By Sam Cronin, lifestyle editor
After a nearly six year hiatus, Tenacious D is back with a new web series on YouTube, “Post-Apocalypto.” The six part series, hand drawn by frontman Jack Black, debuted on Sept. 27 and will have a new episode every Friday. An accompanying soundtrack album will be released on Nov. 2.
The first episode of “Post-Apocalypto” takes fans into the inner sanctum of the highly reclusive, now-cartoon band. The gang, Jack Black and Kyle Gass, are back, older and scragglier, but in many ways the same as always. While casually playing some video game golf, an all-too-familiar problem presents itself to the two heroes — unpaid rent threatens disaster. With little time to formulate a course of action, the rock legends decide they need to make a new album to get money for rent. Alas, that would take time, time they didn’t have. What to do?
Ever adaptable, The D decide to pull off a one time television trope-inspired stunt. Of course, people love stunts and people will pay to see stunts. All they have to do to pay their rent is make this motorcycle jump. Over sharks. They are much too old for this. But whoa, they make it! Salvation seems achieved.
Until the unbelievable happens.
You’ll have to watch the full episode to find out the rest, but rest assured, Tenacious D are back true to form and just in time to tackle timely problems like environmental damage, political corruption and fiery dragons. All with the power of their friendship, their new companion and their rock. If that doesn’t grip you right away, that’s on you, friend.
The show brings back the bombastic comedy style fans have loved since the ill-fated and short-lived “Tenacious D” TV series. Black’s art style may not be the most realistic, or highest budget, but neither was “Beavis and Butt-Head’s”. It doesn’t need to be. The humor is almost made better by the simplistic comic style. The impeccable voice acting by Black and Gass brings the flat, caricaturish panels to life. Those unfamiliar with Tenacious D won’t have any trouble jumping into the band’s new story, which appears to be basically unconnected to their previous works.
Tenacious D always had an interesting way of tying their songs into their visuals. First was the rock opera/movie “The Pick of Destiny,” where the movie was almost like one long music video. Now, with “Post-Apocalypto,” they’ve found a way to almost serialize their videos. Each week’s episode is essentially a series of songs strung together by their theme and plot into an ~10 minute cross between Saturday morning cartoon and music video. It’s an interesting new format that’s exciting to see them expand into.
Check in weekly to Tenacious D’s YouTube channel for new episodes. The songs from each episode are also dropping individually on digital platforms before the release of the full album on Nov. 2.
