced to cohabitate as a family unit in an era where their various quirks all put them miles from achieving their assumed cultural roles. It’s a masterclass of period comedy and a brilliant satire of nostalgia for people old enough to have even vague memories of the 70s.

4. Trollhunter/3Below

When you have a name like Guillermo del Toro attached to a project, it’s basically guaranteed to be a success. Sure all artists have their failings, but this is the guy who turned a beauty and the beast story into an allegory for interracial relationships, made giant robots punching giant monster into a piece of gothic noire art, and made ‘Pan’s Labyrinth.’

It’s safe to say he’s got something of a Midas touch when it comes to unconventional work. ‘Trollhunters’ and ‘3Below’ are companion cartoons he built from the ground up specifically for Netflix and comprise two parts of his proposed trilogy for the platform, with the third installment yet to be released. ‘Trollhunters’ follows a trio of teenagers in a remarkably diverse Southern California suburb who stumble upon an underground world of immortal trolls and a secret invasion of dark forces. ‘3Below’ is set in the same town at the same time, but is about a pair of royal alien refugees and their excitable bodyguard using human disguises to hide from the rogue galactic forces that endangered their parents. I’ve ranked them together because both shows share similar elements that put them a cut above the rest. Both, for example, are chocked full of heart and use intense visuals to communicate the personal stakes and outsized hilarity of the central premise. The social commentary might be a little on the nose, but both shows have a great sense of humor and a palpable creative energy that permeates through every single episode.

The animation is well above par and excels strongest in movement. The fight scenes are particularly incredible with fast-paced, twirling action complimented by an even mix of static and passive framework. Special mention also to be had for the star-studded and engaging voice casts, which range from pitch-perfect celebrities like Nick Offerman, Lena Heady, Anjelica Huston, Kelsey Grammer to voice acting legends like Tom Kenny, Mark Hamil, Fred Tatasciore, and Jennifer Hale. Nobody says no to working with Guillermo del Toro, even if it’s voiceover work. It even has the tragic distinction of being the last work of the late Anton Yelchin, who’s amazing performance as the protagonist of ‘Trollhunters’ is matched only by that of Emile Hirsch who mimicked his voice to near perfection in the episodes Yelchin was unable to finish.

3. LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS

Now I’m technically cheating with this pick seeing as ‘LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS’ isn’t a cartoon show. Rather, it’s an anthology of animated short films that Netflix commissioned and collected, all of which are somehow connected to the titular three criteria. But they’re animated, they’re amazing, and dammit I want an excuse to talk about them. Consisting of eighteen shorts between six and seventeen minutes long, each installment uses a variety of different animation styles to tell unique and beautiful stories. These range from the comedic ‘When the Yogurt Took Over’ and ‘3 Robots,’ to the subtle tragedy of ‘Zima Blue’ and ‘Good Hunting,’ to the pulse-pounding action of ‘Suits’ and ‘Blindspot,’ to the outright horror of ‘Beyond the Aquila Rift’ and ‘The Secret War,’ to the simple, stunning visuals of ‘The Witness’ and ‘Fish Night.’ To a one, they are all gorgeous offerings from the art gods, curated to near perfection by the likes of David Fincher and Tim Miller.

The wild variety in the various styles, themes, and tones of the shorts comes from the diversity of animation teams that were commissioned for the project. Though all produced by Blur Studios, the animators, writers, and voice cast come from international backgrounds, so while the shorts almost all focus on a science fiction setting, the interpretations of what that means has an explosive spectrum of worldviews that make for a thought-provoking and enjoyable viewing experience. On top of that, they all look spectacular. Seriously, if you have even a passing interest in animation then you owe it to yourself to watch these shorts just to see the kind of motion and art is capable in the medium today. My personal favorite from the bunch might be ‘Fish Night,’ a breathtaking 3-D short which uses ‘Borderlands’-style shading animation to tell an Icarus story about a father-son sales team who get stranded in the desert overnight and encounter the colorful, entrancing phantoms of the sea life that inhabited the desert when it was under the ocean millions of years ago. Everything comes together like a well-mixed stew, from the sweeping and swelling score to the genuine weightlessness that exudes from the ethereal schools of fish, swimming through the night air in flashes of neon light.

Even if it’s not a proper show, I believe that image alone earns these cartoons a place on this list.

