Although Jon Hamm has starred in the fun animated comedyGrimsburgfor two years now, many viewers are missing out on this inspired addition to the animated sitcom subgenre.The Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history and one of themost influential network sitcoms of all time. As such, it is not surprising that the series has inspired countless imitators and competitors over the years.
Some of these, as evidenced byFamily Guy’s season 24 renewaland theseason 16 renewal ofBob’s Burgers, are now popular enough to have imitators of their own. However, not every adult animated comedy can be a runaway hit. For everyKing of the Hill, there is a short-livedSit Down Shut UporMission Hill. Thus, the fact that Jon Hamm’s surreal cop comedy/cartoon sitcomGrimsburgrecently received a third season renewal (viaVariety) is great news for fans of silly adult animation.
Jon Hamm’s Cartoon Show Grimsburg Is A Surreal Cop Comedy
Grimsburg Combines Cop Show Clichés With Animated Absurdity
Set in the titular town,Grimsburgis a parody of police procedurals that spoofs the predictable tropes of the genre by taking them to absurd extremes. Like Frank Drebin before him, Hamm’s taciturn detective Marvin Flute is played straight despite his comical incompetence. He is surrounded by a wizened mentor, a son desperate to get Marvin back together with his mother, an ex-wife who bitterly resents him, and a group of mismatched colleagues who help him solve crimes.
Grimsburgis a comedic cop cartoon, a subgenre that is bizarrely rare despite how popular adult animation, cop shows, and even specifically cop sitcoms are.
If this all sounds familiar, that is likely because Flute’s story affectionately spoofs everything fromTrue DetectivetoHill Street Blues.Grimsburgis a comedic cop cartoon, a subgenre that is bizarrely rare despite how popular adult animation, cop shows, and even specifically cop sitcoms are. Despite earlier failures, the show proves that a sufficient dose of absurdity makes the setup sing.
Grimsburg Redeems The Failed Animated Cop Comedy Genre
Grimsburg Turns Around A Baffling Animated Comedy Trend
WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36’s more shocking momentsproves that the show can get fairly zany,Grimsburgis arguably the oddest animated comedy on network television sinceAmerican Dad. Despite its central setup spoofing cop shows, the first season found room to parody summer camp slashers while season 2 mockedM3GAN,Top Gun, and the television trope of clip shows in different episodes.
Grimsburgfinally makes the animated cop comedy format work by parodying all manner of genre media, from true-crime documentaries to old horror movies. Earlier attempts to meld cop comedies with adult animated sitcoms resulted in failures likeFish PoliceandParadise PD. The former dropped the source comic’s darker edge, resulting in what was effectively a children’s cartoon, while the latter relied on immature toilet humor and shock value to mask a tired, overly familiar premise.
Why Grimsburg Works Compared To Its Failed Predecessors
Earlier Cop Cartoon Comedies Flopped
Despite how popular both adult animation and cop shows usually are, bothFish PoliceandParadise PDwere critically reviled upon release. In comparison,Grimsburghas earned its season 3 renewal by eschewing the conventions of ordinary cop sitcoms. Shows likeBrooklyn 99andBarney Millerfocus on the central police precinct’s day-to-day work, whereasGrimsburgis much more surreal and fantastical. Like the underratedSit Down Shut Upand the later, stranger seasons ofAmerican Dad,Grimsburgdelights in taking every episode’s story in a bizarre direction that bears little connection to the show’s original premise.
As a result, the series stays surprising while always having the backbone support of the cop comedy format to fall back on.This ensures thatGrimsburgfeels genuinely unpredictable in a way few current network sitcoms can manage, as the show uses its animated format to push the boundaries of its sitcom setup. Instead of being content to spoof cop shows alone,Grimsburgsets its sights on all manner of media, and the resulting blitzkrieg of gags is guaranteed to win over viewers.
