Mating Season Review: Love, Lust and Fur Fly in Netflix’s Wild New Comedy
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Romey Norton - May 22, 2026
If there’s one thing modern animation has proven, it’s that nothing is off-limits, least of all sex, relationships and the messy business of being alive. From Big Mouth to its many imitators, adult animation has carved out a space where awkward truths can be explored with outrageous humour. Now, with Mating Season, the creative team behind Big Mouth takes that formula into the animal kingdom, swapping teenage hormones for instinct-driven chaos. The result is a show that’s loud, strange and frequently very funny.
The ten-episode Netflix adult animation is set in a bustling forest populated by bears, raccoons, hogs, deer and foxes (all navigating their own romantic entanglements). Mating Season leans heavily into its central metaphor: that humans, for all our complexities, aren’t so different from animals when it comes to love and desire. It’s a concept ripe for comedy, and the series wastes no time diving into the absurdity of it all. Within the first episode, we see multiple animals getting it on, really delving into their primal instincts.
Voiced by a strong comedic cast, including Nick Kroll, Zach Woods, June Diane Raphael and Sabrina Jalees, the characters are heightened, neurotic and often hilariously self-destructive. Kroll’s presence brings a familiar chaotic energy that fans of Big Mouth will instantly recognise. There’s a rhythm to the dialogue that thrives on rapid-fire jokes, awkward confessions and the kind of blunt honesty that only animation seems to get away with.
Beneath the jokes about mating rituals and animal instincts, there’s a surprisingly relatable exploration of loneliness, rejection and the universal desire to connect with someone. It’s not subtle; this is not a show interested in quiet reflection, but it does occasionally hit on something real amidst the noise.
Visually, the animation is vibrant and expressive, leaning into exaggerated character designs that enhance the comedy. The forest setting is a playground for chaos, and in that sense, it works. There’s a looseness to the world that allows the show to jump between storylines and tones without feeling completely disjointed. The animals also wear jewellery, makeup and clothing, giving them a human-esque appearance, making them more relatable. It also adds to the comedy/absurdity. The Gofers with a Goatee made me giggle.
However, comparisons to Big Mouth are inevitable, and not always in Mating Season’s favour. While the DNA is clearly shared, this new series hasn’t quite found its own distinct voice yet. It often feels like an extension of what came before rather than a fully realised evolution. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean the show occasionally struggles to stand on its own. With the episodes being roughly thirty minutes long and spanning ten episodes, the show does feel repetitive, and I’m not sure if it’ll have the longevity or memorability of Big Mouth.
Ultimately, Mating Season is a bold, if slightly overstuffed, addition to Netflix’s adult animation slate. It doesn’t always strike the perfect balance between comedy and commentary, but it’s rarely dull. Like its characters, it’s a bit all over the place, driven by impulse, occasionally misguided, but always eager to connect. And honestly, that feels kind of fitting. A must-watch series for fans of Big Mouth, Birckel Berry and all other adult animations.
'Mating Season' is available to watch on Netflix.
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