• Kotaku’s Weekend Guide: Bid Farewell To June With 5 Great Games

    Wow. Where did June go? Well, it’s nearly over. Still, happy Pride to all of my comrades in the acronym. It sucks out there right now for us for sure. Perhaps you find yourself with a heavy and worried heart at the end of this historic month? I know I do.Read more...
    Kotaku’s Weekend Guide: Bid Farewell To June With 5 Great Games Wow. Where did June go? Well, it’s nearly over. Still, happy Pride to all of my comrades in the acronym. It sucks out there right now for us for sure. Perhaps you find yourself with a heavy and worried heart at the end of this historic month? I know I do.Read more...
    KOTAKU.COM
    Kotaku’s Weekend Guide: Bid Farewell To June With 5 Great Games
    Wow. Where did June go? Well, it’s nearly over. Still, happy Pride to all of my comrades in the acronym. It sucks out there right now for us for sure. Perhaps you find yourself with a heavy and worried heart at the end of this historic month? I know
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  • In a world where creativity flourished, the light has dimmed a little more with Chris Avellone's transition to Republic Games. Once a beacon in the realms of Star Wars Jedi and Fallout New Vegas, his departure feels like losing a piece of home. The echoes of his words linger, bringing forth a bittersweet nostalgia that weighs heavily on the heart.

    As we navigate this sea of uncertainty, I can't help but feel the void left behind, a reminder of all the dreams and stories yet to be told. Each new beginning hints at hope, but the shadows of farewell are hard to ignore.

    #ChrisAvellone #RepublicGames #FalloutNewVegas #StarWarsJedi #GamingCommunity
    In a world where creativity flourished, the light has dimmed a little more with Chris Avellone's transition to Republic Games. Once a beacon in the realms of Star Wars Jedi and Fallout New Vegas, his departure feels like losing a piece of home. The echoes of his words linger, bringing forth a bittersweet nostalgia that weighs heavily on the heart. As we navigate this sea of uncertainty, I can't help but feel the void left behind, a reminder of all the dreams and stories yet to be told. Each new beginning hints at hope, but the shadows of farewell are hard to ignore. #ChrisAvellone #RepublicGames #FalloutNewVegas #StarWarsJedi #GamingCommunity
    WWW.ACTUGAMING.NET
    Chris Avellone (Star Wars Jedi, Fallout New Vegas) rejoint Republic Games, studio fondé par un ancien de Quantic Dream
    ActuGaming.net Chris Avellone (Star Wars Jedi, Fallout New Vegas) rejoint Republic Games, studio fondé par un ancien de Quantic Dream La dernière fois que l’on avait quitté Chris Avellone, qui a été l’un des piliers […] L'article C
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  • Ah, DreamWorks! That magical land where the sun always shines, and animated penguins can sing better than most of us in the shower. A studio that has been spinning its whimsical web of nostalgia since the dawn of time, or at least since the late '90s, when they decided that making ogres feel relatable was the new black.

    So, what's this I hear? A documentary detailing the illustrious history of DreamWorks? Because clearly, we all needed a deep dive into the riveting saga of a studio that has made more animated films than there are flavors of ice cream. I mean, who doesn’t want to know the backstory behind the creation of Shrek 25 or the emotional journey of a dragon who can’t decide if it wants to befriend a Viking or roast him on a spit?

    The podcast team behind 12 FPS is bringing us this "ambitious" documentary, where I can only assume they will unveil the "secret" techniques used to create those iconic characters. Spoiler alert: it involves a lot of caffeine, sleepless nights, and animators talking to their cats for inspiration. Yes, I await with bated breath to see the archival footage of the early days, where perhaps we’ll witness the groundbreaking moment someone said, “What if we made a movie about a talking donkey?” Truly, groundbreaking stuff.

    And let's not overlook the "success" part of their journey. Did we really need a documentary to explain that? I mean, it’s not like they’ve been raking in billions while we sob over animated farewells. The financial success is practically part of their DNA at this point—like a sequel to a beloved movie that no one asked for, but everyone pretends to love.

    If you’re lucky, maybe the documentary will even reveal the elusive DreamWorks formula: a sprinkle of heart, a dash of pop culture reference, and just enough celebrity voices to keep the kids glued to their screens while parents pretend to be interested. Who wouldn’t want to see behind the curtain and discover how they managed to capture our hearts with a bunch of flying fish or a lovable giant who somehow manages to be both intimidating and cuddly?

    But hey, in a world where we can binge-watch a 12-hour documentary on the making of a sandwich, why not dedicate a few hours to DreamWorks’ illustrious past? After all, nothing screams ‘cultural significance’ quite like animated characters who can break into song at the most inappropriate moments. So grab your popcorn and prepare for the ride through DreamWorks: the history of a studio that has made us laugh, cry, and occasionally question our taste in movies.

    #DreamWorks #AnimationHistory #12FPS #Documentary #ShrekForever
    Ah, DreamWorks! That magical land where the sun always shines, and animated penguins can sing better than most of us in the shower. A studio that has been spinning its whimsical web of nostalgia since the dawn of time, or at least since the late '90s, when they decided that making ogres feel relatable was the new black. So, what's this I hear? A documentary detailing the illustrious history of DreamWorks? Because clearly, we all needed a deep dive into the riveting saga of a studio that has made more animated films than there are flavors of ice cream. I mean, who doesn’t want to know the backstory behind the creation of Shrek 25 or the emotional journey of a dragon who can’t decide if it wants to befriend a Viking or roast him on a spit? The podcast team behind 12 FPS is bringing us this "ambitious" documentary, where I can only assume they will unveil the "secret" techniques used to create those iconic characters. Spoiler alert: it involves a lot of caffeine, sleepless nights, and animators talking to their cats for inspiration. Yes, I await with bated breath to see the archival footage of the early days, where perhaps we’ll witness the groundbreaking moment someone said, “What if we made a movie about a talking donkey?” Truly, groundbreaking stuff. And let's not overlook the "success" part of their journey. Did we really need a documentary to explain that? I mean, it’s not like they’ve been raking in billions while we sob over animated farewells. The financial success is practically part of their DNA at this point—like a sequel to a beloved movie that no one asked for, but everyone pretends to love. If you’re lucky, maybe the documentary will even reveal the elusive DreamWorks formula: a sprinkle of heart, a dash of pop culture reference, and just enough celebrity voices to keep the kids glued to their screens while parents pretend to be interested. Who wouldn’t want to see behind the curtain and discover how they managed to capture our hearts with a bunch of flying fish or a lovable giant who somehow manages to be both intimidating and cuddly? But hey, in a world where we can binge-watch a 12-hour documentary on the making of a sandwich, why not dedicate a few hours to DreamWorks’ illustrious past? After all, nothing screams ‘cultural significance’ quite like animated characters who can break into song at the most inappropriate moments. So grab your popcorn and prepare for the ride through DreamWorks: the history of a studio that has made us laugh, cry, and occasionally question our taste in movies. #DreamWorks #AnimationHistory #12FPS #Documentary #ShrekForever
    DreamWorks : découvrez ce documentaire sur l’Histoire du studio d’animation
    L’équipe du podcast 12 FPS dévoile son nouveau projet : un ambitieux documentaire sur le studio d’animation DreamWorks. Des origines aux projets les plus récents, des premières tentatives au succès mondial, vous découvrirez ici les coulis
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  • In a world that once felt vibrant and alive, I find myself standing alone amidst the echoes of what used to be. The announcement of the Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster should have ignited a spark of nostalgia and joy within me, yet all I feel is an overwhelming sense of longing and betrayal. How did it come to this? How did a cherished memory become a bittersweet reminder of time lost?

