Speaking of this Inside Job series, in the internet age, conspiracy theorists have found a new place and audience to reach. The new community has found their core sense of belonging in the belief that some or many of these theories are real. We are talking about the Illuminati, who control the world from the shadows. The belief that the earth is flat, and, many even believe in the conspiracy that Avril Lavigne died in 2003, and she was replaced by her duplicate or clone. So what started as a few people sharing a theory has become a way of life for thousands of people.
The result of increased interest in this subject, of course, fueled the creation of countless content to appease this new target audience. Inside Job is one such event. The show is the creation of Shion Takeuchi and Alex Hirsch (who are also creators and showrunners of Gravity Falls, one of the most successful animated shows of the last decade). The result of the partnership with Netflix is more freedom in making shows that are more aimed at adults than children, and being able to insert elements related to violent or sex material quite freely in the 10 episodes of season 1.
Inside Job stars Lizzy Caplan, Christian Slater, Clark Duke, Andrew Daly, and Bobby Lee along with a plethora of excellent voice actors. The premise of the story itself has carried a formula that has been raised many times. A secret organization that literally rules the world from the shadows, in a world where every conspiracy theory is real. And, they need to be monitored and controlled to provide a good report to the ruling high council at the end of each month. Much of the humor stems from the absurdity of some theories when taken in real form, as well as from the examples of incompetent bureaucracy known in the modern world.
The great strength of the Inside Job series in season 1 lies in its characters. This ensemble is made up of a number of very fun and quirky characters, each with their own taste and story and agency in the plot. The fact that the characters create the plot and not the other way around is one of the best decisions the series makes during its first part. The result of this decision is characters who, while outrageous in their behavior, also feel real about the things they worry about and the things they want for themselves.
This dynamic between characters is not new or groundbreaking, the audience may have seen it many times before; BoJack Horseman and Mr. Peanutbutter, Rick and Morty, and many other titles. This dynamic isn’t even new to animation, but it’s undeniable that it works and makes for some pretty hilarious situations.
On a technical level, Inside Job does feature some lovely bits of animation here and there, but most of it stays in the realm of similar shows like Gravity Falls and Rick and Morty. However, their worlds and characters are created in such a way that the show stands out as unique in the way they construct their world buildings.
As is the case with many of its animated shows, the Inside Job series does an excellent job of introducing characters and the world, and setting up some intriguing stuff for season II. Saving the world from the apocalypse seems to be something these characters have to deal with on an almost daily basis. Let’s hope the writers don’t rely on tropes throughout the show.
If you’re looking to watch something fun over the weekend, or even better, if you’re already into conspiracy theories, then the Inside Job series is the perfect dish for you. Having prior knowledge on this whole subject will surely give you more info while watching it.
The Inside Job series can be streamed on Netflix
