Created by siblings Adam and Craig Malamut and set in the fictional town of Glantontown, New Jersey, the animated series Universal Basic Guys centers on Mark and Hank Hoagies, two brothers voiced by Adam Malamut. After being laid off from their jobs at the local hot dog factory and enrolled in a new basic income program, Mark and Hank have plenty of time to spend their monthly $3,000 checks on pranks and silliness. While the premise is quite interesting, the show is chock full of boring jokes that are no good.
“Universal Basic Guys” begins with Mark questioning the portrait he bought as a birthday present for his wife Tammy (Talia Genevieve). After Tammy receives a luxury spa voucher from a doctor she works with at the hospital, Mark decides the only way to top the plastic surgeon’s gift is to buy her an exotic animal. He convinces Hank to go along with the plan, and the pair visit a Tiger King-style zoo, where Mark purchases an old, ailing chimpanzee. Things obviously don’t go according to plan. The chimp isn’t a house-trained pet (of course), Tammy isn’t amused, and Mark ends up in the hospital. From the pilot on, every episode follows this setup. The older brother schemes, and Hank foolishly follows suit.
Other characters besides Mark, Hank and Tammy include Tammy’s teenage son Darren (Brandon Wardell), who does his best to avoid his stepfather; the Hoagies’ neighbors – aspiring writer David (Fred Armisen) and his shrill, ambitious wife Andrea (Ally Maki); and Mark’s arch-nemesis Steve DelVecchio (Tommy Pope), who is determined to outwit him at every turn.
The 13-episode first season features action-packed storylines involving creatures, magic, and the Philadelphia Eagles. In episode 3, “The Devil You Know,” which is full of ass-wiping and silly jokes, the brothers, with Darren in tow, accidentally encounter the infamous Jersey Devil. In episode 8, “Poconcos,” Mark, Hank, Tammy, and Darren find themselves in a Jumanji-like game of magic where everything quickly descends into chaos due to their inability to communicate. While both storylines are thematically sound, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. “Universal Basic Guys” lacks the smoothness, clarity, and comedic timing to transcend its two bafflingly ignorant main characters.
There’s certainly a way to make raunchy and even offensive jokes: “Family Guy,” “Bob’s Burgers” and “South Park” have all proven that. But “Universal Basic Guys” never manages to strike a balance between vulgar and funny. Most of the characters are frustratingly stupid, and the comedy is consistently not sharp enough to offset the show’s silliness and dated dialogue.
Adult animated films continue to draw viewers by using unique storytelling styles while incorporating adult themes and language. Universal Basic Guys has a good concept: a group of guys in South Jersey trying to find fulfillment now that they have the money to do so. However, because audiences are drawn into the lives of the hoagies without really understanding what happened during the robot takeover at the hot dog factory or what exactly UBI entails, viewers are left as disorientated as the series.
Crude dad humor is very specific and doesn’t appeal to everyone. But because it’s already out there – and brilliantly so – newcomers to the genre have to innovate and make those who would normally shy away from this kind of comedy laugh. Universal Basic Guys never rises to the challenge and would be better served if the Malamutes went back to the drawing board.
“Universal Basic Guys” premieres on Fox on September 8, with new episodes airing weekly on Sundays.