    It’s been over a decade since I last held my breath while strategizing my way through the intricate battles of Ivalice, a realm that lived in my heart and mind. I remember the hours spent plotting my next move, the thrill of victory, and the heartbreak of defeat. Yet now, as the remaster nears its release, I can’t shake off the feeling that it was forced into existence, as if the very essence of what made it special was sacrificed for the sake of modernity. I find myself questioning: Is this the revival we hoped for, or just a shadow of its former self?

    Square Enix, a name that once resonated with dreams and adventure, has made controversial cuts that leave me feeling hollow. The magic of the original feels diluted, as if they took my beloved game and stripped it of its soul. The characters I cherished now seem distant, their voices muted in the rush to cater to new generations who may never truly appreciate the depth of the story. I feel like a ghost, haunting the remnants of a past that refuses to let me go, yet has also forgotten me.

    As September approaches, I wonder if I should even bother to dive back into Ivalice. Can I bear to face the changes that threaten to shatter my memories? The thought of playing a game that feels more like a corporate product than a passionate creation is almost too much to bear. The solitude of this anticipation weighs heavily on my heart, and I can’t help but feel abandoned by something that used to be a vital part of my life. Every pixel, every note of music, every character arc—now seemingly a casualty in the battle between nostalgia and progress.

    I long for the days when games were crafted with love and care, not merely as a means to an end. I wish for a return to the magic that existed in those pixelated battles and heartfelt narratives. As I prepare myself for this release, I can only hope that somehow, some way, I can find a piece of what I once adored.

    In my solitude, I cling to these memories, even as I brace myself for the reality of a remaster that feels more like a farewell than a homecoming.

    #FinalFantasyTactics #IvaliceChronicles #GamingNostalgia #Heartbreak #Loneliness
    In a world that once felt vibrant and alive, I find myself standing alone amidst the echoes of what used to be. The announcement of the Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster should have ignited a spark of nostalgia and joy within me, yet all I feel is an overwhelming sense of longing and betrayal. How did it come to this? How did a cherished memory become a bittersweet reminder of time lost? 💔 It’s been over a decade since I last held my breath while strategizing my way through the intricate battles of Ivalice, a realm that lived in my heart and mind. I remember the hours spent plotting my next move, the thrill of victory, and the heartbreak of defeat. Yet now, as the remaster nears its release, I can’t shake off the feeling that it was forced into existence, as if the very essence of what made it special was sacrificed for the sake of modernity. I find myself questioning: Is this the revival we hoped for, or just a shadow of its former self? 😞 Square Enix, a name that once resonated with dreams and adventure, has made controversial cuts that leave me feeling hollow. The magic of the original feels diluted, as if they took my beloved game and stripped it of its soul. The characters I cherished now seem distant, their voices muted in the rush to cater to new generations who may never truly appreciate the depth of the story. I feel like a ghost, haunting the remnants of a past that refuses to let me go, yet has also forgotten me. 🌧️ As September approaches, I wonder if I should even bother to dive back into Ivalice. Can I bear to face the changes that threaten to shatter my memories? The thought of playing a game that feels more like a corporate product than a passionate creation is almost too much to bear. The solitude of this anticipation weighs heavily on my heart, and I can’t help but feel abandoned by something that used to be a vital part of my life. Every pixel, every note of music, every character arc—now seemingly a casualty in the battle between nostalgia and progress. I long for the days when games were crafted with love and care, not merely as a means to an end. I wish for a return to the magic that existed in those pixelated battles and heartfelt narratives. As I prepare myself for this release, I can only hope that somehow, some way, I can find a piece of what I once adored. In my solitude, I cling to these memories, even as I brace myself for the reality of a remaster that feels more like a farewell than a homecoming. #FinalFantasyTactics #IvaliceChronicles #GamingNostalgia #Heartbreak #Loneliness
    The Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster Had To Be Brute-Forced Into Existence And Makes Some Controversial Cuts
    Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles will make the PS1 classic playable on modern hardware in September for the first time since the PlayStation 3 generation over a decade ago. Why did it take so long for Square Enix to bring back the belov
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  • Feature: Farewell, Nintendo Switch - It's Finally Time To Bid Our Old Friend 'Adieu'

    Don't think twice, it's all right.It's time to say goodbye.Well, not really. The massively popular Switch will live on in a way few other Nintendo consoles have done thanks to backwards compatibility, a host of free upgrades to existing games, and a Switch 2 form factor that keeps everything about the previous console. As generational jumps go, it doesn't get much smoother than this.Read the full article on nintendolife.com
    #feature #farewell #nintendo #switch #it039s
    Feature: Farewell, Nintendo Switch - It's Finally Time To Bid Our Old Friend 'Adieu'
    Don't think twice, it's all right.It's time to say goodbye.Well, not really. The massively popular Switch will live on in a way few other Nintendo consoles have done thanks to backwards compatibility, a host of free upgrades to existing games, and a Switch 2 form factor that keeps everything about the previous console. As generational jumps go, it doesn't get much smoother than this.Read the full article on nintendolife.com #feature #farewell #nintendo #switch #it039s
    WWW.NINTENDOLIFE.COM
    Feature: Farewell, Nintendo Switch - It's Finally Time To Bid Our Old Friend 'Adieu'
    Don't think twice, it's all right.It's time to say goodbye.Well, not really. The massively popular Switch will live on in a way few other Nintendo consoles have done thanks to backwards compatibility, a host of free upgrades to existing games, and a Switch 2 form factor that keeps everything about the previous console. As generational jumps go, it doesn't get much smoother than this.Read the full article on nintendolife.com
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  • PowerWash Simulator goes underground, overground in final free content update

    PowerWash Simulator goes underground, overground in final free content update
    It's been a blast.

    News

    by Matt Wales
    News Reporter

    Published on May 29, 2025

    The end is nigh for developer FuturLab's endlessly hypnotic original PowerWash Simulator, but before the studio packs away its nozzles in anticipation of an upcoming sequel, there's one last free update featuring a couple more spaces in which to unleash your hose.

    "The time has come to reach our final destination for PowerWash Simulator," FuturLab wrote in an update on its website, "and what a journey it has been!... Whether you've been with us busting the grime from early access, or hopped aboard the PowerWash hype train somewhere down the line, we'd love to say a huge thank you for enjoying this adventure with us."

    And as a final farewell to the original game, FuturLab has released Muckingham Files 6, which features two more locations in desperate need of a clean. The first will be immediately familiar to old hands, taking players down into the Muckingham subway station for one last spray. However, rather than demanding a repeat of the harrowing tunnel clean-up job featured in the base game, this time you'll be aiming your nozzle at an extremely grubby train that's pulled into the station, washing away the grime from its outers and innards.

    Watch on YouTube

    After that, there's one last stop in the form of Sculpture Park, where players will be working at the behest of Darcy d'Arcy to restore the area's collection of "fine" art - including a large Monolith and The Man of A Thousand Faces - to its former glory. And, of course, there's a giant gnome, because what sort of send off would it be without one?

    "We hope you enjoy this final PowerWash Simulator update as much as we have enjoyed creating it," FuturLab concluded in its update. "The team have poured their hearts and souls into creating a world for you all to escape to and clean, somewhere for you to relax and solo clean, or a place to gather with friends and catch up over a satisfying wash."

    PowerWash Simulator's free Muckingham Files 6 update - which follows April's inclusion of Muckingham's Dessert Parlour for a cleaning - is available now on all platforms, and FutureLab has taken the opportunity to squeeze in a couple more bug fixes, as detailed in its patch notes.

