February 5, 2016 (2016-02-05) – October 5, 2018 (2018-10-05)
Animals (stylised Animals.) is an American adult animated[2]comedy television series created by Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano. The first two episodes were independently produced and presented at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2015.[3] In May 2015, HBO picked the series up with a two-season order,[4] which premiered on February 5, 2016.[5] The series was renewed for a third season on May 19, 2017.[6] Season 3 premiered on August 3, 2018. In October 2018, it was announced that HBO had canceled the series.[7]
Plot
Each episode features a different cast of special guests, along with creators Matarese and Luciano playing various animals. The show features retroscripting and improvised dialogue based on plot outlines. Each season also has a story arc featuring humans in live-action sequences, such as a corrupt mayor and the events leading to his reelection in season one.
In season two, the human story arc concerns a reporter investigating a virus outbreak created by mad scientist Dr. Labcoat, who is forced to release a gas that dissolves all human life in New York.
In season three, which takes place three years after the dubbed "Green Day" incident, the animals of New York have formed their own governments while they are being observed by two soldiers who are losing their grip on reality.
Cast
Main
Phil Matarese as himself
Humans: Private Matarese
Rats: Phil Jr. Also portrayed Phil Jr.'s biological father in the first episode.
Pigeons
Cats: Emperor Phil, a sociopathic cat who was initially the mayor's cat. Also portrayed Phil, a mafia cat who took over the family business.
Dogs
Flies
Squirrels
Roaches
Worms
Horses
Mike Luciano as himself
Humans: Private Luciano
Rats: Mike, Phil Jr's best friend. Also portrayed Phil Jr.'s grandfather in his youth.
Pigeons
Cats: Emperor Mike, a sociopathic cat who was initially the mayor's cat. Also portrayed Mike, a mafia cat leaving organized crime.
Dogs
Flies
Squirrels
Roaches
Worms
Horses
Recurring
Humans
RuPaul Charles as Dr. Labcoat, the antagonist of season two's human storyline. A scientist of the unscrupulous conglomerate Pesci Co., Labcoat arranged for an epidemic in New York to sell the 'Green Pill' to enslave the populace. But after being exposed, Labcoat ends up destroying himself when he wiped out the human populace of New York. Posthumously, he established the Labcoat terrorists of season three.
John Early as The Assistant, Dr. Labcoat's aid and accomplice.
Demi Moore as The General, the antagonist of season three's human storyline.
Neil Casey as Principal Lief, a rat principal at the high school Phil Jr. and Mike attended in the first two seasons. He also played the human Executive 3, a Pesci Co. employee that became the founding leader of the Labcoats in season 3 after Dr. Labcoat subjected him to a mutative strain of the Green Pill in season 2, and Reporter.
The first season has received positive reviews from critics. As of April 2020, it holds a 68% "Fresh" rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 19 reviews, with an average of 6.5/10.[13] On Metacritic, the series holds a rating of 54 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "mixed or above average reviews".[14] Maureen Ryan of Variety gave the first season a negative review, writing, "The animated HBO show has a lot in common with programs like Girls, Louie, and Baskets, and like Togetherness, it boasts Mark and Jay Duplass as executive producers. But the extraordinarily tedious Animals., unlike those shows, fails to hit any of its chosen targets. It is unfunny, its animation is unexceptional and the studied banality of its dialogue is excruciating."[15] Conversely, David Wiegand in the San Francisco Chronicle gave the season a positive review, writing, "The deadpan approach only enhances the delicious off the wall comedy of Animals. The series is batty and brilliant as it turns the whole notion of anthropomorphic cartoon animals on its fuzzy ear."[16]
See also
HouseBroken, another adult-animated series featuring talking animals.
