Rob’s Review:
The gang is back as a group of 7th graders, including best friends Nick and Andrew, navigate their way through puberty with struggles like masturbation, and sexual arousal all in the suburbs of New York City. Acting as over-sexualized shoulder angels are the hormone monsters. The new season picks up where the last one left off when the Valentine’s special ended, with Andrew a raging jealous maniac who can’t stand the sight of Missy with another boy and Nick finally getting a competent Hormone Monster.
We had heard complaints that season 3 is “too PC,” and not enough of an escape. Hogwash. Big Mouth Season 3 is what it always has been; the most relatable cartoon ever created. Every single one of us has been a teenager and we all know how awful it is. Today, it may be more awful than ever with concerns over gender pronouns, what is or isn’t sexual harassment (hint; everything is sexual harassment), social media, a seeming societal addiction to technology, Adderall abuse, toxic masculinity and a list far longer than we have space for here. There is absolutely nothing wrong with exploring these realities in classic “Big Mouth” fashion as they do. None of the episodes are “serious,” or marinated in advocacy for one position or another.
In season 3, Some of the situations Big Mouth presents are familiar, and some questions are universal: Is it okay to have a crush on your best friend’s ex? Is it okay to want to kiss girls and boys, “and anyone in between”? Is it okay to covertly film your family members for viral fame? Is it okay to kiss your cousin? Is it okay for two children to get married? Is it ok to pull your ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend out of his wheelchair? Some of these dilemmas are more universal than others, and some have clearer answers. All of them are handled with the hilarity we have come to expect from Big Mouth. I binge Watched season 3 in one day on Friday and am looking forward to re-watching every episode at least once…or seventeen times.