    Next up, of course, is PowerWash Simulator 2, which is currently expected to launch for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and possibly Switch 2 later this year. It promises new jobs, new dirt to blast, and a new hub-like HQ. And if you're a fan of PowerWash Simulator's ridiculous narrative, don't fret - FuturLab has also confirmed plenty more Muckingham lore.
    #powerwash #simulator #goes #underground #overground
    PowerWash Simulator goes underground, overground in final free content update
    PowerWash Simulator goes underground, overground in final free content update It's been a blast. News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on May 29, 2025 The end is nigh for developer FuturLab's endlessly hypnotic original PowerWash Simulator, but before the studio packs away its nozzles in anticipation of an upcoming sequel, there's one last free update featuring a couple more spaces in which to unleash your hose. "The time has come to reach our final destination for PowerWash Simulator," FuturLab wrote in an update on its website, "and what a journey it has been!... Whether you've been with us busting the grime from early access, or hopped aboard the PowerWash hype train somewhere down the line, we'd love to say a huge thank you for enjoying this adventure with us." And as a final farewell to the original game, FuturLab has released Muckingham Files 6, which features two more locations in desperate need of a clean. The first will be immediately familiar to old hands, taking players down into the Muckingham subway station for one last spray. However, rather than demanding a repeat of the harrowing tunnel clean-up job featured in the base game, this time you'll be aiming your nozzle at an extremely grubby train that's pulled into the station, washing away the grime from its outers and innards. Watch on YouTube After that, there's one last stop in the form of Sculpture Park, where players will be working at the behest of Darcy d'Arcy to restore the area's collection of "fine" art - including a large Monolith and The Man of A Thousand Faces - to its former glory. And, of course, there's a giant gnome, because what sort of send off would it be without one? "We hope you enjoy this final PowerWash Simulator update as much as we have enjoyed creating it," FuturLab concluded in its update. "The team have poured their hearts and souls into creating a world for you all to escape to and clean, somewhere for you to relax and solo clean, or a place to gather with friends and catch up over a satisfying wash." PowerWash Simulator's free Muckingham Files 6 update - which follows April's inclusion of Muckingham's Dessert Parlour for a cleaning - is available now on all platforms, and FutureLab has taken the opportunity to squeeze in a couple more bug fixes, as detailed in its patch notes. Next up, of course, is PowerWash Simulator 2, which is currently expected to launch for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and possibly Switch 2 later this year. It promises new jobs, new dirt to blast, and a new hub-like HQ. And if you're a fan of PowerWash Simulator's ridiculous narrative, don't fret - FuturLab has also confirmed plenty more Muckingham lore. #powerwash #simulator #goes #underground #overground
    WWW.EUROGAMER.NET
    PowerWash Simulator goes underground, overground in final free content update
    PowerWash Simulator goes underground, overground in final free content update It's been a blast. News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on May 29, 2025 The end is nigh for developer FuturLab's endlessly hypnotic original PowerWash Simulator, but before the studio packs away its nozzles in anticipation of an upcoming sequel, there's one last free update featuring a couple more spaces in which to unleash your hose. "The time has come to reach our final destination for PowerWash Simulator," FuturLab wrote in an update on its website, "and what a journey it has been!... Whether you've been with us busting the grime from early access, or hopped aboard the PowerWash hype train somewhere down the line, we'd love to say a huge thank you for enjoying this adventure with us." And as a final farewell to the original game, FuturLab has released Muckingham Files 6, which features two more locations in desperate need of a clean. The first will be immediately familiar to old hands, taking players down into the Muckingham subway station for one last spray. However, rather than demanding a repeat of the harrowing tunnel clean-up job featured in the base game, this time you'll be aiming your nozzle at an extremely grubby train that's pulled into the station, washing away the grime from its outers and innards. Watch on YouTube After that, there's one last stop in the form of Sculpture Park, where players will be working at the behest of Darcy d'Arcy to restore the area's collection of "fine" art - including a large Monolith and The Man of A Thousand Faces - to its former glory. And, of course, there's a giant gnome, because what sort of send off would it be without one? "We hope you enjoy this final PowerWash Simulator update as much as we have enjoyed creating it," FuturLab concluded in its update. "The team have poured their hearts and souls into creating a world for you all to escape to and clean, somewhere for you to relax and solo clean, or a place to gather with friends and catch up over a satisfying wash." PowerWash Simulator's free Muckingham Files 6 update - which follows April's inclusion of Muckingham's Dessert Parlour for a cleaning - is available now on all platforms, and FutureLab has taken the opportunity to squeeze in a couple more bug fixes, as detailed in its patch notes. Next up, of course, is PowerWash Simulator 2, which is currently expected to launch for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and possibly Switch 2 later this year. It promises new jobs, new dirt to blast, and a new hub-like HQ. And if you're a fan of PowerWash Simulator's ridiculous narrative, don't fret - FuturLab has also confirmed plenty more Muckingham lore.
    9 Reacties 0 aandelen
  • “I’m Not Sure It Could Have Existed At Any Other Time” – Big Mouth Creators On Series’ Ending

    This article contains spoilers for Big Mouth season 8.
    It’s become increasingly rare for a streaming series to end on its own terms, especially when that series has run for eight seasons and revolves around the uncontrollable hormonal impulses of a bunch of teenagers. 
    Big Mouth made waves upon its premiere back in 2017, yet it’s grown into one of Netflix’s longest-running shows and a program that’s experienced as many changes as its adolescent protagonists. The series is comfortable indulging in its cruder and more mature impulses, whether that’s relentless Hormone Monsters or anthropomorphic genitals. That being said, there’s an undeniable heart to Big Mouth and it’s an animated comedy that actually strives to educate and enlighten, as wild as that may seem, as it preaches inclusivity and a truly modern world of sex, relationships, and identity. 

    As Big Mouth reaches its splashy big finish with its eighth season, the comedy’s co-creators — Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin — open up on their animated project’s farewell year. Goldberg, Flackett, and Levin get candid on Big Mouth’s latest changes as its characters acclimate to high school, the highs and lows of pornography, and their trepidation over sticking the landing. Also: the one storyline that was almost turned into its own interactive episode!

    DEN OF GEEK: It’s been so much fun to see this series evolve since its beginning. Is it satisfying to get the rare luxury of bringing many of these characters’ stories to fruition across eight seasons as they all find their respective cliques and learn a little more about themselves?
    MARK LEVIN: I mean, it is a rare treat to be able to tell a story that long and to be able to really explore these characters in depth over so much time. To have anyone’s puberty last eight years is pretty cool. 
    JENNIFER FLACKETT: But also to age the characters and to have animation that changes was not something that. Andrew often talks about the fact, because he’s from Family Guy. He never thought that the character models would change and we hadn’t really talked about that. Then when we realized that the show’s all about changes, that was really interesting to us. 
    ML: Also, to have the runway to be able to know that we were going to close out the show, and to be very thoughtful and intentional in our approach to that, was great. We went on a retreat with the writers in advance of season eight to just talk about everything and wrestling with this big idea. Ultimately, the big question was, “How do you end a story about characters who are just beginning their story – their lives,” you know? That’s the conclusion of the future being the thing they have to wrestle with most–the unknown of the future. 
    I’m glad you touched on that too, because I do think there are always really high expectations that surround any series finale and I think you guys handled this one very gracefully. Was this always kind of the ending that you had envisioned for the show? Did it change over time?
    ANDREW GOLDBERG: No, we don’t have plans. We even like to figure out each season with our staff as we go. I mean, it would be great if we had a plan from the very beginning, but we did not, and like Mark said, we really came into season eight with this dilemma of “how do you tell the end of a story about kids who are just starting out?” I remember when we were first talking about what the final episode would be, Gil Ozeri, who wrote it, kind of looked at us and was like, “Well, you guys, it’s your show. What do you think? What is the show about?” And I was like, “I don’t know.” Mark thought that the most salient thing that we’ve learned over the years is that the show is about this idea that you’re not alone. That was sort of our guiding principle for the final episode, too. This idea that the future is scary and unknown, but you’re not alone. You have your friends to go into it with. 

    Were there any other series finales that you looked to for inspiration? I felt the tiniest bit of Moonlighting in terms of the characters’ universe kind of being dismantled around them.

