Review: Blark and Son “Pilot” & “School of Blark”

Former social show translates to longer form with ease.

The day is finally here for fans of the formerly Instagram-exclusive “Blark and Son.” The first two episodes, each seven minutes in length, came up on free streaming service go90 this morning.

Overview (Spoilers Below)

The first episode sets the stage quite well for those who might have never seen the series’ beginnings on Instagram, letting viewers know within the first 45 seconds that this show is all about one man’s mission to bond with his son. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as we watch an angsty teenager, Son (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), fight off the affection of his ex-war-hero father, Blark (Ben Bayouth), within the context of a rat hunt.

After several larger than life attempts on the rat’s life, the episode draws to a peaceful resolution, one rat paralyzed from a killing blow, and one son paralyzed with terror as he embraces his father.

One might think that Blark can go no further than a giant rat to win his son’s adoration, but that was before it was threatened by the ‘cool’ teacher at Son’s school, Mr. Beal. Beal, voiced by Patton Oswalt, strikes a furious envy into Blark’s heart in Episode Two, “School of Blark.” Which opens with Son being spotted with a drawing of the teacher on his binder naming him “#1 School Dad.” Uh oh. In addition to a celebrity guest-star, we also get to see some really elaborate set work as Blark constructs an entire middle school in his home in an effort to show Son he’s the best “School Dad” there is.

Keeping true to the mini sit-com style, Episode two wraps up with a heartfelt monologue from Mr. Beal, laced ever so slightly with a threat to call child services. Son and Blark share another tender moment, and all is well in Blark and Son’s tiny blue house.

Our Take

The transition to a 7-minute show, versus the previous 30-second format, had viewers wondering what the show would do with all that extra time. Thankfully, if the first two episodes are any indication, creator Ben Bayouth and the team have done a fantastic job expanding the once bite-sized look into the relationship of Blark and his (yes, still) nameless son. The show takes on an even more sit-com type structure, and the arcs are as painfully awkward as they are hilarious.

The expertly timed one-liners that had fans cracking up in the previous 30-second shorts have gone nowhere, and the backing of Go90 has had a positive effect on production value. In Episode Two alone, we see the Blark character in 3 different costumes and personas, each a little more ridiculous than the last.

The longer form also gave creators the opportunity to show more depth to the characters, and they didn’t waste it. Between laughing at Blark’s over the top dialogue, and Son’s too-relatable rebuffs, viewers start to see beneath the surface. Blark, whose craziness is equal parts hilarious and cringe-worthy, also sparks some empathy in the first episode, as his bulging puppet-eyes long for days gone by, when Son was small and relied on him.

There are plenty of callbacks to the Instagram short, one of which is a cardboard book cleverly named ‘Bone Mine’ in the background of the makeshift schoolhouse in episode two. Long-time Instagram fans will recognize this as a reference to one of Blark’s more intense rants on his days as a miner.

The voice acting is on point, though the grotesque and limited-motion puppets continue to be both a distinguishing feature of the series and a minor distraction.

Overall, the show’s entertaining portrayal of a relatable struggle between teenagers framed in this bizarre puppet-show is worth checking out. While the punchlines are sometimes forced with an over-the-top delivery, they are genuinely funny. There’s something in this show for every Blark out there, and every Son. If you’re unsure which you are – join the club.