Plot: “Koala Man” follows middle-aged dad Kevin and his titular not-so-secret identity, whose only superpower is a burning passion for following rules and snuffing out petty crime in the town of Dapto. Though it may seem like any other Australian suburb, forces of evil both cosmic and man-made lie in wait to pounce on unsuspecting Daptonians. On a quest to clean up his hometown, and often roping his frustrated family into his adventures, Koala Man stands at the ready. He’ll do whatever it takes to defeat villainous masterminds, supernatural horrors, or worse: jerks who don’t take their rubbish bins down on the proper days.
Review: Animation comes in all shapes and sizes. Mostly, your cartoon projects are superhero tales inspired by Marvel or DC, but we also have slice-of-life shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy. While adult animation has come into its own in recent years, few series have blended comic books with a slice of life in as direct a way as Michael Cusack’s Koala Man. Inspired by his shorts, Koala Man is a curious little show that is profane, hilarious, and very weird in a way many Australian projects seem to be. But, despite coming from Down Under, this series will be immediately relatable for audiences around the globe.
Koala Man creator Michael Cusack voices the title character, an average suburban dad named Kevin. Taking it upon himself to break out of the doldrums of everyday existence, Kevin dons a mask and a cape and adopts the alter ego of Koala Man. While he acts as if it is a secret identity, most of his neighbors and friends know that Kevin is also the masked hero. Still, they play along, and people contact the Koala Hotline for help with their Blu-ray players and other everyday inconveniences. At the same time, Kevin’s family deals with the perils of average life. His wife, Vicky (Succession‘s Sarah Snook), deals with middle-age banality. Daughter Alison (Demi Lardner) strives for popularity at school, and Kevin’s son tries to fit in, while idolizing his dad.
But, like similar animated series, the supporting characters make the series. While the big name in the cast is Hugh Jackman as Kevin’s boss, Big Greg, many familiar voices are peppering the Australian burg of Dapto. Agent Smith himself, Hugo Weaving, appears as King Emudeus, as does fellow Lord of the Rings vet Miranda Otto as Mindy. Jemaine Clement voices Bazwell while Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnarok favorite Rachel House lends her voice to curmudgeonly Annie. All these actors are hilarious in distinct ways while also dropping profanity in a way only Aussies and New Zealanders can. The lyrical quality of the swearing Down Under is hilarious and hearing it come out of these animated creations made me laugh even more.
Having watched the eight episodes of Koala Man made available for this review, I can say there are some truly bizarre and crazy storylines here that rival most adult animated productions. Each episode blends the everyday lives of Kevin and his family with a twisted supervillain or monster that appears to threaten the residents of Dapto. By sticking with the formula, the series sometimes begins to feel rote, but it benefits from the supporting cast pulling extra laughs out of the woodwork. I laughed a lot as I watched this series, even if it began to feel a bit predictable after a couple of episodes. There is an overarching narrative that connects the episodes but I found I was more interested in the throwaway gags than the plot of the series.
Michael Cusack’s calm demeanor and approach to playing Kevin are more subtle than I would expect from such an over-the-top character, and it fits with the style of comedy the behind-the-scenes talent on Koala Man is known for. Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland and Pokemon: Detective Pikachu writers Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit bring name recognition to this series that otherwise would likely not have gotten as much exposure as Koala Man has. Much like Solar Opposites, this series brings a distinct voice to animation that will surprise many unfamiliar with the talent involved.
Koala Man is far from groundbreaking, and the humor may not garner even a chuckle from some viewers, but it is a solid addition to Hulu’s growing animation library. Michael Cusack’s style is funny in small doses, but it occasionally stretches the half-hour running time of each episode. If there were more focus on any character aside from Koala Man and this may be an even stronger show. Fortunately, the cast all do excellent work with their creations, and if this series can find some consistency, it has the potential to gain a solid following. For now, this first season is enough fun to warrant a watch but it could be funnier.
Koala Man premieres on January 9th on Hulu.
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