"Midnight Gospel" Review

By Isabella Doherty, Features Editor

Courtesy of NETFLIX

Spoiler Warning

The best way to describe Netflix’s new adult animation series would be in three words: weird, psychedelic, insanity. Forbes best attempt at describing the show was “‘Rick and Morty’ meets ‘The Joe Rogan Experience.’” Yet somehow, “Adventure Time” creator Pendleton Ward and comedian/podcaster Duncan Trussell managed to intertwine deep, mind bending, intellectual conversations with goofy, vibrant animations.

The show offers an interesting and unique experience, as it follows Clancy (voiced by Trussell) as he travels through his universe simulator meeting and interviewing other characters for his “spacecast.” The show uses clips from Trussell’s podcast to explore a variety of philosophies and perspectives all hidden under Ward’s stunningly imaginative world. Each episode covers a different topic ranging from healing to consciousness, from meditation to mindfulness, ultimately cultivating to the final topic of death.

At first, the show may seem difficult to follow due to the combination of animation and podcast. The podcast bits and the animation, while related, didn’t seem to flow. It’s incredibly easy to get lost in the conversation or the animation while zoning out the other part of the show. While the first few episodes have incredibly interesting material that makes for amazing brain food (especially in a time where everyone is locked inside with their thoughts), the really good parts don’t come until the last episodes.

While the show is easy to enjoy from the beginning, viewers may have to work to follow all of the weighty philosophical conversations as well as contributing plot (even though the mind numbingness from something other than boredom may be found quite welcoming). The end, however, was when everything seemed to come together. Everything connected and the conversation became even more profound and moving because the animation finally merged completely instead of merely connecting.

Not until the end, following the growth of the protagonist, Clancy, is the full potential of the show revealed. From aimless and seeking a distraction from reality, to finding a purpose and meaning to his life, the series offers a unique take on life, death, and the parts in between. The show offers up layers to dissect and digest, giving the viewer their own chance to escape from reality during this challenging time or reflect upon it given the nature of the show. Or, hey, consider both since we all know we have plenty of time.

Ultimately, while strange and weirdly philosophical, “Midnight Gospel”is a fascinating and challenging show unlike any other. Whether you’re bored out of your mind, looking for captivating entertainment, or just looking for anything to binge after finishing everything on Netflix, “Midnight Gospel” is a must-see.