‘Human Resources’ Doesn’t Quite Live Up to Its Potential

Over its five seasons, Big Mouth has come to feel like a knowing, older friend. Its unerring frankness about the awkwardness of puberty paired with its humor has always driven home the same message: Life is weird and hard, but you’ll survive. That’s the message I hoped Human Resources would broaden to explore other parts of the human experience. There is certainly a bit of that as well as some great jokes, but both are buried under messiness. Human Resources seems so concerned with nailing down the rules of its bizarre world of Lovebugs and Hormone Monsters that it often forgets to embrace the charms that made its predecessor so much fun.

A workplace comedy set in the world of these otherworldly creatures, Human Resources follows Emmy (Aidy Bryant) the Lovebug. When we first meet Emmy, she’s a wreck. She can’t stop partying, can’t stop hooking up with an Addiction Angel she knows is terrible for her, and can’t pay attention to her job to save her life. It’s a good premise; explore this complicated world through a newbie. The problem is that Emmy in particular opens the door for so many questions the series can’t quite answer.

By now, this universe has firmly explored the comedic games of its Hormone Monsters, Shame Wizards, and Anxiety Mosquitos. It’s even established clear expectations for two of its Lovebugs, Brandon Kyle Goodman’s heart-on-his-sleeve Walter and Keke Palmer’s effortlessly cool Rochelle. But when Emmy is stumbling around, its Lovebugs don’t feel as clearly defined. What exactly prompts the assignment of a Lovebug? Does a person have to already be in love? Or is it the potential to feel love that brings them onto the team? How often can Love Bugs turn into Hate Worms without it hurting them or their clients? Emmy is also the only creature we’ve seen who seems bad at a job she hates. Why is she working in Human Resources? Are these creatures bound to fulfill roles they may despise like a professional caste system?

It’s logistical questions like these pull full away from Human Resources’ comedy and heart. It’s a shame too because this spinoff has a lot of both. Whenever the series feels like it knows what it’s doing, it’s funny. A subplot about the Hormone Monsters attending an HR seminar for having sex all over the office lands well. The same can be said for a shame convention that ends with our personal Shame Wizard (David Thewlis) trapped in a psychosexual nightmare.

There are also moments of true understanding that mirror Big Mouth at its best. The circus of creatures who always surround first-time mother Becca (Ali Wong) are a stunning personification of how scared, angry, tired, lonely, hopeful, and in love she feels. Walter has a powerful moment all on his own as he guides Emmy through the memories of a client who has dementia. Watching him cycle between adoration for Yara’s past romances and his unbridled anger every time these flashbacks are interrupted is both funny and profoundly sad. Later, the series introduces Keith (Henry Winkler), anthropomorphic sweater from the grief department who starts as a walking joke. But by the end of his episode, Keith becomes a telling metaphor about the dangers of bottling up your emotions.

Through these client-focused plots, Human Resources is at its best. The show feels comfortable and confident during these moments. It’s when the focus returns to the workplace that the series feels less sure of itself. There are some great in-office moments. As always, Maury (Kroll) and Connie (Maya Rudolph) are always a guaranteed good time. It’s also a lot of fun to watch the emotionally in-tune Rochelle navigate her work partnership and eventual friendship with the straight-laced Pete (Randall Park), a Logic Rock. But when its in the office, Human Resources doesn’t feel like it knows what it’s doing. Just like the humans this show loves to follow, there’s room for growth.

Human Resources is by no means a bad show. If you love Big Mouth, it has the same humor and characters that first made you a fan. But it’s also not a show that lives up to its full potential. Big Mouth rewrote the script when it came to talking about puberty, making even the most horrifying parts of this time period feel funny and relatable. Human Resources can do the same for the rest of life. It’s just not quite there yet.

Watch Human Resources on Netflix