TV Review: 'American Vandal' Flexes It's Surprising Satirical Muscles
von Clayton Davis
To say that satire has been an increasingly frequent format on television would be an understatement. With series like “Documentary Now!” and the latest season of “American Horror Story” embracing comedy, several series have become significantly stronger than one would expect. Upon first seeing the trailer, “American Vandal” seemed like a one-note joke that would quickly burn out. To give up on Netflix’s latest based on its premise would be a grave error. “American Vandal” is not only one of the funniest series to come to Netflix, but it has a surprising amount of emotional heft that captures the audience. This show is more than the recurring dick joke that kicks off the series and might be the best true crime satire we get.
The concept behind “American Vandal” sounds like a fat joke, and with its main characters, plays a bit like one too. Dylan Maxwell (Jimmy Tatro) has been expelled for spray painting 27 dicks on the cars of faculty members. He is a known prankster, especially for drawing male genitalia at school. He’s a burnout, but there is obviously more to the kid than the audience is initially led to believe. This draws the interest of fellow classmate Peter Maldonado (Tyler Alvarez), an investigative reporter for the school news. He’s looking to cash in on the true crime buzz, and see if he can prove Dylan’s innocence. The medium stakes here find a way to bring you in, but it’s the characters and story that hook you for the season.
The lesson that should be taken away from “American Vandal” is one of committing to the gag. Everyone here treats the story seriously, and characters are defined by the bit. Peter and his friend Sam (Griffin Gluck) place themselves too deeply into the story, and at times its dominates their lives. While the actual crime may seem like its only for laughs, the actors craft real drama out of fully realized characters. These characters are layered, have goals, and want to escape their small town. The jocks don’t want to be known as dumb kids. Some crave more involvement as the series becomes famous. Others want out. The world built here is fully realized, and one that is incredibly exciting to watch.
While shows like “Riverdale” and “13 Reasons Why” have revitalized the high school melodrama, there’s an obvious lack of authenticity in their characters. We don’t get witty comments about “Mad Men” or Italian Cinema that 99% of high school students don’t understand. Instead, “American Vandal” focuses on kids who think 700 follows constitutes going viral. We get kids who play video games on Twitch or skip school and smoke weed. It’s a world that was deeply reminiscent of my high school experience and made it feel like much more than a dick joke.
Last, “American Vandal” stylistically mimics top tier true crime shows better than one might expect. The shot composition of the cinematography gives the show some uncanny similarities to the “Making a Murderer’s” or “The Keepers” true crime shows. Graphics are used to lay out scenarios. In many cases, these work as stand-ins for sexually explicit material. Characters break during B-Roll, Peter and Sam push each other too far, and the investigators become integral to the story. There are even jokes about how bad they are as investigative journalists at times. “American Vandal” expertly pays homage to great true crime media, and by visually mimicking the genre, it elevates the material.
When shows surprise us like “American Vandal” it’s simply awesome. There are few that would have been excited for the series when it was announced. However, “American Vandal” sneaks up on you, and it makes it that much better for doing so. It is one of the funniest series of the year and expertly utilizes satire to critique the true crime genre. Even with the strong comedic work, it’s the authenticity that keeps you engaged. There is not a better show at depicting life as a young adult and teenager today. That’s the true strength of the show and makes the series every bit as gripping as the next true crime phenomenon.
What did you think? Did you enjoy Netflix's latest comedy outing? Is "American Vandal" a solid binge series? Let us know in the comments below!
The concept behind “American Vandal” sounds like a fat joke, and with its main characters, plays a bit like one too. Dylan Maxwell (Jimmy Tatro) has been expelled for spray painting 27 dicks on the cars of faculty members. He is a known prankster, especially for drawing male genitalia at school. He’s a burnout, but there is obviously more to the kid than the audience is initially led to believe. This draws the interest of fellow classmate Peter Maldonado (Tyler Alvarez), an investigative reporter for the school news. He’s looking to cash in on the true crime buzz, and see if he can prove Dylan’s innocence. The medium stakes here find a way to bring you in, but it’s the characters and story that hook you for the season.
The lesson that should be taken away from “American Vandal” is one of committing to the gag. Everyone here treats the story seriously, and characters are defined by the bit. Peter and his friend Sam (Griffin Gluck) place themselves too deeply into the story, and at times its dominates their lives. While the actual crime may seem like its only for laughs, the actors craft real drama out of fully realized characters. These characters are layered, have goals, and want to escape their small town. The jocks don’t want to be known as dumb kids. Some crave more involvement as the series becomes famous. Others want out. The world built here is fully realized, and one that is incredibly exciting to watch.While shows like “Riverdale” and “13 Reasons Why” have revitalized the high school melodrama, there’s an obvious lack of authenticity in their characters. We don’t get witty comments about “Mad Men” or Italian Cinema that 99% of high school students don’t understand. Instead, “American Vandal” focuses on kids who think 700 follows constitutes going viral. We get kids who play video games on Twitch or skip school and smoke weed. It’s a world that was deeply reminiscent of my high school experience and made it feel like much more than a dick joke.
Last, “American Vandal” stylistically mimics top tier true crime shows better than one might expect. The shot composition of the cinematography gives the show some uncanny similarities to the “Making a Murderer’s” or “The Keepers” true crime shows. Graphics are used to lay out scenarios. In many cases, these work as stand-ins for sexually explicit material. Characters break during B-Roll, Peter and Sam push each other too far, and the investigators become integral to the story. There are even jokes about how bad they are as investigative journalists at times. “American Vandal” expertly pays homage to great true crime media, and by visually mimicking the genre, it elevates the material.
When shows surprise us like “American Vandal” it’s simply awesome. There are few that would have been excited for the series when it was announced. However, “American Vandal” sneaks up on you, and it makes it that much better for doing so. It is one of the funniest series of the year and expertly utilizes satire to critique the true crime genre. Even with the strong comedic work, it’s the authenticity that keeps you engaged. There is not a better show at depicting life as a young adult and teenager today. That’s the true strength of the show and makes the series every bit as gripping as the next true crime phenomenon.
What did you think? Did you enjoy Netflix's latest comedy outing? Is "American Vandal" a solid binge series? Let us know in the comments below!
"American Vandal" is currently streaming on Netflix.
GRADE: (★★★½)
Click to Post
GRADE: (★★★½)
Click to Post
Clayton Davis
Keine Verbindung
Verbindung wird wiederhergestellt
Etwas ist schiefgelaufen
Wir sind gleich wieder da