Hello, it’s me, ya girl, out here badgering you to watch another show. It’s one of the most important ones out there, not because of the way it addresses social issues, or because of its excellent soundtrack, but because it turns something so ridiculously stupid, into something brilliant. I’m talking, of course, about the new Netflix mockumentary series, "American Vandal."
The eight-episode show, created by Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda, parodies true crime series (i.e. "Making A Murderer") in the funniest possible way. The narrative is centered on high school loser, Dylan Maxwell (played by Jimmy Tatro), and what happens when he is expelled from school for a heinous crime: spray painting 27…obscene images (phallic symbols, if you will) on the cars in the school’s faculty parking lot. Because of Dylan’s insistence that he did not do the deed, sophomores Peter Maldonado (Tyler Alvarez) and Sam Ecklund (Griffin Gluck) start to investigate the case, in an attempt to find the truth, and hopefully exonerate Dylan.
What follows is an absurd, eight-part, in-depth analysis of the crime with utmost seriousness. Some of the episodes include tests conducted to see how long it would have taken Dylan to spray paint a penis on each car, reenactments of hookups to see if they could have actually taken place, and teacher interviews that cast doubt on the validity of key witness testimonies. The graphics, score, editing, and the performances by all of the actors make this satire so well-done; the show perfectly mocks the drama of the true crime format, and reduces it to something extremely silly.
Long story short, if you’re looking for something to binge-watch, there’s no way to go wrong with American Vandal. I’ve never felt myself get so invested in a show with so many comedic elements. It will leave you wondering, how could something so stupid be so smart?
