I liked that this show is trying to be it's own thing, It's edgy but does not overdue it, like The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park,American Dad to name a few. Most certainly not for kids, even though it's not overly vulgar, the show is for adults. basically spoofing Justice League, The Avengers, and X-Men. The humor mostly on the superhero foul ups, and the funny issues of the characters. I'm surprised that this is not on Adult Swim, it's a very funny show, and enjoyable. It's proof you don't have to count on gross out gags to be funny. That's what animated shows started to depend on lately. The animation is pretty descent, not high art. I really hope this will be on a while.
17 Reviews
Pretty decent, worth a watch.
natemcdouchebag28 October 2015
The show has a great cast, and a great premise. I'd say it's relatively enjoyable to watch, not necessarily funny, but enjoyable nonetheless. Its main issues are in a few character's voice acting and a few sections of writing. Although Malocchio had very strong acting, Prock's is far too monotonous and dull. Just unbelievably cringe- inucing for the first season. It gets progressively less so as the series progresses, but it is an issue that persists throughout the entire series in some capacity. Ultimately, its most prominent issue lies in the actual action sequences. The show seems like it's supposed to be satirical, but it actually tries to be serious in the fight sequences. It comes across as forced, and just generally childish in comparison to most of the show. However, when it does attempt to stick by satire, it is far stronger. In summary, the show is enjoyable, but it get's a fair bit better as the series progresses. I wouldn't call it "great", but it's fun, and worth a watch.
Maybe requires a certain mindset, but I really like it so far.
stevescreations9 August 2013
I have to admit, I'm unsure who the target audience is, and maybe I'm exactly who it was made for, but I think this is great. As a longtime superhero fan, and a gamer (and admittedly a superhero RPG player), I think they nailed the misfit Hero concept pretty comfortably. I agree with the other review (there's only one at the time I'm writing this) that it could be edgier, and it could probably be made to appeal more broadly (how many viewers have ever participated in a tabletop Superhero themed RPG, really?), but unless it's trying to be, or compete with Family Guy, it's probably OK with what it is.
I can't see the show being around long, which is the biggest reason I didn't give it a higher review. I think it would be a bigger hit if, honestly, there were less focus on Prock, and a decent bit more about each member of the team, and if they could isolate a target audience. That's why Drawn Together worked, despite being seen as crude, sick, stupid, and random (in my unabbreviated opinion). They knew who their audience was.
I hope the writers read this. I would love to see The Awesomes stick around.
I can't see the show being around long, which is the biggest reason I didn't give it a higher review. I think it would be a bigger hit if, honestly, there were less focus on Prock, and a decent bit more about each member of the team, and if they could isolate a target audience. That's why Drawn Together worked, despite being seen as crude, sick, stupid, and random (in my unabbreviated opinion). They knew who their audience was.
I hope the writers read this. I would love to see The Awesomes stick around.
Fun, Silly, and with an actual plot
chipmunkassassin7 September 2013
It seems that many reviews have been throwing around show titles such as Family Guy, The Simpsons, American Dad, and more. If these are what you are comparing the show to, then yes, you will in fact be disappointed, because it is nothing like those shows, and that is exactly why I love it. I have never liked Family Guy or American Dad, and The Simpsons have their best days behind them. This show how ever picks up where it left off almost every single episode, and that is what I crave. I don't just look for a stream of quick laughs, but rather a compelling story line that isn't afraid to put the time and effort in to earn my laughs. Sorry, but watching a guy hold his knee and go "Ahhh" for two minutes straight just doesn't cut it for me. I need character development, and situational humor, which is exactly what The Awesomes offers. I certainly hope this show lasts a very long time.
Earnestly Awesome
rwhalt12 August 2013
I created an IMDb account for the sole reason of voicing my opinion about this show. To be blunt, this series is only 3 episodes in, and I'm loving it. As the only other review so far on IMDb points out, this isn't Family Guy, The Simpsons, or American Dad w/ super powers... and that's a good thing. Here's why.
I enjoy shows like the ones I just mentioned, but very rarely do you find a show like this, with the courage to propose continuity without taking itself too seriously. This show isn't cynical of it's world or it's audience, and it's frankly refreshing to find a superhero comedy that isn't willing to sacrifice it's characters just for the quickest low-brow guhawf.
The Awesomes is very earnest in it's desire to present an new Super Hero comedy that isn't dark or gritty, but also isn't an acidic parody of the genre. So far it surprises with it's general lack of foulness, and isn't willing to compromise it's vision by catering to the lowest common denominator. I say give it a watch and here's hoping this show will get the audience it deserves, as well as keep away from compromising creator vision, which would be awesome!
