Big Mouth is the painful, crass, and too relatable Netflix series on puberty. A small group of middle school friends explore who they are and what relationships mean to them in this often uncomfortable animation.
Each character is rife with flaws, but this list focuses on those of Andrew Globerman. Andrew is an intelligent young man prone to embarrassing foibles. His raging hormones drive him to make some questionable and shocking decisions. Andrew betrays his friends, uses women, and sexualizes innocent objects.
Betrayal
During the awkward and uncertain time of puberty few things are as important as your friends. You need to know your crew has your back while you face the worst your body and mind can throw at you. During a field trip to the Statue of Liberty Jessie gets her period with no warning while wearing white shorts. It’s basically a worst-case scenario. She turns to Andrew for help. The first hint that he’s going to royally screw-up is when he asks her if she can reimburse him for tampons. What a hero. He brings her a beach towel which technically helps and swears he’ll keep the incident between them. Predictably Andrew caves and spills the beans the second he’s asked what he was doing with Jessie. Breaking that promise was pretty lame.
Rage, Rage
Getting in a fight with your best friend is pretty high on the list of friendship no-nos. We’re supposed to have our friends’ backs no matter what. Your friends should be able to count on you no matter what. Nick and Andrew are inseparable best friends until puberty causes them to both go a little crazy. Drama ensues when the gang’s plan to attend an upcoming dance as a group is threatened. Nick’s been feeling pressure to grow up as he watches Andrew blossom. He decides to ditch his friends and get himself a date. Andrew’s hormones fill him with rage and he lays into his best friend right in the hallway for everyone to see. This was not their brightest moment as besties.
Unhealthy Class
There are few settings on earth less enticing than a public high school. The walls are usually painted like an under-funded state hospital. Everything smells like off-brand cleaner and armpits. Perhaps the least sexual and most uncomfortable scenario in high school is health class. The awkward lessons about human reproduction send most kids running for the bathroom pass just to escape. For Andrew, though, it seems the least sexy situations really set the mood. The mere mention of Fallopian tubes was enough to send him to to the bathroom in a sex-crazed trance.
The Cat Clock
Puberty is a struggle for everyone. That’s what gives the show it’s nearly universal appeal. The hormones coursing through your body can cloud your judgment and lead to some cringy decisions. The very first episode sets the tone for the rest of the show and it does it quickly.
Within the first 10 minutes, Andrew is breaking the sacred bond of trust with his best friend. Like most teenage boys Andrew feels urges in the worst places and at the worst times. During a sleepover with your best friend a few feet away is the worst time to heed the call of the hormone monster. Andrew bravely tried to resist but in the end, the unbridled sexuality of Nick’s cat clock was just too much. Yikes.
Using Lola
Lola is one of the most obnoxious characters on the show. As we get to know her it becomes clear that a lot of her irritating tendencies stem from her raw emotional state. The Shame Wizard refers to her as the world’s saddest girl. She may not win our hearts but she at least deserves our sympathy. Her tragic home life makes what Andrew did to her that much worse. Through the mysteries of middle school pressure, Andrew finds himself dating Lola. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that she’s not really the one. Despite not really liking her all that much, Andrew still chooses to use her to get his jollies. We hate to see such a fragile young lady used for his sick urges.
Holocaust Jokes
When the gang attends a sleepover at Jay’s house they discover his home isn’t exactly tidy. The place is a disheveled wreck and perfectly reflects the family living in it. Andrew immediately gets judgmental. Jay is one of his best friends, he should try to be more compassionate.
His lack of empathy for his friend is bad enough but he tops it off with a joke about one of the least funny subjects possible. “This place looks like the holocaust museum.” Andrew uncomfortably utters as he and Nick get their first look at the wreckage of Jay’s home life. This line takes teasing your friends to a whole new level.
Saucy
Andrew has a bit of an overactive imagination. We get so many glimpses into the darkest and most shameful corners of his mind. Even seeing his past depravity he still manages to surprise us. Andrew seems to take a lot of inspiration from the aisles at the grocery store. It’s no secret that he has a serious crush on a certain voluptuous butter mascot. Moving on from dairy, Andrew takes a stroll down the produce aisle. For some deranged reason that only those on the cusp of manhood can understand, the image of a ripe tomato pushes Andrew’s lusty fantasies over the edge. Leave the fruit alone Andrew.
Sister Act
There are some lines we expect our friends to just not cross. The mind of a teenage boy is a very dark and often sticky pace. The impulses and urges of puberty are impossible to resist. It’s these very urges that lead Andrew to one of his most egregious foibles. Andrew has done some pretty despicable things around his friend Nick’s house. Fantasizing about his best friend’s beloved cat clock was already pretty weird. Andrew cranks up the ew factor by an order of magnitude when confronted with the sight of Nick’s sister’s bathing suit. Andrew was driven to such a feverish lust that he decided to act on his impulses right then and there.
Party Pooper
Valentine’s Day is a tough day for most. Andrew happened to be love scorned and pining for the cheesy holiday. Missy is a liberal feminist. She doesn’t find any expression of possessiveness charming or romantic.
When Andrew starts to behave like a jealous jerk, she pulls away. While the character has never been known for treating women well this is sexism that crosses a line. Not to mention Andrew assaults a disabled classmate in a blind rage. That’s not exactly endearing behavior.
What A Chest
Gina goes through something many unfortunate girls have had to deal with but some experience sooner than others. Being the first girl to develop breasts at your school is a unique hell. Gina finds out just how awkward and isolating it can be to blossom earlier than the girls around you. The entire school becomes obsessed with her developing figure. None more than certified pervert Andrew Glouberman. He sees nothing wrong with his objectification. Andrew is happy to share his observations on Gina’s boobs with anyone who will listen. Gina won’t be the last female character to suffer this on Big Mouth, she’s just the first.
