Teenage Euthanasia Season 2 Episode 1 Review
Join Swimpedia as we review a screener of the first episode of Teenage Euthanasia Season 2 with minimal spoilers, and find out what Trophy, Annie, and the rest of the Fantasy family are up to this time.
[MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD]
Teenage Euthanasia, which had been in production since as early as 2016, made its official premiere on Adult Swim back in September 2021. Creators and executive producers Alyson Levy and Alissa Nutting designed this series as a means of giving strong female characters a voice in adult animation that combined the expected wacky adventures of a PFFR show with more grounded family and mother-daughter plot points. More specifically, the show follows the Fantasy family as they not only run the Tender Endings funeral home in a near future, semi-apocalyptic Florida, but also have to deal with the return of Trophy Fantasy from the dead. As the opening to the series explains, which is present in Season 2, Trophy gave birth to Euthanasia “Annie” Fantasy before leaving her with Uncle Pete and Baba. Her life of partying then caught up to her, resulting in her death, and her body taken to Tender Endings. Then, some lightning, and a tear from Annie, brought her back to life, giving her a second chance at family, and now, even a second season. If any of this piques your interest, continue reading and check out Teenage Euthanasia Season 2 tonight at midnight and next day on Max.
Turning to the first episode of the second season, “Remember Fun?,” we’re treated to many of the elements that fans of the first season may remember, with an extra polish. In our interview with Alyson Levy and Alissa Nutting, the two of them discussed that when working on this new season, which is a total of 10 episodes, they were able to take everything they did before to the next level, especially the art, humor, and guest stars. Similarly, at their panel at San Diego Comic-Con, they also highlighted that this new season will include a greater attention to extended family members and various other series characters. Many of these refinements and changes are present in this first episode, building on the core components established in the first season of the show. This is especially true when it comes to the focus on the overall family, with the A-plot featuring Trophy and Annie bonding, and the B-plot touching on the connection between Baba, Uncle Pete, and their goat. That being said, there isn’t a standout guest star in the first episode, although this is understandable if the goal of the premiere was to reestablish the Fantasy family and their developing relationships.
Then, when it comes to the art and animation, it’s important to note that Season 1 was done by Augenblick Studios, while Season 2 is now being done by Atomic Cartoons. The most impressive element of this transition is that overall design and movement of the characters has remained nearly identical to the original look. However, not only do the colors seem to pop more in the premiere episode when compared to the past season, but there also seems to be more complex backgrounds, especially as this episode jumps from setting to setting. Additionally, the fun outfit changes from Season 1 have continued into Season 2, with Annie in particular sporting a super fun “party” outfit that gives her a very unique look compared to past episodes. Trophy isn’t to be out done of course, with the show going to the effort of giving her multiple outfit changes throughout the episode that play a genuine role in bringing story points to life. Even Uncle Pete gets a new look for reasons we won’t spoil, that also brings a great laugh.
During the premiere episode, there’s an interesting balance between fast comedy and often heartwarming character development. This is something that the creators discussed when it comes to the second season, a desire to push episode plotlines deeper and deeper, while also being wacky and funny. This is a key element that might have improved since the last season, as both stories in the premiere build on themselves, getting crazier and crazier, but also stay grounded in real facets of family and comedy. For example, while the plot between Trophy and Annie allows the characters to really learn from each other and even grow, there’s also the space for fun ideas that only a show like this could put together. Similarly, even Baba and Uncle Pete get to have both their own bonding time and some of the best jokes in the series thus far. The family goat also plays a major role in their story, and will apparently be returning more throughout the season, another component that is so clearly unique to this show.
Altogether, while not wanting to spoil too much, it’s clear from this premiere episode that Teenage Euthanasia Season 2 has taken the best elements from the first season and expanded on what worked best. The family feels more authentic than ever, and yet the plotlines are as absurd and crazy as they have ever been, while visually looking their best. There’s also a potential improved flow to the episodes themselves, with even greater fast jokes being thrown in throughout. The episode didn’t linger at all, but then also didn’t feel rushed, the viewer is able to spend the right amount of time with each character in their respective stories. Overall, we’re excited to see how this evolves throughout the season, so whether you were a fan of the first season, or are new to the show, there might be something here to really watch out for.
The first episode of Teenage Euthanasia Season 2 premieres tonight at midnight on Adult Swim, and next day on Max!