I enjoy shows like the ones I just mentioned, but very rarely do you find a show like this, with the courage to propose continuity without taking itself too seriously. This show isn't cynical of it's world or it's audience, and it's frankly refreshing to find a superhero comedy that isn't willing to sacrifice it's characters just for the quickest low-brow guhawf.
The Awesomes is very earnest in it's desire to present an new Super Hero comedy that isn't dark or gritty, but also isn't an acidic parody of the genre. So far it surprises with it's general lack of foulness, and isn't willing to compromise it's vision by catering to the lowest common denominator. I say give it a watch and here's hoping this show will get the audience it deserves, as well as keep away from compromising creator vision, which would be awesome!
Moments of cleverness, quite a few drawbacks
Okonh0wp10 August 2014
The more superhero stories pervade our TVs and movie screens, the more room there is for superhero parodies.
The latest one is created by SNL head writer and comic book geek Seth Meyers who created this show along with his Saturday Night Live cohorts and populated with a cast of mostly SNL talent along with his brother Josh (Mad TV).
The hero, Prock, is a mild-mannered guy who ranks towards the bottom of the barrel of all the world's superheroes (this is a world overwrought with superpowered-humans who are all organized in a full-on bureaucracy that's part of the satire) but has a lot of smarts and when his dad announces his retirement, he goes on to lead a ragtag group of misfits. It's the kind of plot you've seen in all kinds of stuff from "Sky High" to "Mystery Men" to the "Misfits" to a comic book that Taran Killam just wrote.
The show is really clever in the way that I'd expect from an SNL head writer and gets its satirical jabs in where it can get them.
The problem is generally that many of the characters are weak and uninteresting and, well, those characters take up a lot of the screen time. Taran Killam plays a one-note redneck speedster, Keenan Thompson plays a mama's boy who sounds like Kenan Thompson always does, Bobby Lee plays a boy who turns into sumo wrestler. His character being the kid on the team seems like it has some potential to be any sort of character dynamic but it's quickly dropped.
Ike Barinholtz is moderately potential-filled as the sidekick, and a lot of the more interesting characters come from outside the superhero team: Bill Hader as supervillain Malocchio and Josh Meyers as rival Prock.
Interestingly enough, a couple of SNL's writers Emily Spivey and Paula Pell voice characters here. Pell's character is equally one-note with a moderately gross angle about an old woman being sexy and Spivey's character, a super-secretary of sorts with a charming Southern accent named concierge is the kind of character who feels like she belongs in a more well-rounded cast.
The latest one is created by SNL head writer and comic book geek Seth Meyers who created this show along with his Saturday Night Live cohorts and populated with a cast of mostly SNL talent along with his brother Josh (Mad TV).
The hero, Prock, is a mild-mannered guy who ranks towards the bottom of the barrel of all the world's superheroes (this is a world overwrought with superpowered-humans who are all organized in a full-on bureaucracy that's part of the satire) but has a lot of smarts and when his dad announces his retirement, he goes on to lead a ragtag group of misfits. It's the kind of plot you've seen in all kinds of stuff from "Sky High" to "Mystery Men" to the "Misfits" to a comic book that Taran Killam just wrote.
The show is really clever in the way that I'd expect from an SNL head writer and gets its satirical jabs in where it can get them.
The problem is generally that many of the characters are weak and uninteresting and, well, those characters take up a lot of the screen time. Taran Killam plays a one-note redneck speedster, Keenan Thompson plays a mama's boy who sounds like Kenan Thompson always does, Bobby Lee plays a boy who turns into sumo wrestler. His character being the kid on the team seems like it has some potential to be any sort of character dynamic but it's quickly dropped.
Ike Barinholtz is moderately potential-filled as the sidekick, and a lot of the more interesting characters come from outside the superhero team: Bill Hader as supervillain Malocchio and Josh Meyers as rival Prock.
Interestingly enough, a couple of SNL's writers Emily Spivey and Paula Pell voice characters here. Pell's character is equally one-note with a moderately gross angle about an old woman being sexy and Spivey's character, a super-secretary of sorts with a charming Southern accent named concierge is the kind of character who feels like she belongs in a more well-rounded cast.
