Netflix 'Human Resources': Reminds you of 'Big Mouth' at its best, disorienting at its worst
Let's take a moment and laud Netflix for coming up with or rather presenting something like 'Big Mouth.' The animated series that started off as a show about teenagers journeying through puberty and their "Hormone Creatures" has successfully evolved into a universe with one of television's richest ensemble voice casts. 'Human Resources,' a 'Big Mouth' spin-off, focuses on these creatures and their peers and is a series that was initially sold to the public as 'Big Mouth' meets 'The Office.' So, does the pitch still hold true? Keep on reading to find out!
'Human Resources,' created by Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Kelly Galuska, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin, is a workplace comedy that revolves around Hormone Creatures, Anxiety Mosquitoes, Lovebugs, Shame Wizards, Hate Worms, Addiction Angels, Depression Kitties, and many more other beings. Though many beloved 'Big Mouth' characters like Maury, Connie, Walter, Rochelle, Sonya, and Rick return, 'Human Resources' also centers around Emmy, who replaces Sonja at work, and Pete, an Easter Island rock who embodies human logic.
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The key humans in the series are Becca and Barry, a couple struggling with postpartum depression, and Yara, a Lebanese woman dealing with dementia. The series focuses on the creatures' adventures and misadventures as they go about their duties and encounter various challenges. Similar to 'Big Mouth' in many ways, 'Human Resources' is irreverently hilarious for most parts.
However, the former worked well because it was well-balanced and very clear about what it wanted to focus on. The latter isn't the same and given the sheer number of characters seems to be all over the place at times.
Each episode of 'Human Resources' is packed with so many plotlines that you cannot really focus on them all. This makes it a jarring watch and also disconnects the viewer from the show as serious moments are immediately chased with rather juvenile comedy bits that rob them of their intensity.
Nevertheless, 'Human Resources' is a humor-laden experience with a stellar voice cast that includes guest appearances by Hugh Jackman, Helen Mirren, and Lupita Nyong'o. Ali Wong shines as Becca and those familiar with her standup acts know where the character got its source material from.
So, does the pitch mentioned in the beginning hold true? Not really. Well, 'The Office' part doesn't.
In all, 'Human Resources' is a show that reminds you of 'Big Mouth' at its best and, sadly, is disorienting at its worst.
'Human Resources' is available for streaming on Netflix.
