The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Review: Cartoon Network’s Latest Revival Continues to Be Hilarious As Ever

When it was announced that The Amazing World of Gumball was getting a new show, there was obviously going to be so much excitement. Given how there’s been the film in development plus the general popularity online, a revival series felt like it was on the way. With The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, it certainly feels like that has been fulfilled.

However, in a time where beloved animated shows have been revived, like Phineas and Ferb and Regular Show, some may have doubts about how such shows can stay true without being too fan service-y.

Fortunately, this new Gumball series genuinely feels like the classic Cartoon Network series we’ve come to know. Of course, given how The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball‘s audience has reached new fans, it has to walk a fine line between appealing to newcomers and those hardcore.

This is really felt in the show’s beginning with The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Season 1 Episode 1, “The Burger,” where Gumball and Darwin find themselves trying to be healthier despite their unhealthy diets. One might expect some whimsical absurdity to be thrown into the mix, which seems like a certainty in Gumball‘s wacky universe.

Of course, we’re given that wackiness throughout The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball that’s confidently maintained thanks to the animation. Never does it feel like the series has lost a step, visually, as we’re still treated to some emphasized character shots, crazy set pieces involving 3D-and-2D elements, and much more.

Although, there are a few standout episodes that play on the “whimsy” of Gumball more than others with varying degrees of success (albeit, they’re still good.) Particularly, The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Season 1 Episode 5 “The Butts” highlights this: even though it involves a funny premise involving Principal Brown hiding his secret, it can be a little bit too dramatic for some fans’ likings.

Yet, it somehow is able to work because it doesn’t try to impose itself too much on the viewer. Most of the jokes are able to land because of that variety of setups that keep the humor natural, in terms of The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball‘s tone.

However, there are also a few episodes that provide their own commentary on the state of the real world. To be clear, Gumball has done this before, with episodes like “The Vegging” and “The Nuisance” commenting on real life situations. This time around, it does feel like this type of satirization has become much more clearer.

There are two particular episodes that come to mind: Season 1 Episode 2 “The Assistant” and Season 1 Episode 2 “The App”. While both episodes provide their own takes on important topics in today’s world, they’re able to insert Gumball‘s wittiness nearly perfectly.

This feels more so with “The Assistant”, which sees Nicole resorting to an AI taking care of the family as it gradually takes over their lives. Sure, most viewers are familiar with the “AI taking over everything” narrative that’s been originally presented in other shows.

However, The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball is able to make this entertaining by putting Nicole’s hot-headed and defensive personality at the forefront. What results is an energetic 13-minute episode filled with this increasing butting-of-heads that reflects that stress of connectivity confidently.

As for “The App”, it’s clear that the writers are playing off of They Live as it’s one of the more popular movies that comments on social control. The way that this episode sets up that premise of what’s essentially Elmore’s TikTok might feel deliberate given the multiple references to other media related to consumerism, much like “The Burger”.

Fortunately, a handful of episodes of The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball are dedicated to the more wholesome side of things. This is the case with Season 1 Episode 3 “The Distance”, which satirizes long-distance relationships and Zoom calls with that sweetness between Gumball and Darwin.

Of course, the chemistry between Gumball and Darwin is still there, and the new actors, Alkaio Thiele and Hero Hunter, perfectly voice the duo. There’s a bit of that cynicism that does come with some of the back-and-forths between the two, but that brotherhood still holds strong with these new leads. 

While it does feel like we’re getting the classic Wattersons back, it does feel like the side cast is somewhat missing as most of the episodes focus on the family. We get treated to a few cameos, from Penny, Carrie, and the rest of the Elmore Junior High gang, but they’re not as present as they previously were.

Surprisingly, there does seem to be a focus on Molly on The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Season 1 Episode 9 “The Boring,” but this season feels like the side characters are a rarity.

This may be due to the fact that the full roster of episodes has not yet been released, but I’m hoping that we’ll get those episodes sooner than later.

The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball is a faithful continuation that happily captures the fun and excitement of Cartoon Network’s original series while feeling more satirical. While it does sacrifice itself in a few areas to appeal to the larger Gumball community right now, I have high hopes that this new series will satisfy what fans have been waiting for.

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The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball begins streaming on Hulu on July 28.

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