What else but - AWESOME!
marfbody-773-83222624 August 2013
Huge SNL fan here, and follower of Mr Meyers, Paula Pell, and their entertaining tweets. You got to give Seth points for taking his comic book love plus our nostalgia for Saturday morning cartoons and cranking it up with clever dialogue and a well rounded cast of characters. C'mon, how many other supergroups have this many female fighters or a hero with mommy issues? Add in some questionable super powers, old lady love, brains, and brawn.... and you get The Awesomes. Even the product placement works --- Kudos to the sponsor for playing along with the gag. Bonus - You'll have fun guessing all the familiar voices. Thank goodness for the 'pause' button! Add in the Ambiguosly Gay Duo, and I'd give it a 10.
PLEASE BRING IT BACK!!! :) :'( :) :'(
dudjadudesoldier23 June 2018
Just got into it 6/22/2018 and i hate that it ends after 30 episodes, this show should at least get 100 episodes its humor is so funny and i love how the cast is a mix of my favorite SNL and MadTV Cast Members
PLEASE BRING THIS AWESOME SHOW BACK
- Adam Lally Aka Dudja Aka SmokeyMcPot420
Everything is Awesome!!!
marcustodd00725 August 2014
So I finally decide to check this bad boy because my dad is watching it and I loved it. I don't normally write reviews but this show deserves a little more than its current 7.5 score. If you typically like animated comedies this show will definitely make you laugh. Also it has a all star cast. Literally everyone on the cast has a strong comedic back round. If you have Hulu definitely worth a watch. But wow apparently you have to have ten lines of text to do a review so then i will list the things i love about the show. Every character brings a unique element to the show but it is the stand out performances of Dr Molochio and Gadget Gal that steal the show. In conclusion a very funny show.
aggressively uninteresting
Eoraptor0227 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Tried to watch "The Awesomes"... I really did but... meh. It's clearly a labour of love from Seth Myers, but that's about all I can say for it. It suffers one of the fatal flaws that Alphas did for me; for a show about Superheroes, there is surprisingly little superheroing or action about it.
It's a lot of introspective self-indulgent whining by a c list superhero squad thrust into the spotlight, and it really doesn't even do that well. It lacks the pop-culture cache of Futurama, the edge of Watchmen, the genre-awareness of Incredibles, or the whit of Kim Possible, even though it is clearly trying for all of those marks. The plotting takes a lot of predictable tropes, and sadly it can't execute them well enough to make them interesting, or poorly enough to make them camp.
The animation is stilted and low quality. In an era when even an amateur can turn in Caanes and Sundance quality work from a moderately powerful PC; it's flat, jerky, and the designs and color choices are uninspired. In the first 22 minute installment, the only things visually that caught my eye were a hairnet and a biplane. Not a character, a costume, a setting, or even a gadget, but a plot gag and one-note throw-away joke. It feels like a three minute SNL animated bit stretched to 22 minutes, which makes it painful on some level.
...in the end, this show falls into that deadly zone of mediocrity; it's not aggressively bad enough to be talked down, but it's not good enough to be talked up either. In short, its not surprising no one is talking about this show at all. Hulu's limited budget could have been far better spent elsewhere.
Sorry Seth, but stick to observational humor, because clearly superheroes is not your forte.
It's a lot of introspective self-indulgent whining by a c list superhero squad thrust into the spotlight, and it really doesn't even do that well. It lacks the pop-culture cache of Futurama, the edge of Watchmen, the genre-awareness of Incredibles, or the whit of Kim Possible, even though it is clearly trying for all of those marks. The plotting takes a lot of predictable tropes, and sadly it can't execute them well enough to make them interesting, or poorly enough to make them camp.
The animation is stilted and low quality. In an era when even an amateur can turn in Caanes and Sundance quality work from a moderately powerful PC; it's flat, jerky, and the designs and color choices are uninspired. In the first 22 minute installment, the only things visually that caught my eye were a hairnet and a biplane. Not a character, a costume, a setting, or even a gadget, but a plot gag and one-note throw-away joke. It feels like a three minute SNL animated bit stretched to 22 minutes, which makes it painful on some level.
...in the end, this show falls into that deadly zone of mediocrity; it's not aggressively bad enough to be talked down, but it's not good enough to be talked up either. In short, its not surprising no one is talking about this show at all. Hulu's limited budget could have been far better spent elsewhere.
Sorry Seth, but stick to observational humor, because clearly superheroes is not your forte.
