The Glorious Vulgarity of the <em>Big Mouth</em> Valentine’s Day Special
The new double episode on Netflix brings both genuine heart and warmhearted raunch to the classic holiday.
For many TV shows, the perfunctory Valentine’s Day episode presents a unique tonal challenge. Lean too eagerly into the holiday’s conceit and you risk a frivolous deviation from the broader ethos of the series, if not also its plotline. Skewer dear Cupid too gleefully, and you might alienate viewers with a soft spot for romance (or for chocolate). Even the best examples of the genre can set up a show to later be bogged down by the same holiday-specific terror that haunts its audience: the tyranny of high expectations.