2. Big Mouth

It says a lot about Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s ‘Big Mouth’ that it manages to be endearing despite looking repulsive. The very nature of the character designs is meant to be ugly to reflect the gross and hapless period of puberty that the majority of its characters are either going through or being seen through the lens of. And those are just the human characters. The animation is left simple with exaggerated heads, shrunken bodies, bright colors, and very curve-based movements. The show follows the various growth spurts and adventures of Nick and Andrew, voiced by Kroll and Mulaney respectively. Both are in the throws of adolescence and receive regular visits from the Hormone Monster, an imaginary sex fiend who serves as a raunchy demon on their shoulder as they learn more about their evolving bodies and sexuality. Over time, other imaginary personifications of esoteric concepts of adulthood also rear their ugly heads, including the Depression Kitty, the Shame Wizard, Maya Rudolph as the Hormone Monstress, and Jordan Peele as the ghost of Duke Ellington. Literally.

All have hilarious interactions with the human characters, which apart from Nick and Andrew include the put-upon Jessie, the excitable Jay, and the anxious Missy. The true charm of the show is in Kroll and Mulaney’s innate understanding of the awkward, unpredictable aura of this period in everyone’s lives. While the characters are all diverse with different issues and obstacles, they are united by the insecurities that, in an ironic twist, serve only to drive them further apart. Things aren’t made better by the adults of the show, whose presence is to remind the teens that life isn’t going to improve once their transition ends and that maturity is earned by experience, not age. And despite the very adult themes and humor of the show, it’s very much made with teens going through this period themselves in mind. Though with that being said, its humor is universal and can be appreciated by anyone old enough to take sex seriously. Or, as ‘Arrested Development’ used to put it:

And the number one pick…

1. BoJack Horseman

Of course it was going to be ‘BoJack Horseman.’ What else could top this list? No other cartoon, Netflix or otherwise, has dared descend to the depths of self-reflective depravity that Bojack, both the show and the character, reaches. The tale of a washed-up anthropomorphic actor who had a hit sitcom in the 90s’ but has fallen on hard times constantly challenges its audience to find any redeeming quality about its central character, who seems hellbent on ruining not only his life but the lives of those around him who struggle to tolerate his toxic presence. The real appeal for this show is two-fold. First off, it’s outrageously funny. The writers take advantage of every aspect of the world they’ve created to mine as much comedy as possible. And even when they seem to run out of jokes to make, they’ll just insert random alliterations, rhymes, or clever puns just because they can. Plus, sometimes it’s just hilarious to see horrible people do horrible things and get comeuppance for it.

The second appeal is the nature of the relatable story. BoJack’s journey is ultimately one of self-discovery and trying to square who he is with who he wants to be, something that many people can understand, albeit not to the same scale. In the early seasons of the show, BoJack seeks purpose as he attempts to write his memoirs and reflects on his life. But this quest for purpose traces him back through a lifetime of mistakes, leaving him grappling with whether or not he’s the good person he wants to believe he is. His guilt isn’t helped by the fact that every horrendous and unforgivable act that BoJack perpetrates is framed by his recognition of his mistakes and insistence of his own morality. But, as all of his friends are all too eager to point out, his promises to improve his behavior are worthless unless he plans to actually do something about them. Ultimately, it’s the tale of the villain realizing he’s the villain and trying to either come to terms with that or figure out how to change his ways.

I would be remiss to not mention the phenomenal voice cast. Will Arnett has made a name for himself as a voice actor in recent years and this is his crowning achievement in the medium. His deep voice and explosive delivery convey the demeanor of a man constantly toeing the edge of sanity and is always just a few martinis away from an irreparable mistake. Groundbreaking turns from Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Pail Tompkins, and Aaron Paul make every minute of the show an utter delight and dark comic masterpiece. The animation is kept simple, but is used with more efficiency than any cartoon I can think of. It’s visual depictions of substance abuse and mental illness are the most harrowing, realistic, and captivating that I’ve ever seen. As someone who has lived with depression my entire life, I have never been spoken too on such a person level by a cartoon as I was with season four, episode six of ‘BoJack Horseman,’ due in no small part to a sudden shift in animation style to a more, for lack of a better word, brutal design

I’ve written about ‘BoJack Horseman’ a few times before in a couple different articles and I suspect I will in the future because it really is one of the best shows in the zeitgeist, cartoon or otherwise, and it could never have come about if it didn’t have a platform like Netflix to produce it. If you don’t have a Netflix account, it’s worth it for this show alone. If you have a Netflix account and aren’t watching it, then I have to question what you’re doing with your time and money. What more is there to say?

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