There are a lot of great Netflix animated shows for adults, and the new 2023 series, Carol & The End of the World, fits in quite well with the likes of BoJack Horseman and Big Mouth. The limited series, which follows a sad and confused woman as she prepares for a massive planet to crash into Earth, is quite the watch and has much to say about society, trauma, and personal experiences.
If you plan on watching the new Netflix arrival, which debuted Friday, December 15, 2023, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. Here's a quick breakdown of five things to know before you watch Carol & The End of the World…
Carol & The End Of The World Follows One Woman's Journey As She Awaits Doomsday And Attempts To Go About Her Normal Life
Seven months and 13 days. That’s how long Carol Kohl (Martha Kelly) and the rest of humanity have to live before a mysterious planet slams into the Earth with an impact equivalent to a 10-million-megaton explosion in Carol & The End of the World. The show follows Carol as she attempts to make sense of the ensuing doomsday event and goes about her life as the rest of the world falls into a hedonistic frenzy of parties, world records, and no responsibilities. But she does find solace in the form of a mysterious office building where other like-minded individuals have a similar outlook on life.
The Animated Series Is Rated TV-MA
Unlike Netflix shows geared towards kids and parents, Carol & The End of the World is aimed at more mature audiences. And no, it’s not just because of the existential and philosophical questions it poses, even though those topics may be too much for younger audiences. The main reason is that the show is rated TV-MA and is full of nudity, crass language, sex, drug use, and just about everything else you expect from a series about the end of the world and humanity’s response to there being no “tomorrow.”
The Limited Series Is Full Of Deadpan Humor, Sentimentality, And Existential Dread
If you’re looking for a hilarious dark comedy series, Carol & The End of the World will do the trick. Even though it deals with the unavoidable destruction of Earth and all life on the planet, it’s humorous. There’s a lot of deadpan humor, especially early on when Carol interacts with her parents, who are now nudists and are about to embark upon a cruise to the end of the world.
At the same time, the show doesn’t shy away from existential dread (this is a story about life being wiped out) and how it affects people differently. Combine that with a sense of sentimentality, and you have yourself Carol & The End of the World.
Carol & The End Of The World Was Created By Rick and Morty Writer Dan Guterman
Dan Guterman, the two-time Emmy Award-winning writer who worked on shows like Rick and Morty, The Colbert Report, and Community after writing for satirical newspaper The Onion for over a decade, created Carol & The End of the World. So, if you’re a fan of great Rick and Morty episodes like “The Ricks Must Be Crazy” and “The Ricklantis Mixup,” you’ll feel right at home with the new Netflix show.
The Limited Series Consists Of 10 Episodes
Carol & The End of the World plays out over 10 episodes, which are between 25 and 33 minutes apiece. This means you could watch the entire limited animated series in a single five-hour marathon if that’s your thing.
One last thing to know is that you will need a Netflix subscription to check out Carol & The End of the World. However, signing up for an account also gives you access to some great titles on what’s left of the 2023 Netflix TV titles and all the upcoming 2024 originals that will soon follow.
