Middle Ages Crisis

Matt Groening's latest is Disenchantment, his first new animated comedy since Futurama.  Ten episodes are now available on Netflix, though I've heard twenty have been ordered. I've only watched the pilot.

Disenchantment is set a long time ago in a fairy tale world (he did the future, so now it's time for the past).  Its main characters are a princess, an elf and a demon. Princess "Bean" Tiabeanie just wants to have fun, and so isn't happy about her arranged marriage.  Elfo lives in elf world, but unlike everyone else, he just can't be jolly all the time, so he leaves to enter the human world.  Luci, a demon sent to Bean by two mysterious, evil characters, exists to bedevil the princess and turn her to the dark side.

In the pilot, Bean's father, Zog, is marrying her off to gain wealth and power through a political alliance.  Bean, who has a stepmother, Oona, who's half human, half reptile (or perhaps amphibian) longs for her dead mother, Dagmar.

Elfo enters during the wedding and in the commotion escapes with Bean.  Luci, already stuck to Bean, also comes along.  The three are chased by Prince Merkimer, her intended.  I assume the rest of the season will deal with their adventures.

The characters, as you might expect, look like Groening's characters in The Simpsons and Futurama.  That's how he draws.  The lead voices are supplied by Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre and Nat Faxon.  Other voices are supplied by Groening regulars such as Tress MacNeille, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche (Matt must like surnames with two capitals) and Billy West.

I like Bean and Elfo.  They've both got good attitudes--she's feisty and he's hopeful.  I'm not thrilled with Luci.  He's just nasty and I don't see how he adds much to the show, though presumably his plot purposes will be revealed along the way.

The reviews have not been great. Maybe they're a little harsh. While there weren't any big laughs, I found the show entertaining, and will certainly check to see what's next. (The pilot ends with a cliffhanger--actually, it ends with the three jumping off a cliff.)