The first film I reviewed for Freakin’ Awesome Network was Mr. Peabody And Sherman, DreamWorks’s adaption of Jay Ward’s original segments from Rocky and Bullwinkle. Good reviews aside, it performed marginally well at the box office at best, not enough to pull DreamWorks out of its financial funk. Still, it managed to reignite public interest in the time travelling duo and it gained a decent cult following, myself included.
I initially checked it out as just a stab in the dark, and while it was as generally wacky as advertised, it also had a rather emotional, almost solemn main plot with some unexpectedly touching moments, mostly emphasizing the parental bond the inventor dog held with his adopted son. Coming in the midst of a streak of pretty juvenile cartoon adaptions, it was quite surreal seeing these classic characters taken so seriously and treated with that much respect.
Awwww….
There was apparently enough demand for more Peabody to where him and his boy were able to get a new animated series on Netflix, and even though there’s still plenty of heart between our two heroes, this time the tone is purely for laughs- a complete 180* from the earnest family drama and angst of the feature film. The wunderkind canine is now the host of his own talk show inside his posh New York City apartment, recalling his historical adventures to a live studio audience- and also a new cast of co-workers and neighbors, the funniest of them being the overzealous aspiring singer/bad writer Christine from downstairs.
Peabs and Sherms are once again drawn by hand, with simplified and pretty cute designs as part of a heavily stylized art direction. Recalling both the original show with modern Western cartoons and elements from the film, the facial expressions of the characters can get fairly over-the-top, especially Sherman’s. Format-wise the show is both highbrow and extremely lowbrow, almost feeling like a semi-educational version of Pee Wee’s Playhouse.
I say “semi-educational” because much like both the original shorts and the feature film, the historical icons are purely satirical and meant mostly to be funny than informative. Some of my favorites include the Jersey guido-ish Marco Polo, an Edgar Allen Poe with a more impish sense of humor than he appears to have, and a rageaholic Joan Of Arc who picks a fight with Mr. Hobson, the nerdy building manager with a weird Truman Capote voice. Winston Churchill in particular deals with a bizarre dilemma during what is clearly meant to be World War II, but obviously the Axis Powers can’t directly be referenced on a show whose demographics will probably skew very young.
Needless to say, there’s a ton of historical liberty taken in each of the first thirteen episodes, but the comedy is enjoyable enough to where that wasn’t much of an issue with me. Be warned, there’s a good amount of toilet humor on display this time which might not sit too well with older viewers, but it’s almost always shown at Peabody and Sherman’s expense which makes it much more tolerable.
The two leads are still as charming and likable as they were in their past incarnations. Peabody is his usual intelligent and witty self (and once again armed with plenty of terrible puns), but this time he’s often the butt of the joke. One especially memorable example has him dealing with his foster parents coming to visit, and out of sheer embarrassment gradually spiraling into madness.
He’s voiced by SNL’s Chris Parnell this time, who gives him a softer and sweeter tone, while Max Charles reprises his role as the hyperactive Sherman. Charles did a nice job making his orphaned character sympathetic in the film, but in general he has some surprisingly good range, playing the fool and giving some good comedic delivery to the nerdy redhead. His gags can get into the realm of the bizarre at times, like when he attempts to paint a picture using his butt as a brush or fighting off armed guards with a string of noodles in his mouth.
Like in the film, it’s the parity between the two that makes them so enjoyable to watch. While Sherman is a handful for Mr. Peabody, the fluffy scientist is also prone to making mistakes, constantly tripping over himself as he tries to meticulously keep his show on schedule. As fast paced as the show can get there’s still an underlying warmth to the two’s interactions with each other. If you want some bonkers comedy for your kids that won’t insult their intelligence or yours, or if you’re just interested in the characters in general, hop in the WABAC with Mr. Peabody and Sherman on Netflix for a bit.