NEW SHOW: The Awesomes

by Christopher Scott

Hulu Original Series The Awesomes

The Awesomes "Pilot, Part 1" (S01E01): Hey guys and gals! It’s good to be back, bringing you up to date on the new animated series presented by Hulu, The Awesomes. Featuring the voice talent of Seth Meyers, Kenan Thompson, and many other sketch comics from both MAD TV and Saturday Night Live, The Awesomes is a comedy series following a team of heroes trying to keep the world safe from villainy. The only problem is, all of the good heroes have quit, so we’re left with the “B-Team.” I’m getting a little ahead of myself.

Here in Episode One we are privy to how this new team of heroes comes to be. After a short flash forward, we are introduced to Mr. Awesome, the leader of the current super hero team “The Awesomes,” and Prock, his son who has only the power to stop time in order to monologue but has become both a professor and doctor in order to impress his father. (Heh, I see what you did there.)

Today, Mr. Awesome is retiring from his tights and wants to pass the torch to a new generation of hero. Obviously that means his first choice as a successor is …  Perfect Man! Duh! You weren’t thinking Prock, right? Come on! Prock is lame! But when Perfect Man shuts down the offer and no other hero wants to step up, including a press member who must have been on steroids, it leaves only Prock to don the title of leader. Which, in turn, causes every decent team member to quit posthaste.

From there Prock attempts to assemble a new team of worthy heroes to defend the world through teamwork. He has the choice to attain decent heroes with less impressive powers or to grab A+ power wielders with huge mental shortcomings. And because this is supposed to be a comedy, a ragtag team of crazies makes for better TV … er, internet TV.

This new team includes Muscleman, a strong guy with no intelligence. Frantic, a super speed runner with a serious need to succeed in life that causes him to be “bat guano crazy.” Gadget Gal, a senior citizen/former hero who happens to have a run in with an old nemesis during the episode that causes her to return to 25 years old or so. Impressario, a telepath with mommy issues. Tim, an 11-year-old boy who can Hulk-out to a giant Sumo Wrestler. Then there’s Concierge, who isn’t a hero per se. She’s more like a receptionist. She seems like she is a staple of the team though, so I’ll give her recognition here.

There is also a villain who makes a few appearances, Dr. Malocchio. He is evil, in jail, and can manipulate people’s minds. That’s all you really find out about him. He doesn’t even have any good one-liners.

That’s all for real substance in the first episode. There are jokes littered throughout the show, but it has a ways to go to meet up with the Family Guys and Futuramas of the world. It’s not bad, and it’s nice to have another comedy out there to enjoy. The slogan really says it all: “The Awesomes! Our bar is lower!” Stay tuned to TheTalkingBox for more episode recaps and comment below! How are you liking the show so far? And what would you like to hear more of? Don’t be a stranger!