Human Resources Season 2 Review: A Hilarious and Heartfelt Evolution

June 10, 2023 By Admin

Watching Season 1 of Human Resources was like flipping through the doodles in a notebook of a 15-year-old. It had its moments, but it often relied too heavily on repetitive crude jokes and bathroom humor, neglecting a cohesive structure. However, Season 2 is a significant improvement, showcasing episodes that finally tap into the series’ full potential.

Similar to the first season, Human Resources delves into the daily work routines of the Hormone Monsters and explores how their lives and jobs influence human behavior. The voice cast includes Aidy Bryant, Randall Park, Keke Palmer, David Thewlis, Maya Rudolph, Nick Kroll, Hugh Jackman, and Miley Cyrus.

The most notable evolution in the new season of Human Resources is its realization that it can deliver compelling stories without sacrificing the jokes it wants to make. Season 1 offered a glimpse of the series’ potential with the standout episode “It’s Almost Over.” Fortunately, Season 2 builds upon that episode, resulting in even richer and more philosophical storytelling. Most importantly, it never forgets to be funny.

The new season also delves deeper into its own mythology, creating running jokes and offering something for everyone. It features long-running jokes, payoffs that come episodes later, overarching story arcs, throwaway jokes, and even an episode that completely changes the narrative perspective. Through it all, the series maintains its distinct humor that sets it apart.

Season 2 of Human Resources is also more invested in developing its characters. For the first time, we get a sense of delving into their psyche, moving away from the one-dimensional portrayals of the monsters in the previous season. This approach works well because the unique premise of Human Resources requires elements that allow viewers to connect with the story. It’s when the bizarre nature of the Hormone Monsters clashes with human experiences or when unexpected elements enter the scene that we find ourselves laughing out loud. The “zombie” episode of this season is a prime example.

This character evolution applies to almost every character, but particularly to Connie (Rudolph) and Maury (Kroll). In Season 1, they were largely focused on their sex-driven storylines, which escalated for shock value. However, in Season 2, they continue with those aspects while also grappling with concerns about parenthood, their expectations for their child, and even questioning their own sexual impulses. Similarly, Rochelle (Palmer) undergoes a bizarre yet relatable arc of personal growth, and Pete’s (Park) obsession with rules receives further exploration. These impactful moments of character development accumulate throughout the season.

Human Resources Season 2 excels in delivering the right amount of meta-humor. It cleverly incorporates jokes related to Big Mouth storylines, the streaming platform it’s on, and even the voice actors behind the characters. These jokes are woven seamlessly into the episodes, keeping the audience engaged and entertained. The series also defies expectations by subverting the typical involvement of big Hollywood names. Some voices remain for longer than anticipated, while others disappear before you know it.

Furthermore, the season effectively utilizes its runtime of almost 30 minutes per episode, which is uncommon for animated series, especially on streaming platforms. You never feel like you’ve spent too much time in the show’s bizarre world. The presence of great one-liners keeps the episodes moving along, provoking laughter that lasts for seconds. (“The fuck popcorn ever do to you?” and its context is particularly memorable.)

Season 2 of Human Resources serves as a perfect example of how humor doesn’t always need to be sophisticated to be elevated. It shows that you can incorporate sex jokes, bathroom humor, nonsense, and various forms of “lower” comedy while still delivering heartfelt and captivating stories. The series achieves this by utilizing setups, punchlines, callbacks, and all the elements that make comedy great. It’s just a shame that this realization only came to fruition in the second and final batch of episodes.

Rating: A-