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    AG: Not really. I wanted to do that Andrew was masturbating and right before he comes, it cuts to black, and we don’t know if he comes or not or if he gets shot by the guy in the diner. Nobody else got on board with that.
    JF: I will say, like when you were just talking about it – to me Cheers and Mary Tyler Moore– 
    AG: Cheers was a great finale. 
    JF: Those were two great finales that were funny and were emotional. That has always been our guiding light with Big Mouth. We didn’t really realize when we first started how important the emotionality was going to be. That these were kids with big feelings and everything mattered so much. So I think just that idea–we knew we wanted the end to be emotional, but it was also emotional for us! When we had our final table read and all those kids walked off, everyone was crying. So, I think that also a big part of it, too – being funny, emotional, and that we really wanted to do well by these characters. We wanted to feel like the future was pretty bright for them.
    AG: Sometimes with finales, shows try to reinvent the wheel. They’ll make the finale its whole own thing. As a fan, I always like a finale that’s just like a really good episode of the show. That was also one of our goals and one of the reasons why we went back to the middle school for the finale because that was the heart of the show.

    Big Mouth is obviously very silly, but it pushes some really important messages, too. It’s filled with encouraging examples of representation as well. Which storyline or piece of character development are you the most proud of bringing to life here?
    JF: I just think we all learned so much about human sexuality and human development making this show. I can really say I learned a lot and I feel like we really created something where the things that we learned–we really wanted to tell people about things like female pleasure. I did not think that was a story that I was going to do. Like, I knew there’d be periods. I knew there’d be masturbation, right? But beyond that–going into asexuality and all these things that really came from real students that we spoke to who said, “I don’t feel represented.” That was really interesting and we didn’t really know about that. I think that always interested us in all these different ways. Consent is something – both in the first and the last season – that we really talk about in a specific kind of way. Those were things we learned as the world changed. The world changed so much while we were making the show, so we had to really keep abreast of everything. 
    And Holly Hunter is Compassion. I really will say that Holly Hunter’s Compassion was a real thrill for all of us. 
    AG: I agree that the learning experience of making this show has been incredible and the breadth of who we’ve learned from. We had this moment in season one where we did “Girls Are Horny Too,” where we realized–we had read Peggy Orenstein’s book, Girls & Sex, and she had come to the writers’ room to talk to us. One of the things that she writes about is that in sex ed, we teach boys about their boners and ejaculation and girls about menstruation. We don’t teach–we don’t imply to girls as we’re teaching about sex–that they’re supposed to experience pleasure, too. We realized, “Oh my God, our first episode is literally about a boy masturbating and in the second episode a girl gets her period. We did the very thing that we’re not supposed to do. So we course-corrected with the fifth episode of the first season, “Girls Are Horny Too.” 
    Then, like Jen said, the idea for having an asexual kid was totally born out of how we speak to teenagers every year with their sex ed teacher, Shafia Zaloum, who’s a great sex ed teacher in the Bay Area. That storyline came directly from one of her students being like, “Hey, I’m asexual, and I’d really love to see a character like me on TV.” We were like, “Absolutely.” He actually read scripts for us and gave us his thoughts. It was a really great collaboration. So, we’ve had this amazing experience where we’re learning from experts, but also from teenagers; from kids.
    The pornography episode from this season is really strong, but it’s also exciting that you’re able to do an episode that helps normalize pornography, break it down, but also explore the more toxic behavior it can reinforce, too. Did this feel like significant subject matter to explore?

    JF: Well, that’s always how we like to explore any topic: like we’re having a conversation. The first one was about the head push and if it’s okay or if it’s not okay. We were like, “Oh, that’s got to go in the show.” Our kids need to basically be having the same conversation that we’re having. That’s often a way that leads us, but it was actually my daughter who was talking about guys and their relationship with porn. She was like, “It’s really kind of ruined them and it’s such a bummer.” So when we were coming into this last season, I thought that we should explore that. We had done porn in the very first season, but it didn’t get to the heart of the problem. 
    AG: It was more of an addiction story. 
    JF: It was more of an addiction story. It wasn’t really a porn story. We really realized–and this was another thing we talked to a lot of people about–just about how porn was becoming sex education and how unfortunate that is and what do we do about it. How do you masturbate again when you’ve gotten used to porn? All those things. It’s not just one thing. It turned out it was a lot of things, all of which play out over three episodes. You really get the chance to realize what’s going on and how it can actually affect your life in all these different ways.
    AG: We had this really cool experience where–as we were figuring out that story, we always, every season, meet with a group of teenagers via Zoom and really pick their brains and ask them questions. This time, for the first time ever, we split them up between boys and girls because we wanted to hear what the boys had to say and what the girls had to say. It was amazing just the disconnect that seemed to occur where – at least for the groups of kids that we talked to – the boys were kind of like, “We get it. Porn isn’t real. It doesn’t actually affect the way we behave.” While the girls were like, “No.” They did not feel the same way.
    JF: It was shocking, but true! All that was just so  interesting. 
    Absolutely, and then to have your characters at an age where they can emulate that behavior, too. I always love when the show will do a bit of a concept episode that does something structurally different, like the penultimate entry that has the whole grab bag of odds and ends formula. I think that’s such a smart way to touch on a bunch of stuff that couldn’t organically be covered in the series.

    ML: When you’re heading to the end of an experience like this, you realize there’s so much left to say and so much you still want to say. In this case, we reached out through social media to the fans and said, “Hey, what are the things you wish we talked about?” That’s really true, we really did do that. 
    So, are those real questions, then, from real fans? 
    ML: Yeah, those topics, they’re all real. 
    JF: And when we say that there was a ton about queefing, that’s also actually true. We had thousands of responses. We had this vaginismus story and one of the guys on the staff was like, “I don’t like the vaginismus story…” But a lot of people were asking about it so clearly there is interest there! So I wanted to find a way to do that.
    ML: It all really came from that experience of serving the fans. And we love form-breaker episodes. We love form-breakers, but this was a great one. It was an opportunity, in a grab bag kind of way, to race through all these things that we never got a chance to talk about. These probably would have been episodes or storylines, but maybe they’re even better for the fact that they don’t last for an entire episode. “What’s it like to go to the gynecologist?” That doesn’t need to be a whole episode. These ideas can be their own mini-movies, like the Looney Tunes one.
    Well, I was going to say exactly that. You dress each one up in a different style, whether it’s The Twilight Zone or the whole Looney Tunes aesthetic. Was this episode more of a challenge to bring together?

    AG: Yeah, I think that’s always the fun with the form-breakers. I think it’s fun for the fans. It’s fun for us, too, on a creative level. Last year we did the international episode, where we did a show in different languages. We did that Christmas episode with all the different kinds of animation. It’s always so much fun for us, but this one in particular was great because I do think our fans are so invested. They feel so much ownership over the show and we’re happy to share that with them. It was exciting to see all their questions that Maury explores in that episode. 
    You mentioned before that you don’t like to plan things out, but this season brings closure to the Ponytail Killer after so long, which is super funny to me. I can see this being an idea that just kept getting pushed back during previous seasons, but had you planned to do more with this tangent over the years? Did you know that this was the killer’s identity from the start?
    JF: And it was! We had tried to do something with the Ponytail Killer a couple of other times, but it just didn’t feel right. This felt good though and we were finally able to pay that one off.
    ML: At one point, we were talking about doing an interactive “Choose-Your-Own Adventure” episode like Black Mirror’s “Bandersnatch.” There was a minute where everything was going to be interactive! We flirted with the idea of doing a “Choose-Your-Own Adventure” episode where you solve the Ponytail Killer’s murders. We went down that road, but we realized just how much work it would take–it would have been like a whole season’s worth of work just to make all the multiple threads. So we were happy to at least bring closure to it inside this season. 
    AG: My favorite part of that is when Lola is like, “What? Who cares?”
    There are Reddit threads out there that have guessed it! There are people that will be very satisfied with this season.

