Sweet Tooth was a surprise hit for Netflix, releasing in the summer of 2021 amidst an influx of the Covid-19 virus. I remember watching it vividly because I was boarded up in the house under quarantine and figured I would watch an episode or two to kill some time. That flowed immediately into watching four or five, and before I knew it I had binge watched the entire first season in a single sitting. I was hooked, pulled into a world of fantasy that — in many ways — mirrored the strange new world we were adapting to during the pandemic. I was ecstatic to learn that the series had been renewed (in the world of streaming, it seems a series’ fate is always in question) and delighted to find that the sophomore season mostly lives up to its predecessor as a visually striking, heartfelt and unique tale of belonging and forgiveness. It’s as entertaining as it is beautiful.
The Plot
Adapted from the Vertigo comic written and illustrated by Jeff Lemire, Sweet Tooth’s second season picks up right where the first one left off. Gus (Christian Convery) — along with several other hybrid children — are being held captive. General Abbot (Neil Sandilands) and the Last Men are conducting experiments on the children in a desperate attempt to find a cure to the Sick. Their only hope for survival may be a rescue mission from Jeppard and Aimee. The question is, will the kids survive long enough to be rescued?
The Critique
Comic book adaptations are everywhere. It’s a reality that we live in, even as the fabled “super-hero fatigue” begins to set in at the box-office. In fact, I’ll be traveling to a screening of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 later this evening. While super-hero fatigue is proving to be a legitimate concern for studios, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other comic book stories worth seeking out. Sweet Tooth benefits from its uniqueness. We’ve seen stories like this before, but we’ve never seen them with half-animal, human hybrid children.
Our core trio of Gus, Jeppard and Bear have been splintered; separated by a series of events that culminated in violence. We follow them as they each continue their individual — yet intertwined — journeys. And while Sweet Tooth is primarily a story of Gus, the series is at its strongest when its focus is on the human characters, rather than the hybrid ones. Perhaps the most interesting characters of all are the villainous General Abbot and the conflicted Doctor Singh. Its through these two that we experience the most meaningful explorations and arcs.
Also Read: Sweet Tooth Review: An Ambitious Adaptation That Pays Off
General Abbot is a perfect villain. From his looks and voice to his calculated coldness, he exudes a menacing presence that commands the screen. On the surface, he’s driven by his desire to save the human race; however, beneath that surface his lust for dominance and control are clear. The Sick and the dismantling of the world as he knew it give him the perfect platform to act out the violent tendencies he likely suppressed in his prior way of life. And his hatred and treatment of hybrids mirror the real-world atrocities of war. It’s a harsh, yet necessary, depiction of evil. Abbot is on one polar end of the moral spectrum while Gus is on the other; the majority of other characters are trying to balance somewhere in-between.
Doctor Singh, for example, is driven to do horrible things by his love for his wife and his true desire to save man-kind, begging the question, “Do the ends justify the means if those means are murdering children, and the ends are saving the world?” This season of Sweet Tooth feels darker. There’s a looming aura of gloom and desperation brought on by the inner turmoil our “heroes” face and accentuated by rain-soaked landscapes and dimly-lit interiors. While the first season was about finding family and forming bonds, this season is about testing those bonds and fighting for that family.
#SweetToothSeason2 hit @netflix today and it's a MUST watch. Ambitious, heartfelt and enthralling, giving a unique take on the post-apocalyptic genre. General Abbot is a perfect villain ranking among Shredder from #TMNT as a top-tier antagonist. #Netflix #SweetTooth @SweetTooth pic.twitter.com/C6mhCqMvSm
— Joshua Ryan (@MrMovieGuy86) April 27, 2023
In Conclusion
Sweet Tooth proves once again that it is a story worth telling. While this season’s opening episodes feel decidedly weaker than the early episodes of season one, the connection I’ve formed with these characters remains unbroken. As of the time of this writing there is no confirmation of a third season, but I’m hopeful. And if we’ve learned anything about Netflix series, it’s to never get too attached. I still haven’t forgiven them for cancelling The Santa Clarita Diet on a cliff-hanger. Sweet Tooth isn’t just a series that can be enjoyed by the whole family, it’s one that should be enjoyed by the whole family.
8/10
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