The show is great, stop looking for comparisons that aren't there.
pastryrockin30 December 2014
The Awesomes are great! I don't know why but, people who tend to write negative reviews about shows are often sad little people who are disappointed that their favorite shows are no longer interesting or a pale imitations of themselves. Well, my thoughts are don't take issue with something new because your old dried up crusty shows haven't covered the same topics the new shows are covering. Comparing this to Family Guy is so embarrassing because they really have nothing in common besides writers named Seth, former cast members of Mad TV and being animated sitcoms. No the fact is that the show lacks a lot in common with many of these shows the other reviewers have mentioned, so if I were you, I'd disregard sad old men who can't make an objective analysis of new shows because they're still stuck on shows that have lost their mojo or been canceled. The Awesomes are actually quite addictive. I think the fact that the show focused a good amount of time of some the formation process of the team and its rivals, is something you don't often see but, they have fun in the process. Many of the other shows often, have awkward or unexplained transitions that further their plots, The Awesomes plot is generally revealed in more naturally textured plot lines that mirror funny, yet, exaggerated real life situations. The show isn't exactly predictable, if you ask me but, it does maintain a certain level of character structure that keeps each character from just spitting out random jokes that don't suit the personalities built into the show. Altogether The Awesomes manage a good balance of animated and superhero surrealism, comedic quality and actual characters that aren't being offered by many shows that readily change the characters up just to fit whatever jokes pop into the writers heads.
super awesome
noahfick112 October 2013
this show was very surprising! For a Hutu original series I expected some crummy show budget show that had advertising every other minuet. Instead what I got was a funny thought out show with unexpected turnouts here and thee. this show was super creative and was a parody of superheroes. During the show there was never an advertising, except the jerky big-foot guy in cartoon form every so often and a little jerky sponsored clip after the credits. the voice actors were awesome and did a great job displaying emotion and excitement. The characters themselves were we drawn and there costumes and powers were all unique and well done. the animation itself was not at all choppy and looked like your average animated TV show. I am definitely looking forward to the 2nd season.
Not great, but not horrible.
obiwayne2 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I spent the last few weeks watching the first season of The Awesomes. Given the people who created it and the people involved, I expected it to be nothing less than great. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite make it there, but it isn't horrible either.
The show never became as focused on one humor style as it needed to be. One minute it would be a clean and family friendly superhero show with middle of the road humor and then the next minute it would veer into a more edgy scenario or joke and change the mood completely. This type of thing can work, but I don't feel it did for The Awesomes.
All in all, I found myself wanting to like it more than I actually did, and that's a shame. Maybe if a season two appears they will become a little more focused the overall humor style and it could become something more akin to wonderful Venture Brothers instead of a slightly edgy Hanna-Barbera cartoon.
The show never became as focused on one humor style as it needed to be. One minute it would be a clean and family friendly superhero show with middle of the road humor and then the next minute it would veer into a more edgy scenario or joke and change the mood completely. This type of thing can work, but I don't feel it did for The Awesomes.
All in all, I found myself wanting to like it more than I actually did, and that's a shame. Maybe if a season two appears they will become a little more focused the overall humor style and it could become something more akin to wonderful Venture Brothers instead of a slightly edgy Hanna-Barbera cartoon.
Not Awesome
harryjohnson20084 August 2013
Being a big fan of SNL, I really wanted to love The Awesomes. But unfortunately, I couldn't even like it. With all due respect to Seth Meyers, et al, this show is just not funny. And sadly, it's not even interesting. There's nothing new or fresh about the concept of an "inferior" superhero taking over a group of other inferior super heroes. It's been done. And it's been done much better. The show seems like it's trying really hard to be a little edgy, but it doesn't even come close. If you're going to do an adult animated show, then you have to go all out, like the Simpsons, American Dad, Family Guy, etc, etc.. There has to be some spice and some bite to it. Unfortunately, this show not only lacks any kind of heat whatsoever, it falls flat and bland like boiled, limp cabbage. Which, in the end, only leaves you with gas.
Hardly Awesome
cknce1 September 2014
If I had to write a definition for ham-fisted The Awesomes would be one of my first references. The show has some interesting characters, decent animation and a great cast of voice actors which made me wonder why this show isn't better. The answer being the writing. The script feels like it is really holding the show back. It bludgeons the watcher over the head with whatever it is trying to convey giving the viewers no intellectual credit whatsoever. It feels like it's a kid show in it's delivery with sporadic adult content thrown in. Almost like a less funny, much more adult Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (which is an excellent movie).
I realize this is harsh on many levels so let me rein it in. Kenan Thompson, Ike Barinholtz and Taran Killam are excellent; their characters are what have gotten me through the series. Ironically the two characters we're supposed to feel the most strongly about: Prock and Hotwire, are the most difficult to care for. Their rapport felt rushed and kind of materializes out of nowhere. Their relationship, much like the show gets better as it begins to take form, but it just feels like it should be better.