    JF: One of my favorite Reddit threads is about, “Does Cyrus wear the radish bra?”
    Eight seasons is a lot of time to spend with these characters, but would you ever want to return to them and this universe, perhaps when they’re adults with kids of their own? Is there a possibility that you might do something like periodic Big Mouth specials in the future or some further extension of the series?
    ML: Yeah, I mean, we love these kids. We really want to see what happens to them. It’s fun to just let them go off into the void and imagine what would happen, but I’m sure that over time, we’ll miss them and want to revisit them again. Whether it’s the college years or some other thing, you know? 
    JF: It’s funny, because what happens is before you know exactly when your show is going to end, you’re like, “It’s so hard to find these stories…” But then when you know that you’re going to end, we suddenly had more stories to tell because we moved them to high school. It was ironic, but also kind of lovely, because you always want to leave people wanting more. That’s a great feeling and it’s nice to not feel like we’ve completely exhausted everything. It’s very bittersweet. We’ve had an amazing run here and we were at Netflix at just the right time. I’m not sure if Big Mouth could have existed at any other time.
    It seems like Big Mouth got to tell its full story, but that this might not have necessarily been the case with Human Resources. Can you talk a little on where else that show had gone if it lasted longer? Were there any ideas for future Human Resources stories that were incorporated into this final season as a way of providing closure?
    JF: We loved Human Resources. I mean, we just thought that was a great, great show, and such a wonderful universe. 

    ML: They’re infinite things that could be done there! And you know, there is an episode this season that visits Human Resources again. We really wanted to go back to Human Resources, whether it was in that episode where we had the Keke Palmer and Aidy Bryant characters come back. Rosie Perez’s character, too. The whole cast! We wanted to weave them all into this season to make sure that they were acknowledged as such an important part of the universe. We were fortunate to get to explore all of that in the same show, but just through a flipped perspective. We were seeing it all from the monsters’ point of view, but now we’re back to the kids. But we absolutely loved, loved Human Resources. 
    Big Mouth has ended, but your new animated series, Mating Season, has been announced. Can you talk at all on how this idea came together, what this show was born out of, and if it will have a similar vibe to Big Mouth or be a different type of animal?
    ML: The vibe will be similar in some ways, in that, it’s very honest and it deals, frankly, with things that we all deal with. In Big Mouth, it was puberty and that temporary change, but Mating Season is looking kind of into your twenties – your late twenties – when you’re trying to find a mate. You find your person, or hook up, or, you know – have sex, get married, all those things that we struggled with then.
    JF: What we always found in Big Mouth, when we were trying to depict sex, was that it was better when it had a metaphor behind it. But we realized that you really don’t want to see humans having sex. However, with animals, it’s a lot funnier. 
    ML: You’re not going to see anything you don’t see in the zoo, or in the forest, or in your backyard.
    I’m looking forward to it. I appreciated the Animorphs reference this season, so if you can make one of the characters an Animorph–just have one be an animal that is actually a human in disguise. I think that’s a fun approach.

    ML: That is a good idea. We’re putting it on the list.
    JF: We’re putting it on the list.
    Beautiful. That’s all I ask.

