Share

Tiffany Haddish animation puts women's experience front and centre

accreditation
What more do you need other than a woman creator (Lisa Hanawalt) and main characters voiced by Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, two of the biggest comedy heavyweights of our time?
What more do you need other than a woman creator (Lisa Hanawalt) and main characters voiced by Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, two of the biggest comedy heavyweights of our time?

Tuca & Bertie
Available on Netflix
. . . . -

Though somewhat whitewashed, shows such as Girls and Broad City gave us a look into the uncomfortable realities of a woman’s twenties, something we all enjoyed peeking into.

We’ve also been lucky enough to know vibrant and complex women on animated shows such as BoJack Horseman, Bob’s Burgers and Big Mouth. But having women as main characters in animated shows is a rare occurrence. Instead they are added to share the spotlight with male characters or are there as supporting acts. This goes for behind-the-scenes too.

This is why, without watching a single episode, I was sold on Netflix’s new animated series Tuca & Bertie.

I mean, what more do you need other than a woman creator (Lisa Hanawalt) and main characters voiced by Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, two of the biggest comedy heavyweights of our time?

Hanawalt – also the mastermind behind BoJack Horseman – is as creative as ever with Tuca & Bertie, which takes its audience into a muddled Technicolour realm where plants are conscious; cellphones come alive and even scold you for not responding to texts; buildings have boobs; and sound effects become actual objects.

Tuca (Haddish) and Bertie (Wong) are 30-year-old BFFs and former housemates who live in a New York-like city called Bird Town.

Bertie is a former data analyst for Conde Nest and is moving in with her boyfriend. Tuca is a recovering alcoholic who’s unemployed, single and insecure, despite her glitzy personality. The friends experience unease about jobs, home ownership and dating.

Tuca & Bertie offers funny truths about womanhood – an original and needed element in this genre of animation.

So, if you’re tired of the same stories from the same pale, male and musty perceptions of comedy and animation, then Tuca & Bertie will offer you multiple tales of women’s stories in an informative, out-of-the-box and entertaining way. 

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you believe that the various planned marches against load shedding will prompt government to bring solutions and resolve the power crisis?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes
21% - 103 votes
No
79% - 394 votes
Vote