Netflix’s interactive specials are interesting pieces of visual media, with Bandersnatch being one of the first, the streaming platform has decided to expand the genre towards kids’ media as well. The We Lost Our Human review explores how the special uses interactive elements to tell cool stories about the characters and their choices within the narrative.
This interactive special stars Ben Schwartz, Ayo Edebiri, Adrienne C Moore and Lauren Tom, alongside other voice actors. It is written by Chris Garbutt and Rikke Asbjoern, the aforementioned duo also join the crew as executive producers. This special follows two pets who are stranded in the universe and stuck moving from dimension to dimension in order to bring their human back and save the universe from a glitch.
-We Lost Our Human Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
Interactive specials are an extremely cool result of technological advancement in consuming visual media and especially media that caters to children from the ages of seven. This special speaks of two pets, a reality most people are familiar with, who are left stranded in their homes when their human goes missing. Before that happens, however, we get an interesting insight into their relationship with each other and the human.
Apart from being extremely indicative of the way we treat pets and what we think they might respond with, it also chooses a really innocent and child-like wonder standpoint when it comes to representing animals. It doesn’t matter that they may be grown and speak like an adult, but they still emulate important qualities from children that make them good role models.
The animation is similar to animated shows like Gravity Falls while also making a small nod to the Amazing World of Gumball animated style. There were instances in the special that worked well with adults as well, especially those who enjoy the nostalgia that came from the late 1990s and early 2000s cartoons. Moving the nostalgia for a modern take was incredibly enjoyable to see, as well the general internet language that has permeated social consciousness also made an appearance within the special.
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It was interesting to see that there were many nods made to the popular culture of the current time as well the past in the special. The story works well around that kind of rhythm and was also building upon the kind of humour the creators can bring to this story. Apart from the incredibly interesting way the script has been written, the humour too seems to have evolved from past animated shows and mainly focuses on bringing modern and culturally relevant beats of humour to the special.
Additionally, weaving the interactive part of the special with the storyline was fantastic, it felt like audiences were directly following their path and working with them to come up with a solution. Moreover, it felt like the choices made by the audience genuinely affected the end result of the adventure. The creators have also done a good job at making sure that the choices aren’t easy to make; even the most mindless ones come back to haunt us as we continue on the journey to bring back humans.
This writer will forever repeat that Ayo Edebiri is one of the most talented actors and voice modulators; never have they seen someone with so much pent-up emotion and energy brought to the screen so well. Even though Edebiri plays a dog, she has managed to make everyone believe that she represents the inner turmoil and monologue of every dog that exists in this world. The dialogues are extremely well-written but the way she delivers them is truly iconic.
We Lost Our Human Review: Final Thoughts
This interactive special is incredibly entertaining to watch; it does feel somewhat long and stretched because of the nature of the format but has a great pay-off by the end of it, so all the other attempts made at passing feel worth it. While children may not be able to pick up on the fact that the endings are already decided for the story, it has actually done a great job of disguising that aspect by seamlessly weaving choices into the overall narrative of the story.
We Lost Our Human is a perfect interactive special for children who are looking to learn some soft skills from media and have fun at the same time. For parents, this is a perfect way to keep their kids busy while also making sure that they aren’t picking up on something that would be harmful to them.
We Lost Our Human is currently streaming on Netflix. What do you think of interactive specials and their ability to tell diverse and interesting stories? Let us know in the comments below.