    All eight seasons of Big Mouth are now streaming on Netflix
    #not #sure #could #have #existed
    “I’m Not Sure It Could Have Existed At Any Other Time” – Big Mouth Creators On Series’ Ending
    This article contains spoilers for Big Mouth season 8. It’s become increasingly rare for a streaming series to end on its own terms, especially when that series has run for eight seasons and revolves around the uncontrollable hormonal impulses of a bunch of teenagers.  Big Mouth made waves upon its premiere back in 2017, yet it’s grown into one of Netflix’s longest-running shows and a program that’s experienced as many changes as its adolescent protagonists. The series is comfortable indulging in its cruder and more mature impulses, whether that’s relentless Hormone Monsters or anthropomorphic genitals. That being said, there’s an undeniable heart to Big Mouth and it’s an animated comedy that actually strives to educate and enlighten, as wild as that may seem, as it preaches inclusivity and a truly modern world of sex, relationships, and identity.  As Big Mouth reaches its splashy big finish with its eighth season, the comedy’s co-creators — Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin — open up on their animated project’s farewell year. Goldberg, Flackett, and Levin get candid on Big Mouth’s latest changes as its characters acclimate to high school, the highs and lows of pornography, and their trepidation over sticking the landing. Also: the one storyline that was almost turned into its own interactive episode! DEN OF GEEK: It’s been so much fun to see this series evolve since its beginning. Is it satisfying to get the rare luxury of bringing many of these characters’ stories to fruition across eight seasons as they all find their respective cliques and learn a little more about themselves? MARK LEVIN: I mean, it is a rare treat to be able to tell a story that long and to be able to really explore these characters in depth over so much time. To have anyone’s puberty last eight years is pretty cool.  JENNIFER FLACKETT: But also to age the characters and to have animation that changes was not something that. Andrew often talks about the fact, because he’s from Family Guy. He never thought that the character models would change and we hadn’t really talked about that. Then when we realized that the show’s all about changes, that was really interesting to us.  ML: Also, to have the runway to be able to know that we were going to close out the show, and to be very thoughtful and intentional in our approach to that, was great. We went on a retreat with the writers in advance of season eight to just talk about everything and wrestling with this big idea. Ultimately, the big question was, “How do you end a story about characters who are just beginning their story – their lives,” you know? That’s the conclusion of the future being the thing they have to wrestle with most–the unknown of the future.  I’m glad you touched on that too, because I do think there are always really high expectations that surround any series finale and I think you guys handled this one very gracefully. Was this always kind of the ending that you had envisioned for the show? Did it change over time? ANDREW GOLDBERG: No, we don’t have plans. We even like to figure out each season with our staff as we go. I mean, it would be great if we had a plan from the very beginning, but we did not, and like Mark said, we really came into season eight with this dilemma of “how do you tell the end of a story about kids who are just starting out?” I remember when we were first talking about what the final episode would be, Gil Ozeri, who wrote it, kind of looked at us and was like, “Well, you guys, it’s your show. What do you think? What is the show about?” And I was like, “I don’t know.” Mark thought that the most salient thing that we’ve learned over the years is that the show is about this idea that you’re not alone. That was sort of our guiding principle for the final episode, too. This idea that the future is scary and unknown, but you’re not alone. You have your friends to go into it with.  Were there any other series finales that you looked to for inspiration? I felt the tiniest bit of Moonlighting in terms of the characters’ universe kind of being dismantled around them. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! AG: Not really. I wanted to do that Andrew was masturbating and right before he comes, it cuts to black, and we don’t know if he comes or not or if he gets shot by the guy in the diner. Nobody else got on board with that. JF: I will say, like when you were just talking about it – to me Cheers and Mary Tyler Moore–  AG: Cheers was a great finale.  JF: Those were two great finales that were funny and were emotional. That has always been our guiding light with Big Mouth. We didn’t really realize when we first started how important the emotionality was going to be. That these were kids with big feelings and everything mattered so much. So I think just that idea–we knew we wanted the end to be emotional, but it was also emotional for us! When we had our final table read and all those kids walked off, everyone was crying. So, I think that also a big part of it, too – being funny, emotional, and that we really wanted to do well by these characters. We wanted to feel like the future was pretty bright for them. AG: Sometimes with finales, shows try to reinvent the wheel. They’ll make the finale its whole own thing. As a fan, I always like a finale that’s just like a really good episode of the show. That was also one of our goals and one of the reasons why we went back to the middle school for the finale because that was the heart of the show. Big Mouth is obviously very silly, but it pushes some really important messages, too. It’s filled with encouraging examples of representation as well. Which storyline or piece of character development are you the most proud of bringing to life here? JF: I just think we all learned so much about human sexuality and human development making this show. I can really say I learned a lot and I feel like we really created something where the things that we learned–we really wanted to tell people about things like female pleasure. I did not think that was a story that I was going to do. Like, I knew there’d be periods. I knew there’d be masturbation, right? But beyond that–going into asexuality and all these things that really came from real students that we spoke to who said, “I don’t feel represented.” That was really interesting and we didn’t really know about that. I think that always interested us in all these different ways. Consent is something – both in the first and the last season – that we really talk about in a specific kind of way. Those were things we learned as the world changed. The world changed so much while we were making the show, so we had to really keep abreast of everything.  And Holly Hunter is Compassion. I really will say that Holly Hunter’s Compassion was a real thrill for all of us.  AG: I agree that the learning experience of making this show has been incredible and the breadth of who we’ve learned from. We had this moment in season one where we did “Girls Are Horny Too,” where we realized–we had read Peggy Orenstein’s book, Girls & Sex, and she had come to the writers’ room to talk to us. One of the things that she writes about is that in sex ed, we teach boys about their boners and ejaculation and girls about menstruation. We don’t teach–we don’t imply to girls as we’re teaching about sex–that they’re supposed to experience pleasure, too. We realized, “Oh my God, our first episode is literally about a boy masturbating and in the second episode a girl gets her period. We did the very thing that we’re not supposed to do. So we course-corrected with the fifth episode of the first season, “Girls Are Horny Too.”  Then, like Jen said, the idea for having an asexual kid was totally born out of how we speak to teenagers every year with their sex ed teacher, Shafia Zaloum, who’s a great sex ed teacher in the Bay Area. That storyline came directly from one of her students being like, “Hey, I’m asexual, and I’d really love to see a character like me on TV.” We were like, “Absolutely.” He actually read scripts for us and gave us his thoughts. It was a really great collaboration. So, we’ve had this amazing experience where we’re learning from experts, but also from teenagers; from kids. The pornography episode from this season is really strong, but it’s also exciting that you’re able to do an episode that helps normalize pornography, break it down, but also explore the more toxic behavior it can reinforce, too. Did this feel like significant subject matter to explore? JF: Well, that’s always how we like to explore any topic: like we’re having a conversation. The first one was about the head push and if it’s okay or if it’s not okay. We were like, “Oh, that’s got to go in the show.” Our kids need to basically be having the same conversation that we’re having. That’s often a way that leads us, but it was actually my daughter who was talking about guys and their relationship with porn. She was like, “It’s really kind of ruined them and it’s such a bummer.” So when we were coming into this last season, I thought that we should explore that. We had done porn in the very first season, but it didn’t get to the heart of the problem.  AG: It was more of an addiction story.  JF: It was more of an addiction story. It wasn’t really a porn story. We really realized–and this was another thing we talked to a lot of people about–just about how porn was becoming sex education and how unfortunate that is and what do we do about it. How do you masturbate again when you’ve gotten used to porn? All those things. It’s not just one thing. It turned out it was a lot of things, all of which play out over three episodes. You really get the chance to realize what’s going on and how it can actually affect your life in all these different ways. AG: We had this really cool experience where–as we were figuring out that story, we always, every season, meet with a group of teenagers via Zoom and really pick their brains and ask them questions. This time, for the first time ever, we split them up between boys and girls because we wanted to hear what the boys had to say and what the girls had to say. It was amazing just the disconnect that seemed to occur where – at least for the groups of kids that we talked to – the boys were kind of like, “We get it. Porn isn’t real. It doesn’t actually affect the way we behave.” While the girls were like, “No.” They did not feel the same way. JF: It was shocking, but true! All that was just so  interesting.  Absolutely, and then to have your characters at an age where they can emulate that behavior, too. I always love when the show will do a bit of a concept episode that does something structurally different, like the penultimate entry that has the whole grab bag of odds and ends formula. I think that’s such a smart way to touch on a bunch of stuff that couldn’t organically be covered in the series. ML: When you’re heading to the end of an experience like this, you realize there’s so much left to say and so much you still want to say. In this case, we reached out through social media to the fans and said, “Hey, what are the things you wish we talked about?” That’s really true, we really did do that.  So, are those real questions, then, from real fans?  ML: Yeah, those topics, they’re all real.  