27 votes

Disenchantment is another fine work from Matt Groening

Love that it's not a retread of either Simpsons or Futurama. Need to watch more but I feel like critics are being way too hard on this.

19 comments

  1. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. Crespyl
      Link Parent
      I agree with you about Elfo/Bean/Luci being pretty analogous to Fry/Leela/Bender, but I think it's interesting that, where all three of the Futurama cores were pretty much instantly likeable, I...

      I agree with you about Elfo/Bean/Luci being pretty analogous to Fry/Leela/Bender, but I think it's interesting that, where all three of the Futurama cores were pretty much instantly likeable, I did not really find that to be the case with Disenchantment.

      Bean comes off, especially in the earlier part of the show, as being more than a little spoiled and selfish, and lacks the self confidence that Leela had from the outset.

      Elfo, while a bit naive, has a degree of cynicism that Fry always lacked (I could see Fry staying in Elf-wood forever, or until some external thing came and forced him to leave), and the question of his heritage gives him a kind of personal goal (other than love) that Fry seemed to lack.

      Luci isn't just a nihilist robot, but is a literal manifestation of her personal demons, and seems to genuinely succeed at bringing out the worst in her.

      So we have a core gang that, while familiar, to me feel more explicitly flawed and seem to have a lot more room to grow over the course of the series. If Fry had ever wised up and stopped being such a lovable idiot, it would have kind of broken the show (or at least changed it dramatically), while Elfo has a clear path forward with lots of possible directions.

      Likewise with Bean, Leela started out from the get go as competent and confident, without a whole lot of room to develop or change significantly (at least not without substantially changing the show). Bean is very much an immature teenager, spoiled and self centered, unable to really express herself in healthy ways. She has a lot of growing up to do, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the show develops her over the course of the series.

      6 votes
  2. [2]
    jlpoole
    Link
    I'm haunted by the black devilish figure. I know that I have seen an illustrator in children's books who has had something akin to this figure tucked into illustrations. I thought it was Gorey,...

    I'm haunted by the black devilish figure. I know that I have seen an illustrator in children's books who has had something akin to this figure tucked into illustrations. I thought it was Gorey, but could not find it. I also thought it was the illustrator for the Madeline books. I just remember seeing illustrations and then if you looked carefully, you would find a little dark figure down in the corner, almost like a printer's mark. Does anyone have this feeling as well, or better yet, know the artist that had this?

    6 votes
    1. Douglas
      Link Parent
      The demon looks like it was inspired by the creature from Gorey's The Doubtful Guest, I would not be surprised if it was used as a jumping off point for something just mischievous looking and then...

      The demon looks like it was inspired by the creature from Gorey's The Doubtful Guest, I would not be surprised if it was used as a jumping off point for something just mischievous looking and then shaded in for good measure.

      3 votes
  3. vakieh
    Link
    I've been watching a few episodes, and I have a reaction to the comedy I've never experienced before - delayed chuckles. At first I thought it was boring and I didn't like it, because when the...

    I've been watching a few episodes, and I have a reaction to the comedy I've never experienced before - delayed chuckles. At first I thought it was boring and I didn't like it, because when the funny stuff happened I wasn't laughing. Then after a bit when it went back to serious I was full body chuckling over the stuff that happened a minute or 2 ago. It's not piss myself funny like Scrubs or Chuck or Happy for example, but it's beyond the breath-out-through-nose funny level.

    5 votes
  4. [4]
    Nivlak
    Link
    The pilot was genuinely hilarious.

    The pilot was genuinely hilarious.

    4 votes
    1. [3]
      Hypersapien
      Link Parent
      I thought the pilot was kind of weak, but it got better after that. They probably showed the pilot to test audiences and used their comments to make the rest of the episodes. I am glad, however,...

      I thought the pilot was kind of weak, but it got better after that.

      They probably showed the pilot to test audiences and used their comments to make the rest of the episodes.

      I am glad, however, that Elfo isn't as stupid as he was made out to be in the trailers.

      3 votes
      1. [2]
        Nivlak
        Link Parent
        My favorite interaction so far: “I’m drowning!” “ I’m Elfo”

        My favorite interaction so far:

        “I’m drowning!”

        “ I’m Elfo”

        6 votes
        1. Hypersapien
          Link Parent
          Usually Groening is pretty good for continuity, but in the third episode Elfo said that he had "only ever gotten in trouble once", and that wasn't apparently the time his village tried to hang him.

          Usually Groening is pretty good for continuity, but in the third episode Elfo said that he had "only ever gotten in trouble once", and that wasn't apparently the time his village tried to hang him.

          4 votes
  5. [2]
    spctrvl
    Link
    It did have a bit of a rough start, but it really picked up in the last couple episodes. I'm interested in the concept of a Groening show that doesn't mash the reset button so often.

    It did have a bit of a rough start, but it really picked up in the last couple episodes. I'm interested in the concept of a Groening show that doesn't mash the reset button so often.

