Dead Boy Detectives follow two ghosts and their new psychic friend as they solve paranormal mysteries, while a powerful witch seeks revenge. The series now streams on Netflix.
Story
Charles Rowland and Edwin Payne, two teen ghosts, run the Dead Boy Detectives Agency and solve mysterious cases from their often paranormal clientele.
One such case leads them to exorcise a demon out of a girl named Crystal Palace. She finds herself to join the group eventually and the trio heads off to America for their new case.
There, they defeat a powerful witch and she grows vengeful. Meanwhile, the Lost & Found department in the afterlife gets alerted about the teen ghosts, and a team is sent off to bring them to the afterlife.
The trip must contend with the powerful witch, while Crystal also deals with her actual demon, all while they also keep Death’s bureaucracy at bay.
Performances
The lead performances in Dead Boy Detectives are worthy of all the praise that comes their way. George Rexstrew, Jayden Revri, and Kassius Nelson are brilliant and at the top of their game.
Yuyu Kitamura is unceasingly charming as Niko and Briana Cuoco is similarly heartful as Jenny the Butcher. Ruth Connell is adorable as the Night Nurse.
Jenny Lyon as the witch Esther Finch is singular and her screentime is marked by most charm and eccentricity among all. She’s a riot to look at whether it’s simply delivering her lines or seeing her physical acting prowess on display.
Positives
The intro is beautifully animated and scored, drawing one in right off the bat.
The casting is bang on the buck with each actor bringing their A-game and coming across as very believable.
The chemistry between the leads is electrifying, and it’s very easy to root for the main characters.
The effects serve a great purpose for the storytelling other that to just fill the frame and pad the screen time.
Some sequences are shot beautifully and the zany vibes overall are conveyed properly.
It’s always nice to see other/often older actors embody the dead boy detectives whenever the duo has to transform into humans as disguises
Negatives
The CGI is spotty at times, the effects look goofy even if they are in agreement with the tone or style, and the use of a green screen during one particular scene is abysmal.
The final episodes of Dead Boy Detectives don’t seem as properly fleshed out as the first ones.
Verdict
Dead Boy Detectives is an entertaining ride from start to finish, packing an eclectic punch of trippy fantasy elements and an endearing teen drama.
From the performances to the special effects and the story to the music, the series remains a delightful binging experience throughout its runtime.
Dead Boy Detectives
Director: Glen Winter, Andi Armaganian, Pete Chatmon, Cheryl Dunye, Lee Toland Krieger, Richard Speight Jr., Amanda Tapping
Date Created: 2024-04-25 12:30
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