| Big Mouth | |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | |
 | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Netflix |
| Original release | 29 September 2017 |
Season 1 Summary
In season 1 of Big Mouth, we are introduced to the students of Bridgeton Middle School of Westchester County NY. We watch as these children navigate their way through puberty, how factors such as gender identity, race, religion, sexuality and home life contribute to their transition into adulthood and how they cope in their daily lives with the help and hinderance of their many personified hormones.
Season 1 sets us up with introductions to different main characters such as Nick Birch, Maury the hormone monster, Lola Scumpy, Coach Steve (and many more) all voiced by Nick Kroll, Andrew Glouberman voiced by John Mulaney, Jessi Glaser voiced by Jessi Klein, Missy Foreman voiced by Jenny Slate (in seasons 1-3) and Jay Bilzerian voiced by Jason Mantzoukas.
Each character is faced with problems due to the inevitable pursuit of Puberty. The character Nick Birch is weighed down with self-confidence issues as he realises he is behind many of his classmates, while best friend Andrew struggles to keep up with his rapidly changing body and feelings due to his comical yet sexually frustrated hormone monster.
The show tackles issues such as inequality, as Jessi Glaser fights to make sure the boys of Bridgton Middle School know that ‘Girls are horny too’ and topics such as coercion and the practice of consent as Missy Foreman is conflicted after witnessing a disturbing situation.
Throughout season 1 we get to see a group of friends begin to change and develop not just within their bodies but also with their friendships and their homelives.
Season 1 Themes
Season 1 of Big Mouth covers a variety of different themes from different perspectives, with each character facing new challenges and difficulties.
Puberty
The main theme of season 1 is the changes the characters go through as they begin to move into their teenage years and face the beginning stages of puberty. The show describes how everyone develops at different rates and how everyone can develop different characteristics depending on sex and genes.
Love and Relationships
As Nick and Jessi find themselves pressured into a relationship they both are unsure about, Big Mouth shows the struggle of young love, peer pressure and the struggle of going along with the crowd in order to fit in.
Sexuality
Big Mouth shows many characters that confidently identify with different sexuality's while also naturally presenting characters that are finding it hard to define who they are and are questioning themselves as they grow and change.
Safe Sex & Consent
Whilst poking fun at the often embarrassing and taboo talks surrounding sex and intimacy, Big Mouth also includes many discussions surrounding practicing safe sex, using contraceptives and the importance of consent.
Addiction
In the finale episode of Big Mouth season 1 we see character Andrew Glouberman struggle with a porn addiction, the show describes how Andrew is finally able to manage his addiction and find healthy ways of coping with and controlling his urges.
Episode Summaries
| Episode Title | Release Date | Summary/ Plot |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 1: Ejaculation | 29/09/2017 | Andrew falls under the spell of a randy Hormone Monster, while Nick becomes obsessed with the lack of changes in his body. Nick discovers it is natural to develop at different stages, and his time will eventually come. |
| Episode 2: Everybody Bleeds | 29/09/2017 | The students at Bridgeton Middle School go on a field trip to the Statue of Liberty. Nick and Jessi learn to navigate the intricacies of their budding coupledom, following this, Jessi starts her period. Jessi discovers that becoming a woman isn't as magical as it has been made out to be however, she finds comfort in her new level of maturity. |
| Episode 3: Am I Gay | 29/09/2017 | Andrew questions his sexuality when a movie trailer causes an unexpected arousal. An awkward dinner leaves Jessi and Nick in an uncomfortable situation. The students discover that they want certain things within a relationship, helping them move forward in their search for love. |
| Episode 4: Sleepover: A Harrowing Ordeal of Emotional Brutality | 29/09/2017 | The boys head to Jay's house for an overnight stay where they plan to play a new video game, and Jessi hosts a sleepover with the most popular girls in school. Both sleepovers face drama that shape their view on friendship. |
| Episode 5: Girls Are Horny Too | 29/09/2017 | The boys learn an unexpected lesson about girls when a novel evokes a sexual awakening amongst the female students (and parents). The novel leads Jessi in particular to explore her own sexuality. The developing teen boys discover that everyone gets arouses, even girls, thus normalizing the feeling. |
