There are many TV spinoffs to choose from that spawned from incredibly popular TV series. Some work to add more to the fictional universe, like Better Call Saul expanding on the ever-popular Breaking Bad. But, it is difficult for a spinoff to surpass its predecessor when it comes to the story. However, one spinoff comes to mind that has actually surpassed the original series in regard to story-telling, likability, emotions, and overall wholesomeness. Human Resources is everything that its predecessor is not and earns the spot title of “best TV spinoff.”
Related: 'Human Resources' Showrunner Kelly Galuska Reveals What She'd Love to Tackle in Season 2
'Human Resources'Surpasses 'Big Mouth'in Every Way
Like any other spinoff, Human Resources works to expand the Big Mouthuniverse by showing the established world of monsters that work tirelessly to keep the human race functioning. Big Mouth, which premiered in 2017, focuses on middle school-aged teens going through puberty. Therefore, Hormone Monsters have the most significant role in this stage of development while other creatures shine through later as the kids grow and begin to discover their own identities. For example, the Love Bugs eventually appear on the Netflix Original when the kids start to experience romance and begin dating.
Big Mouth has been met with disgust by viewers who have an issue with the sexualization and overall grotesque nature of the series. Despite this, it has continued its run and has also spawned Human Resources, which is fortunate because the spinoff is so great. Firstly, it is hard to argue against the statement that Big Mouth is indeed grotesque and cringe-worthy at many points. With Human Resources focusing on the monsters as they work with adults in various life stages other than puberty, the plot is able to highlight all the complexities of human experiences.
What Life Looks Like in Other Life Stages
The first human in focus is a pregnant woman, Becca (Ali Wong), who gives birth and experiences motherhood with a newborn. This is the first time audiences are able to see what the Big Mouth universe looks like in a different stage of life. She is assigned a team of monsters, which includes a Love Bug, an Ambition Gremlin, a Need Demon, a Hormone Monster, and a Logic Rock. Unfortunately, her Love Bug is reassigned to a newbie, Emmy (Aidy Bryant), just before the birth of her baby which creates a significant struggle for both her and her inexperienced Love Bug (who does not know how to glow or perform other Love Bug functions).
Through Becca, Emmy is able to properly fit into her role as she interacts with other members on Becca’s team like her weak Need Demon in relation to her baby’s very huge Need Demon. This depiction is thought-provoking because Becca has an entire team of monsters that guide her while her baby only has a Need Demon. Comparably, the pubescent teens in Big Mouth do not even have a full “team” yet which shows the various stages of human development through both nature and nurture.
'Human Resources' Is Filled With More Emotion Than 'Big Mouth'
Unlike Big Mouth, Human Resources also has moments that are filled with emotions enough to make viewers cry. For example, one of Walter the Love Bug’s (Brandon Kyle Goodman) charges has dementia, Yara (Nidah Barber-Raymond), and she reminisces frequently about previous love affairs. Her condition worsens throughout Season 1 as she is left in the care of her family. Walter realizes that he is the only one left on her team, and he frequently switches between love and hate when she switches from confusion to nostalgia. Walter being the only one left on her team is curious because it suggests that dementia withers away consciousness and only leaves room for feelings, much like the baby with only a Need Demon.
Through Yara, viewers get to see how the monsters deal with the end-of-life stage. Her family (and Walter) are in denial about her dying until they are approached by Keith from Grief (Henry Winkler) who appears as a talking sweater. In trying to avoid him, Keith grows and terrorizes them screaming that “the only way out is through” until they eventually give in, and he embraces his charge while he cries. It is then that the family prepares to say goodbyes and Walter is then seemingly passed on to one of Yara’s grandkids as her new Love Bug.
'Human Resources' Isn't Afraid To Look at Negative Feelings
For a “silly” little show, Human Resources uses this episode to turn up the emotional turmoil. It highlights that negative feelings, like grief, are unavoidable because of normal circumstances like death. That is why Keith from Grief grows to kaiju levels when Amir (Ahmed El-Mawas), Yara’s son, avoids him because the only way out is to acknowledge the pain that comes with grief. The path to the eventual acceptance of losing Yara is perfectly executed to create such a heart-wrenching plot. Even if viewers have not personally experienced the death of a loved one, the existence of emotion monsters is the quintessential way to invoke empathy because everyone has felt the same emotions even if it was not under the same circumstances.
Because of Big Mouth, viewers already know that the different monsters feel the feelings of their clients. Their own feelings took a backseat, though, until Human Resources came out and they received their own character arcs. Season 1 mostly highlighted Emmy’s character development while highlighting other storylines in the process because Emmy is a relatable mess that grows into a responsible person. She starts out as an assistant until she is thwarted into the full-time Love Bug position. Because she does not know how to perform her role, the learning curve is intriguing. For example, she cannot seem to glow on command until she is fully tapped into her client’s feelings.
The emotional rollercoaster that is Human Resources makes the Netflix Original the best spinoff available. While series like Breaking Bad, or The Witcherhave popularity going for them that carries over into their spinoffs, the predecessors still supersede them in story-telling. That is not the case here because Human Resources executes what Big Mouth can not and does so in the best way. To add to this, the cast for Human Resources is stellar featuring big names like Hugh Jackman.
