Sweet Tooth: Season 1 – Netflix Review

SWEET TOOTH is a new Netflix series based on a 2009 DC comic book. With the state of the world right now, part of the premise is eerily familiar. This Netflix production has a wonderful adventure-like feel while also being brutal. Read our full Sweet Tooth season 1 review here!

SWEET TOOTH is a Netflix series based on a comic book from DC Comics that was first released in 2009. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world – the result of “The Great Crumble” which was a deadly virus. And yes, with the current pandemic, this part of the premise feels all-too-familiar.

Overall, this feels very much like an adventure along the lines of Lords of the Rings (it’s even shot in New Zealand) or even E.T. Complete with a narrator to keep the audience completely in the loop as to what we’re seeing. I love it! However, I want to warn you, this series is also very brutal and violent.

Continue reading our Sweet Tooth season 1 review below – and check it out on Netflix now.

The most amazing hybrids

The adaption of the DC Comics original began in 2016 and the pilot was shot in 2019. In other words, production was in full swing when an actual pandemic did hit the world. It’s probably a good thing that this wasn’t released one year ago. At least now, we have vaccines and a more hopeful outlook.

Oh yeah, and also, we haven’t been struck with the final element of “The Great Crumble”. This was the fact that all human babies are now born as hybrids. Hybrids of what, you ask?! Well, hybrids of human beings and all kinds of animals. The title character in this Netflix series is Gus (“Sweet Tooth” is just his nickname, for what is obvious reasons) and he’s part deer.

Speaking of these hybrids, I have to give major credit to the people working in special effects. The hybrid elements are so well done. Gus has deer ears (and antlers, of course) and his little ears perfectly show his mood. It’s extremely well done and feels remarkable natural. That, in itself, is no small feat!

The most amazing characters

All 8 episodes in Sweet Tooth have a runtime of around 40-55 minutes which feels very appropriate for this series. After all, there is quite a lot of story to go through. First, we have to experience what the various characters went through before “The Big Crumble” of the world. Then we follow them in the present time. It just works and James Brolin is the perfect narrator.

The young Christian Convery is absolutely amazing as the hybrid-boy Gus (aka Sweet Tooth). Of course, this is far from the first acting job for Christian Convery, so he might be young, but he’s already very experienced. You may recognize him from the comedy-thriller The Package (2018). In a wonderfully laid-back portrayal as his dad (or “Pubba”), we see Will Forte.

Other cast members include Nonso Anozie (NBC’s Dracula), Adeel Akhtar (Enola Holmes), Aliza
Vellani (The Twilight Zone), Stefania LaVie Owen (Netflix series Messiah), and Dania Ramirez (Quarantine – the US [REC] remake).

Watch season 1 of Sweet Tooth on Netflix!

Sweet Tooth was co-created by Beth Schwartz and Jim Mickle. They’re also co-showrunners and Jim Mickle has even directed several episodes of the series. Previously, Beth Schwartz has worked as a writer on TV series such as Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow which seems like the perfect experience for this task.

Meanwhile, Jim Mickle co-wrote and directed the horror drama We Are What We Are from 2013 and the 2010 horror sci-fi movie Stake Land. Both are stellar experiences for the darker sides of the Sweet Tooth story.

Please, don’t underestimate the brutality of this series just because of the very sweet and cute adventure-like look. There’s both a deadly virus and then people wanting to kill hybrids. Of course, all post-apocalyptic stories have people, who use the “newfound freedom” to live out their inner beasts.

Watching grown men want to kill kids is still about as bad as it gets. It’s tough but also feels very realistic.

All 8 episodes of Sweet Tooth season 1 are out on Netflix from June 4, 2021.

Details

Stars: Christian Convery (Gus), Nonso Anozie (Tommy Jepperd), Adeel Akhtar (Dr. Aditya Singh), Aliza Vellani (Rani Singh), Stefania LaVie Owen (Bear), Dania Ramirez (Aimee Eden), Neil Sandilands (General Abbot), with Will Forte (Father) and James Brolin (Narrator)