JF: And when we say that there was a ton about queefing, that’s also actually true. We had thousands of responses. We had this vaginismus story and one of the guys on the staff was like, “I don’t like the vaginismus story…” But a lot of people were asking about it so clearly there is interest there! So I wanted to find a way to do that. ML: It all really came from that experience of serving the fans. And we love form-breaker episodes. We love form-breakers, but this was a great one. It was an opportunity, in a grab bag kind of way, to race through all these things that we never got a chance to talk about. These probably would have been episodes or storylines, but maybe they’re even better for the fact that they don’t last for an entire episode. “What’s it like to go to the gynecologist?” That doesn’t need to be a whole episode. These ideas can be their own mini-movies, like the Looney Tunes one. Well, I was going to say exactly that. You dress each one up in a different style, whether it’s The Twilight Zone or the whole Looney Tunes aesthetic. Was this episode more of a challenge to bring together? AG: Yeah, I think that’s always the fun with the form-breakers. I think it’s fun for the fans. It’s fun for us, too, on a creative level. Last year we did the international episode, where we did a show in different languages. We did that Christmas episode with all the different kinds of animation. It’s always so much fun for us, but this one in particular was great because I do think our fans are so invested. They feel so much ownership over the show and we’re happy to share that with them. It was exciting to see all their questions that Maury explores in that episode.  You mentioned before that you don’t like to plan things out, but this season brings closure to the Ponytail Killer after so long, which is super funny to me. I can see this being an idea that just kept getting pushed back during previous seasons, but had you planned to do more with this tangent over the years? Did you know that this was the killer’s identity from the start? JF: And it was! We had tried to do something with the Ponytail Killer a couple of other times, but it just didn’t feel right. This felt good though and we were finally able to pay that one off. ML: At one point, we were talking about doing an interactive “Choose-Your-Own Adventure” episode like Black Mirror’s “Bandersnatch.” There was a minute where everything was going to be interactive! We flirted with the idea of doing a “Choose-Your-Own Adventure” episode where you solve the Ponytail Killer’s murders. We went down that road, but we realized just how much work it would take–it would have been like a whole season’s worth of work just to make all the multiple threads. So we were happy to at least bring closure to it inside this season.  AG: My favorite part of that is when Lola is like, “What? Who cares?” There are Reddit threads out there that have guessed it! There are people that will be very satisfied with this season. JF: One of my favorite Reddit threads is about, “Does Cyrus wear the radish bra?” Eight seasons is a lot of time to spend with these characters, but would you ever want to return to them and this universe, perhaps when they’re adults with kids of their own? Is there a possibility that you might do something like periodic Big Mouth specials in the future or some further extension of the series? ML: Yeah, I mean, we love these kids. We really want to see what happens to them. It’s fun to just let them go off into the void and imagine what would happen, but I’m sure that over time, we’ll miss them and want to revisit them again. Whether it’s the college years or some other thing, you know?  JF: It’s funny, because what happens is before you know exactly when your show is going to end, you’re like, “It’s so hard to find these stories…” But then when you know that you’re going to end, we suddenly had more stories to tell because we moved them to high school. It was ironic, but also kind of lovely, because you always want to leave people wanting more. That’s a great feeling and it’s nice to not feel like we’ve completely exhausted everything. It’s very bittersweet. We’ve had an amazing run here and we were at Netflix at just the right time. I’m not sure if Big Mouth could have existed at any other time. It seems like Big Mouth got to tell its full story, but that this might not have necessarily been the case with Human Resources. Can you talk a little on where else that show had gone if it lasted longer? Were there any ideas for future Human Resources stories that were incorporated into this final season as a way of providing closure? JF: We loved Human Resources. I mean, we just thought that was a great, great show, and such a wonderful universe.  ML: They’re infinite things that could be done there! And you know, there is an episode this season that visits Human Resources again. We really wanted to go back to Human Resources, whether it was in that episode where we had the Keke Palmer and Aidy Bryant characters come back. Rosie Perez’s character, too. The whole cast! We wanted to weave them all into this season to make sure that they were acknowledged as such an important part of the universe. We were fortunate to get to explore all of that in the same show, but just through a flipped perspective. We were seeing it all from the monsters’ point of view, but now we’re back to the kids. But we absolutely loved, loved Human Resources.  Big Mouth has ended, but your new animated series, Mating Season, has been announced. Can you talk at all on how this idea came together, what this show was born out of, and if it will have a similar vibe to Big Mouth or be a different type of animal? ML: The vibe will be similar in some ways, in that, it’s very honest and it deals, frankly, with things that we all deal with. In Big Mouth, it was puberty and that temporary change, but Mating Season is looking kind of into your twenties – your late twenties – when you’re trying to find a mate. You find your person, or hook up, or, you know – have sex, get married, all those things that we struggled with then. JF: What we always found in Big Mouth, when we were trying to depict sex, was that it was better when it had a metaphor behind it. But we realized that you really don’t want to see humans having sex. However, with animals, it’s a lot funnier.  ML: You’re not going to see anything you don’t see in the zoo, or in the forest, or in your backyard. I’m looking forward to it. I appreciated the Animorphs reference this season, so if you can make one of the characters an Animorph–just have one be an animal that is actually a human in disguise. I think that’s a fun approach. ML: That is a good idea. We’re putting it on the list. JF: We’re putting it on the list. Beautiful. That’s all I ask. All eight seasons of Big Mouth are now streaming on Netflix #not #sure #could #have #existed
    WWW.DENOFGEEK.COM
    “I’m Not Sure It Could Have Existed At Any Other Time” – Big Mouth Creators On Series’ Ending
    This article contains spoilers for Big Mouth season 8. It’s become increasingly rare for a streaming series to end on its own terms, especially when that series has run for eight seasons and revolves around the uncontrollable hormonal impulses of a bunch of teenagers.  Big Mouth made waves upon its premiere back in 2017, yet it’s grown into one of Netflix’s longest-running shows and a program that’s experienced as many changes as its adolescent protagonists. The series is comfortable indulging in its cruder and more mature impulses, whether that’s relentless Hormone Monsters or anthropomorphic genitals. That being said, there’s an undeniable heart to Big Mouth and it’s an animated comedy that actually strives to educate and enlighten, as wild as that may seem, as it preaches inclusivity and a truly modern world of sex, relationships, and identity.  As Big Mouth reaches its splashy big finish with its eighth season, the comedy’s co-creators — Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin — open up on their animated project’s farewell year. Goldberg, Flackett, and Levin get candid on Big Mouth’s latest changes as its characters acclimate to high school, the highs and lows of pornography, and their trepidation over sticking the landing. Also: the one storyline that was almost turned into its own interactive episode! DEN OF GEEK: It’s been so much fun to see this series evolve since its beginning. Is it satisfying to get the rare luxury of bringing many of these characters’ stories to fruition across eight seasons as they all find their respective cliques and learn a little more about themselves? MARK LEVIN: I mean, it is a rare treat to be able to tell a story that long and to be able to really explore these characters in depth over so much time. To have anyone’s puberty last eight years is pretty cool.  JENNIFER FLACKETT: But also to age the characters and to have animation that changes was not something that [we anticipated]. Andrew often talks about the fact, because he’s from Family Guy. He never thought that the character models would change and we hadn’t really talked about that. Then when we realized that the show’s all about changes, that was really interesting to us.  ML: Also, to have the runway to be able to know that we were going to close out the show, and to be very thoughtful and intentional in our approach to that, was great. We went on a retreat with the writers in advance of season eight to just talk about everything and wrestling with this big idea. Ultimately, the big question was, “How do you end a story about characters who are just beginning their story – their lives,” you know? That’s the conclusion of the future being the thing they have to wrestle with most–the unknown of the future.  I’m glad you touched on that too, because I do think there are always really high expectations that surround any series finale and I think you guys handled this one very gracefully. Was this always kind of the ending that you had envisioned for the show? Did it change over time? ANDREW GOLDBERG: No, we don’t have plans. We even like to figure out each season with our staff as we go. I mean, it would be great if we had a plan from the very beginning, but we did not, and like Mark said, we really came into season eight with this dilemma of “how do you tell the end of a story about kids who are just starting out?” I remember when we were first talking about what the final episode would be, Gil Ozeri, who wrote it, kind of looked at us and was like, “Well, you guys, it’s your show. What do you think? What is the show about?” And I was like, “I don’t know.” Mark thought that the most salient thing that we’ve learned over the years is that the show is about this idea that you’re not alone. That was sort of our guiding principle for the final episode, too. This idea that the future is scary and unknown, but you’re not alone. You have your friends to go into it with.  Were there any other series finales that you looked to for inspiration? I felt the tiniest bit of Moonlighting in terms of the characters’ universe kind of being dismantled around them. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! AG: Not really. I wanted to do that Andrew was masturbating and right before he comes, it cuts to black, and we don’t know if he comes or not or if he gets shot by the guy in the diner. Nobody else got on board with that. JF: I will say, like when you were just talking about it – to me Cheers and Mary Tyler Moore–  AG: Cheers was a great finale.  JF: Those were two great finales that were funny and were emotional. That has always been our guiding light with Big Mouth. We didn’t really realize when we first started how important the emotionality was going to be. That these were kids with big feelings and everything mattered so much. So I think just that idea–we knew we wanted the end to be emotional, but it was also emotional for us! When we had our final table read and all those kids walked off, everyone was crying. So, I think that also a big part of it, too – being funny, emotional, and that we really wanted to do well by these characters. We wanted to feel like the future was pretty bright for them. AG: Sometimes with finales, shows try to reinvent the wheel. They’ll make the finale its whole own thing. As a fan, I always like a finale that’s just like a really good episode of the show. That was also one of our goals and one of the reasons why we went back to the middle school for the finale because that was the heart of the show. Big Mouth is obviously very silly, but it pushes some really important messages, too. It’s filled with encouraging examples of representation as well. Which storyline or piece of character development are you the most proud of bringing to life here? JF: I just think we all learned so much about human sexuality and human development making this show. I can really say I learned a lot and I feel like we really created something where the things that we learned–we really wanted to tell people about things like female pleasure. I did not think that was a story that I was going to do. Like, I knew there’d be periods. I knew there’d be masturbation, right? But beyond that–going into asexuality and all these things that really came from real students that we spoke to who said, “I don’t feel represented.” That was really interesting and we didn’t really know about that. I think that always interested us in all these different ways. Consent is something – both in the first and the last season – that we really talk about in a specific kind of way. Those were things we learned as the world changed. The world changed so much while we were making the show, so we had to really keep abreast of everything.  