Channeling Adult Swim, Netflix’s ‘Strip Law’ gets crude in the courtroom

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The new Netflix cartoon, “Strip Law,” is definitely not for everyone. It’s intentionally edgy, crude, and bizarre – often mixing shocking content with everyday situations. Expect over-the-top, yet strangely silly, violence. It’s a show that might even offend some of the people who enjoy it.

What really drew me to the show was the cast. Adam Scott is fantastic playing the lovable underdog, and Janelle James radiates confidence, much like her character in “Abbott Elementary.” Then there’s Keith David, whose incredibly rich voice naturally commands attention, whether he’s playing a hero, villain, or something in between. I could honestly listen to James and David talk for hours.

The series, created by Cullen Crawford (known for his work on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and “Star Trek: Lower Decks”), follows a struggling law firm in Las Vegas led by Lincoln Gumb. Joining him is Sheila Flambé, a magician and former competitive athlete, whom Lincoln hires as his unconventional co-counsel. Lincoln’s investigator is his niece, Irene, a strong-witted teenager who cleverly uses a blindfold to navigate bars. Stephen Root plays Glem Blorchman, Lincoln’s eccentric and repeatedly disbarred (and re-instated) lawyer uncle – a character so unusual he might suggest adding marshmallows to gin on a hot day. Rounding out the cast is David, who plays Stevie Nichols, the successful former partner of Lincoln’s deceased mother, a figure Lincoln remains strangely obsessed with.

The humor is a bit hit-or-miss, depending on how you’re feeling, but I generally enjoy the quick, subtle jokes more than the crude ones. The show frequently pokes fun at itself, with jokes about cartoon writers and reviving old catchphrases. It’s full of references to “The Simpsons,” like frosty chocolate milkshakes and the Gracie Films logo. The tenth and final episode is set during the finale of a legal drama similar to “Suits.” The lawyers on that show comment that Lincoln’s team can’t just let things be lighthearted, they always have to make them dark and edgy. There are also unexpected references to bands like Cocteau Twins and Bikini Kill, with one character claiming to be the original bass player for the latter. The characters even acknowledge not knowing what Bikini Kill is, with one joking that the band’s singer didn’t recognize them either.

The show features a bizarre cast of characters and consistently avoids anything resembling a real legal setting. Recurring figures include the eccentric ‘Lunch Meat,’ who appears in multiple roles, and a bartender, Mr. O’Raviolo, known for abruptly switching between fake Irish and Italian accents. Comedian George Wallace plays a version of himself as the mayor of Las Vegas. Episodes often parody famous stories – one riffs on “Miracle on 34th Street,” while another spoofs the story of Colton Burpo, the boy who claimed to have seen Heaven, even including a mock trailer for a faith-based movie starring Tim Heidecker as an unconventional, drug-using Abraham Lincoln. Other segments include a virtual reality HR seminar led by a computer program mimicking the personalities of the Rat Pack, and a simulated driving test environment where actors create scenarios. The show also features the “Hot Dates,” a risqué take on the California Raisins, and a plotline where redesigning the characters to be more wholesome sparks riots, with Lincoln famously complaining they are abandoning established history.

The show started out feeling a bit forced, like it was trying too hard, but it quickly improved. This could be because the later episodes were simply stranger or better written, or maybe it just takes time to adjust to the show’s unique world and characters. The comedy has just enough depth to make you care about what happens, and it taps into a long tradition of stories about lovable outsiders. One character, Irene, perfectly sums it up when she tells Lincoln, “Even when you’re a mess, you’re a mess with the right people.” The show brilliantly blurs the line between silly and smart, often being both at the same time.

The show’s credits playfully point out it’s made by actual people, which is nice to hear, and might still be the best way to create cartoons a century from now – even if robots are both making and watching them! The animation style is typical for modern adult cartoons, with a touch of the look of comic artist Daniel Clowes. However, the characters are full of life, and the show uses animation to achieve truly imaginative things – which is what makes cartoons special.

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2026-02-20 11:31