Koala Man Season One Early Review

When picturing great adult animated comedy series, ones that are likely to come to mind include Family Guy, South Park, Rick and Morty, Big Mouth and Archer, just to name a few. However, 20th Television Animation’s latest adult series, Koala Man should now be part of that conversation. What ultimately gets it there is uproariously witty humor enhanced by some Aussie dialogue along with a surprising voice cast that together aid in telling engaging stories featuring creative and over-the-top villains.

Set in the Aussie Town of Dapto, Koala Man follows a middle-aged man (Michael Cusack) with the not-so-secret identity Koala Man, a superhero who lacks any superpowers. However, for what he lacks in superpowers, he makes up for with a burning passion for following rules and snuffing out petty crime. His ultimate mission was to stop at nothing to protect his home town from forces of evil both cosmic and man made.

First things first, the series is utterly bonkers as Koala Man leans brilliantly into its absurd premise, resulting in genius jokes, engaging and ridiculous stories, and some truly bizarre characters and various creatures. Connecting all of its bonkers episodes is an overarching story that not only does its characters justice but otherwise caps off the season in a wholesome and satisfying way.

For the most part, the humor of Koala Man hits on all fronts. In spite of its goofiness, the jokes and dialogue are both incredibly sharp and impactful. The jokes come fast and furious and do more than enough to keep audiences gleefully entertained throughout its 8 episodes. While the writing is incredibly witty whilst still feeling incredibly stupid, it is the cast and characters that truly bring the series to life. The Aussie twang mixed with foul language paves the way for gut busting humor. Meanwhile, a series of improvised bits also add to the hilarity.

Character wise, Koala Man offers a cavalcade of absurd characters that get many opportunities to grow and develop throughout the season. The best ones arguably came from Koala Man’s rogues gallery, featuring jacked up kangaroos, a kookaburra, and tradies. Likewise, the cast was a welcomed surprise, with the likes of Cusack, Jermaine Clement, and yes, Hugh Jackman lending their talents while adding a level of gravitas to the series and its characters.

Hidden behind all the series’ humor and ridiculous nature, lies some somewhat poignant lessons along with some sweet character moments that help ground it and will make audiences fall in love with it and its characters even more. Although those sentiments may not be new by any means, themes such as listening to your partner’s needs, self identity, and popularity as well as the repercussions of missing bin day, all play important roles and do enough to give viewers even more reasons to watch than just its humor.

At the end of the day, Koala Man is a rollicking good time filled with absurd storylines, creative characters and uproarious adult humor. The cast was a joyous surprise to watch while its overarching story leads to a satisfying and epic conclusion. The series is easily worthy of being in the discussion as one the best adult animated series in television history. While it’s too early to tell if Koala Man will be renewed for a second season, this season was definitely a nice surprise with plenty of potential.

*still courtesy of Hulu*

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Olly Dyche

Journalist, Writer, Film Critic and Professional Nerd. You will probably find Olly at the cinema chomping down on some popcorn and taking in the glorious visuals of the latest theatrical release.