Miriam El Abbassi | Arts Editor
Featured image courtesy of Charles PH on Unsplash
‘Big Mouth’ has become one of Netflix’s most talked-about TV shows, which is more than most cartoons could say. The popular show takes the viewer into the lives of hormonal pre-teens as they try to navigate puberty and their changing bodies, without any roadmap, or worthwhile help from the adults in their lives (much like it is in the real world).
Using raunchy humour, nudity and cartoon violence to convey the incredibly embarrassing and awkward situations these kids find themselves in (similar to ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘South Park’), the show exhibits an adult-like characteristic, but is nonetheless for younger teens. This is a show about kids, and for kids, providing them with a unique kind of insight they probably wouldn’t have received otherwise.
‘Big Mouth’ is the kind of sex education comedy that proves it’s worth in today’s society as it single handedly dismantles harmful tropes and stereotypes concerning teenage sexuality. Through their misadventures, we get to see these characters learn and explore their sexuality, coloured by a lens of utter confusion.
Within the 20 minute time slot, ‘Big Mouth’ manages to address a variety of topics, from the presence of the patriarchy, to bodily autonomy. A conversation between two of the shows main protagonists, Missy (voiced by Jenny Slate) and Andrew (voiced by John Mulaney), perfectly demonstrates this: “We need to love ourselves for who we are!” Missy reassures her friend. “I’m in an online community called ‘Girls Are Perfect and There’s Not a Thing Wrong With Any One of Them and Anyone Who Would Tell You Otherwise Is Actually Just Afraid of Your Power!’”
“Is there anything like that, but for pubescent boys?” Andrew asks.
“Oh yeah, it’s called, ‘society’ you privileged white, cis-hetero male!”
This conversation was prefaced by another hilarious exchange between Andrew and Missy. Andrew had expressed that he was feeling self conscious due to a rash that had formed on his upper lip as a result of his parents waxing his moustache. His parents had done that because they were uncomfortable with the fact that their son was developing secondary sex characteristics. This instance, while subtle and minor in the grand scheme of the show, only hints at the kind of toxic behaviour it’s trying to dismantle.
The journey that the main characters of ‘Big Mouth’ undertake is not unlike the average teen’s journey (minus the giant, singing tampon). It is an unfortunate reality that many teens go through puberty confused about the changes they are experiencing, and without the proper guidance.
John Greyson, a professor who works within the Department of Cinema and Media Arts, feels as though shows like ‘Big Mouth’ can help mitigate the damage caused by sexually uneducated adults.
“Shows like ‘Big Mouth’ and ‘Sex Education’ (and ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘South Park’ before them) use humour (sometimes raunchily) to effectively extend discussions and provoke questions, providing audiences with expanded vocabularies, conversations and questions about our bodies, our desires and the very diverse ways we each navigate sex.”
The importance of ‘Big Mouth’ is underscored by a few key characters that serve as a beacon of clarity for the protagonists. The Shame Wizard is put in place to do just that—to help the confused pre-teens (in front of, and behind the screen) work through their emotional, and physical changes.
Acting as a key device, The Shame Wizard, in essence, tries to make the kids feel even worse, singing, “You’ve got no one but yourself to blame,” in a brief musical number. Shame is instrumental in helping the kids discern right from wrong, but when it goes too far, they refrain from asking important questions they may have.
There are many aspects of puberty that have the potential to be seen as shameful, as showcased by Nick, one of the show’s main protagonists. Nick feels embarrassed over the fact that his body is not as developed as his friend Andrew, causing him to be extremely self-conscious and not as comfortable in his own skin. He then tries to overcompensate by ditching Andrew, in an effort to feel more “masculine,” but only ends up hurting him in the process. Towards the end of that episode, Nick and Andrew reconcile, and come to the conclusion that everything about puberty is embarrassing, abandoning any feelings of shame they had initially carried. Besides being a form of simple, comedic relief, that, in and of itself, is an important lesson for anyone to take in.
The vulgarity of ‘Big Mouth’s’ content is incredibly apparent, even within the first few minutes of any episode. Some may see this as a valid reason to disregard the series entirely, throwing away many of the positive sentiments this show has to offer, solely due to its raunchy nature.
Greyson shares why that line of reasoning is faulty: “When censors try to shut these shows down in the name of ‘protecting the children,’ it’s vital for all of us to argue back that representations are never simply instrumental or causal—yes, they may influence behaviour or opinions, but they certainly don’t produce them—and it’s common sense that the more information kids receive, the more they will be supported in making up their own minds, and making informed choices that are right from them.”
The validity of shows like ‘Big Mouth’ is also highlighted by the audience themselves, and the kinds of messages they’ve been able to internalize. Second-year law and society student, Khyonna Walford, shares her view: “Their portrayal of puberty is relatable, and they put a positive spin on it. The characters felt what I felt—scared, awkward, and sweaty, and that’s how I found it to be relatable.”
Overall, the message that ‘Big Mouth’ leaves the audience with is to abandon any fears or embarrassment, and they do this by normalizing the experiences many kids go through. Embellished with giant singing tampons, and the ghost of Duke Ellington to guide them along, if anything, the audience will definitely leave with a few laughs.
