The Cuphead video game won acclaim for its stunning retro art style, earworm soundtrack, and run-and-gun gameplay that’s notoriously difficult and punishing. The plot saw players trying to capture runaways that owed their souls to the Devil to evade losing their own. The animation style and music alone seemed ideal for an adaptation, but the real question is whether a series could stand on its own without the gameplay. Netflix’s “The Cuphead Show!” answers that question with a hollow thud.
Much like the video game, the impulsive Cuphead (Tru Valentino) and his more practical brother Mugman (Frank T. Todaro) live on Inkwell Isles with Elder Kettle (Joe Hanna). The brothers get into shenanigans often, including running afoul of the Devil (Luke Millington Drake). The only hitch is that Cuphead and Mugman aren’t aware of this one-sided grudge match; they drift through various scenarios and situations, mostly oblivious that the Devil is after them or that he’s set up ploys and henchman to obtain Cuphead’s soul.
The Cuphead Show! (L to R) Tru Valentino as Cuphead and Frank Todaro as Mugman in The Cuphead Show! Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2022
That results in ten bite-sized episodes, each under fifteen minutes in length, that work more like a series of random vignettes and unrelated slapstick cartoons than a cohesive story. There’s a manic energy to the series as the boisterous central pair immediately inspire calamity everywhere they go. It’s hyperactive and moves quickly, mainly thanks to the format, but it’s also not engaging on a narrative level. It can be an unfunny chore, with the series seemingly geared toward a much younger, family-friendly audience.
Developed by Dave Wasson (Cool World, “Time Squad”), what the series nails is the aesthetic. The stunning art style inspired by Fleischer Studios and Disney offers up a visual feast. Composer Ego Plum creates music for the series that’s evocative of the game, the familiar jazz, early big band, and ragtime music styled to the bygone era the animation emulates. The art direction and music are spectacular, and moments with spooky ghosts, dancing skeletons, and glimpses of Hell present an awe-inspiring spectacle.
The Cuphead Show! Luke Millington-Drake as The Devil in The Cuphead Show! Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2022
“The Cuphead Show!” works so hard to translate the look of the video game and succeeds but fails to factor in how much the gameplay can distract from the details. Visuals only go so far, and the series doesn’t seem to offer much beneath the surface. The story is oversimplified and repetitive. Cuphead and Mugman are blank avatars that could be swapped out with any number of iconic comedic cartoon duos with no one the wiser.
Fans of the video game will pick up on Easter eggs and characters, like boss villain King Dice (Wayne Brady). Whether you’re a fan of the games or completely unaware, all will fall head over heels for the ambition and artistry on display. Beyond that, though, “The Cuphead Show!” becomes a cumbersome slog to get through, thanks to its oversimplified narrative and flat jokes. It makes for a gorgeous yet empty distraction more family-friendly than its source material. The series honors the game’s style to perfection but fails to consider what’s lost in the translation from game to series. Much of its magic gets lost in the process, but the artistry on display might offer enough for the series to coast by.
“The Cuphead Show!” premieres on Netflix on February 18, 2022.
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