ON- DEMAND TELEVISION GROENING’S GROWN- UP FAIRYTALE

Groening’s new adult cartoon series Disenchantment has a feminist component that sets it apart from his other shows.

Groening spoke about bringing fresh talent to the Netflix show at a panel for the Television Critics Association, joined by the voice actors Abbi Jacobson and Eric Andre.

He highlighted the differences between the new project and his previous work, the long- running Fox series The Simpsons.

“One of the reasons The Simpsons is what it is, is because of the time constraints,” he said. “In this show, we’re able to let it breathe a little more which I find gratifying.”

The series is an adult cartoon with a female lead. It follows the misadventures of an alcoholic slacker princess named Princess Bean, voiced by Broad City star Abbi Jacobson, who has everything but a sense of purpose. Joined by a personal demon named Luci, played by Andre, and a scruffy elf named Elfo ( voiced by Nat Faxon), Bean creates mischief in the kingdom of Dreamland where she’s infamous for her careless antics.

“Bean is such an anti- stereotypical princess from what we are used to seeing,” Jacobson said.

Both Jacobson and Andre shared stories of growing up watching The Simpsons and finding their place with Groening and Josh Weinstein, creators and producers of Disenchantment.

Weinstein said that while Disenchantment features established talent from both Futurama – which he produced – and The Simpsons, it transcends boundaries in both age and diversity. He said at least half the writing staff was under 30.

Groening also cited Monty Python and The Holy Grail as an inspiration for the series, but said the feminist style of Jacobson’s Broad City influenced the show as well.