Woody Harrelson's star turn in the animated series 'The Freak Brothers' is a curious case of a classic comic book adaptation that seems to have fallen through the cracks. The show, based on Gilbert Shelton's 1971 underground comix, follows the adventures of three perpetually stoned characters, who, after smoking a magical strain of weed, find themselves in the year 2020. It's a time-displacement conceit that allows the showrunners to explore contemporary stories through the lens of these 1960s counterculture icons. But is it any good? Personally, I think the answer is a bit of a mixed bag. What makes this particularly fascinating is the show's ability to capture the spirit of the original comics while also adding a modern twist. The Freaks, with their laid-back stoner attitudes and unfocused chaos, are perfectly cast with Woody Harrelson as Freeheelin' Franklin, Pete Davidson as Phineas T. Phreak, and John Goodman as Fat Freddy Freekowtski. Their performances are a delight, and the show's supporting cast, including Phil LaMarr and Andrea Savage, add to the fun. However, one thing that immediately stands out is the show's lack of cultural context. The Freak culture of the 1970s, with its countercultural impulses and hippie idealism, is a fascinating subject, but the show doesn't delve deeply into it. Instead, it plays more like Boomer nostalgia, with its poop jokes and weed references, and it's comfort food for middle-aged people. What many people don't realize is that the original comics were a self-made, counterculture text that proudly flaunted its filthiness and drug content, happy to remain unpublishable by mainstream outlets. But in the 2020s, drug content is no longer on the edge, and 'The Freak Brothers' doesn't have the same counterculture impact as the comix. From my perspective, the show is amusing and dirty, but it's not as strong as it ought to be. It does, however, have time to improve. The third season dropped on Tubi on April 20, 2026, and it's worth checking out to see if the show can live up to its potential. In the meantime, I'd recommend reading the original comics to get a deeper understanding of the Freak culture and the counterculture of the 1970s. This raises a deeper question: Can a modern adaptation ever truly capture the essence of a classic comic book? What this really suggests is that while 'The Freak Brothers' is a fun and entertaining show, it's not a perfect representation of the original comics. It's a modern take on a classic, and while it has its merits, it's not as strong as it could be. But that's the beauty of art - it's always open to interpretation and improvement.
