This Show Produced by Robert Downey Jr. Is Still the Best Fantasy Project From Netflix

Sweet Tooth, based on Jeff Lemire's iconic comic book, is unlike most dark and hopeless dystopias – it invites us into a world where there remains room for warmth, hope, and childlike innocence even after the end of the world.

Initially, fans of the original source were skeptical of the series due to its significant tonal shifts. Ultimately, however, Sweet Tooth proved to be one of Netflix's warmest sci-fi projects.

What Is 'Sweet Tooth' About?

The show is set ten years after The Great Crumble, an epidemic that wiped out most of humanity. The virus had one strange consequence: newborns began to be born with mutations that transformed them into human-animal hybrids.

These creatures are immune to the disease and are seen by some as the key to salvation and by others as a threat to be destroyed. The boy Gus has spent his entire life secluded in the depths of the forest, hidden from the world by his father.

He has deer antlers and knows nothing about what goes on outside his small world. After his father dies, Gus spends a year in complete isolation. One day, he finds a photograph of a woman he believes to be his mother and decides to set out to find her.

'Sweet Tooth' Is a Warm And Cozy Fairy Tale Set In a Dark World

Sweet Tooth creators made a bold decision: they abandoned the dark, hopeless atmosphere of Jeff Lemire's original work, making the story more accessible to families. This choice sparked considerable controversy among comic book fans who had expected the same brutality as in the original work.

However, the result exceeded expectations. The series offers an unusual visual experience: the post-apocalyptic world isn't gray and dreary, instead, it's full of vibrant colors, greenery, and sunlight.

Even the ruined cities seem more like natural parts of the landscape than graveyards of civilization. The cinematography is reminiscent of warm, cozy, almost nostalgic 1980s adventure films.

With his deer antlers and huge eyes, Gus becomes the perfect guide through this world – his naivety and childlike faith in goodness contrast with the cruelty of the people around him.

This Is a Story About Finding Beauty in the World Even When It Seems to Be Crumbling

Sweet Tooth isn't afraid to embrace naivety and openly discuss themes often considered outdated in modern dark fantasy, such as kindness, compassion, and hope.

Unlike many post-apocalyptic stories that depict people losing their humanity, Sweet Tooth reminds us that, even in the most dire circumstances, we can hold onto our humanity.

This idea is what makes the show so important right now, when the real world is also experiencing difficult times. Although Gus' journey follows a formula similar to that of The Last of Us and The Mandalorian, the series finds its own voice thanks to its unique aesthetic and unusual characters.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Sweet Tooth'?

• Sweet Tooth has 92% from critics and 78% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 7.7/10.