TL;DR – This is an interesting take on the End-Of-The-World genre

Score – 4 out of 5 stars

Review –

When I say to you Zombie Apocalypse, I think for many people the first thing you would do is suppress a sigh. As a genre, it has been used multiple times and these days one could say that it has been done to death as long as they immediately followed it up immediately with ‘pun not attended’. However, every now and again, a new show will use the setting to explore something new and today we get to look at just such a show.

So to set the scene, we open in on Day 42 with Jack Sullivan (Nick Wolfhard) the only known survivor in his town. 42 Days ago portals opened up over his town and monsters and zombies came flooding out attacking the town. Some escaped, some were rescued, but more still were turned into zombies to roam the streets. Abandoned by his foster family, Jack survives by hiding in his foster brother’s treehouse and using that as a base of operation. He is trying to find his best buddy Quint (Garland Whitt) and rescue his flame June (Montse Hernandez), but first he needs to survive being hunted by a monster angry because Jack poked its eye out.

The first thing that really draws you in with this show is its art style that is both super clean and really engaging. It is drawn in a 2D style with 3D elements during some of the action scenes. This blend can sometimes be jarring but they use it effectively here. Each of the main characters that we have seen so far is distinct and really help each of the character’s personalities, which is something you have to get across quickly in a show like this. This interesting design also flows onto the monsters, which are all a variation on a theme, and it is clear that inspiration is being drawn from works of the past. However, with the clear art style and framing it all works really well.

I found myself really engaging with the lead characters as we get to know them and what drives them. Jack is an orphan who has moved from house to house and never found a home. So right from the start he presents himself as someone who is used to being alone, but that is all a front for the real insecurities underneath. This is the main theme of the show, where all the kids are acting strong because that is what you do in a situation like this, but under that bravado and common tropes are real kids with real pathos.  

When it comes to the story, so far it is something that is not completely unremoved from similar shows but it is starting to tread its own path. When it first started and it sort of presented itself as ‘Vlogging the end of the world’ I involuntarily cringed. But as it progressed and you started to see the layers behind the characters you start seeing the front they put on for the world, even if no one is watching. One thing I liked was the incorporation of aspects of video games into the show, because of course kids trying to find meaning in a world gone mad would frame it in a way that makes sense to them. To add to this, there are a sprinkling of references to the genre and I am always here for a proper Mad Max Fury Road wink.  

In the end, do we recommend The Last Kids on Earth? Yes, yes we do. In a saturated genre, it is a breath of fresh air because it brings a fresh perspective. The cast of characters are engaging, the world is interesting, and I really want to see more.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Have you seen The Last Kids on Earth yet ?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day.    

Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of The Last Kids on Earth
Directed by – Will Lau
Written by – Max Brallier & Scott Peterson
Based On – The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
Created by –
Production/Distribution Companies – Atomic Cartoons & Netflix
Starring – Nick Wolfhard, Charles Demers, Garland Whitt, Montse Hernandez & Brian Drummond with Giles Panton & Keith David
Episodes Covered – The Last Kids on Earth