February 18 (2022-02-18) – November 18, 2022 (2022-11-18)
The Cuphead Show! is an animated slapstick comedy television series developed by Dave Wasson for Netflix,[1] based on the 2017 video game Cuphead by Studio MDHR. Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, the creators of Cuphead, serve as executive producers, along with Wasson and CJ Kettler from King Features Syndicate, and Cosmo Segurson serving as co-executive producer.
The series was released worldwide on February 18, 2022, as a Netflix Original Series,[2] to generally positive reviews from both critics and the audience, with praise for its animation, voice acting, music, humor, and tone, but some felt it lacked in substance, with the episodes' plots being criticized for being "too fragmented" and "often repetitive".[3][4] The second season was released on August 19, 2022,[5] followed, soon after, by the third season released on November 18, 2022.
Set in the 1930s-style world of the Inkwell Isles, The Cuphead Show! follows the misadventures of impulsive, troublemaking scamp Cuphead and cautious but easily-swayed Mugman, a pair of anthropomorphic cup brothers who live with their elderly grandfather and caretaker, Elder Kettle, in a teapot-shaped cottage. The brothers' stories often center around them trying to find their way out of various issues, occasionally meeting and interacting with characters from its video game source material. While the series is mainly episodic, one recurring plot is the Devil hunting Cuphead for his soul, as he believes it is rightfully his after Cuphead lost a soul-harvesting game called "Soul Ball", only to be always foiled by Cuphead and Mugman.[6]
In July 2019, it was announced that Netflix had green-lit the series. Chad and Jared Moldenhauer from Studio MDHR are executive producers, along with C.J. Kettler from King Features Syndicate, Dave Wasson, and co-executive produced by Cosmo Segurson.[8] Clay Morrow and Adam Paloian are supervising directors.[9] The series is animated by Lighthouse Studios, a Kilkenny-based division between Mercury Filmworks and Cartoon Saloon,[1] and stop motion animation was provided by Screen Novelties. In an effort to meet streaming series deadlines, the show's production crew were unable to utilize hand-drawn animation like in the game, instead choosing to use puppet-based methods while also putting in various elements to match the 1930s rubber hose style.[10] The series was first revealed at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2020,[11] with the announcement that the show's music would be composed by Ego Plum.[12]
The first season was released on February 18, 2022, and consisted of twelve episodes.[13] Netflix ordered a total of 36 episodes to be produced, that would end up getting released as three seasons.[14] The second season was released on August 19, 2022, and consisted of thirteen episodes, with the third and eighth episodes being close to 25 minutes long. The third and final season was released on November 18, 2022, and consisted of eleven episodes, with the first, and the finale episodes being 20 minutes long, and the sixth episode being the longest episode in the series, lasting for 30 minutes long.[15]
On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, 71% of 17 critics gave the first season a positive review, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The site's critical consensus is: "While The Cuphead Show! fluidly recreates its video game forebear's eye-popping animation, this good-looking vessel is still waiting for some substance to fill it."[3]OnMetacritic, it has a weighted average score of 69 based on reviews from 4 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[16]
The Escapist noted that "fans and critics have been left disappointed by the series due to its lack of substance and short nature" but the target audience is children and "kids will discover a bouncy and energetic cartoon and probably find what's here incredibly entertaining."[4]
Rafael Motamayor of IGN rated the series 9 out of 10, saying "The Cuphead Show Season 1 delivers memorable characters, surreal humor, and beautiful animation in a fantastic adaptation of the video game."[17]
The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022; under and with Lighthouse Studios, as well as with Bento Box, Golden Wolf, Mercury Filmworks, and Tonic DNA, among others)
