Koala Man (Season 1): Hulu’s new animated series “Koala Man” is a bonkers exploration of the masculine vanity that grows ever so slightly with each passing year in adulthood. The idiosyncratic characters and their ‘charm’ would bring comparisons with Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman.” With both series’ titular characters’ mid-life crises and the disdainful outlook toward humanity oozed by each episode, the comparison would not be unjustified. However, “Koala Man,” created by Michael Cusack, is not the neat, sophisticated sucker punch that Bojack is. It is a sledgehammer swung wildly. And the perpetually increasing wackiness is enough to keep one hooked. Even if “Koala Man” sometimes falters to be funny, it is still mad fun to watch.
Koala Man (Season 1), Recap:
Kevin/Koala-Man
In the Australian city of Dapto lives the obviously-suffering-from-mid-life-crisis Kevin (voice by creator Michael Cusack himself). Kevin’s superhero alter-ego is the Koala Man. Masked with what seems to be half the face of a Koala soft toy and adorning the bed sheet as a cape, Kevin’s Koala Man has divided Dapto. Like most superheroes who start afresh, Koala Man’s ‘protected’ city, Dapto, does not necessarily readily accept him. Kevin’s penchant for keeping the city in order often put him and Koala Man up for ridicule. Even by his own daughter, Alison (Demi Lardner).
Koala Man has to go through all, from fighting cannibalistic serial killers to stopping war to eventually being accepted as the ‘Daptonian’ hero. Kevin works under Big Greg (Hugh Jackman), a wild-life conquering rambunctious personality who pales Kevin and Koala Man in personality. Much to his dismay of Kevin. Kevin has his fair share of supporters too. His friends: Spider, Maxwell, and Louise (who might have a crush on Kevin/Koala Man), are the ones who often help Kevin get out of a sticky situation.
Vicky
Vicky (Sarah Snook) is Kevin’s wife. Kevin’s Koala Man identity is known to all his family members. Vicky works in the local school as the lunch lady. Her friend is Janine (Rachel House). She often tries to do good for the community, like banning carbonated soft drinks. It is quite evident that she resents the neglect she receives from her husband, who is busy strutting as the Koala Man. More than once, it is implied that Vicky does have more potential, which often comes in handy for Koala Man and the entire Dapto. It is, after all, Vicky who provided Koala Man with the Koala mask.
Alison
Kevin and Vicky’s eldest child is their daughter, Alison. Alison’s obsession with becoming the most popular girl in the whole of Dapto takes her through a significantly darker path. For the entire season, comprising eight episodes, Alison’s aim was to dismantle all the popular girls of Dapto high school and thus cement her position as the most potent teenage sensation in the city.
Liam
Kevin and Vicky’s youngest child, their son Liam is the most innocent one in the family. However, he does get swayed by the glitzy lure of America once. In a fight where Koala Man confronts the gang, Tradies, representing the labor class, Liam inadvertently gains an actual superpower. He could hear a voice inside his head, occasionally guiding him with accurate predictions of the future.
Koala Man (Season 1), Review:
Creator Michael Cusack seems to pull out all the stops when it comes to cranking up the craziness in “Koala Man.” The series, developed by Cusack, Dan Hernandez, and Benji Samit, covers an incredulously varied range of exploits by the Koala Man. Once you see an ageless music group that devours children with musical talent, you would think you have seen enough. But then comes a cosmic monster that literally wants to partake in sexual activities with a planet.
Voiced by the likes of Huge Jackman, Hugo Weaving, and Jemaine Clement, “Koala Man” continuously channels the risk of being too crazy not to be counted silly. And some would definitely discard this series because the silliness might rub them up the wrong way. However, it would take a lot not to get immediately invested in the silliness. And once you are in, it would be difficult not to partake in it. And the series does provide a couple of neat twists in the end, thus wrapping the opening season’s Koala Man arc fashionably well.
Koala Man (Season 1), Ending, Explained: What Happens in the Post-Credit Scene in the Final Episode?
Who is Kookaburra?
Although each episode of “Koala Man” tells an independent story, all eight episodes also form a larger ongoing story. The villainous presence of that larger story is “Kookaburra.” Kevin’s innate tendency to be a rule stickler has been displayed before when the young Kevin did not allow his best friend Christopher to go the toilet without the pass. This triggered Christopher to piss in his pants and thus earn the name “Pissy Chrissy.”
The Kookaburra, who planned every obstacle of Koala man, reveals himself as the high school principal, Bazwell (Jemaine Clement). Bazwell then reveals himself as none other than Kevin’s old friend, Christopher. After a ridiculous fight, an even more ludicrous climax follows, which results in Kevin and Christopher becoming friends again. The Koala Man and Kookaburra thus become two superheroes, serving in two separate towns.
What can we expect in the next season: Mummy President and Hollywood Island?
The post-credit scene reveals Kevin receiving a call from “Uncommonwealth.” Although Kevin thinks that they are telemarketers, it is highly likely that they could be an organization of superheroes. Or supervillains. With its name alluding to the commonwealth nations, we might see some other superheroes or supervillains of different origins teaming up with Koala Man.
Also, the absolutely intriguing decimation of America needs to be explored more, if I might add. America had an Egyptian Mummy president who left America to live in space. It has been shown that the Mummy President is back. With Koala Man’s history with American leaders, like Chad Wagon, Mummy President could be an intriguing encounter for Dapto and its protector, Koala Man.
Additionally, we have the ever-interesting island of Hollywood, which broke off from mainland America. It seems to be the dream of many. It is shown that the island has reached the shores of Dapto.
Alison’s Aim and Liam’s Departure
Although Alison falls in love and experiences love and subsequently loss, which in turn seems to have turned her against going for the popularity crown, it does seem that Alison still eyes to be popular. Her new target is Australian queen Nicole Kidman. Alison’s flip-flop journey could be explored in the next season. Most of her story remains out of sight of her parents, Kevin and Vicky. It remains to be seen if they learn more about their daughter.
Liam succumbs to a coma in the climactic fight between Koala Man and Kookaburra. When he recovers from the coma, thanks to the Summer Santa, he loses his psychic power. But his final psychic experience encourages him to explore the world more. As a result, unbeknownst to Kevin and Vicky, Liam also leaves Dapto to embark on Hollywood island to see the whole world.