    4 votes
    1. Neverland
      Link Parent
      I am on episode 5 right now, and it is picking up in quality of one-liner type jokes. I realized that this was a big part of draw for me in previous stuff like Futurama. But that show also had...

      I am on episode 5 right now, and it is picking up in quality of one-liner type jokes. I realized that this was a big part of draw for me in previous stuff like Futurama. But that show also had genius storylines. To be fair, Groening has set a really high bar to reach.

      2 votes
  6. euphoria066
    Link
    I like it so far, we're 5 episodes in! I find something weird in the sound design - maybe not enough background noise, combined with too loud of background music and effects when they are present?...

    I like it so far, we're 5 episodes in! I find something weird in the sound design - maybe not enough background noise, combined with too loud of background music and effects when they are present? I'm not totally sure of my diagnosis, but something seems strange. I also find something about the way the king is drawn to be slightly different than any other character somehow, which is a funny thing.

    But it has made me laugh out loud a few times even right from the beginning ("I mean, I LIKE war") and seems to be hitting its stride better the further I get into it, so I approve! I really enjoy everyone calling Luci a cat for some reason. The background art is also exceptionally gorgeous compared to most other modern television cartoons!

    4 votes
  7. thisonemakesyouthink
    Link
    IT'S OUT?!?! I forgot I was completely hyped for this a while back but I completely forgot about it!

    IT'S OUT?!?! I forgot I was completely hyped for this a while back but I completely forgot about it!

    2 votes
  8. [4]
    FlamboyantGiColor
    Link
    I watched the pilot and wasn't all that into it. There's something missing for me. Hopefully it finds itself within the next several episodes.

    I watched the pilot and wasn't all that into it. There's something missing for me. Hopefully it finds itself within the next several episodes.

    2 votes
    1. CrazyOtter
      Link Parent
      It gets better after the pilot which was only ok. Each episode has generally improved the overall story and the jokes are making me laugh.

      It gets better after the pilot which was only ok. Each episode has generally improved the overall story and the jokes are making me laugh.

      1 vote
    2. [2]
      spctrvl
      Link Parent
      It picks up a lot just in time for the season to be over. But I enjoyed the early episodes enough to binge the whole series when it dropped, so YMMV.

      It picks up a lot just in time for the season to be over. But I enjoyed the early episodes enough to binge the whole series when it dropped, so YMMV.

      1 vote
      1. anti
        Link Parent
        I agree. It was a gag as second in the early episodes, but it was a little wobbly. It found its feet and I was really sad that it was over. One hell of a cliffhanger. Funny stuff.

        I agree. It was a gag as second in the early episodes, but it was a little wobbly. It found its feet and I was really sad that it was over. One hell of a cliffhanger.

        Funny stuff.

        1 vote
  9. nsz
    Link
    Oh man, I really did not think the pilot was that good - just way too long. Episode 2 was better though hoping it just keeps getting better.

    Oh man, I really did not think the pilot was that good - just way too long. Episode 2 was better though hoping it just keeps getting better.

    1 vote
  10. Thoughtninja
    Link
    I'm digging it so far and I'm only halfway through the ten episodes. It's a little rough around the edges but I've come to enjoy the setting and characters. It's made me laugh 75% of the time so...

    I'm digging it so far and I'm only halfway through the ten episodes. It's a little rough around the edges but I've come to enjoy the setting and characters. It's made me laugh 75% of the time so I'd consider it to be pretty funny to me at least.

    I do think a lot of people are being too harsh on it as it is only the first season and it needs time to develop and grow just like any other series. If Futurama's first season came out today people would be just as critical of it. I wouldn't say it's as good as Futurama yet of course but it beats the everliving shit out of the past 15 years of Simpsons hands down.

    1 vote
  11. Algernon_Asimov
    Link
    I have a 1&3 episode test for any new series: If it's very bad in the 1st episode, I'll stop watching. If it hasn't shown itself to be very good by the 3rd episode, I'll stop watching....

    I have a 1&3 episode test for any new series:

    • If it's very bad in the 1st episode, I'll stop watching.

    • If it hasn't shown itself to be very good by the 3rd episode, I'll stop watching.

    'Disenchantment' passed the 1-episode test but failed the 3-episode test. It wasn't bad enough to stop watching instantly, but it wasn't good enough to keep watching.

    I found it underwhelming. I didn't enjoy the princess - she was neither a character I liked for herself, nor a character I liked watching (like a juicy villain you love to hate, or a witty nasty character who you watch for their put-downs). Elfo was almost interesting. The devil character was just a standard devil character. The setting wasn't interesting to me; I love 'Futurama' because I'm a sci-fi geek and I liked the sci-fi in jokes, but I'm not really into the fantasy/medieval genre.

    It just didn't grab me. Which is a pity. 'Futurama' is one of my favourite shows, and I really enjoyed 'The Simpsons' in its first decade, so I was looking forward to another good show from Matt Groening. Oh well. You can't please all the people all the time.

    1 vote