Animals

Do these high concepts always work? Not really, but sometimes they’re quite funny. But like any show that is heavy on concept, that can wear thin.

The deadpan approach only enhances the delicious off the wall comedy of Animals. The series is batty and brilliant as it turns the whole notion of anthropomorphic cartoon animals on its fuzzy ear.

There may be a few pun-like twists based on the breed in the spotlight, but the joke is often based in the juxtaposition of animal and human. At best, this decision works to support the novelty of the series; to build upon its niche appeal and make Animals. stand out from the pack (pun intended). At worst, the writing feels flat and uninspired; a simple copy and paste of cliched scenes with a few species-specific jokes tossed in for flavor.

This is an offering best served in small doses to really appreciate some of the nuances built into each episode.

If watching hipster versions of New York critters struggle through social interactions, constantly fall back on their narcissistic tendencies, question their sexuality and gender, and generally stumble around like lost souls sounds like your cup of tea, Animals occasionally mines that setup for comic gold.

Animals is intriguing, and if you’re in the right mood, its leisurely pace and slacker rhythms can pull you in for a while.

As is the case with a lot of animated shows based in a very alternate reality, you really have to be in the mood for Animals, a hit-or-miss series that weaves a couple of disparate stories of the animals into a half-hour set against the background of a perpetually rainy New York City.

Though occasionally funny, Animals is just not nearly as edgy as it thinks it is.

Not for nothing does Animals similarly feel like a series of vague, mildly surreal takes on life events and actions, all of which are alternatively carelessly sarcastic in tone or lacking in the wild pulse of life that denotes the existence of animals big and small, rather than a studied approximation of just such things.

This is the kind of loose, talky slacker comedy that needs razor-sharp observations and originality to work. Unfortunately, the writing isn’t consistently funny enough to make up for the, well, shaggy dog storytelling.