Season Review: Duncanville Season 3B

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Released on Hulu, the final six episodes of Duncanville offered an array of storylines featuring teenager Duncan Harris and his family and friends. Created by Amy Poehler, Mike Scully, and Julie Thacker-Scully, Duncanville is a funny and oftentimes wacky animated show that highlights the trials and tribulations of teenage life.

Our Take:
Duncanville is never going to be considered one of the animated greats, but it’s been a rock-solid show since its debut on Fox in 2020. The characters are diverse and likable, the plotlines offer some fantastic character exploration, and the cast is led by strong performances from stars Amy Poehler, Ty Burrell, and Riki Lindhome. Duncanville also sports a few of the most recognizable voice-over artists in Fox’s animation history with Kathy Najimy and John Viener in supporting roles.

Although Duncan may not be as iconic a titular character as Bob Belcher or Stan Smith, he certainly had his moments. His romantic arc with Mia may have been a bit cliche at times, but it flowed naturally and their interactions never felt forced. Okay, maybe Duncan dressed as Jon Snow on horseback inside a school cafeteria was a little forced. But Game Of Thrones references aside, Duncan is a down-to-earth teenage boy that is smarter and more mature than Chris Griffin, and less chaotic and scheme driven than Steve Smith. Voiced by Poehler, Duncan was portrayed as a realistic teen with just enough flair to make him sympathetic throughout the show.

While Duncanville never quite elevated itself above other animated shows, it still managed to develop its own brand of quirkiness that gave the show a unique wholesome charm. There were plenty of “blink and you might miss it” background gags and jokes that gave this show an extra helping of laughs that ranged from Bill Cosby quips to silly pop culture references about Pac-Man.

But viewers can’t help but wonder where this show could have gone had it not been canceled after only 3 seasons in June. Shows like Bob’s Burgers and American Dad didn’t find their footing and fanbase immediately, but only after a few seasons. Duncanville really started to find its groove by season 2 and season 3 built on top of that. Each character had a unique voice with a joke style that separated them from the rest of the cast. Who doesn’t love a zinger dropping 5 year-old?

Perhaps Duncanville was hindered by being stuck in no man’s land. Not quite a kid’s show but not quite a show designed for mature audiences only. There were plot points that catered to a younger viewer but Duncanville certainly has its share of witty mature jokes and raunchy set pieces. Overall, Duncanville was an animated series that was a safe bet for most families to gather around and watch together. Playing it a little too safe may have cost Duncanville in the long run, failing to bring in acceptable ratings for Fox.

The final six episodes of Duncanville offer plenty of quirky gags and zippy one-liners that will leave dedicated fans of the show happy and relative newcomers pleased with their binge. Duncanville creators Amy Poehler, Mike Scully, and Julie Thacker-Scully crafted an enjoyable show that ends on a positive note with some of the show’s best entries.