Netflix's® Live Action COWBOY BEBOP©

Bloated negative reviews and why it’s actually a good show.

For all those hoping this review will be an exhaustive scene by scene comparison-based review of studio Sunrise original representation of the characters that graced my late-night CRT T.V. screen in the late 90s you will sorely be disappointed.

What follows is a quick matter of fact review of the reviews by someone that has a passion for story telling from graphic novels to the “silver screen”. Quick because like most of us, I am juggling the balance between a hybrid work from home and in office schedule in this pre(post)pandemic world.

Stellar space imagery filled with beautiful patina ships and “bustion-punk”* cityscapes not only satisfied the itch I didn’t realize I had since Firefly was canceled but it pays deep respect to the sci-fi world and delivers excellent story telling with splashes of color in wardrobe and dialogue.

John Cho as Spike Spiegel on board the Firefly(esque) Bebop Ship Photo Credit: Netflix® Cowboy Bebop© Art dept.

To the 43k die hard Bebop fans which about 1200 actually are butt hurt about missed lines and plot developments… give it a chance. Millions of dollars and hundreds of talented people poured their hearts into representing a refreshed take on an amazing story.

The critical reaction to Bebop comes in the wake of the critic fiasco of Marvels Eternals. This writer might not be able to put a finger on exactly why there is a disconnect and a massive compartmentalization when it comes to critical review of film and streaming entertainment released in the last 15 months but there is something brewing. So, before you take the pitchfork handed to you by the angry mob, grab your favorite late-night beverage and watch a few episodes and allow the Kung-Fu, gunfire and Noir atmosphere to entertain you.

And by the way… I officially am now Bebop diehard fan #43,001

*A term I just coined joining the words combustion and punk in an homage to Steam-Punk rightly describing the mix of futurism and antiquated fossil-tech in this series.

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