Big Mouth was an instant hit on Netflix when it came out in 2017. Staring A-level comedians like Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, and Maya Rudolph, the show tackled headlong the delicate subject of puberty the only way adult animation can: hysterically. The show balances its heavy messages with light-hearted empathy from the star-studded cast. And in a world where sex education is a hot-button political issue, Big Mouth takes the touchy subject and creates a space with body-positive themes for those that might be going through that confusing time in their lives. The series was so successful in its first season it quickly earned its place among other popular animated shows like Bojack Horseman and F is for Family. Netflix hurried to renew the show for four more seasons, and now it seems like the show is getting its own spin-off.
It's called Human Resources, and the show comes out this Friday, March 18th. The new cartoon promises to be a workplace comedy revolving around the rich, colorful lives of those familiar monsters that work in the Department of Puberty. With the most recent fifth season of Big Mouth just released last November, it was the perfect time to get caught up on all the shenanigans amidst a still covid-wary world and fears of the Omicron variant. And it seems like the show's creators just couldn't wait to tell what must be an iceberg of stories lurking just around the corner.
Plot: All We Know
As seen in the trailer, the hot topic for this new take seems to revolve around a freshman love bug named Emmy and her human charge, who is *gasp* an unloving mother?! In the short glimpses we get, Emmy seems to be a party-loving, alcoholic love bug who is in need of a bit of counseling herself. As the mystical tube (which is apparently an all-knowing bureaucratic assignment machine) gives the bug her new human, those assembled in the office seem somewhere between surprised and completely terrified. Being a new mother must be difficult enough, but having a person -- or in this case, bug -- to lean on whose character already seems questionable can't amount to good news for either of them. But, true to form, this is the way that Big Mouth reminds us that nobody's perfect, and that's ok!
The mother in the trailer bears a striking resemblance to Ali, Big Mouth's pansexual character. Ali was slightly controversial when she appeared on the show, being ridiculed by audiences for oversimplifying pansexuality and displaying a binary perspective on gender identity. While the creators later apologized and recanted on their definition, the character remained in the background until this most recent season, where she and Jessi explored feelings for one another. Ali Wong is on the cast list, but not under the name of her normal character. Will this new mother give birth to an infant Ali? Is this the love child of an Ali far in the future? Are these only wild speculations based on very little evidence? We'll just have to wait and see.
Cast: All We Know
If you thought Big Mouth had a cast packed with celebrities, Human Resources is full to bursting. Netflix must be thirsty for another Bojack magnitude of success because the list of names that its length alone implies a massive bump in the budget. But take a closer look, and you'll find... that you're probably right. Of course, they couldn't have a workplace spin-off without Nick Kroll and Maya Rudolph returning to reprise their roles as Maya and Connie. David Thewlis comes back as the Shame Wizard. And Thandiwe Newton and Bobby Cannavale both appear again as our supporting hormone monsters, Mona and Gavin. Though the hints from the cast list don't seem to imply showings from any familiar human characters, all our favorite monsters appear to be in attendance.
But the gold here comes one level deeper, as we uncover the huge list of celebrities that we would be happy just to see as guest stars but appear to be credited with full series-long parts! Helen Mirren, Jemaine Clement, and Hugh Jackman are all listed as being in the mix for ten episodes. And that's not even mentioning Henry Winkler, Janelle Monae, Mike Birbiglia, and Maria Bamford. Randall Park, a hilarious stand-up comedian and occasional dopey suit-jockey in Marvel, will be playing the role of a new monster: Pete the Logic Rock. And Aidy Bryant, longtime SNL performer, takes center stage as the voice of our love bug protagonist, Emmy.
Everything Else We Know
The series seems excited to expand its cast of bureaucratic, emotionally charged monsters. Despite season five catching some guff for jumping the gun a little, this extended universe has been in the making for a long time, and the drama has always extended beyond our human heroes. With time to focus on new monsters like Logic Rocks, Addiction Angels, and Ambition Gremlins, the orchard is ripe for plucking for some light-hearted, emotional drama with a positive message that will make you feel at home in your own skin.