| Episode 6: Pillow Talk | 29/09/2017 | Andrew reluctantly goes with Nick on trip to New York City to meet Nick's old camp crush. Jay and his pillow face a difficult decision when their relationship sees an unexpected development. The boys learn the struggles of 'forbidden love' and the importance of using contraception/ protection when partaking in sexual relations. |
| Episode 7: Requiem for a Wet Dream | 29/09/2017 | As Andrew and Missy work together on a project for the science fair, the Hormone Monster threatens to break out of control and Andrew struggles to keep him in line. Andrew begins to understand just how out of control Maury is as he ruins his relationship with Missy. He realizes he must make some changes in regard to his uncontrollable arousal. |
| Episode 8: The Head Push | 29/09/2017 | While hidden in a cupboard, Andrew and Missy observe a troubling event involving Nick's sister Leah. Nick faces complications in romance, and Leah hosts a party for the drama kids. The teens learn the importance of consent and not pressuring others. |
| Episode 9: I Survived Jessi's Bat Mitzvah | 29/09/2017 | Jessi's Bat Mitzvah is an unforgettable nightmare; Andrew and Missy continue their relationship in secret, and after a day of family disputes, Jessi makes a shocking discovery about her mother. Jessi discovers that adulthood is more complication than teen hood; and Andrew and Missy discover the struggles of maintaining a romantic relationship. |
| Episode 10: The Pornscape | 29/09/2017 | Andrew discovers an interesting solution to his sorrows and runs into trouble when it escalates into an addiction. Coach Steve's lack of alibi makes him a person of interest in a murder investigation. Andrew learns the importance of finding and maintaining healthy coping mechanisms that do not damage him further. |
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Cast and Crew
Season 1 Directors
- Bryan Francis
- Joel Moser
- Mike L. Mayfield
- Mark Levin
Cast
| Voice Actor | Character/ characters |
|---|---|
| Nick Kroll |
|
| John Mulaney |
|
| Jessi Klein |
|
| Jason Mantzoukas |
|
| Fred Armisen |
|
| Maya Rudolph |
|
| Jenny Slate |
|
| Andrew Rannells |
|
| Richard Kind |
|
| Paula Pell |
|
| Jordan Peele |
|
Crew
| Crew Member | Role |
|---|---|
| Julie Ashton | Series Casting |
| Quique Rivera | Series Cinematography |
| Felipe Salazar | Series Film Editor |
| Natalie Groce | Production Design |
| Otto Tang | Season 1 Art Director |
Awards and Nominations
All awards included are those specifically from 2018 as that is the following year after the first season of Big Mouth aired
Primetime Emmy Award (2018) - outstanding original music and lyrics [nominee]
Annie Awards (2018) - best general audience animated television/broadcast production [nominee]
Gold Derby Awards (2018) - animated program [nominee]
Golden Trailer Awards (2018) - best animation/family (TV spot/Trailer/Teaser for a series) [nominee]
Gotham Awards (2018) - Gotham independent film award – breakthrough series [nominee] [3]
Production information and Release
Big mouth was created in 2017 by Jennifer Flackett, Andrew Goldberg, Nick Kroll and Mark Levin and is streamed on Netflix.
The Series was originally written by real life best friends Andrew Goldberg and Nick Kroll.
Big Mouth was released onto Netflix on September 29, 2017, with season 2 of the show being confirmed in November 2018. [4]
Ratings
IMDB rating – 7.9/10 by voters
Common sense media – 4.5/5
Rotten tomatoes – 99%
The Netflix series has been highly rated by 3 different sources with many positive reviews left on IMDB, with users saying they “finally found a show that was brutally honest and funny to the bone” and that they “wish they had a show like this back when [they] were a teenager going through puberty”. [8]
Critical and Public Responses
Season 1 of Big Mouth received many positive reviews, from both critics and the public. On Rotten Tomatoes, [9] the season received a 100% rating from 23 critics, with an average 8.5/10 rating. The audience section gave season 1 a rating of 78% from 1,417 ratings, and an average 3.9 stars. The overall site concurrence was that "Big Mouth's simplistic animation and scatological humor" effectively portray its characters and its approach to the struggles of adolescence.
On Metacritic, [10] the season scored an 86/100 rating from 28 critics, and 6.4 rating from 92 audience reveiws. Critic Ben Travers stated that Big Mouth "works" because it is "unflinchingly honest", as it uses twisted humor to "consistently" tell the truth. An audience review, under the name of Equiixxx, stated that they wished they could have had a series like this as a teen themself, as "being LGBT in the 2000s was a real struggle", and this show effectively explore and overcome those struggles, which makes the show very relatable for their audience.