It’s finally time for Big Mouth to grow up. The final season takes the Bridgeton teens into new territory—via some old rehashes of past storylines (and jokes). They’ve come a long way since first hitting puberty…but they still have a lot to learn, especially about what they want for the future.
Nick (Nick Kroll) makes some new friends and attracts attention after a growth spurt, causing Andrew (John Mulaney) to feel left behind…while also dealing with going bald prematurely (and you can already imagine how he’ll handle that). Jessi (Jessi Klein) starts dating Camden (Whitmer Thomas), but begins to struggle with her reliance on weed to calm her anxiety.
Missy (Ayo Edebiri) starts Bridgeton High and takes a while to find her crowd after being homeschooled for so long. Jay (Jason Mantzoukas) and Lola (Kroll) explore how their on-again-off-again relationship could evolve. With the end of the series approaching, the characters must look to what’s next while reflecting on how far they’ve come (and breaking some fourth walls along the way).
Big Mouth really lives up to its name: The final season has a whole lot left to say and it sometimes says far too much. While that’s half the appeal, there are times when it strays into offensive territory, but for the most part it stays in its cringe comedy niche. As their emotional intelligence inches towards growth—and Compassion (Holly Hunter) enters their circle—opportunities arise for more life lessons and mistakes that feel like the end of the world.
Speaking of compassion, some of the best episodes are where Big Mouth shows the kids it’s okay to be curious, but also to admit what’s right for them. “Why Do We Go Through Puberty?” features the brilliantly funny new health teacher Ms. Dunn (Natasha Lyonne), who takes the kids through what they probably should’ve learned properly in season 1. Meanwhile, “Am I Smoking Too Much Weed?” explores the realities of anxiety and self-medicating in an accessible, teen-friendly way.
The guest stars pop by for fresh drama delights—including Billy Porter, Steve Buscemi, Keke Palmer, and Cynthia Erivo—and add some surprisingly great insights in amongst their stellar comedic delivery. Of course, the hormone monsters are always nearby to really make the teens feel every inch of their embrassments-du-jour (with some skillfully accurate anthropomorphic representations of deep emotions sprinkled in).
The final season of Big Mouth isn’t exactly more mature than its predecessors, but it does cover more mature topics, in its own insensitive yet kinda refreshing way. Its often revolutionary approach to themes of sexuality, consent, and puberty has long since cemented its legacy and S8 only adds to that impact. But it also guides the audience on its way to perhaps finding more mature shows—and hey, there are still eight seasons to go back and binge-watch whenever you need them.
