TV review: Disenchantment

(M) ★★★½

Creator: Matt Groening.

Cast: (voices of) Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre, Nat Faxon, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, Matt Berry, David Herman, Sharon Horgan, Maurice LaMarche, Lucy Montgomery, Billy West.

Service: Netflix.

If you drink and ride, you're a bloody idiot.

Comparing Matt Groening's latest creations to his two previous babies - The Simpsons and Futurama - is grossly unfair; one is the greatest TV show of all time, the other is a supremely under-rated gem that was so great it survived being cancelled twice (and here's hoping Futurama survives its third cancellation).

But compare we shall, because that's often the best shorthand for understanding quality and giving something a creative context. So the short version of this review is that Disenchantment isn't a patch on either of its older Groening siblings. It starts to hit its stride partway through the second episode but its humour only occasionally reaches the lofty heights of its predecessors. And despite its progressive outlook, it lacks the social commentary bite of The Simpsons and Futurama at their best.

But, like I said, such comparisons are grossly unfair. On its own, Disenchantment is fine fun, with some good characters and some solid storytelling that escalates dramatically as the first series progresses. There are also some nice points to be made about the weight of expectation, and the struggle of finding one's identity.

The star of the show is Bean (Jacobson), AKA Princess Tiabeanie AKA Princess Tiabeanie Mariabeanie De La Rochambeaux Drunkowitz. As the oldest child of King Zøg of Dreamland (DiMaggio), she is expected to be a respectable royal. However the first episode finds her ditching her diplomatically advantageous wedding, after which she regularly spends her time drinking and fighting.

Typically she's accompanied in her pursuits by exiled naive elf Elfo (Faxon) and Bean's personal demon Luci (Andre), with said pursuits often running her afoul of her kingly father.

As is the custom of modern TV, Disenchantment rewards binge-watching. Around episode eight, the pay-offs mount up and the story arc kicks in. Seeds you didn't even realise were seeds, planted way back in episode one, suddenly start to bear fruit, and the ability of the show to make the most of callbacks - something The Simpsons and Futurama have never done - works a treat.

Prior to that, the series' good-natured humour and engaging characters will keep you watching. By season's end, it moves into full cliffhanger mode, which is amplified by the fact Netflix has ordered 20 episodes yet this season is only the first 10. So some story strands bear fruit, others frustratingly don't. It's a ploy to get you coming back for series two, which helps make up for the lower strike rate of laughs when compared to The Simpsons and Futurama.

The best elements of Disenchantment overcome the worst. Side characters such as The Herald get the best lines, which makes up for the side characters among the king's court that aren't funny. A bachelor party visit to Mermaid Island is a funny plot, while Bean's search for a job is less so. Luci comes off like a boring version of Futurama's Bender, but Bean is a refreshing character, who's more like a cross between Bender and Leela.

Largely, it works. It's boldly different to Groening's other work, while still looking and feeling familiar. It's still short of greatness, but it's engaging enough to warrant returning for season two or even a re-watch to pick out the foreshadowing you missed first time around.

And to read all the great signs hidden in the background of the village.