Dicktown: John Hodgman Animated Series, Hulu (Season 1)

September 10, 2020 8:29 AM - Season 1 (Full Season)

‘Dicktown’: The Year’s Funniest Animated Comedy Bloomed from a Real-Life Friendship: “‘Encyclopedia Brown’ meets ‘Scooby-Doo’ meets generalized adult-onset malaise” is an efficient elevator pitch for the series, but part of what takes it from a simple pastiche to one of the most purely entertaining new shows of 2020 is the way it takes that premise and flips it over from the inside. In 11-ish-minute installments spread out over each “Cake” episode (and also viewable as standalones via the show’s Hulu page), there’s still plenty of room for the show to slip in nods to its own distinct stylings.

Instagram via johnhodgman.com

DICKTOWN is the animated show that @thisisdavidrees and I made for anyone who wants it. I play a former boy detective who is now a middle aged detective but I still solve mysteries for teens. @thisisdavidrees is my former high school bully and now driver and unlikely friend.

posted by Glinn (5 comments total)

I'm liking this show so far - I think I've seen 3 episodes? I love that their clients are all (so far) high school students - it's very funny to me that not only has Encyclopedia Brown not gotten a real job, he hasn't even managed to make the jump to PI for adults. He's like the anti-Veronica Mars! (Or, I guess, just
Vinnie Van Lowe from that show, tbh)

So far the show has felt pretty upbeat and my sympathetic cringe reflex (which sometimes prevents me from enjoying comedy based on "loser" characters) hasn't been overwhelming. The guys seem to enjoy themselves, despite recognizing that being the go to detectives for small town high schoolers is not exactly living the dream.

I also appreciate that the episodes are short - my kingdom for more 10-15 minute comedies, they fit into my short attention span so perfectly. It's nice to be able to watch an episode before work while sipping my coffee without having to get up early to do so.

Glinn mentioned this show over in the Venture Bros cancellation thread, and I agree that this has a similar feel to later Venture Bros seasons.
posted by the primroses were over at 9:10 AM on September 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

To be honest I went in with limited hopes but the cosplay first episode had a lot of great moments. I ALSO have the sympathetic cringe reflex and I don't love bully-guy still being a bully but mostly everything resolves satisfactorily. (I have watched 2 so far.)
posted by Glinn at 10:03 AM on September 10, 2020

Putting Hodgman and Rees together in the recording booth was such a great idea.

"In the opening episode, when John explains that DC character Mon-El’s name comes from him being discovered on a Monday, that’s Hodgman tossing out knowledge that wasn’t in the script, with Rees’ genuine reaction."
posted by haileris23 at 12:21 PM on September 10, 2020 [3 favorites]

I really like the first few episodes when they just work for teens, but the more of his personal issues they add the less I enjoy it. I've been watching them as they dropped on hulu, and at this point it almost feels like a different show.
posted by InfidelZombie at 4:38 PM on September 10, 2020

For all you completionists out there, John and David stopped by one of my favorite podcasts, The Flop House, to talk about the show as well as other movie and TV detectives.

I enjoyed the show quite a bit, but I'm forever thankful that Dicktown led me to one of the other brilliant series of shorts: Quarter Life Poetry. I really wish more of these were online.
posted by ssmith at 6:39 PM on September 10, 2020 [2 favorites]