THE MIDNIGHT GOSPEL REVIEW

By Josh Osman

It’s fair to say that we’ve all spent a little more time on Netflix than we expected during the lockdown, so the wave of new series hitting the streaming service, including the final seasons of Dark and BoJack Horseman, is exactly what we needed. A hidden gem amongst these is the philosophical adult animation by the creator of the beloved Adventure Time - The Midnight Gospel.

 The Midnight Gospel is quite different from Pendleton Ward’s previous hit in that its target audience is still certainly not children, but it still has a relatively light-hearted and comedic tone while also dealing with serious issues. The show follows a young man called Clancy, as he interviews different people for his ‘Spacecast’, essentially a talk-show where he discusses topics such as forgiveness, religion, and the life cycle. One key point to note is that the show is an adaptation of an actual podcast called Duncan Trussell’s Family Hour, which explains a lot of the moments where the show almost breaks the wall between the fantasy world it’s created and the real world with pop culture references and allusions to real-world events. Through this clever mix of profound conversation and ridiculously over-the-top animation, which usually reflects or acts as a symbol for the topics being discussed, in the background, The Midnight Gospel certainly gives you a lot to think about while you’re watching.

Given the almost anthological nature of the show, where the episodes are only really linked by the overarching plot, each dealing with quite different subject matter, it is quite difficult to review the series as a whole, especially as each episode varies significantly in tone and setting, though the quality is relatively consistent. It goes without saying that the show does certainly take a few episodes to find its footing: in the first two or three episodes, the conversation and animation can sometimes seem tonally discordant, or, in some cases, it may seem as if the action on screen has absolutely no connection with the discussion whatsoever. However, the links are there (most of the time), but occasionally they’re a little more subtle. For example, I didn’t understand the point of the animation in the first episode until near the end. As a result, this makes the show a delight to re-watch, as there will always be subtle links or Easter eggs that you might not have picked up on the first time around.

On the topic of the animation, it is of a consistently high standard and the show is nearly always a colourful, bright visual spectacle. Every episode sports a different style and setting that is brought to life by the unique character and world designs that make each episode feel completely unique, even when there is a slight overlap in subject matter. On the other hand, the discussion is a little harder to review – I was interested by each and every one, but it really depends on whether or not you’re willing to listen to a fifteen to twenty minute conversation about the topic. Even if you don’t think you’d be interested in a specific episode, I would recommend going in with an open mind, since I found one of the main strengths of the show to be the presentation of various perspectives on a multitude of issues.

 As previously mentioned, the show does take a little while to find its footing and properly establish the correct balance between humour and sincerity – it only feels natural to highlight the fifth and eighth episodes specifically as the strongest episodes of the series, with the most profound metaphors and unique perspectives, but I won’t spoil the discussion for you. While I would say that most of the series is strong, the final episode, Mouse of Silver is an emotional, beautifully animated and personal look into the life cycle, following a life all the way from birth to death. It’s worth noting that you will get a little more out of each episode and the series as a whole if you keep the podcast-based nature of the show in mind as well as doing a brief look into each of the guests.

 As one of the most thought-provoking and heartfelt shows of the season, while still managing to keep a somewhat light-hearted tone, ‘The Midnight Gospel’ is definitely an easy binge-watch, but, given its peculiar format, world and characters, it certainly isn’t for everyone, but I encourage you to give it a chance.