There are a plethora of easily-bingeable shows on Netflix, anyone who has spent an excessive amount of time scrolling through the streaming service’s various titles can attest to.
Disenchantment, an animated fantasy sitcom created by Matt Groening (who also created shows like Futurama and The Simpsons), is one such title that may have appeared on more than a few people’s “recommended” lists.
The first half of the second season dropped on September 20 after a year-long hiatus with a cliffhanger, promising bigger and better stories to come.
The end result was a new season better than the original, both in character and plot, but Disenchantment still has a long way to go before it reaches full potential.
Princess Bean, Elfo and Luci returned as better defined characters, but while there is significant character growth for all three, they are not as cohesive as a unit as they should be for a show like this one.
Bean’s personal demon, Luci, concerns me going forward.
Luci’s first assignment from Hell opens up many possible storylines and makes his character as a demon a compelling one.
Hell and Luci’s origins are explored in the early part of season two, and at the end of this short arc, Luci has effectively cut ties with his demonic roots.
Unfortunately, the action doesn’t feel as earned as it should for being such a defining character moment.
It would have been far better served later on in the series, maybe two seasons or more down the road, even.
Luci’s character isn’t doomed by any means, as his initial motivation drastically changed, but this could potentially backfire on the character leaving his development one-note.
The plot is finally starting to fall into place, stepping stone by stepping stone, and it’s easy to become invested in where the show could go.
In a fantasy world combined with comedic and dramatic aspects in spades, Disenchantment could easily become a cohesive adventure keeping the elements that made it intriguing in the first place.
One critique for the show the pacing currently feels disjointed, with the show trying to find its feet so early on in its run.
“Disenchantment is a fantasy adventure and a buddy comedy.”
This is partially due to the fact that the episodes are usually only 26 minutes or so long, and the different story structures the show is trying to pull off in a limited time creates a rushed plot.
Disenchantment is a fantasy adventure and a buddy comedy, and it doesn’t often combine these elements as well as it should.
The first half of the season does an admirable job, but when tensions settle a bit and the pace slows down, the juxtaposition is made starker, and only adds to the disjointed feeling.
Disenchantment is worth keeping an eye on for the future.
If it doesn’t build upon the foundation it laid out and create a clear picture, it could easily become a middle-of-the-road fantasy romp that never amounts to anything more than a passing interest.
Stars: 3.5/5