Big Mouth: 10 Facts Only Die-Hard Fans Know About The Show
With five seasons and Human Resources, a new spinoff shedding light on the show's infamous Hormone Monsters, out on Netflix, Big Mouth has earned a loyal fan base with its refreshingly open approach to discussing issues like puberty. On top of that, the show deals with the problems that puberty brings with a hilariously honest and often appropriately juvenile sense of humor.
Though Big Mouth is one of the more talked-about animated shows on Netflix, there are plenty of interesting details about the coming-of-age sitcom that only the biggest fans are aware of. From the origins of the show to its surprising guest stars, these are just some of those facts.
As best friends since middle school, writer Andrew Goldberg and Nick Kroll were able to openly discuss their differing experiences with puberty and realize they could make a show about those experiences. The characters of Andrew and Nick were quickly born and went on to become the show's iconic best friends.
Their childhood experiences became the source of a lot of the show, including the character of Jessi who was inspired by another old friend of Kroll's. Additionally, as Kroll told NPR in an interview, when the writers began discussing the idea of representing puberty as a being who followed Andrew around, Nick was able to quickly improvise the immature, unfiltered voice of the first Hormone Monster.
Big Mouth's iconic intro theme song is a soulful rendition of Black Sabbath's Changes by Charles Bradley, that puts a new spin on the song in the context of the shows' themes of puberty and coming of age. The show also had Jordan Peele playing the late musician Duke Ellington who resides in the house of the Birch family.
Kroll told IndieWire that this was inspired by his family's visit to an apartment where Ellington once lived, and from that, he became an important role model in the character's life. Big Mouth also featured a ton of musical parodies of famous pop songs such as "Everybody Bleeds" and "Totally Gay", which took inspiration from a number of Queen songs.
Though it's clear that Jay, voiced by Jason Mantzoukas, has hit puberty as his storylines often focus on his sexuality and his habit of using inanimate objects in inappropriate ways, the character oddly lacks a Hormone Monster. This is is especially odd due to his closeness to the other main characters, who all have their own.
Maury explains this by suggesting that Jay is so controlled by his instincts that he acts as his own hormone monster, and he doesn't need an external one to interact with. In the episode "Steve The Virgin", it becomes clear that a hormone monster can be lost by losing ones' virginity, however, which has led to some fans coming up with their own theories regarding Jay.
Aside from voicing Nick Birch, Nick Kroll also voices several other main cast members including Coach Steve and the Hormone Monsters Maury and Rick. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the talent Kroll offers the show, as he also plays other regulars like Lola Skumpy, Mila and Lotte Janssen, and the talking ladybug who appears in some episodes.
John Mulaney, the voice of Andrew, also gives his voice to several other small characters as do much of the main cast. With a cast that includes talented actors like Jessi Klein, Jenny Slate, and Maya Rudolph, the show smartly employed them to play multiple roles throughout Big Mouth's 5 seasons. Many of the cast also appear in Netflix's new Human Resources.
Known for starring in 2 Broke Girls and Dollface, Kat Dennings has made a career out of starring in great female-led sitcoms and she also manages to add her distinctive style to the role of Nick's older sister Leah Birch. Despite her character having several years on Kroll's, she is nearly a decade younger than him in real life.
Additionally, the moody older brother of the siblings, Judd Birch, is just one member of the cast who previously appeared in Nick Kroll's own sketch show, The Kroll Show before becoming a voice for the show.
Unlike live-action sitcoms where celebrity appearances are very easily spottable, recognizing the voice talent of comedians and Hollywood actors in Big Mouth may be more difficult but there are plenty to be found. Bell and Quinto both appear as recurring characters Pam the pillow and Aiden, Matthew's ex-boyfriend, respectively.
Not all celebrity appearances are hard to spot, however, as it would be very difficult to miss Nathan Fillion, Missy's celebrity crush in the show, appearing as himself. Actors Richard Kind, Andrew Rannels, and Gina Rodriguez also all play recurring characters whilst Jon Hamm and Hugh Jackman have both guest-starred to pick out just a few.
In a show that is full of dysfunctional and, in some cases, disturbing relationships, the marriage between Cyrus and Monica Foreman-Greenwald is one of the better ones by far. Though they make some mistakes, both clearly love their daughter Missy dearly and the family bond they have is one of the most wholesome parts of the show.
It's possible that some of their connection came from the chemistry that the actors who voiced the couple shared in real life, as Jordan Peele and Chelsea Peretti have been married since 2016, a year before Big Mouth was released.
Though the character of Missy was originally voiced by Jenny Slate, whose best roles include Mona Lisa Saperstein in Parks and Recreation, the casting later became a cause of concern for the show due to the character's race. As reported by CNN at the time, Slate stepped down from playing the character in order for a black actor to instead play Missy.
In season 4, the comedian and writer Ayo Edibiri began playing Missy, and, although many viewers may have found the change noticeable at first, she has settled well into the role with nearly 2 seasons now under her belt.
For fans of the show who want another way to enjoy the Big Mouth experience, the show's creators released a full-length soundtrack album for the show titled Super Songs of Big Mouth Vol. 1. The album, which is subtitled "Songs from the Netflix Original Series", delivers 23 tracks, mostly performed by the cast in the show.
The songs are largely written by the show's composer Mark Rivers, who also performs on many of the tracks, and finishes with "Everybody's Going Through Changes", a reimagining of the opening song performed by Jordan Peele and Maya Rudolph.
For fans of the show unsure about its future with the release of the spinoff, there is good reason for reassurance as it has been confirmed that the show will have at least 6 seasons ever since 2019, as reported by Deadline. The series has tended to release new seasons towards the end of the year so the new season is worth looking forward to.
In the meantime, there is the spinoff to watch as well as plenty of shows to watch for viewers who already enjoyed Human Resources. With so much Big Mouth-related content available, there has never been a better time to be a fan of the Netflix series and its illustrious cast.