Season Review: Inside Job Season One Part One

 

 

Overview:

Everything that you have ever heard about the world being operated by a shadow government is entirely true. Earth’s governments, media, and banks are all operated by the deep state organization called Cognito Inc. Surprisingly, the few people in charge are as flawed and human as we are (at least most of them are human).

At the centre of Cognito Inc are the department heads tactfully trying to keep the Earth from falling into chaos. At the head of their table is Reagan Ridley, an insecure super-genius with daddy issues and Brett Hand, a yes man in desperate need to have everyone like him.  

Reagan and Brett direct their elite team of specialists as they attempt to please the mysterious shadow board while holding the entire world together. Upkeeping the illusion of democracy is tricky enough with robotic president replacements, shapeshifting lizard people, and flat Earth conspiracists. But, navigating a demanding job while maintaining healthy relationships is near impossible.

 

Our Take:

Welcome to the deep state. Now prepare to have a brand-new favourite adult animated sitcom.

Netflix is tearing down the curtain and revealing how the world is operated by a secret cabal.  Inside Job takes us deep into the underground headquarters of Cognito Inc, where the world’s mysteries begin to make a lot more sense. And the people in charge are just as imperfect as the rest of us.

Conceptually, Inside Job is the most exciting new animated comedy that Netflix has released since The Midnight Gospel. The original series was created by former Gravity Falls writer Shion Takeuchi and produced by the creator of that show, Alex Hirsch. Blending their unique style of humour into a workplace comedy is made even better with the consequential influence of the characters.

Giving Inside Job an even further boost is the thoughtfully perfect casting of this elite group. Heading the series is lovable Lizzy Caplan (Cloverfield, Now You See Me 2) in her ideal role of the confidently insecure Reagan Ridley. Meanwhile, Clark Dale’s (The Office, Hot Tub Time Machine) cheerful voice brings life to the smiley yes man, Brett Hand. Rounding out ‘the crew’ are Andy Daly, Brett Gelman, Bobby Lee, Christian Slater, and Tisha Campbell. Finally, giving this series an animated veteran is Bender himself, John DiMaggio.

Reagan Ridley is a lovably complex character akin to a younger female Rick Sanchez of Rick and Morty. The most brilliant mind known in the universe struggles equally when it comes to navigating human relationships. Although, Lizzy Caplan gives Reagan many more relatable flaws than heartlessness, including daddy issues and social anxiety.

If Reagan could be compared to one popular animated character, Brett Hand would be most similar to Philip J. Fry of Futurama. Although much more handsome and successful, Brett does carry the same level of innocent positivity and need to be accepted. Additionally, much like Fry was a character out-of-time, Brett is out-of-his-league as he is enlisted to this shadow government because of his smile. Brett serves as our guide into this world and often makes the necessary comments about how confusing it all can be.

“The Crew”, as it is referred to throughout the show, is as mixed with individual personalities as should be in a workplace comedy. An elitist public relations head and a drug-addicted doctor are as average as they come. Less could be said for the rest of the team that is rounded out by a half-man-half-dolphin military general and a psychic mushroom creature from a subterranean fungus species.

The ten-episode first season works as stand-alone pieces while also carrying some ongoing plots. Meaning you can hop in and watch any episode individually and enjoy the show. Though it is much more fulfilling to binge-watch the season collectively in the order intended. And for once, Inside Job offers an introduction that you won’t want to skip.

Each episode manages to explore a different conspiracy theory through various missions. Nothing goes untouched, from the flat earth theory to what happens to our stolen personal data. The entire world is explained from this alternate perspective. The JFK assassination, 9-11, Avril Lavigne, all the theories you have ever heard of, is laid out in a theory where it all begins to make sense. Aside from why they are doing it, or if this shadow company is good or evil.

There are plenty of references assuring that this show is packed full of content. Recognizable influencers make an appearance like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Oprah Winfrey. All of which are clever choices over the more obvious targets of Elon Musk, Donald Trump, or Kanye West. Don’t worry, the show lets you know which celebrities are lizard people and clones.

Meanwhile, there remain the necessary references to pop culture that audiences crave. In fact, one of the best episodes in the collections puts Magic Myc the mushroom at the centre of an E.T. parody. That same story puts the rest of the crew in a secluded town forced to remain in the 1980s that turns Brett into a powerful nostalgia monster.

Despite the high stakes and world-encompassing storylines, Inside Job manages to balance a heartfelt relationship drama. At the heart of the series is Reagan. The demands of her job are immense, yet she struggles to be respected and understood. Beyond that, she is intertwined with dysfunctional parents that have made her life miserable. Worst of all, the only people she can truly confide in are the objects she creates, like Artificial Intelligence or a robot boyfriend.

Truthfully, in the pyramid of adult animated sitcoms, Inside Job is sitting at God tier. The series is doing everything right. Conceptually it is as strong as Rick and Morty but in an approachable way that may not be so overwhelming for new audiences. Additionally, Inside Job balances relatable stories with thought-provoking themes in a package that is recognizable yet unique.

No doubt about it, Netflix has a hit on their hands.  Inside Job is an animated sitcom that will entertain a wide range of audiences. Those that love a silly little cartoon, and those that want something different from the standard. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a show that will entertain us for years to come. Because, honestly, this could be our favourite new show.