"Sweet Tooth" Is Going Strong On Netflix, And Here Are 19 Reasons You Should Binge-Watch It

    Just like Dad reading you a story.

    CT Seale
    by CT Seale

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    If you haven't gotten sucked into Netflix's Sweet Tooth yet, what are you waiting for?!

    Bear, Gus, and Jepp dressed for travel wearing backpacks, walking across a field with mountains in the background
    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    It's an epic tale about a human-animal hybrid navigating a post-apocalyptic world — and if that doesn't get you on board, these 19 reasons will.

    1. The story centers on a precocious young boy struggling to find his identity.

    Gus outside a wooden cabin in the woods, pushing a wooden sled piled with his belongings like a blanket, rope, and his stuffed dog toy
    Kristy Griffin / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Sweet Tooth focuses on the adventures of Gus, a human-animal hybrid who is desperate to learn about his background in a world that's desperate to eliminate him. It's definitely not the most straightforward journey. But watching him learn and process the sometimes admired, sometimes hated facets that make him him holds lessons about self-love and acceptance for all of us. 

    2. Magic realism.

    Gus wearing a helmet around his horns walking with Jepp next to a train
    Netflix

    The show is based on a DC comic book series of the same name (albeit lightened up for the screen). We're pulled into something like a superhero world, but it's a lot more subtle than most comic-to-screen fare. So, if over-the-top superhero stuff isn't your favorite, Sweet Tooth hits a good stride with just a dash of fantasy. 

    3. A completely novel reimagining of post-apocalyptic life.

    Bear in front of a group of young people dressed in somewhat punk outfits, looking sullen and walking together across a landscape with a burned-out car in the background
    Kristy Griffin / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The show puts us in a world where a mystery virus known as "The Sick" is ravaging humanity (which, yes, hits a little close to home right now, although it started shooting before COVID went hard). However, it's a world where there are heroes — and targets — that we fiercely want to defeat the dark forces, and the glimpses we get on the way make you want to straight-up cheer. 

    4. Intertwining storylines that are so satisfying.

    Rani and Dr. Singh looking closely at each other while at a party with several people in the background
    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Different characters and their story arcs are introduced to us in separate chapters, which stand as their own independent, compelling tales. But when they intersect, it's as satisfying as watching a crossover episode of your two favorite series. We learn more about the characters from each chapter through backstories and flashbacks, providing tons of rewarding "aha!" moments along the way. 

    5. Unlikely heroes.

    Members of the animal army looking ready for battle, dressed in bulky outfits with animal headdresses, holding weapons, with Bear in the center.
    Kristy Griffin / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The vast majority of characters in Sweet Tooth are complex, with histories that aren't straightforwardly heroic. Yet they develop a lot over the course of the season and show us that heroes come in all shapes and sizes (willingly or not). 

    6. Adorable animal children.

    A nurse with a Jamie P nametag holding a hybrid baby that has a stripe down to a doglike nose with light whiskers, who also has long, furry ears
    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The show explores a new race of human-animal amalgamations that are called hybrids, and whether they're human-pigs or human-deer or human-dogs, they're all ridiculously cute to look at. 

    7. James Brolin's narration.

    Gus wearing a big sweater and jeans sitting under a tree holding a box
    Kristy Griffin / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Each episode begins and ends with Brolin's soothing voice highlighting lessons learned, discoveries we've made, and the adventures yet to come — it has a total "dad reading you a bedtime story" vibe.

    8. Will Forte as a dramatic lead.

    Pubba wearing a big, plaid shirt, holding onto Gus, wearing a plaid shirt and vest, in a darkened place with rays of sunlight beaming in
    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    There are zero MacGruber-style hijinks to be found in Sweet Tooth. Forte is almost unrecognizable as Pubba, Gus's dad, and is the perfect blend of teacher, parent, and determined wilderness papa who shows Gus the ropes of living off the land, in secret, so he has the best chance of survival. 

    9. Christian Convery.

    Gus wearing plaid shirt and puffy vest and a backpack, standing in the middle of the woods alone
    Kristy Griffin / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    You may recognize him from Air Bud's Pup Academy, and watching this little guy as Gus is as sweet as the show's title. He draws us into the story, making us feel every triumphant and devastating step of his journey in the depths of our very hearts. He's only 11 years old, and I'm sure this is the beginning of a long and diverse career.

    10. A powerhouse cast you want to see more of.

    Jepp and Bear in the darkened interior of a train, looking unpleasantly surprised
    Netflix

    We're also introduced to the characters Tommy Jepperd, played by Nonso Anozie, and Bear, played by Stefania LaVie Owen. Anozie is a British actor who crushes his role (and his adversaries) as the "Big Man" with a big, painful history. LaVie Owen is a New Zealand American actor who plays a badass hero who founds her own army. Looking forward to seeing these two in the future.

    11. It explores what family really means.

    12. Villains you love to hate.

    13. Rooting for the underdog.

    14. The animal animation is amazing.

    15. Beautiful cinematography.

    Grassy plain with mountains in the background with a group of running giraffes and a group of elephants
    Netflix

    It's a post-apocalyptic world where cities are run-down and overgrown, and you're more likely to see a pack of zebras run by than see a packed freeway. The stunning scenes make for a weird yet gorgeous landscape (shot in New Zealand) that exhilarates the senses. 

    16. The show's friendships are realistic.

    17. Family friendly.

    A nurse holding a hybrid baby in a maternity ward full of hybrid babies, one looks to be part monkey, another part bird, all with fur or coloring that isn't human
    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Executive produced by Robert Downey Jr. and his wife, the plot is definitely compelling enough for adults to get down. But if you've got some little ones around, you don't have to worry about loads of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll to get the kicks in Sweet Tooth. It's pleasantly refreshing! 

    18. Perfect episode count for a binge-watch.

    Netflix / Via giphy.com

    There are eight episodes ranging from about 40 minutes to an hour, so you can knock out a couple in an evening and still have plenty to go throughout the week. 

    19. You'll be waiting on the edge of your seat for more.

    And there we have it! Sweet Tooth is a truly special show. If you're still not convinced, just give it 10 minutes and see what happens...

    Netflix

    Are you already a Sweet Tooth fanatic? Let us know in the comments!