Netflix’s 24-Episode Fantasy Series Turns Post-Apocalyptic Misery Into A Fairy Tale

Not all post-apocalyptic fantasies have to unfold in bleak worlds. The very idea of an “apocalypse” is enough to spawn visuals of a broken and dying world in one’s head. Considering the dark themes explored by the genre, it is hard not to associate it with crumbling civilizations and the slow decay of humanity. However, one Netflix show takes a different approach to the genre.

Ranking among the greatest post-apocalyptic fantasies of our time, Sweet Tooth walks through a distinct drama that brings some light and whimsy to the darkness of a world-ending event.

Based on Jeff Lemire’s comics of the same name, Netflix’s Sweet Tooth had an incredible 3-season run. Although the show is surprisingly obscure compared to Netflix’s other mainstream offerings, it boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%. In its 24-episode runtime, Sweet Tooth also manages to tell a complete and well-rounded story that is both uplifting and satisfying till the end.

While there are a vast array of post-apocalyptic fantasy shows out there, Sweet Tooth particularly stands out because it defies many rules and conventions of the genre. Its post-apocalyptic setup can be incredibly dark. But instead of being another show about mere survival and humanity’s darkest tendencies, Sweet Tooth brings a positive spin to the genre.

Netflix’s Sweet Tooth Brings A Whimsical Spin To Post-Apocalyptic Storytelling

Something similar happens in almost post-apocalyptic stories. They either begin with a world-ending event before showing how a few survivors try to sustain civilization. Or, they directly jump ahead to the aftermath of an apocalypse, walking through all the darkness that has enveloped the world. Netflix’s Sweet Tooth, too, walks down the same familiar domain in its early moments.

It shows how a global pandemic wipes out a significant chunk of the adult human population. However, even in its darkest moments, it finds a sense of wonder by introducing half-human, half-animal hybrid children. While many humans succumb in the wake of the pandemic, a new hybrid species is born.

With what follows, Sweet Tooth does not shy away from showing how many surviving adults turn desperate. They associate the emergence of the hybrids with the spread of the central virus in Sweet Tooth and subject them to atrocities and experiments, believing the cure for the central infection lies in them.

However, despite introducing such a dark story beat, the show never loses its innocence. It remains colorful and whimsical as it unfolds through the childlike wonder of a young half-human, half-deer hybrid named Gus. Instead of turning into another post-apocalyptic drama about survival and desperation, Sweet Tooth explores positive themes surrounding hope, compassion, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Sweet Tooth Flips Is Comic’s Tone & Surprisingly Makes It Better

In the past, many Netflix shows and movies have watered down their source material’s darker tone. They do this to be suitable for a wider audience, but the approach usually backfires. For instance, Netflix’s take on Simon Stålenhag’s The Electric State was met with immense criticism because it completely forgot what made the original graphic novel special.

Sweet Tooth, however, is a rare exception that works incredibly well despite flipping its comic’s darker tone. The comics go to extreme lengths to portray how the hybrid children are tortured by the surviving adults. Even the adult heroes in the original Sweet Tooth comics are morally skewed and forced to make questionable decisions.

The show, in contrast, draws a clear line between the heroes and the villains, adopting more conventional storytelling tropes. Despite this, Netflix‘s Sweet Tooth emerges as a breath of fresh air because it drops post-apocalyptic pessimism and unfolds more as a feel-good drama.