Comedy
Dead Boy Detectives
Dead Boy Detectives targets teens in style and story. But it comes with very adult, problematic content.
God (or at least as close to God as it seems the show is willing to get) and his angels are at war with Lucifer and his demonic spawn. According to Netflix, the fate of the world is at a tipping point. And if humans don’t start loving and respecting each other more, there’s a pretty good chance that Lucifer will win.
So “God” picks his favorite human to teach a message of love to the masses before it’s too late.
That guy is Clark Thompson, and he’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.
When God appeared to Clark in the form of a single storm cloud over his house (and then struck him with lightning), Clark just said, “That was weird.”
Pretty soon after, amazing things started happening to and around Clark. Red traffic lights would turn green as he approached them. He could quote Scripture without having memorized it previously (though he says he was raised Episcopalian). But the coup d’état was when Clark started glowing.
Not all the time, mind you, but enough to garner media attention, hundreds of protesters (who picket outside his house) and the disdain of a certain televangelist who takes Clark’s message as a direct threat and sign that Clark must be working for Satan.
Speaking of which, Lucifer’s minions start appearing to Clark to tempt him away from the path God’s set him on. But Clark won’t be deterred. He doesn’t care about sex or drugs (he doesn’t even drink) or stuff. He just wants to live a good life and have good relationships with those he loves. And that’s why God chose him: Because he’s a simple guy with simple desires.
The message of love and respect that Clark has been sent to deliver is a good one. But that message is quickly twisted by the form of Netflix’s delivery.
God tells Clark that all religions are right, and nobody is wrong. In fact, God only really cares if someone uses the name of God to hurt people (which is ironic since this show’s twisted messages about God will confuse and ultimately harm its viewers). Moreover, God appears to Clark in the form of his female elementary schoolteacher, stating that she can appear in many forms.
But Clark really is a good guy: he doesn’t drink, smoke, curse, get violent, any of it. Sure, he shares a few kisses with his girlfriend, Amily, but when one of Lucifer’s demons tries to use Amily to tempt Clark into lust, he immediately spots the trick and pulls her out of the demon’s spell.
Conversely, Amily (and all of Clark’s friends) aren’t such do-gooders. Amily admits to using a variety of drug cocktails on a weekly, if not nightly, basis. She swears up a storm (up to and including the f-word), disrespects her boss and even threatens a few of the protesters outside Clark’s house when they get rowdy.
It seems Clark’s first priority in fulfilling God’s mission will be to turn Amily around. But even if he does, the show itself won’t be so easily turned from its own crooked path.
Clark’s work colleagues freak out when he begins to glow.
A single storm cloud forms over Clark’s house and lightning strikes him down (though he’s unharmed). After this, supernaturally good things start to happen to him (his favorite songs always play on the radio, for instance) and he gains the ability to glow. Someone wonders if this is biblical. Amily talks about destiny.
A man trips and hurts himself. A woman faints and falls to the ground. Amily drives her scooter recklessly, yelling at people to get out of her way and ramming it into walls. A man falls to the ground after someone scares him. Amily threatens people.
People drink. Amily often talks about mixing both prescription and recreational drugs with alcohol. (She also admits to using cocaine.) She is often inebriated, drinks from a flask in front of her boss at work and admits to driving her scooter while intoxicated (much to her friends’ chagrin). We learn that Clark never drinks.
People lie. Amily bullies people at work. When a man interrupts Clark on the toilet (we see the tops of Clark’s thighs), he tries to comfort Clark by explaining that bowel movements are normal and not something to be embarrassed by.
We hear multiple uses of the f-word, as well as the s-word, “h-lla” and “p–ck.” God’s and Christ’s names are also abused. Clark uses substitutes for cursing, such as “heck” and “dang it.” A supervisor scolds his employees for making a reference to rear ends.
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
Dead Boy Detectives targets teens in style and story. But it comes with very adult, problematic content.
An elf mage contemplates on connection and regret as she watches her human friends grow old and pass away.
