As Final Space finally reaches Netflix, it carries with it the promise of being the next big thing. The animated series boasts a line up featuring the voices of Fred Armisen, Tom Kenny, Steven Yeun and David Tennant. It follows the highs and lowest lows of its main character: the eccentric Gary Goodspeed, the friends he made along the way, their quest to defeat the Lord Commander and save the Earth...I mean Universe, yeah that sounds way cooler than Earth!
Foxy Rating: 9.5 / 10 Mooncakes
Perfect for: People who like Futurama, Rick n Morty, and 2001: A Space Odyssey
Where to watch: TBS, Netflix
Age Rating: Not kid-friendly (TV-14 LV)
Warning: this review is full of spoilers!
The show's story is simple: it's nothing you've never heard before, and yet, the way the plot unfolds will leave you intrigued. The S1 finale is such a cliffhanger, it left me twisting in my seat wondering what happens to Gary, Little Cato, and Quinn.
the good
What I love most about Final Space is the art style! It mixes the adorable 2D cartoon style we've loved ever since we were kids, psychedelic space backdrops, and the faux 3D style we see being used in shows like Rick n Morty: where we sometimes see 2D characters pasted on top of elaborately rendered backgrounds. This visual mashup gives the show a unique charm and signature, using NASA imagery for the near-accurate representation of outer space.
Another aspect to root for is the brilliant casting and the development of characters. I spent some time trying to place familiar names on the voices as I watch the show, but David Tennant as the Lord Commander really was unrecognizable. Final Space creator, Olan Rogers, also voices the hilarious Gary and the cute-but-deadly Mooncake. I love how the team all had different personalities, motivations, and quirks, but in the end were able to find a common goal and work together. I especially have a soft spot for Avocato (Coty Galloway) and Little Cato's (Steven Yeun) arc, that backstory got dark real quick! Quinn (Tika Sumpter), and her future counterpart, Nightfall, gave the show a girl power boost that really spiced things up. It's worth noting that Quinn wasn't just plainly the "love interest", she is her own person with Gary even saying she was meant to be the hero all along.
Don't even get me started on the humor: I find Final Space utterly hilarious. I'm on board the SS "everyone hates KVN" and the running gag of depriving Gary of sweet, sweet, cookies. Being a 2001 stan, I am sooooo in love with H.U.E. as a parody of HAL 9000. Though critics have rated it with mixed to averagely positive reviews, I give it a two thumbs up. It has the perfect mix of drama and comedy, enough to make you cry but not too much to leave you emotionally exhausted.
the bad
There's not much left to criticize about the show, but like all first seasons, it still has room for improvement. Since the arc is pretty linear, you can fully tell the story in half the number of episodes. Final Space took its sweet time in delivering 10 episodes that are 20 mins each (that's not really a bad thing, but it felt like it tried to squeeze in minor arcs that were fully intended for comic relief when it didn't even have to). The story mostly focused on its main characters, losing track of other minor ones: some of which were either unrecognizable or forgettable cameos such as Conan O'Brien, Caleb McLaughlin, and Shannon Purser. Ron Perlman as John Goodspeed was the only highlighted cameo.
I particularly loved Tribore (also voiced by Olan) being the unexpected savior, but the more I think about it, the more it feels shoe-horned. I wish his heroic side was hinted more, because the reveal was slightly confusing to me (like, where the hell did that come from???). I like a good plot twist but this one didn't strike me as much. The real plot twist of the Lord Commander being John Goodspeed's co-pilot was brushed aside because this reveal outshone that one.
All in all, I am in love with this series. I can't wait to see what happens next because I'm already invested on the characters: will Avocato ever come back from the dead? Did Quinn really die? Is Little Cato okay? I've read online that Olan Rogers has enough material for six seasons, and I'm praying Final Space gets the viewership it deserves so it can continue its journey far beyond the limits of outer space.
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