SHOW:
Sweet Tooth
WHERE TO WATCH:
OUR RATING:
5/5 Stars
WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
On a perilous adventure across a post-apocalyptic world, a lovable boy who's half-human and half-deer searches for a new beginning with a gruff protector.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
I would have loved to have been in the pitch meeting to adapt one of DC's oddest series into a television series - but luckily, someone with money saw the limitless potential in one of the best series of the year - Sweet Tooth. Before the first trailer, I had never heard of the comic books and didn't know what to expect, except that it revolved around a human/deer hybrid in a world where humans were being their usual terrible selves.
But despite the darkness of the story (and it can get horribly bleak), at its heart is a relentless hope that refuses to be crushed by it, no matter how big it is and how small they are. Even if the fantastical elements don't appeal to you or the animal/human hybrids sound too Dr Moreau to you, I beg you to give Sweet Tooth a try. A phenomenal cast, intricate world-building, visually charged cinematography and masterful writing - all of these ingredients of a great show are helmed by one very special boy with a talent to make you forget about the evil in the world.
But what should you know about Sweet Tooth before diving in? It's set in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has devastated the world (hits a little too close to home), and humanity is trying to survive in what's left of society. With the spread of the virus also came the birth of the hybrids - half-human and half-animal, no one knowing where they came from or why. One of them is Gus - nicknamed Sweet Tooth because of his love for sugary delights - who has been hidden away from the world all his life. But even among the hybrids, there's something extra-special about Gus.
It does sound quite trippy on paper, especially when you consider that these hybrid children are hunted and treated as less than nothing despite having been born from humans. It's quite reminiscent of the X-men series, where mutants are shunned for their genetics through no fault of their own. It could have easily been an incredibly depressing series, but it's spectacularly balanced by the sunshine radiating from its lead star - Christian Convery. At only 11, the depth of his talent is unfathomable, and just like his character drips with the sweetness of his radiant innocence.
This light is perfectly paired with the dark of his unwilling companion - a former football player with a shady past called Tommy Jeppard, played by Nonso Anozie. You might have seen his face around your TV screen, but this is by far his significant breakout role, oozing with anti-hero charm and emotional scars. There was particular effort put into building a special bond with his little co-star, and throughout the series, it feels like the two have genuine affection for each other. The two make an amazing pair, and I can't wait to see more.
Another great performance comes from a proudly South African actor - Neil Sandilands - who plays a mad general obsessed with purifying the human race of hybrids and the story's central villain. He's as menacing as he looks, and while we don't get his whole story in the first season, he's well on his way to becoming one of the most hated characters in television.
And that's probably the worst thing about Sweet Tooth - that we don't get to see everything in the first season. You're left with a major cliffhanger, and despite eight long episodes (long for the streaming era), it's too bingeable to properly savour the greatness of everything. Who knows how long it will be until we get to find out what happens to Gus and his friends, but hopefully, we don't have to wait too long. It really is the Golden Era of television, and Sweet Tooth is one of its shining stars.
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: