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It should have been obvious that Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, an acid trip of a biopic, would open up the floodgates to bring on an Elvissaince. Continuing the trend of reviving Elvis Presley and bringing the late singer into the current pop culture zeitgeist is Agent Elvis, a raunchy adult animated series that imagines Elvis as a foul-mouthed American spy.
From Sony Animations and creator Mike Arnold, Agent Elvis is an Archer-like animated series that takes what is known about Elvis and warps reality to offer an alternative take on the King of Rock. Inexplicably voiced by Matthew McConaughey, this version of Elvis is everything one might imagine Elvis was from the outside looking in, except the superstar is a vigilante spy with a cocaine-addicted chimp as his sidekick. The 10-episode series is a sleek animated production that is as stylish and bombastic as Luhrmann’s biopic. However, the vulgar jokes, explicit violence, and foul language are cranked up to the max.
Agent Elvis is pretty darn wild and entertaining. There are many unexpected and odd moments, but nothing is more unexpected and odd than McConaughey voicing Elvis. Not too dissimilar to Elvis, McConaughey has a voice that’s distinct and integral to his persona. In Agent Elvis, there is no attempt at even trying to sound like the iconic singer. If there was ever a reason to have an exaggerated take on the iconic Elvis voice, Agent Elvis is that reason. Stressing the oddness of the casting choice is the decision to have Elvis’ music play throughout, even during scenes depicting him singing. There is a stark contrast between how McConaughey sounds and Elvis’ singing voice — Austin Butler did not nearly ruin his vocals for life to have other actors follow his performance with half-assed portrayals of the King. The first episode instantly demands a suspension of disbelief as the psychedelic animation is rather immersive, but McConaughey’s voice performance is a barrier to overcome.
The other is Archer, the show to which Agent Elvis has a peculiar likeness. There is no shortage of animated series and films with strikingly similar animation styles. However, Agent Elvis is a series that demands individuality. It should be noted that Mike Arnold, the series creator and showrunner, worked on Archer. Agent Elvis is incredibly colorful and energetic, but the comparisons to Archer are undeniable and work against the series. From the writing to the characters, to the visual aesthetic and the characterization of Elvis himself, Archer’s presence is hard to ignore. The influence is deeply entrenched in the series and the title character. Animated Elvis is level-headed and less morally corrupt than Archer, but the character’s swagger, ego, and ability to communicate with his chimpanzee sidekick are too familiar. Howard Hughes (Jason Mantzoukas) is basically Krieger, and CeCe Ryder (Kaitlin Olson) is a poor man’s Lana Kane, with a hint of Carol and Pam. If one is familiar with Archer, it’s easy to see how the character dynamics, tone and aesthetic favor the long-running animated series.
Aside from the Wikipedia-deep intel about Elvis that differentiates this series from Archer, Arnold cannot establish a unique voice with Agent Elvis. There are some attempts that help flesh out the concept, but the writing reverts back to the most base level, growing tired and predictable before it even gets to Elvis’ induction to the secret spy organization in episode four. It is a stroke of luck that Elvis is as compelling as he is; his pop culture cache is substantial. Agent Elvis lives and dies on its ability to effectively reinvent Elvis and his life in this crazed alternate reality.
Visually, the show is a blast. Sony Animations has always been home to inventive and creative animation, and watching as it continues to expand is terrific. Agent Elvis has fun with the concept at hand. The use of color and framing particularly stands out. The recreation of notable Elvis imagery and moments is also fun for fans seeking out these nostalgic trips. The writing and jokes may fall flat, but what draws one in is the high-octane, highly-stylized action-oriented animation. Agent Elvis starts and ends with a bang. Audiences, even the skeptical ones, can admit that it’s entertaining.
It is just unfortunate how lazy and unimaginative the writing is. There are good ideas, brilliant ones at some junctures of the series, but the feeling of imitation permeates throughout. The writing and the vulgar jokes will earn a few chuckles, but there is so much more to be gained had Elvis been removed from the equation and Agent Elvis pulled a Walk Hard. Crafting an original superstar that moonlights as a singer by day and a spy by night is a concept that stands on its own.
Agent Elvis ultimately fails to rise above the Archer comparisons and pave a path as unique and engaging as its subject. It is unclear if Netflix will entertain a second season, but it is hard not to see the instant interest that Elvis will generate and how that enthusiasm for all things nostalgia will sustain its popularity. Agent Elvis is a fun, yet tedious diversion that might unintentionally send people to the superior raunchy animated spy series Archer.
Agent Elvis is now streaming on Netflix. It is ten episodes long and rated TV-MA.
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