Oddballs (2022–2023) User Reviews

This show gets more hate than it should

[cooperahurst · 7/10 · 9 October 2022]

This show is by no means perfect, but it annoys me to see so many people giving it 1 star after only watching the first episode. Obviously the show is aimed at a younger audience, but that doesn't automatically make it bad. After finishing the whole season, I personally think it was really fun and honestly much better than what we saw in the trailers.

I think the people blindly giving the show bad reviews should at least watch the whole show before leaving reviews.

I was especially impressed with the animation, it goes far beyond anything we've seen on James' YouTube channel and it's very interesting to see how far he's come over the last few years, and I think you should all give it a try. Obviously, not everyone will like the show, but I'd say it's still worth a watch.

I'm a fan of James on youtube, but this is not James on youtube.

[onemillionpapercranes · 5/10 · 10 October 2022]

There is a certain charm that comes with the simple animation and low budget of youtube animators. Unfortunately once Netflix get's their hands on it and injects their patented formula for failing nearly every original Netflix series they create, it loses that charm.

The show itself seems to be attempting to be some sort of Adventure Time/Regular show clone. As far as I can tell (I haven't watched ever single theodd1sout video) the James in Oddballs is a completely different, incredibly dumbed down version of the version he plays for his youtube audience.

I'm proud of James for selling out, I would have done the same, but it's too bad it turned out to be such a chimera of every other garbage cartoon Netflix has pumped out for the last few years.

Fun show

[langelandeirik · 7/10 · 10 October 2022]

There is really not much more to say here. I binged the whole show while playing videogames, and it was a goof background. I found it entertaining, but certantly not revolusonary, but its not trying to be. The demographic is obviously for a lot younger children, kind of like clarence, but it gives off that childhood energy. And while clarencr certanly gives up mpre childhood nostalga, this show is overall better. The characters, while interestibg is kind of lacking in a definate substance, escpesially James and Max. You can clearly tell they are kept a bit low on complex personallity so that they can be used in any setting. Compared to them, Echo is a lot more complex, and is by far the best written one.

So its a good show, and I hope we get a season 2.

Inexperienced Creator

[willstind · 6/10 · 8 July 2023]

Now first of all, it's not terrible and it's light years better than velma. But it's still pretty bad.

Plot: the plot is a very early 2000s kind of episodic story structure. A kid in a small town full of friends and wacky adventures. James is the creator of the show' meaning he is a bit inexperienced with these. Oddballs is a kids show, but is being watched by adults. So that combination lacks entertainment so it's obvious the audience is expecting serialization...unless the kids show is bluey, then that's fine.

Characters: 2 seasons into this series and the characters lack everything, max is just there because their best friends but they don't explore why that's the case, it just happens. Echo is a time traveling kid from the future, an "odd" combination? Yes. But did they push her limits?... No' of course not. It's unexplained why this character matters at all. Mr. Mcfly is james and Max's head teacher and they do wacky stuff with this character but he's more of a plot device than a character. Max's parents and James's parents are just their cause why not. The entire show lack diversity where it reaches the 4th dimension.

The Actual Story: plots and stories are different in mumy opinion. The plot is where the show is beginning and it's surrounding environment, and story is the beginning to the end and everything in between. Like i said 2 seasons into this series and every character barely matters. The only serialized part about the story is where toasty lives in the end of s1e1 and then came back s2e8 just for this character to be completely wasted. I guess toasty was the reason why echos timeline got nessed up and had to stick along for the series. But that precious potential was also wasted.

I think in season 1 they should have given depth into side characters more and end the first season with the ending of season 2 then serialize the story a bit in season 2 and don't let any possible potential be wasted.

But for now oddballs is at it's "All Time Low"

Oddly Wholesome

[jjenk911 · 8/10 · 11 October 2022]

I want to say that I'm a 39-year-old man who enjoys watching cartoons. The last cartoon I watched on Netflix is Cuphead. I'm also subscribed to James' YouTube channel. When he announced that he got a show up on YouTube - after two years of working on it and shopping it around - of course, I'm going to watch the show.

