Best Netflix Fantasy Show Just Ended Its Run with Season 3 & 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Sweet Tooth has become a real rarity — it's a post-apocalyptic show you can watch with your kids.
Three long years ago, Netflix released the first season of Sweet Tooth — an adaptation of Jeff Lemire's successful comic book series about a post-apocalyptic world and a virus that turns children into hybrids.
One of such hybrids is the fawn-like main character who, after the death of his father, decides to go on a journey across dangerous lands. If during these years you forgot what was in the colorful series showing the end of the world through the eyes of a naive boy, then there is a reason to watch the recap and remember everything.
The third and final season was warmly received not only by fans, but also by critics — on Rotten Tomatoes, the new chapter has 100% from critics and 80% from viewers. Isn't that a reason to return to the charming world of the post-apocalypse?
The Original Comic Book With Lots of Violence Turned Into a Family-Friendly Show
The original comic book, Sweet Tooth, was much scarier than the show. Despite the fact that the main character is a child, the level of violence is incredibly high. The original story even scared the actor who played Gus, 11-year-old Christian Convery, who began reading comic books to prepare for the role.
But showrunner Jim Mickle changed the story dramatically. First, to make it more family-friendly. Sweet Tooth is more like a fairy tale, a kind of "post-apocalypse for kids": no cannibalism, torture or realistic deaths.
Sweet Tooth Differs from Other Post-Apocalyptic Projects
Sweet Tooth is definitely worth a look, even if you are not interested in Jeff Lemire's comic. Their differences in style, plot and general mood make the comic and the series two different, self-contained works.
The original story was striking in its gruesomeness and offered a bleak picture of the world surviving a global catastrophe. There are many adaptations of such stories, from The Walking Dead to Mad Max.
Instead, the series offers very relatable topics and conflicts: the loss of loved ones, distrust of strangers, fear for one's life. The action is not focused on general cruelty and bitterness, but on the fate of children and their protectors. And these are sympathetic characters with whom it is hard not to empathize.
The Netflix version also has its share of difficult moments and unexpected plot twists, and the new order of humanity is far from humane. But overall, the show is devoted to other, more positive topics: kindness, hope, and the ability to trust those we fear and do not understand. The result is a sad but generally kind utopian tale.
With so many post-apocalyptic franchises out there, this concept is a breath of fresh air that deserves your attention.