My advice is to watch it, digest it and come to your own conclusion. I hope this post doesn't keep any one from trying the show out but lets some like-minded viewers know what they're in for.
I realize this is harsh on many levels so let me rein it in. Kenan Thompson, Ike Barinholtz and Taran Killam are excellent; their characters are what have gotten me through the series. Ironically the two characters we're supposed to feel the most strongly about: Prock and Hotwire, are the most difficult to care for. Their rapport felt rushed and kind of materializes out of nowhere. Their relationship, much like the show gets better as it begins to take form, but it just feels like it should be better.
My advice is to watch it, digest it and come to your own conclusion. I hope this post doesn't keep any one from trying the show out but lets some like-minded viewers know what they're in for.
A superhero parody that fails to be funny
blmulholland-1426122 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Superheroes were still hot when this was made. As I write my review having just seen it in 2023, superheroes are starting their collapse (mostly because studios stopped making good ones). But you know what we really haven't had? A truly great superhero parody.
I think part of the reason is because alot of superhero content doesn't take itself seriously to begin with. So most of the parodies just play like slightly less serious superhero movies. Were Guardians of the Galaxy parodies? Was Kick Ass? The Boys? They're certainly funny superhero shows, but are they parodies?
I'd argue the best parody of superheroes was The Tick, which came way too early to be part of this craze. I spread of the classic cartoon of course not the mediocre live action versions.
The Awesomes seems to be trying to be that...but fails. It fails because it's just not funny. If you're going full-parody and you can't even be as funny as superhero fare that takes itself far more seriously, then you have failed at parody. And this does.
Honestly, any further critique almost feels unnecessary. The plot doesn't matter, it's a parody. The voice acting is bland...and if the lines/gags were funny, that would matter...but they aren't...so it doesn't.
One piece of advice - when doing parody in cartoons, make your animation are MORE grounded. This sort of hypersimplistic art is good enough for South Park or The Simpsons as those are just sitcoms. There's no real need for quality art.
But for a parody like this, I feel like you really need to make the audience feel like they're watching something more serious in order to set them up for when you subvert expectations.
Like Archer. The series Archer is a parody of the spy thriller genre, and it's brilliant (until the dream seasons start anyway). One reason is better writing and acting than The Awesomes has, but also, the very 'action hero' art style almost makes you feel like the show is seriously trying to be serious. Which makes the jokes land harder.
Even The Tick itself is somewhat more real in it's art style. Though still more cartoony than Archer, The Tick has people that look a bit more like people and less like ... Charlie Brown.
But that would only matter if the writing were better. Which it's not. I'm generously giving 5 stars. I'm not sure it deserves that. But I appreciate the effort.
I think part of the reason is because alot of superhero content doesn't take itself seriously to begin with. So most of the parodies just play like slightly less serious superhero movies. Were Guardians of the Galaxy parodies? Was Kick Ass? The Boys? They're certainly funny superhero shows, but are they parodies?
I'd argue the best parody of superheroes was The Tick, which came way too early to be part of this craze. I spread of the classic cartoon of course not the mediocre live action versions.
The Awesomes seems to be trying to be that...but fails. It fails because it's just not funny. If you're going full-parody and you can't even be as funny as superhero fare that takes itself far more seriously, then you have failed at parody. And this does.
Honestly, any further critique almost feels unnecessary. The plot doesn't matter, it's a parody. The voice acting is bland...and if the lines/gags were funny, that would matter...but they aren't...so it doesn't.
One piece of advice - when doing parody in cartoons, make your animation are MORE grounded. This sort of hypersimplistic art is good enough for South Park or The Simpsons as those are just sitcoms. There's no real need for quality art.
But for a parody like this, I feel like you really need to make the audience feel like they're watching something more serious in order to set them up for when you subvert expectations.
Like Archer. The series Archer is a parody of the spy thriller genre, and it's brilliant (until the dream seasons start anyway). One reason is better writing and acting than The Awesomes has, but also, the very 'action hero' art style almost makes you feel like the show is seriously trying to be serious. Which makes the jokes land harder.
Even The Tick itself is somewhat more real in it's art style. Though still more cartoony than Archer, The Tick has people that look a bit more like people and less like ... Charlie Brown.
But that would only matter if the writing were better. Which it's not. I'm generously giving 5 stars. I'm not sure it deserves that. But I appreciate the effort.
Why does the main character sound like a robot
kegebler2 July 2020
I thought this was a decent premise and decent series with good animation however the voiceovers are just horrible especially when it comes to the main character. Is voice sounds monotone in like a robot I honestly want to punch him in the face every time he comes on.
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