STARS: 4/5
New Netflix satirical original series “American Vandal” plays upon pop culture phenomena such as NPR’s “Serial,” and Netflix’s “Making a Murderer,” to create a hilariously clever work. While the series mocks the true-crime genre, it creates an intricate and enticing mystery through well-developed characters and story lines.
Created by Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda, the series documents fictional Hanover High sophomore and filmmaker, Peter Maldonado and his friend, Sam Ecklund’s, investigation in the case against Dylan Maxwell, who was expelled for vandalizing 27 faculty cars with obscene images.
Maxwell, played by Jimmy Tatro, is an idiotic yet lovable character the audience finds themselves oddly rooting for — whether it’s because of his childlike, nonchalant demeanor or his immediate status as an underdog, I’m not sure.
Maldonado and Ecklund, played by Tyler Alvarez and Griffin Gluck, respectively, are a self-aware dynamic duo whose investigation in the case goes beyond the immediate conviction and expulsion of Maxwell as they dive into various leads such as teenage summer hookups, pranks and
eyewitness reliability.
The unbiased truth the pair devotedly search for is challenged by their biases and sometimes leads them to unintentionally hurting classmates, members of the community and each other.
What’s brilliant about this show is its dedication to an intricate story line that mocks the true-crime form while not relying on humor alone.
The use of old home footage, one-line-statements and ominous music in the series trailer feels real despite the ridiculous subject matter.
One of the first things viewers will notice during the opening credits is that all attribution including direction, filming and production is given to Maldonado, Ecklund, and other members of the fictional high school. Even a small detail like this is critical to bringing believable characters to the story right from the start.
The series acknowledges how ludicrous the subject matter is, but takes seriously the repercussions this could have on Maxwell’s life, creating an undertone that allows for investigation to take place without being overshadowed by comedy.
What’s most impressive and convincing about the series is its copious use of information that’s all been developed in studio. Throughout eight episodes, Maldonado and Ecklund use tweets, Snapchat footage, Instagram photos, Facebook pages, family photos and home footage. Each character has a clean-cut, developed back story that creates a cohesive narrative.
In the end, the show gets deeper as the characters’ high school experiences come to an end. Maldonado examines societal stereotypes high school students face and what this does to people’s expectations of one another and themselves.
Overall, “American Vandal,” is a clever mockumentary that utilizes humor to pull people in, but uses an intricate plot and in-depth look at high school life to keep you constantly hitting “Next Episode.”