REVIEW: Heavy Hitting Adult Animation ‘Solar Opposites’ Season 3 Is Back With a Bang

This July sit back and relax as Solar Opposites Season 3 drops in its entirety on Hulu. The hit adult animated series has thus far celebrated two seasons and a holiday special, and I’ve been lucky enough to review them all. From the demented minds of Justin Roiland, and Mike McMahan, the show focuses on the crew/family dynamic of four marooned Aliens attempting to adapt to American culture while they fix their broken ship, and wait for their pupa to transform and terraform the planet. Whichever comes first basically.

The crew consists of the stern mission leader Korvo (Roiland) who plays the curmudgeonly Dad role in the group with his focus on getting their job done. His second in command Terry (Thomas Middleditch) is the pupa expert. The reality is, however, that he serves as the easily distracted, pop-culture aficionado that links the alien crew to the perceived notion of the human experience. Yumulack (Sean Giambrone) is the ship’s security expert and while his attention should be directed towards possible threats, he often misplaces his well of angst and violence in the wrong direction. Last, but certainly not least is Jesse (Mary Mack) the chronicler for the Schlorpians who’d much rather be documenting the activities of literally anything else.

Season 1, and Season 2, have laid the path fairly successfully for what to expect when it comes to this series, so it should be no surprise that Roiland and McMahan continue full steam ahead with the same format. In past reviews, I’ve wobbled over potential pitfalls in the animation, and vocal styling of the show being too close a parallel to Rick and Morty, but three seasons and a holiday special later prove that it doesn’t matter as there’s a fan demand for it. McMahan has even gone on to adapt this animation style and comedic narrative format for Star Trek Lower Decks on Paramount+ which itself is heading into its third season.

All this to say, Solar Opposites continues to kick galactic ass and it shows no signs of slowing down. The creative ideas from this team keep on rolling out and the third season is no exception to the rule.

One of the dynamics that makes this show so unique is that it’s not solely a sci-fi comedy show focused on a dysfunctional family, but there’s a subplot survival story of the humans that have been kidnapped and shrunk down and held captive in Yumulack’s terrarium. As a fan and a viewer, I’m just as invested in that story as I am in the Solar Opposites family themselves, and it should come as no shock to anyone that the show will return to the miniature levels to find out how the people are making out after the explosive events of Season 2. The mixture of post-apocalyptic living with cavernous Fraggle Rock life always makes me laugh, especially with their adaptive lifestyle of using leftover candy donations from Jesse as their source of sustenance.

The series also has some hefty, heavy hitters in the vocal department. Roiland without a doubt loves playing in this sandbox as Korv. He gets more vocal range in this role than he did as Rick Sanchez. But as the narrative of the show has progressed it becomes apparent that Middleditch, Giambrone, and Mack have sunk their teeth into their roles, and this world as well. The way the actors vocally play off each other comes across very naturally and at this point, it’s hard to imagine them being played by anyone else.

Solar Opposites becomes my longest-reviewed series here at But Why Tho, which makes it somewhat difficult to find new ways to lavish praise on a show that consistently finds new ways to deliver that crass, rib-tickling, absurd comedy. Roiland and McMahan have a very creatively rewarding relationship. The work they’re producing persists in delivering at an obscenely high level. Honorable mention to Hulu as well for giving the creators space to tell the weirdest and most obnoxiously comedic stories, and promoting a space for adult animation as a medium.

Solar Opposites Season 3 is just a delightfully hilarious show that brings the comedy from all angles. Blending sci-fi with modern family TV tropes, paired with a post-apocalyptic subplot, there’s more than enough to capture your attention. The show is bursting with personality, and characters to love.

Solar Opposites Season 3 is streaming exclusively on Hulu on July 13th.