Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Human Resources’ Season 2 on Netflix, Another Round of Seemingly Endless Sex Jokes

The Hormone Monsters seen in Netflix’s Big Mouth got their own workplace comedy series, and it’s back for Round 2. It follows the everyday lives and what said Hormone Monsters do as well as Depression Kitties, Shame Wizards, and Lovebugs as they work to assist humans in their unique roles.

And while Big Mouth is vulgar and raunchy at least in an effort to help make the awkwardness of puberty more relatable, Human Resources is one bad joke about penises, semen, giving birth, and other uncomfortable topics after another. There’s no problem with the topics being mostly sexual in nature or keeping the gross-out humor up throughout an entire season — it’s just that none of them are funny.

The second serving up episodes serves up more of the same and continues to be as unflinchingly awful as the first round, perhaps unsurprisingly to anyone there for the first round.

HUMAN RESOURCES — SEASON 2 : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Images of a pregnant Maurice (Nick Kroll) and partner Connie (Maya Rudolph) flash across the screen to the tune of All-4-One’s “I Swear” as we see the baby being born (gross) and growing up. This is Montel (Cole Escola), the pair’s non-binary child born during Big Mouth.

The Gist: Human Resources has marched on since its first season as Hormone Monsters Maurice and Connie have had a child named Montel. Maurice is beside himself planning for Montel’s “Jizz Mitzvah,” an event that “introduces” them to the Hormone Monster society. Except Montel has been secretly hanging out with Lionel the Shame Wizard (David Thewlis) and has found that he doesn’t want to be a Hormone Monster, he wants to be a Shame Wizard like Lionel.

Maurice has difficulty grappling with this, as does Connie, but the two eventually figure out a way to get past it while still showing Montel they love them and understanding their true feelings. Meanwhile, Emmy the Lovebug (Aidy Bryant) has a new client named Sarah (Florence Pugh), who has a Logic Rock named Van that she has to learn how to work with since Van reaffirms Sarah’s non-belief in love.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Obviously, Human Resources is reminiscent of Big Mouth since they’re directly related. But if you’ve ever watched any of the cabal of “adult” cartoons like Brickleberry or shows of that ilk, you won’t feel like this one is out of place. And if you like to open dictionaries and circle words like “boob” or “penis” you’ll find this refreshingly familiar.

Our Take: It’s difficult to care about anything that happens to the child of two perpetually horny, hairy monsters whose culture is centered around masturbating behind a curtain in front of a crowd. Yes, that’s what kicks off this episode of Human Resources Season 2. It might be funny to some for a few moments, but after the hundredth sex joke involving men, butts, or various bodily fluids, it just gets old. It’s hard to understand how a room full of adults came up with such raunchy yet rote material. Adult humor, submitted by talented individuals, can be fantastic. This show is the equivalent of drawing a penis on a chalkboard and giggling at it, then doing it about 50 more times in the span of 20 minutes expecting the same reaction.

There’s also the weird trend of including children in sexual situations and conversations that continues in this spin-off of Big Mouth, which is a weird buffet of sex jokes out of the mouths of preteens. It doesn’t get better here as Montel the young Hormone Monster is supposed to masturbate on stage in front of, presumably, a bunch of adult Hormone Monsters. Sure, it’s a joke. I get it. But it’s been weird from Day 1, and now it’s just getting uncomfortable. And this is coming from a person who seeks out surreal, disturbing, and uncomfortable entertainment. Sorry, boobs and penises aren’t that funny when they’re referenced every five minutes or less.

Parting Shot: Montel announces he’s becoming a Shame Wizard and Maurice and Connie decide to take his place in doing the deed behind a curtain to, uh, themselves. Connie, hearkening back to earlier in the episode, reminds Maurice that people like her better than him.

Sleeper Star: Miley Cyrus is almost unrecognizable as Emmy’s new client Sarah, a Logic Rock named Van who doesn’t have time for love. Her voice fits Van perfectly and every moment the character is on screen, she fits Miley’s verve and personality, a rare shining moment in this otherwise awful half-hour.

Most Pilot-y Line: Connie questions how Montel will be welcomed into the Hormone Monster community if they don’t have their coming-of-age ceremony. “Well, that’s just the thing. I don’t want to be a Hormone Monster,” Montel replies. Cue shock and dismay, as Montel was literally born to be just that.

Our Call: SKIP IT. Human Resources Season 1 was abominably bad, and this season continues the streak. There’s nothing wrong at all with even the most disgustingly raunchy comedy, but this series takes it so far beyond that it turns back in on itself in terms of how bad it is. Its characters are unlikeable, its story unentertaining, and its jokes unfunny. If you really want to spend time in this universe, just don’t. Big Mouth is coming to its own merciful end for a reason.

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over a decade for publications like G4, Popular Science, Playboy, Variety, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, GameSpot, and more. When she’s not writing or gaming, she’s collecting retro consoles and tech. Follow her on Twitter: @MolotovCupcake.