SOLAR OPPOSITES (Season 3) -- An Inferior but Still Enjoyable New Season of the Adult Animated Hit

Review by Sean Boelman

Courtesy of Hulu.

Although it generally isn’t as popular or quite as good as the other series Dan Harmon and Mike McMahon work on, Rick and Morty, Hulu’s Solar Opposites is still one of the most unmistakably fun adult animated shows there is right now. This new season might not hit the same heights as Season 2, it still offers plenty of great hijinks with the Shlorpians.

The season follows the four Shlorpians as they get into more hijinks, trying to make the most of their new Earth home while prepping it for the Pupa to terraform the planet. This season ultimately feels a lot more lightweight than the previous two, almost as if the creators didn’t expect it to go on for so long and they have run out of ideas of what to do.

All four of the main leads go through arcs that are (perhaps a bit disappointingly) very similar to those that they experienced in the first two seasons. Korvo is still loosening up while Terry, Yumyulack, and Jesse are all maturing. It ultimately plays into the sitcom structure that the series is so obviously parodying, but even then, there is more growth in those shows.

Without a doubt, the biggest strength of this series is still the subplot set in The Wall. It’s honestly shocking that there hasn’t yet been a spin-off of the show entirely focused on these characters, because they are significantly more compelling and interesting than the other half of the show.

Courtesy of Hulu.

This season, there are three episodes that are really exceptional, and the other eight are just fine. That isn’t to say that the other episodes aren’t entertaining — and at only twenty-two minutes or so a pop, they’re diverting enough even when their concept is comparatively weak — but they lack the creativity of the superior first two seasons.

If this season does do one thing even better than the previous two, it is the incorporation of meta humor. They really go all-in this season on the tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecating humor, and these create for some of the funniest moments in the season. There’s also an overall sense of one-upmanship that is pretty amusing. 

Visually, there are some interesting things done this season, but for the most part, it’s a continuation of what has already been set up. For example, the world-building in the wall is extraordinary and getting to go deeper into this world is a treat. Some of the visual gags in this season are also pretty memorable.

Season 3 of Solar Opposites might not be as good as what came before, but it’s still a refreshing entry into the adult animated space. Hopefully, the less creative ideas in this season aren’t an indicator that the show is running out of steam as a whole.

Solar Opposites streams on Hulu beginning July 15. All eleven episodes reviewed.

​Rating: 3.5/5