Netflix 'Disenchantment': Princess Teabeanie is the perfect regular, goofy, independent woman
There is nothing to not admire about a Matt Groening animated project. Be it 'The Simpsons' (we are long-time fans of the longest-running animated comedy on TV) or 'Futurama'. Now, 'Disenchantment' –another Groening brainchild– might share characteristics with his other projects namely with respect to the creator's signature animation style, humor, and pace, but the animated epic fantasy series really has other high points.
'Disenchantment' follows a hard-drinking princess, Princess Teabeanie (aka as Bean) and her (mis)adventures in the crumbling medieval kingdom of Dreamland.
Bean is not alone in all her shenanigans – she is accompanied by her feisty elf companion Elfo (voiced by Nat Faxon), and her personal demon Luci (voiced by Eric Andre). Together, the oddball trio encounters ogres, sprites, harpies, imps, trolls, walruses, and lots of human fools.
Groening's protagonist Princess Teabeanie aka Bean, voiced by Abbi Jacobson, is the female dysfunctional millennial (in medieval times, yes, we know what we said) that is all of us.
This is the first time that Groening has kept a dysfunctional female lead in his animated show. Earlier, in 'The Simpsons' and 'Futurama', Groening presented Homer and Fry respectively – the naivety of these characters is endearing if nothing else.
But with Jacobson's Bean, we get a better deal. She is rebellious, realistic, silly, straightforward, and undemanding in a sad child way.
At the red carpet premiere of the Netflix show's first episode, producer Rich Fulcher adds that Bean’s “rebelliousness is just enough to be charming and realistic without the audience being fed up with her.”
It is indeed difficult to be tired of watching Bean on the screen. Jacobson adds a certain spunk in Bean's character and her treatment is quite commendable.
During the making of the show, Groening had noted that 'Disenchantment' will explore "life and death, love and sex, and how to keep laughing in a world full of suffering and idiots, despite what the elders and wizards and other jerks tell you".
Apart from Jacobson, Andre, and Faxon, the show features John DiMaggio, Billy West, Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille, David Herman, Matt Berry, Jeny Batten, Rich Fulcher, Noel Fielding, and Lucy Montgomery.
The first ten-part of the twenty-part series is currently streaming on Netflix. The remaining ten episodes will premiere on September 20, 2019.
