ALEX ECONOMOS, GUEST WRITER
Excessive amounts of sexualized violence and raw humor are on display in “Love, Death, and Robots,” an animated anthology series released by Netflix in May 2019.
The series is an acquired taste and is not for everyone, however, I love it. The frequent nudity, explicit bloodshed and witty dialogue make the show for mature audiences. Each episode is created by a different animation studio from around the world and has a science fiction-inspired storyline with episodes ranging in length from six to 17 minutes.
The series is produced by David Fincher and Tim Miller. While the stories are compelling and the animation is ingenious, not every episode is worth watching, so here are the top five ranked episodes out of the series total of 18.
ONE – SONNIE’S EDGE (17 minutes)
“Sonnie’s Edge” could be made into a full-length feature movie.
There are incredibly developed characters, especially Sonnie. As she grew from her struggles, I felt like I was growing up alongside her.
Secondly, the fight scene was magnificent. The concept of the compatible brains for the fighters was cool, the animation of the monsters were breathtaking, and the atmosphere of the fight was incredible and different. After the fight, the conversation between Sonnie and another girl was exciting and vital.
We finally understand where Sonnie gets her edge. This was a plot twist ending that left the audience satisfied. Overall: The episode has an original storyline with a perfectly constructed plot and amazing animation.
TWO – ZIMA BLUE (10 minutes) “Zima Blue” is pure art.
It showcases an original plotline and felt like a documentary. The audience gains a sense of the extent of Zima’s fame and illustrious career. The name “Zima Blue” seems random until the lead character explains his childhood.
The episode culminates in the destruction of the character back
to an original form. Overall: This is a welcome break from sexualized violence and gore.
THREE – GOOD HUNTING (17 minutes)
“Good Hunting” has the most clear beginning, middle and end to the storyline. The story is about racial prejudice and the objectification of women.
The character Yan became a sex worker as she lost her magic due to the pollution created by the wealthy older white males in the population at the time. The scene where the Mayor attempts to turn Yan into an objectified robot is sickening.
The character’s response is to turn into a former version of herself to hunt the men who objectified her. The ending is not clearly happy; however, Yan is successful, if indirectly. Overall: Entertaining and fits the current political climate.
FOUR – THE WITNESS (12 minutes)
The anime-style of this episode is popular and saves it, as the storyline is not as fulfilling. The beauty of the animation has to be seen to be appreciated. There is a strip club scene that is explicit, uncomfortable and sad, as the dancer is dancing for the person trying to kill her. The ending is memorable. Overall: One of the most unique episodes created.
FIVE – WHEN THE YOGURT TOOK OVER (six minutes)
The stupidity of “When the Yogurt Took Over” is what to love about the episode. Lab technicians accidentally created super-intelligent yogurt that seeks world domination.
Oddly, the story was telling of the world today. The humans were too ignorant to follow the national debt plan mapped out by the yogurt, which eventually sent the world into poverty.
For how smart the yogurt was, the ending quote put everything into perspective, “If the yogurt was smart enough to solve our debt problem, wasn’t it also smart enough to realize that human intellectual vanity would keep us from following the formula exactly?”
Knight Wire 
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