And Holly Hunter is Compassion. I really will say that Holly Hunter’s Compassion was a real thrill for all of us.  AG: I agree that the learning experience of making this show has been incredible and the breadth of who we’ve learned from. We had this moment in season one where we did “Girls Are Horny Too,” where we realized–we had read Peggy Orenstein’s book, Girls & Sex, and she had come to the writers’ room to talk to us. One of the things that she writes about is that in sex ed, we teach boys about their boners and ejaculation and girls about menstruation. We don’t teach–we don’t imply to girls as we’re teaching about sex–that they’re supposed to experience pleasure, too. We realized, “Oh my God, our first episode is literally about a boy masturbating and in the second episode a girl gets her period. We did the very thing that we’re not supposed to do. So we course-corrected with the fifth episode of the first season, “Girls Are Horny Too.”  Then, like Jen said, the idea for having an asexual kid was totally born out of how we speak to teenagers every year with their sex ed teacher, Shafia Zaloum, who’s a great sex ed teacher in the Bay Area. That storyline came directly from one of her students being like, “Hey, I’m asexual, and I’d really love to see a character like me on TV.” We were like, “Absolutely.” He actually read scripts for us and gave us his thoughts. It was a really great collaboration. So, we’ve had this amazing experience where we’re learning from experts, but also from teenagers; from kids. The pornography episode from this season is really strong, but it’s also exciting that you’re able to do an episode that helps normalize pornography, break it down, but also explore the more toxic behavior it can reinforce, too. Did this feel like significant subject matter to explore? JF: Well, that’s always how we like to explore any topic: like we’re having a conversation. The first one was about the head push and if it’s okay or if it’s not okay. We were like, “Oh, that’s got to go in the show.” Our kids need to basically be having the same conversation that we’re having. That’s often a way that leads us, but it was actually my daughter who was talking about guys and their relationship with porn. She was like, “It’s really kind of ruined them and it’s such a bummer.” So when we were coming into this last season, I thought that we should explore that. We had done porn in the very first season, but it didn’t get to the heart of the problem.  AG: It was more of an addiction story.  JF: It was more of an addiction story. It wasn’t really a porn story. We really realized–and this was another thing we talked to a lot of people about–just about how porn was becoming sex education and how unfortunate that is and what do we do about it. How do you masturbate again when you’ve gotten used to porn? All those things. It’s not just one thing. It turned out it was a lot of things, all of which play out over three episodes. You really get the chance to realize what’s going on and how it can actually affect your life in all these different ways. AG: We had this really cool experience where–as we were figuring out that story, we always, every season, meet with a group of teenagers via Zoom and really pick their brains and ask them questions. This time, for the first time ever, we split them up between boys and girls because we wanted to hear what the boys had to say and what the girls had to say. It was amazing just the disconnect that seemed to occur where – at least for the groups of kids that we talked to – the boys were kind of like, “We get it. Porn isn’t real. It doesn’t actually affect the way we behave.” While the girls were like, “No.” They did not feel the same way. JF: It was shocking, but true! All that was just so  interesting.  Absolutely, and then to have your characters at an age where they can emulate that behavior, too. I always love when the show will do a bit of a concept episode that does something structurally different, like the penultimate entry that has the whole grab bag of odds and ends formula. I think that’s such a smart way to touch on a bunch of stuff that couldn’t organically be covered in the series. ML: When you’re heading to the end of an experience like this, you realize there’s so much left to say and so much you still want to say. In this case, we reached out through social media to the fans and said, “Hey, what are the things you wish we talked about?” That’s really true, we really did do that.  So, are those real questions, then, from real fans?  ML: Yeah, those topics, they’re all real.  JF: And when we say that there was a ton about queefing, that’s also actually true. We had thousands of responses. We had this vaginismus story and one of the guys on the staff was like, “I don’t like the vaginismus story…” But a lot of people were asking about it so clearly there is interest there! So I wanted to find a way to do that. ML: It all really came from that experience of serving the fans. And we love form-breaker episodes. We love form-breakers, but this was a great one. It was an opportunity, in a grab bag kind of way, to race through all these things that we never got a chance to talk about. These probably would have been episodes or storylines, but maybe they’re even better for the fact that they don’t last for an entire episode. “What’s it like to go to the gynecologist?” That doesn’t need to be a whole episode. These ideas can be their own mini-movies, like the Looney Tunes one. Well, I was going to say exactly that. You dress each one up in a different style, whether it’s The Twilight Zone or the whole Looney Tunes aesthetic. Was this episode more of a challenge to bring together? AG: Yeah, I think that’s always the fun with the form-breakers. I think it’s fun for the fans. It’s fun for us, too, on a creative level. Last year we did the international episode, where we did a show in different languages. We did that Christmas episode with all the different kinds of animation. It’s always so much fun for us, but this one in particular was great because I do think our fans are so invested. They feel so much ownership over the show and we’re happy to share that with them. It was exciting to see all their questions that Maury explores in that episode.  You mentioned before that you don’t like to plan things out, but this season brings closure to the Ponytail Killer after so long, which is super funny to me. I can see this being an idea that just kept getting pushed back during previous seasons, but had you planned to do more with this tangent over the years? Did you know that this was the killer’s identity from the start? JF: And it was! We had tried to do something with the Ponytail Killer a couple of other times, but it just didn’t feel right. This felt good though and we were finally able to pay that one off. ML: At one point, we were talking about doing an interactive “Choose-Your-Own Adventure” episode like Black Mirror’s “Bandersnatch.” There was a minute where everything was going to be interactive! We flirted with the idea of doing a “Choose-Your-Own Adventure” episode where you solve the Ponytail Killer’s murders. We went down that road, but we realized just how much work it would take–it would have been like a whole season’s worth of work just to make all the multiple threads. So we were happy to at least bring closure to it inside this season.  AG: My favorite part of that is when Lola is like, “What? Who cares?” There are Reddit threads out there that have guessed it! There are people that will be very satisfied with this season. JF: One of my favorite Reddit threads is about, “Does Cyrus wear the radish bra?” Eight seasons is a lot of time to spend with these characters, but would you ever want to return to them and this universe, perhaps when they’re adults with kids of their own? Is there a possibility that you might do something like periodic Big Mouth specials in the future or some further extension of the series? ML: Yeah, I mean, we love these kids. We really want to see what happens to them. It’s fun to just let them go off into the void and imagine what would happen, but I’m sure that over time, we’ll miss them and want to revisit them again. Whether it’s the college years or some other thing, you know?  JF: It’s funny, because what happens is before you know exactly when your show is going to end, you’re like, “It’s so hard to find these stories…” But then when you know that you’re going to end, we suddenly had more stories to tell because we moved them to high school. It was ironic, but also kind of lovely, because you always want to leave people wanting more. That’s a great feeling and it’s nice to not feel like we’ve completely exhausted everything. It’s very bittersweet. We’ve had an amazing run here and we were at Netflix at just the right time. I’m not sure if Big Mouth could have existed at any other time. It seems like Big Mouth got to tell its full story, but that this might not have necessarily been the case with Human Resources. Can you talk a little on where else that show had gone if it lasted longer? Were there any ideas for future Human Resources stories that were incorporated into this final season as a way of providing closure? JF: We loved Human Resources. I mean, we just thought that was a great, great show, and such a wonderful universe.  ML: They’re infinite things that could be done there! And you know, there is an episode this season that visits Human Resources again. We really wanted to go back to Human Resources, whether it was in that episode where we had the Keke Palmer and Aidy Bryant characters come back. Rosie Perez’s character, too. The whole cast! We wanted to weave them all into this season to make sure that they were acknowledged as such an important part of the universe. We were fortunate to get to explore all of that in the same show, but just through a flipped perspective. We were seeing it all from the monsters’ point of view, but now we’re back to the kids. But we absolutely loved, loved Human Resources.  Big Mouth has ended, but your new animated series, Mating Season, has been announced. Can you talk at all on how this idea came together, what this show was born out of, and if it will have a similar vibe to Big Mouth or be a different type of animal? ML: The vibe will be similar in some ways, in that, it’s very honest and it deals, frankly, with things that we all deal with. In Big Mouth, it was puberty and that temporary change, but Mating Season is looking kind of into your twenties – your late twenties – when you’re trying to find a mate. You find your person, or hook up, or, you know – have sex, get married, all those things that we struggled with then. JF: What we always found in Big Mouth, when we were trying to depict sex, was that it was better when it had a metaphor behind it. But we realized that you really don’t want to see humans having sex. However, with animals, it’s a lot funnier.  ML: You’re not going to see anything you don’t see in the zoo, or in the forest, or in your backyard. I’m looking forward to it. I appreciated the Animorphs reference this season, so if you can make one of the characters an Animorph–just have one be an animal that is actually a human in disguise. I think that’s a fun approach. ML: That is a good idea. We’re putting it on the list. JF: We’re putting it on the list. Beautiful. That’s all I ask. All eight seasons of Big Mouth are now streaming on Netflix
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