Tuca & Bertie
Written By: Margaux Fortier
Joining the Adult Animation section of Netflix on May 3, Tuca & Bertie is a must watch. Tuca & Bertie is about two 30-year-old bird best friends trying to navigate the world. Tuca, a brash and unapologetic toucan, and Bertie, a people pleasing and anxious songbird, are experiencing life together while also dealing with their own individual demons and insecurities.
Filling the space left by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson when Broad City ended, Tuca & Bertie centers around the life experiences and changes that come with their age. Because they are at different points in their lifestyles and in their careers, they lean on each other as much as they can but also must navigate problems and changes themselves. Bertie is moving in with her boyfriend for the first time and Tuca is moving into her own apartment as a result. Tuca is working temp jobs around Bird Town while Bertie is looking for a promotion at her Data Analysis job and also secretly wants to learn to be a baker.
Though the bright and colorful animation may put forward the idea of a zany and light story, major themes and issues are addressed through the lives of these animals. Anxiety, addiction, loneliness, workplace harassment, confidence, modern relationships, and pressure to fit a certain mold, are all addressed while intertwining them with humor and playfulness. Very much like how Netflix’s other animated show, Big Mouth, can shed light on the struggles and daily worries of a middle school student, Tuca & Bertie can help to represent women in their 20s and 30s to see their own experiences in a way that they never have before.
Tuca and Bertie are voiced by Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, known for their achievements in the world of comedy and film. This pairing is breaking new ground with women of color as the leads, bringing further exploration to characters that haven’t been shown together in this way before. They work well as a team in the scenes they have together, as well as allowing their characters to shine individually. Cleverly crafted and created by Lisa Hanawalt, Producer for BoJack Horseman, Tuca & Bertie is exploring a realm that people didn’t know they needed.
Zany and compelling. Hilarious and endearing. Absurd, Raunchy, Quirky, and Irreverent. Tuca & Bertie is bringing a spin to Adult Animation that will pave the way for television and animation moving forward. Tiffany Haddish, Ali Wong, and Lisa Hanawalt are a powerhouse for the world of women in media and as a team are really making a difference for women everywhere.
Tuca & Bertie is available on Netflix
https://www.netflix.com/title/80198137
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8036272/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1840504/?ref_=tt_cl_t1
