Speak of Matt Groening, and the very first thing to mine would be “The Simpsons,” presently the longest-running animated series and sitcom on primetime. For over 600 episodes across 28 seasons, the show has caused side-splitting laughs with audiences thanks to its satirical portrayals of America family life and the human condition. Its induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame on account of one of its episodes is proof of the kind of mark “The Simpsons” has had on the American public consciousness.
But Groening has never been one to stay with one creation; he has got a new animated series being conceptualized, and it will be streaming on Netflix.
Medieval madness
The online streaming media giant has ordered a new adult-oriented animated show from Matt Groening to add to their ever-expanding library. The “Simpsons” creator then presented them with “Disenchanted,” a subversive fantasy genre comedy series featuring star comedians from other popular sitcoms like "Broad City" and "The Eric Andre Show" as voice talents. A total of twenty episodes has been slated for production on behalf of Netflix, although only ten of them will be released for the inaugural season.
According to blurbs courtesy of Groening, “Disenchanted” will take place in the medieval realm of Dreamland. As is typical of satirical portrayals, the main characters of the animated sitcom are the alcohol-slugging Princess Bean of Dreamland, her elf minder Elfo and Luci, the princess’ “personal demon.” While going off from one twisted adventure in her kingdom to another, Princess Bean’s retinue will encounter the usual medieval fantasy denizens. The mind behind “The Simpsons” lists them as ogres, sprites, harpies, imps, trolls, walruses, and “lots of human fools.” “Disenchanted” is one of the latest in-production Netflix animated series of a more mature bent being hyped, following the example of the video game adaptation “Castlevania” which has been okayed for a second season.
Another 'Simpsons' alternative
This is not the first time that Matt Groening has tried to develop a similarly-satirical yet separate animated series from “The Simpsons.” He along with David X. Cohen cooked up the hilarious retro-futuristic sitcom “Futurama” which ran seven seasons from 1999 to 2013 on Fox and later Comedy Central. “Disenchanted” in this case comes across as a jump in the opposite direction time period-wise, but will still be chock-full of prime time satire and more besides.
As Groening himself describes it, "'Disenchantment' will be about life and death, love and sex, and how to keep laughing in a world full of suffering and idiots, despite what the elders and wizards and other jerks tell you." The series will be available on Netflix in 2018, while “The Simpsons” will be up for a season 29 later this fall.