Netflix is bringing out a new cartoon series called The Cuphead Show! Let’s find out if it is worth to be watched.
The Cuphead Show! Series Review
Based on the award-winning video game, THE CUPHEAD SHOW! follows the unique misadventures of loveable, impulsive scamp Cuphead and his cautious but easily swayed brother Mugman.
As the two scour their surreal homeworld of the Inkwell Isles in search of fun and adventure, they always have each other’s back. Unless there’s only one cookie left, in which case it’s every cup for himself.
This show is a very quick bench despite having twelve episodes, so each episode is only about 13 minutes without that opening intro, which then I skipped on every episode except for the first one.
Now the show feels like it could be watched out of order. As we follow, Cuphead and Mugman go about different adventures, but there is a smaller, overarching story that plays out for the duo.
The animation is wonderful to look at. There are traditionally painted backgrounds where the animated characters interact in the foreground.
And there’s also a slight graininess to the entire thing, as well as some specs and flecks that give the episodes to feel like they were playing on an old film projector. Now, these aren’t overtly obvious, but the inclusion makes it feel all the more nostalgic.
The stories are cutesy and they’re simple, as our characters will start out with a task and then get detoured by something ridiculous. And portions feel like short attention span theater with just these frenetic scene changes in childish antics, but it all works together and it feels good.
I was trying to determine who the target demographic of the story would be. At first glance, it’s easy to categorize this as a kid show because of the simple animation and the character designs.
Some of the content is slightly darker, but nothing so dark that it would scare or be inappropriate for younger kids. And this probably has that target demo of early teens, but still retains enough edge to attract adults and then at the same time be clean enough for the young ones.
There are several episodes that focus on death or stealing souls, but it’s never so gruesome or devious that it’s going to cause nightmares, and most of the time within the episodes there’s a ton of slapstick to lighten any portions that just might get a little too dire.
And I don’t think any type of groundbreaking storytelling is going on here, but it’s still very entertaining. I found myself binging it pretty easily, even though I did take a break about halfway through, and then I revisited the rest after about an hour or so.
Some of the stories feel like they could have been borrowed from other stories. Like even in the first episode where Cuphead and Mugman have to paint a fence. And at one point, they talk somebody else into painting it for them.
So that sounds familiar, right? Mark Twain should probably get some of the writing credit on that one.
But the show moves along quickly enough that even if the stories aren’t wholly original, it’s not bothersome that they aren’t. They’re quick little vignettes that you can binge by the handfuls.
Like I had mentioned, I’ve not played the game, but I saw some screen grabs online, and I know that at least in portions, the show holds onto some elements that are present in the game. I think this is going to satisfy anyone who’s played regardless of the age, because it’s always fun to see when an adaptation is faithfully reproduced.
I think the voice cast is a lot of fun in this, as they create characters that would sound like they would be from the 30s or 40s. They also have a quality to them that makes them unique and stand out, but not be overly offensive to the ear so that they get tiresome after an episode or two.
No, I’m not saying that I want them to read me an epic poem, but for the show, the voices fit exactly with how the characters look, and that combo works really well.
The show also incorporates some great singing and music. It feels old timey, but still somewhat modern as well, and I had fun with a lot of the characters because they’re just a bit off sometimes, but I mean off in a good way.
I loved Pork Rind partially because of his name, but then just how he was daydreaming one time with these bad things happening to people. But then Elder Kettle is another character that I really enjoyed.
So overall, the Cuphead show is cute and fun, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it still delivers quality entertainment.
The show is designed for the younger viewers, but I still think that there’s enough in it to keep adults somewhat invested. And while the themes may be darker than you’d figure, they’re still lighthearted enough to cause some chuckles and maybe even laughter from the Littles.
The animation is stunning, and I loved how the show was able to capture such nostalgia in every episode. How does it hold up to the game? I’m not sure, but for someone who’s never played, this was fun and entertaining. There’s no sex nudity or profanity, but there is some violence.
I am going to give The Cuphead Show! (2022) 3.5/5.
So have you ever played the game? I’m thinking about buying it. It’s to play on Steam, but I’m really not sure. I mean, should I take the plunge? Let me know what you think in the comments below.Â
Guys thank you so much for reading the review of The Cuphead Show! (2022) Netflix Series. See you next time.
The Cuphead Show! (2022) Trailer
Watch the trailer of the new Netflix Series The Cuphead Show! (2022).
