Carol & The End of the World

I really loved this series and it's refreshingly original take on an apocalypse scenario. The art is beautiful, the story made me laugh and cry, and once it was over it stayed in my head for a long time and gave me a lot to think about. I saw a lot of myself in a lot of characters but ultimately I am Carol. She resonated with me so deeply it surprised me.

If the whole planet was going to die in seven months, I don't think I'd go off on an adventure to hit bucket list items and see the world. I think I'd keep doing what I'm doing now- try to find community and connection, make friends, and stave off the general existential dread of everyday life. Find the things that makes me happy and content, and do it every day till there were no more days. This show was like a warm blanket, a favorite depression meal, and (now officially) a comfort show all rolled into one. If you don't get the show, that's okay. If you're the type that would try and see all the wonders of the world if you found out everyone was going to die soon, that's okay too.

As soon as I watched the first episode, I was certain that this series reflects our current situation, lost amidst the many news, the many choices, and amidst the words of influencers and big, famous figures in this world. Carol represents every person who suffers From not belonging anywhere, Carol sums up how cruel the world can be even when it's coming to an end. In fact, and to be neutral, this work contains a huge amount of feelings and feelings represented by the events that bring us to the truth that our societies are not as perfect as we think and need a lot of reforms. To sum up what I said, Carol is me, she's you, and she's every other miserable person in this world...

Easily one of my favourite animated shows of 2023, Carol and The End of the World is a very pensive and surprisingly mature show compared to the usual adult comedy cartoon schlock.

If you are looking for the next Family Guy, or Big Mouth, best let this show be and go check out other things because this show isn't got you, but if you are looking for a relaxed and pleasantly animated experience with a dash of humour and a lot of heart, this is the show.

Not every episode is perfect, and it does occasionally dive a little deeper into cringe comedy territory than I would usually recommend, but the show is at it's best when it lets the characters simply interact with each other in emotional and genuine ways--sometimes with complete sincerity and sometimes with a bit of comedy.

The show also looks very nice. It manages to take the usual adult animated comedy style and inject it with a whole lot of visual flair through unique character design, impeccable colour/lighting, and some beautiful animation.

Overall, it's a moody, pensive viewing experience that experiments a lot with the the structure of storytelling and uses the animated medium to it's advantage. It won't be for everyone, and it makes no attempt to appeal to a general audience, but unlike so many adult animated comedies that are driven by derision and hate, this one is driven by love and compassion. And in the face of a world ending apocalypse, that's what is truly important.

This has everything a good show needs, such a delightful surprise at the end of the year. The pace of the series is wonderfully slow, this has sadly become a rare thing in modern productions. The voice actors do a great job. Carol is relatable for anyone who is at least at times, on a deep journey to find out what makes them happy. I love how the show highlights the extraordinary in the ordinary.

I also really enjoyed how the show reveals more and more gradually what drives the other characters. I really recommend it. Watching it felt like an odd meditation and if you let the message in, it really gets you thinking about your own life and what matters to you.

In my estimation, there can only be a 1 or 10 rating for this show. I've never seen anything like it - so boring, yet so gripping and provocative. My rating was a 1, and a 1, but I somehow made it to episode 3 or 4, and somehow it became a 10.

What's provocative about it? It evokes feelings in me like ... am I Carol (a male version)? Episode 9 is fabulous (more on that in a second), but episode 10 is brilliant. I may say I have a bucket list, but like Carol, I really just want a sense of purpose and to be with nice people. How the creators of this show put this together - i.e., the mundane alongside the apocalypse - is beyond me and brilliant.

Do I understand episode 9? Maybe, maybe not. Was Carol dreaming or was it reality? I suspect dreaming, but who knows (or cares). It was beautiful - the animation, the vibrant and sometimes odd colors, the story. And Carol's story was beautifully intertwined with an enjoyable story about her parents throuple (another amazingly odd yet beautiful storyline), as well as the sweet (but complex) story of her one-night stand and his son.

The show should win an award but it won't. It would be very hard for me to recommend this show to someone because they might easily rate it a 1 and move on to more typical fare. And finally, I don't know if I truly understand the story and its implications. I'd like to watch it again, but I honestly don't know if I can make it through it again.

Again, congratulations to the creators for creating something so unique and thoughtful - for those that want to think a bit. And if you hate it, I don't blame you.