So far I'm on episode 5 and I find it oddly wholesome. James wanted to go for the younger demographic, mainly kids. I have no issues with it either.

From what I've seen, it's a season of YouTube episodes for kids and YouTube subscribers alike. I got a few laughs out of this show and, if there's a second season, I'll watch it.

This show won't be for everyone and that's okay. Your mileage may vary from opinion to opinion.

Average children's tv show

[dqnmzrpsn · 6/10 · 25 October 2022]

James has tried really hard with the script but I doesn't work. The shows plot isn't clear enough for the audience and isn't that special as the plot for each episode is basic and unique. The character doesn't seem interesting and is partly based off his YouTube persona with a bit of tweaking making him small are more childish. The only good character on the show is Max as he has a more interesting and unique backstory making the show better.

In conclusion, the show is okay and isn't mind blowing. The character surrounding the main character are more interesting than him and make the episodes more fun.

Good ideas, dull episodes. Okay for kids though.

[aceways-67378 · 4/10 · 9 October 2022]

People saying this is bad are likely not the right age group for it. The show is well-animated and has a very fun creative concept. The voice acting of some characters is great, and it's passable on the main three characters. The humour is more casual, there's not many laugh-out-loud moments, but it's not awful, it's just not supposed to be a full-on comedy for older kids or young adults. This however also brings a problem as the episodes are quite slow and not really very interesting.

Some of the plot ideas for episodes are really good, the synopsis's got me excited to watch them. But the episodes themselves feel like a bit of a let down. James gets turned into a phone - hilarious. But the episode isn't very interesting or funny and it pretty predictable. (Mom tells him not to get damaged for 24 hours, anddd you've figured out the rest). There's not many twists or good jokes to make up for that.

If you're an adult who likes cartoons like Adventure Time, Owl House, or even Looney Tunes, you probably won't like this, it's clearly aimed at a younger audience. The crocodile is cute and kids will like his mascot-like personality and energy. James is kind of a rude brat but has some good animations, Echo is... well she's kinda dull but she's not really the focus.

Overall, it's not for us, it's for kids, and for kids it's.... Okay. And it looks nice.

Adult reviews a kid's show

[ilpo-surokivi · 8/10 · 11 October 2022]

Let's address the elephant in the room first. Why do James' parents always wear clothes but James never has any. This is the same thing as Disney characters. Mickey didn't traditionally ever wear a shirt and Donald doesn't wear any pants ever. Kids won't notice this though. But it's hilarious. Yeah yeah, he's a bubble boy but his parents are bubble adults and they wear clothes so the logic still applies.

I don't know why this show has so low rating. At least it isn't overly liberal and it's basically slapstick comedy and funny. Each story is only that one episode like most kids shows and this show is pretty good. I basically sometimes watch kids' shows because of the lighthearted silly humor.

Not mind blowing, nor terrible.

[giuliobalsamo · 7/10 · 22 October 2022]

Oddballs isn't a show that tries to be anything too enticing and epic. With a crazy and active storyline. It's just a show giving you a couple of funny adventures, and i'd say it works pretty well.

I'd first of like to say, that i am impressed that the rating is as low as it is.

Sure, youtuber shows or movies like: Game Therapy, with Favij, Smosh the movie, or even joke movies like Giuoco Terapia, by QDDS have always been rated quite poorly.

And i do understand the negatives about them. But if there are YouTuber movies or shows that don't deserve this much low rating. They would be: Game Therapy and this.

I feel like a lot of the low ratings come from the fans that always expect something to be on the same style as the channel for the sake of their characteristics.

And some would come from the ones that actually understand why it's bad.

In my opinion, i don't think it's that bad for a star as James. Sure, i also realized there could have been more, but i still feel like that how it's been released, doesn't feel like it's terrible nor mind blowing. It's just a fun and quirky show.

If you want a quick laugh, check this out. And hey, if there will be a season2, it could probably get better.

Not awful but pretty boring.

