MEDIEVAL MADNESS
Princess goes on wild adventures in Groening’s ‘Disenchantment’
Never fear: “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening's new animated series for Netflix doesn't rehash his greatest hit or even his cult favorite “Futurama.”
Instead, “Disenchantment,” dropping today, owes much to Monty Python with its skewed sensibility, offbeat riffs and nutty sight gags. The sweet animation suggests a cross between “Futurama” and PBS' “Arthur.”
The serialized comedy spotlights Bean (voice of Abbi Jacobson, “Broad City”) — OK, she does burp like Homer and if you squint, she looks like she could be Barney's bucktoothed daughter, but that's where the “Simpsons” comparisons pretty much end.
Bean is a princess of a medieval kingdom beset by ogres, trolls and other beasties, but she's not made of fairy tale dust.
She regularly sneaks out of the castle to hit the local pub for brews and cards, and she's not above a good brawl if she can get away with the pot.
“Anything is safer than guarding that princess,” says one guard who begs to be sent off on a crusade.
Bean's father, King Zog (Billy West), is desperate to marry her off to cement an alliance with another kingdom. Bean, of course, would rather be tossed off the castle than marry someone she does not know, much less love.
Duty — and a legion of guards — force Bean back through the streets to the castle.
“Sorry I can't make the wedding,” one peasant in stocks says to her as she passes by.
“Want to switch places?” she offers.
“No, I'm good,” he replies. Bean's stepmom, Queen Oona (Tress MacNeille), if it matters, is more lizard than woman. Bean's lady-in-waiting is forever cheery even as she says the most horrible things. “We'll scrub you right up, as clean as a child on his funeral day.”
Bean's first intended-to-be suffers the kind of fate that would make Python heads snicker.
Meanwhile, in another realm, the elf Elvo (Nat Faxon) cannot suffer in silence any longer. He's tired
of being happy and wonders why all the elves spend their days making candy when all they do is get paid in candy anyway. He wants to go somewhere he can be miserable. (This proves actually impossible for Elvo because he's so impossibly naive and optimistic about everything, but just go with it.)
“I'd rather die a big death than live a small life,” he says. Mission accomplished? As soon as he is transported to the medieval forest, Elvo is snatched by a hawk.
For reasons that aren't exactly clear at first, two mysterious strangers watch Bean via a green mystical portal — and curse her with a demon, Luci (Eric Andre, “Man Seeking Woman”). Luci is there to lead her to the dark side.
“So you're like a bad friend?” Bean wonders.
“I never said I was your friend.”
Bean, Elvo and Luci form the center of this show, three spirited twits looking to thwart destiny — at least royal destiny, anyway.
Luci, thanks to some truly wicked lines and Andre's even more wicked deadpan delivery, looks to be the breakout character.
In a future episode, while considering the possibility of being incarcerated, Luci says, “You know, they prey on the weak in prison.
“At least, I intend to.” “Disenchantment” casts a demented spell.