Netflix’s “Big Mouth” returns for its seventh season, jam-packed with even more eccentric musical numbers, comedic fourth-wall breaks and outlandish plot points than the last. After premiering its 10 episodes Oct. 20, the series remains as strong as ever while beginning to wrap up its run.
First introduced on the streaming service in 2017 as an anarchic, animated adult comedy about sex-crazed tweens, “Big Mouth” has developed into a surprisingly deep exploration of mental health and sexuality over its past few seasons while remaining loyal to its bizarre, grotesque core humor.
With a cast of television comedy royalty including Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Ayo Edebiri and more, this season of the show further develops its multifaceted, complex characters in the transition from adolescence to their teenage years with incredible comedic delivery.
The first episode, “Big Mouth’s Going to High School (But Not for Nine More Episodes),” introduces the central storyline of this season. The characters’ transition from middle to high school gives them the chance to evaluate who they are and who they want to be, also giving the show’s writers abundant opportunities to convey how its characters have developed.
Andrew Globerman (Mulaney) sets out to no longer be perceived as creepy and perverted. Nick Birch (Kroll) aims to be seen as more mature. Jessi Glasser (Jessi Klein) reevaluates her friendships and values. Missy Foreman-Greenwald (Edebiri) navigates the future of her middle school relationship. Jay Bilzerian (Jason Mantzoukas) simply hopes to graduate from middle school.
Although full of goofy plot points revolving around the uncomfortable sexual experiences teenagers are bound to encounter during their journey through puberty, the season also explores themes regarding anxiety, shame, social dynamics and sexual orientation. Embodied through hormone monsters, the Shame Wizard, Anxiety Mosquito and Gratitoad, this season of “Big Mouth” develops valuable lessons that are not frequently explored in typical animated series.
On top of the show’s exploration of profound life lessons, musical numbers have always been one of the series’ highlights, and season seven continues to deliver catchy, comical tunes.
The stand-out number of the season would be Megan Thee Stallion, cast as Hormone Monstress Megan, and her catchy song about female attraction, sung to aid the characters in navigating their relationship problems.
I would recommend “Big Mouth” to viewers who have seen previous seasons. Callbacks and emotional connections to the characters only make sense with that context.
Ending on a cliffhanger in the season finale with unresolved character conflicts, the seventh season of “Big Mouth” sets up a realistic, yet somewhat disappointing conclusion as the show heads towards its eighth and final season of the series.
