NEWSFLASH! ITS VIRGO SEASON! KENKEN’S BIRTHDAY MONTH! And with no correlation or connection to me lets dive into the review of I’m a Virgo, Amazons bizarre and wacky exposition!
The coming-of-age joyride of Cootie, a 13-foot-tall man who escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. A 19-year-old black teenager raised by his Aunt Lafrancine and Uncle Martisse in Oakland, California. He is shielded from the outside world until being accidentally discovered by a group of teenage political activists. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, The Hero. Yes, this all takes place in a world where mutant folks with super powers co-exist.
Our colossal, man mountain Cootie is played by Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us, Spiderman: ATS). His confused look is hilarious and its perfectly utilised here. He does well to give us that awkward, innocent, adolescent and immature character. He plays the role well. Olivia Washington (Uncle Denzel’s daughter, 892) picks up the lead lady role of Flora, the equally awkward love interest who happens to be a speedster. Their chemistry is the cutest. They bounce of each other well and their journey from strangers to lovers is a joy to watch. It’s good to see another Washington bless my TV screen. English born Carmen Ejogo (Selma, It Comes at Night) plays LaFrancine, mother of Cootie. She’s gentle, loving and caring. She brings that fine balance of parenthood to Mike Epp’s (Next Friday, The Hangover) Martisse who is the tough love military parent trying his utmost best to shield his son from the outside world. He’s hilarious, aggressive and loud as always. We love it. Walton Goggins is the big bad here as Hero and he plays the tech billionaire supervillain who thinks they are a hero, the irony! It’s a decently mixed cast. We have appearances form Juliette Lewis, Elijah Wood, Danny Gover, Joel Edgerton, Kara Young and many more.
Based in Oakland, California we get to see the street culture and arts in its setting. directed by Boots Riley and he really let his imagination flow here with no limits. Visually, the show is a treat. The cinematography and production design are top-notch, creating a vibrant and visually appealing world for the characters to inhabit. Most of the show was filmed using forced camera perspective and both large- and small-scale puppets. Very little CGI was used. The little CGI used was excellent. Very smooth, simple and clean. At Cootie’s home, his room is created to be magnified to suit his size and they do well to fit in normal sized humans. The show adapts a comic style visual when characters are thinking making them distinctive and vibrant. It’s a high-quality show.
For the me show started really well. I was engaged, it was funny, it was wholesome. I enjoyed the chemistry between Jharrel and Olivia most. It does an excellent job of balancing humour with emotional depth.
While it provides plenty of comedic moments, it also explores themes of self-discovery, personal growth, and the complexities of human relationships. This balance makes the show relatable to a wide audience.
It has a cute love story about 2 people who were different to what society deemed abnormal but they just cracked on and got on with it. One of the best messages one could receive. The way show was presented I was unsure if the powers on display were metaphorical or actually real in this world. Kara’s character does these monologues around capitalism themes and although they are well created, they really lost me. Then my eyes were scorned with one of the most bizarre sex scenes which was mildly graphic. A speedster and giant having sex? I’ll let your imagination picture the rest or you can just go watch the show. About half way through, the show took an absurd turn and lost me. It went for this political, racial injustice kind of storyline which didn’t fit well for me. It felt forced and unwarranted. It went left even further with the Hero storyline which wasn’t, again, clear or fitting. It came out of nowhere then we had this see saw show diverting from comedy to heist show to hero show. The balance, pacing and transitions were confusing towards the end and I wish they were more catered to. Plots dried up and were quickly wrapped up with lack of development so it all felt rushed. With its witty writing, strong performances, and a unique premise, it’s a meedi-watch for anyone looking for a blend of comedy and introspection in their TV entertainment. You may struggle to get to the end but there is fun to be had here.
What would you do as a giant? Does the show require a season 2? Did you understand the abstract wacky scenes with Kara’s character? Did it end well for you? React and comment below…
