The inescapably mortifying time of puberty has given TV comedy writers plenty of material to work with over the years.
But rarely has an animated series been as candid as Big Mouth when chuckling about the grossness, weirdness, and honest confusion which accompanies this most awkward time of a person’s life.
From singing tampons to chatty pubes, Big Mouth will make you wince, cringe and cackle as your own memories of growth spurts and random hairs come flooding back like a sudden acne outbreak.
Puberty itself is manifested through hairy, yet often well-meaning, hormone monsters who torment and guide the teenage characters in various hilarious ways. It can also be oddly heart-warming in places, with messages of body positivity and friendship.
And now the coming-of-age cartoon has been quite rightly renewed by Netflix for a third season, as reported by Deadline, bringing us a third chapter in the lives of Nick, Andrew, Jessi et al.
Many of the episodes are based on the adolescent misadventures of show co-creators and close friends Nick Kroll (The League), and Andrew Goldberg (Family Guy), who also lend their voices to several of the show’s characters.
Alongside screenwriter-directors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett, Kroll and Goldberg co-created and executive produce the risqué series; encouraging a very open writing process.
As reported by Variety, Levin gave the following writer’s room insight during a PaleyFest panel for Big Mouth:
Whenever we interviewed a writer for the show we’d always say, ‘Tell us about what it was like when you had your first period, or what it was like when you were caught masturbating.’
That was the litmus test because they had to be able to freely open up. We made the room a really safe place where everyone could talk about that.
The show has become known for covering taboo subjects in a light-hearted way, with storylines covering everything from pornography addiction to sex pillows. However, there are still some lines which cannot be crossed.
As reported by Vulture, Kroll recently revealed the one Big Mouth joke which Netflix regarded as too obscene to air.
Speaking at Vulture Festival L.A., Kroll said:
The only note Netflix gave us on season one,
Rick is like ‘suck my sick little d*ck,’ and we see him pull a thermometer out of his little dick and there’s a spurt of blood that comes out after,
Netflix was like ‘how would you feel about not having that?’
Netflix has enjoyed great success streaming adult animated series in recent times, including the likes ofDisenchantment, Hoops and the wildly popular BoJack Horseman.
Now the platform is launching its very own animation studio, in response to an increasing demand for animated shows as well as a means of cost cutting.
It’s a fun time right now to be an adult who loves cartoons, but loves filthy jokes more.
The second season of Big Mouth debuted on Netflix on October 5, 2018, with Season 3 expected at some point during 2019.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.