‘Disenchantment’ needs a bit more magic to be a hit

Matt Groening, the creator of “The Simpsons” and “Futurama,” is bringing audiences to the past with his new Netflix animated series, “Disenchantment.” With the entire 10 episode first season being available to stream now, it’s time to see if this series can match up with Groening’s iconic work.

The show tells the story of Tiabeanie, the irresponsible alcoholic princess of the fictional Medieval town of Dreamland, and her adventures with Luci, her mischievous personal demon and Elfo, a happy-go-lucky elf with a crush on her. Along their journeys, they make friends, escape enemies and find out secrets about their kingdom that could change their way of life forever.

What makes this series different from Groening’s previous shows, other than the time period, is the attempts to blend both his familiar character-centric plots with a more story-driven narrative. It is refreshing that Groening has decided to take this approach given that his sitcom-esque style could have begun to feel repetitive.

However, when watching the show, it is obvious where his strengths lie. The series seems to relish much more in showing off character interactions and personalities, which works the best thanks in no small part to the stellar voice cast. Groening regulars such as John DiMaggio, Billy West, David Herman and Tress MacNeille work well alongside the newer cast with Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre and Nat Faxon voicing our three leads.

The characters themselves, for the most part, are enjoyable. The main three manage to have more charisma when on-screen together as opposed to individually, thanks to the way their bold personalities contrast with one another. Luci and Elfo are particularly fun to have together, acting almost as Tiabeanie’s conscious during crazy situations, which leads to some great comedy. The side characters are decent enough, but due to their similar personality traits, they fail to stand out.

The series fails to be as entertaining in the narrative department though. There’s a hard time balancing the various subplots and character arcs while trying to shove in crazy adventures. Only during the very beginning and very end of this season does it feel like time was taken to develop its subplots, making the narrative elements feel tacked on.

What makes it disappointing is that these plot points did have the potential to be compelling. Early on in the season, the show gives some of its characters clearly defined goals that had to the opportunity to show off some inventive commentary. Sadly, it doesn’t develop them much further than their introductions, which is why much of the cast doesn’t work as well as individual characters.

To end things on a lighter note, however, this is undeniably Groening’s best looking show. The series employs his trademark character designs that gives a nice sense of familiarity. The stunning backgrounds stand out, resembling a fairytale storybook with its warm color palette and detailed textures.

“Disenchantment” is far from a terrible show, but for how far both Groening’s talents and adult animated television have evolved, this could have been better. Despite its talented voice cast, some enjoyable characters, solid visuals and some good comedy, its attempts to be both character and plot driven leave much to be desired. If you enjoy Groening’s work, than this is sure to be a decent watch, but hopefully the next season takes a drastic turn.