Ep. 283: ’Hoops’ Review: Is Netflix’s Animated Series the Worst New Show of 2020?

It's rare that we absolutely shred a cartoon on our weekly animation podcast, but it's also (thankfully) rare that shows like Hoops make it all the way to a finished, widely distributed production. I guess that's the price we play for today's ubiquitous streaming services; little to no standards and practices allows artists to deliver some cutting-edge animation you wouldn't normally get on network, cable, or premium TV, but it also lacks a quality filter. That's where we come in.

From Ben Hoffman and featuring the voice talent of Jake Johnson, Hoops centers on a foul-mouthed high school basketball coach who hates everyone around him but manages to hate himself even more. If you're thinking that this could be a BoJack-like series or an animated take on Eastbound & Down, don't; aim much, much lower. While Hoops might -- I say again might -- have been edgy and boundary-pushing back in the late 1990s, its swings at being offensive just for the sake of being offensive miss 100% of the time in the comedy department. Shows like Family Guy, South Park, and their ilk proved that you could be offensive and still be funny; Hoops proves that that's easier said than done. To find out how this show misses the mark in all sorts of ways, you'll have to listen in (but definitely definitely do not watch this thing on Netflix.)

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Want to find our cohosts online?

Dave Trumbore

• collider.com/author/dave-trumbore
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrClawMD
• Buy the book 'The Science of Breaking Bad' - https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/science-breaking-bad

Sean Paul Ellis

• IG and twitter @seanpaulellis
• Performer at Washington Improv Theater where you can find tickets and times.
• The Bureau podcast: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Comedy-Podcasts/The-Bureau-p1290704/

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