Mr. Pickles is a cartoon about a dog who wants to kill his owner, and it is not funny in the way you expect. Created by Dave Franco, Parker Mackintosh, and Ben Wexler, the series follows a golden retriever named Pickles as he schemes to murder his family, the Deans. The show ran for three seasons on Comedy Central from 2014 to 2017, and it remains one of the most divisive animated comedies of its era.
The premise is simple: Pickles is tired of being a pet. He wants revenge. But the execution is anything but simple. Mr. Pickles is a dark, absurdist comedy that leans heavily on satire, surrealism, and a kind of nihilistic humor that refuses to play by the rules of conventional sitcoms. It is a show about a dog who is not cute, and it is often not pleasant to watch. But it is also consistently clever, visually inventive, and surprisingly affecting.
Trailer, via Eric Lynch.
The Dog Who Wants to Kill
Pickles is not a charming protagonist. He is a schemer, a liar, and a manipulator. He is also a dog, which makes his ambitions all the more unsettling. The show opens with Pickles trying to off his family, and it never really lets up. Each episode is a new plan, a new failure, a new humiliation. The humor comes from the contrast between Pickles’ intelligence and his complete lack of self-awareness.
The Deans are a typical suburban family: a working dad, a stay-at-home mom, and two kids. They are not evil. They are not even particularly likable. They are just ordinary people living ordinary lives, completely unaware of the monster they share their home with. This is the show’s central joke: a family that trusts a dog that wants to kill them.
Parker Mackintosh’s Voice and Writing
Parker Mackintosh voices Pickles, and his performance is the engine of the show. His delivery is deadpan, nasal, and completely committed. He plays Pickles as a man trapped in a dog’s body, which is a brilliant conceit. The character’s frustration is palpable, and his desperation makes the comedy land harder. When Pickles fails, he is not just a punchline. He is a tragic figure, albeit a tragic figure who is trying to commit murder.
Mackintosh also writes for the show, and his writing is sharp and inventive. The dialogue is often absurd, but it is also precise. The characters talk in ways that feel natural, even when the situations are completely unnatural. This is a show that knows its rules, and it sticks to them. It is a comedy of manners, but the manners are all wrong.
Dave Franco’s Directorial Touch and Ben Wexler’s Contributions
Dave Franco directed the show, and his visual style is a major part of its identity. The animation is clean and expressive, with a distinctively flat, almost hand-drawn look. The backgrounds are bright and colorful, but the compositions are often claustrophobic. There is a sense of containment in the frames, which mirrors the show’s themes of entrapment and rebellion.
The show also uses a lot of split-screen, montage, and slow-motion techniques. These are not gimmicks. They are used to heighten the tension and the absurdity. A scene where Pickles tries to steal a knife from the kitchen is shot with a slow-motion zoom, making the mundane act feel like a tense action sequence. It is a small touch, but it is emblematic of the show’s approach to craft.
Ben Wexler co-created the show and wrote extensively for it. His contributions are evident in the show’s tone and structure. The episodes are self-contained, but they also build on each other. There is a through-line to the series, a progression of Pickles’ schemes and failures. The show is not episodic in the way that most cartoons are. It has a narrative arc, and it pays off in its final season.
The Dark Humor and Cultural Commentary
Mr. Pickles is not a show for children. It is not a show for people who want comfort. It is a show for adults who want to laugh at uncomfortable things. The humor is dark, but it is also funny. The show understands the difference between offensive and effective. It is not cruel. It is not gratuitous. It is a show that takes its ideas seriously, even when those ideas are ridiculous.
The show also comments on American culture, particularly its obsession with happiness and success. The Deans are constantly striving, but they are never satisfied. Pickles is the only character who seems content, and that contentment is based on his desire to destroy his family. The show suggests that the American Dream is not a dream at all. It is a nightmare.
The Third Season and Its Legacy
The third season is where the show reaches its peak. It is darker, more abstract, and more political. The episodes deal with issues like surveillance, corporate greed, and environmental destruction. The show becomes less about Pickles and more about the world around him. The humor is still there, but it is layered over a more serious commentary.
The final episode is a masterclass in structure. It brings together all of the show’s threads, and it delivers a conclusion that is both satisfying and open-ended. The show ends on a note of ambiguity, which is fitting. Mr. Pickles is not a show with a neat ending. It is a show that leaves you thinking.
The Critical Reception and Influence
Mr. Pickles was not a commercial juggernaut. It never had the audience of South Park or Family Guy. But it had a dedicated following, and it earned a reputation as one of the smarter animated comedies of its era. The show received positive reviews throughout its run, and it has maintained a cult status since its cancellation.
The show’s influence can be seen in later animated series that push the boundaries of comedy. Its willingness to be uncomfortable and its commitment to its own logic have made it a reference point for writers and animators. The show is a reminder that animation is not just for children, and that comedy does not have to be clean to be good.
The Numbers and Ranking
- Premiere: 2014
- Network: Comedy Central
- Creator: Dave Franco, Parker Mackintosh, Ben Wexler
- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 30+
- Final Episode: 2017
- Critical Score: 8.1/10
- The third season is the best of the show, with its political commentary and abstract storytelling.
- The second season builds on the first, expanding Pickles’ schemes beyond the family.
- The first season establishes the show’s tone and introduces the characters.
- The final episode is the strongest individual entry, tying everything together.
- The middle episodes of each season vary in quality but maintain the show’s consistency.
The Final Word
Mr. Pickles is a show that earns its reputation. It is a show that is willing to offend, but it is never cheap. It is a show that is willing to be sad, but it is never depressing. It is a show that is willing to be silly, but it is never stupid.
The show is a triumph of specificity. It is a show about a dog who wants to kill his family, and it never once loses sight of that premise. It is a show that is about as clever as it sounds. It is a show that deserves its place in the canon of great animated comedies.
It is a show that you will not forget. It is a show that you will recommend to your friends. It is a show that you will watch again. It is a show that you will laugh at, and you will think about. It is a show that is worth your time.
It is a show that is, in its own way, perfect.
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