[mjmangobean · 2/10 · 9 October 2022]

Not terrible but also not very funny. You can tell all off he effort went into the art, which is nice. However the voice acting is distractingly bad and the episodes are slow and boring. I am a fan of Oddonesout so I was dissapointed with this. I think the main problem is putting James in the story and making him practically the same person he is on YouTube (which is his real life persona). This works great for videos but doesn't make for a very interesting character. I don't like Max or Echo either.

Occasionally there's a good background character who has a fun design but the script just isn't very interesting. I've seen half the episodes and I keep hoping for something interesting to happen but it never does.

Entertaining show for a younger audience

[ma02rc · 8/10 · 8 October 2022]

To start, I've watched theodd1sout's videos on YouTube a while ago, and to see him grow to get his own Netflix show was astounding. His animation quality has improved drastically over the years from simple stills on a blank background to fully fledged animated characters against vibrant scenes.

But anyways, I decided to watch an episode to see how I liked it and to be honest it wasn't really for me. It's not because it's bad or anything, which it most definitely is not, but it's because I'm not the intended audience. The humor is more for a younger audience, so I didn't really find the jokes to be super funny and kind of cringed at some of them. But again, it's for a younger audience, so I'm willing to set that aside.

Visually, the animation is of a high quality. What I've seen in this show was incredibly impressive, with fluid and smooth movements, probably on a higher level than that of some more well-known cartoons nowadays. The simple design was appealing to view and wasn't overly colorful and dramatic.

In terms of audio / voicing, the sound effects worked well and weren't used in excess or in inappropriate scenarios. The voice acting in my opinion was pretty average, I didn't really have any major qualms with it. Overall, nothing too much to say about the audio which is a good thing.

In short, it's a great show for your kids! If you're in an older age group though I don't think you'll get the same level of enjoyment out of it, but it's still a fairly good show, nonetheless. I look forward to seeing what else James comes up with next and wish him luck on his future endeavors.

Passion Project with Minor Flaws

[BeepBeep527 · 7/10 · 5 December 2022]

I'm gonna start off with the good things about this show first. This show is a very cute, wholesome passion project. You can tell that the people who worked on the show enjoyed themselves while making it. The show is pretty harmless and is satisfying for general audiences above 10yrs old. There were several jokes that genuinely made me chuckle, and other premises and events that made me smile. All in all, it's a pretty solid show.

My criticisms for this show are relatively minor. The pacing from time to time can be inconsistent. There are also some themes (for example, an entire episode about the child protagonist asking his Mom for a phone, getting shot/bleeding out by a piece of toast, and a dead body coming out of a lake after a toaster was dropped into it, an exorcism) that may be offensive to certain parents. I also was not a fan of the third introduced protagonist named 'Echo', as her snarky behavior becomes relatively annoying, and degrades the protagonist's friend, the talking alligator, 'Max' to a weak comic relief. I enjoyed the first couple of episodes with just James and Max more than I enjoyed the episodes with Echo.

All in all, the show is solid and very wholesome overall. There are several writing decisions that weaken the dynamic between the main character and his friend, all of which can be explained by the writers and producers of this show having a lack of experience in the field. This is a great start in the field for the YouTuber behind the show, James Rallison, however.

It's okay

[joeltstew · 5/10 · 9 October 2022]

It's for a younger audience and for me most of the jokes don't land but the show does occasionally have a genuinely funny joke 2-3 times an episode. It's not terrible and it clearly had a lot of effort put into it and I suspect if your a die hard fan you'll love the show.

The animation is good with expressive characters and some well done visual gags.

I guess the problem with it is it's just to kid friendly. Its characters are friendly and predictable in a way that feels like something that a teacher would show an elementary class room on a holiday.

If you have kids under 12 I think this will be a hit in your house.

it's not what i expected

[sweetcutepanda · 7/10 · 10 February 2023]

I love oddsoneout a lot, and i was really excited when i found out that he would be coming out with a show. The story line is good but the episodes are long for no reason. I hate the character echo, she just seems like a filler character and the story honestly wouldn't make much of a difference if she wasn't introduced. It can be funny in some moments but it just seems long.episodes are about 15 minutes when at most they could be 8. I love max and his love for james. They suit each other very well but adding echo into the equation, it seems very forced. No hate to james but i think he could've done better.

