Strange Planet Review: The Apple TV+ animated sci-fi comedy series features Tunde Adebimpe, Demi Adejuyigbe, Lori Tan China, Hannah Einbinder, Danny Pudi, James Adman, Cedric Yarbrough, Beth Stelling and others as voice actors. The show is based on Nathan W Pyle’s webcomic of the same name. Nathan has co-created the show with Dan Harmon. There are 10 episodes, of approximately 30-35 minutes.
Apple TV’s Strange Planet Review Contains No Spoilers At All
In Apple TV’s Strange Planet, we are taken to a world that’s distinguishable from us yet so much like us. The humans have an alien-like avatar and are addressed as ‘Beings’. No one has a name of their own. These Beings use the synonyms of the popularly used words by humans. In the series, we see these beings exploring the journey of life, love and building connections.
Dan Harmon is one of the creators of Netflix’s popular sci-fi adult animated series, Rick & Morty. So I expected the Apple TV+ series to be a bewildering watch. Nathan W Pyle’s webcomic is quite popular, and that’s exactly why we’re being treated with the show. Nathan’s perception of how life must be on other worlds is fascinating, unique, and comparable to humans on Earth.
The first episode sets the tone of the series and the pleasing absurdity we will witness till the end. These Beings don’t sugarcoat conversations about life, death, having pets, games etc. and say the most disturbing fact with directness like it’s a no big deal. They use different terms/words to describe certain things, which are more meaningful than the usual terms used by humans. For example – alcohol is called mild poison; death is called perishing; coffee is called jitter drink. Many such irregular words are used throughout that one can easily get accustomed to.
From work culture to friendships and adulthood, Strange Planet on Apple TV+ takes us through these Beings’ meaningful and challenging journeys. Along with engaging storytelling layered with curiosity, the comedy makes it fun to watch. In totality, the concept itself is quite amusing. The show also offers you humour that’s dark and observational, blending smoothly with the screenplay, situations and the irony the Beings are in.
Also Read: Invasion Season 1 Recap: Aliens, World Domination and Psychic Powers
The striking and sharp animation amps up the writing, storytelling and humour. Although the Beings look alike wholly and have the same name, you can still figure out who’s young, adult and older. Even though there’s a slight hint of dark comedy, the colour schemes are immensely vibrant. The shades of pink, blue and purples make it a comfortable watch.
Tunde Adebimpe, Demi Adejuyigbe, Lori Tan China, Hannah Einbinder, Danny Pudi, James Adman, Cedric Yarbrough, and Beth Stelling have done an incredible job giving voices and life to these strange beings. Making a sentence chucklesome and meaningful by using unusual words without sounding ridiculous is quite a challenge. But the voice actors delivered their lines well, with the visuals also helping us understand what they conveyed.
Strange Planet Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, Strange Planet may be set in an orb far, far away and have a physical appearance different from ours, but the sentiments and journeys are relatable. Every episode has something to tell, sealed with realistic conversations. If eccentric animated stories are something that interests you, you should definitely binge-watch the show.
The first three episodes will release on August 9, 2023, on Apple TV+. From August 16, one new episode will drop every Wednesday.
Will you be watching the show when it releases? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.