‘Sweet Tooth’ Review: Netflix show is tense, eerily connected with our own pandemic-gripped world
Netflix’s new series, ‘Sweet Tooth’, creates suspense from the very beginning with the introduction of little Gus (lead of the show, also called Sweet Tooth) and his Pubba living a very different life in the woods. The first episode also gives the audience a hint of an upcoming pandemic while taking them a few years back. Besides, it introduces us to Dr Aditya Singh (Adeel Akhtar) and his ill wife Rani (Aliza Vellani) without giving too much detail.
But as Netflix's show progresses, the audience comes to realize that the story is not very much different from their own reality, living in the time of a pandemic. A deadly virus is at the center of the show as it not only makes people sick but also makes the infected person’s pinky finger tremble — an ominous sign. To set the thrill higher, the makers of the show have not left any stone unturned. Along with the health crisis, they have added the concept of hybrid kids — half human and half animal — who took birth as the virus engulfed the planet.
READ MORE
Is Robert Downey Jr working with DC now in 'Sweet Tooth' series adaptation on Netflix?
Our hero, Gus (Christian Convery), is also a nine-year-old deer-boy, who is lovingly called Sweet Tooth by Big Man aka Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie). Tragically, Gus’ Pubba got infected with the deadly virus and left him on his own in the forest with a lot of unanswered questions. But then his Big Man, a former football player, comes into his life as a savior with whom he embarks on an extraordinary adventure to find out the origin of his existence.
The show smoothly makes the audience more familiar with Dr Singh and his wife while introducing other important characters, including Aimee, her adopted hybrid daughter Pigtail, Dr Bell, teenage Bear (Stefania LaVie Owen), and her hybrid kids' army, and the villain — General Abbott. It also gives us a glimpse of Gus’ mother or say creator, Birdie. Initially, it appears that all have their own separate stories, but eventually it starts making sense how all of them are inter-connected and going to contribute to each other’s lives.
From the perspective of Gus, the series tells us no matter how depressing the answers are going to be of your questions, they will ultimately set you free. Bear’s story is all about childhood struggle and not being submissive towards fate, no matter what. Big Man’s storyline tells the audience it does not matter how much you try to forget or avoid, your dark past won’t leave you. However, the most important point of the whole season is how humans are solely responsible for their devastation and they don’t learn even when the worst is in front of them.
The best part about ‘Sweet Tooth’ is that none of the characters or the situation is real, but it still feels so true and leaves the audience feeling eerily connected. There is an environment of constant tension while watching the show, which is really difficult to suppress, and that makes the experience all the more impactful.
You can watch ‘Sweet Tooth’ Season 1 on Netflix.