Entertaining and fun

[supersayinmansir · 8/10 · 8 October 2022]

This show is both entertaining and fun. As an adult, I can turn on this show for both me and my kid can be entertained. I think James Rallison does a really good job as a voice actor and story board artist. The animation here is also really nice and smooth. I think the beginning of the first episode is a bit boring and the song is a bit annoying, but overall entertaining. I'm glad James Rallison (TheOdd1sOut) posted the first episode on his YouTube so I can share it with others and recommend the show. I do feel some episodes deal with the problem of having stories that definitely could be shorter, but overall, silly entertaining, and fun.

Not Bad, Not Great

[cnorth-04825 · 6/10 · 30 October 2022]

There is a lot here that works for Oddballs. The lack of realism and the whacky, zaniness isn't something I normally go for, but it works here. The voice acting is good, the sight gags are good, I even like the references... But... There are enough cracks in the facade to show that... There are middle-aged men behind this show who think they know what children want/are like and that really holds the show back. Not that great kids tv can never have that... But. It takes a fellow adult out of it because of how cliche it is, or perhaps the kind of cliches it includes. I like kid's media, but this seems too tainted by adult ideas. I'll revise my review after I finish the season, but right now... I'm going to take after making it through 3/4.

Not the worst, but not the best.

[Arienetty · 4/10 · 10 October 2022]

I'm four episodes in, and I have to say I'm a little disappointed. I haven't paid much attention to the promotion of the show, such as trailers and ads, so I went in blind.

I'm a fan of theodd1sout, so I was expecting more. I think I'm just in the wrong age group, as this is clearly aimed at kids. The jokes aren't that funny, the plot is simplistic to the point of being boring and the voice acting is just okay. This isn't for me, but I'm sure younger kids will enjoy it. The animation is top notch, though.

All in all, probably great for younger viewers, not so much for older adults expecting depth.

The first youtuber based show to not have the YouTuber as a celebrity.

[mncvdfbfbdvhffgvjhf · 8/10 · 13 October 2022]

A lot of creative ideas. OddBalls is a decent animated Netflix show created by Theodd1sout. At the start of the show it may be a bit disorganized but as the series progresses it becomes really good. All the characters are really well voiced and written, especially the main cast. The best part of the show is James the main character who questions everything in the everyday American life. So in conclusion it is a decent show that I think you should give a watch. Also the fact that a YouTuber made a show and did not make themselves a super star or a celebrity is amazing. A lot of youtubers have the need to do that.

Totally inappropriate

[thewildeoakes · 11 October 2022]

My 4 year old was recommended this show during the credits of Sing, so of course she clicked on it. Probably a proper warning would have been nice also Netflix why are you recommending something barely PG after a kids very G rated movie, this show is on a whole different level.

While green blood may pass stopping someone from bleeding out by inserting a piece of toast back into their stomach is not really what small children should see. The next episode stepped up a notch by making the whole premise about getting a new smart phone, mmm so appropriate for small children because I really want to be asked when she can have a real phone. Needs an extra warning and in my opinion should not be on the kids portal.

Entertaining, simple but memorable characters.

[sisubalan · 7/10 · 27 December 2022]

At first it reminded me of adventure time due to the simplicity on the characters design, explosion of colors and mellow sound scores. But then it started to get into its own pace and felt very original for me. No any solid storyline, just random day to day short plots. Highly entertaining but doesnt felt comedic as it was potrayed. Interesting voice castings, took time for me to enjoy. Great animation style and loving the bright tone. Great intro, memorable characters and somewhat having a high revisit value. Made for everyone regardless of their ages. A bit shorter to my liking but recommended.

Jokes are kind of flat.

[artforasses · 5/10 · 12 October 2022]

I'm a fan of James YouTube series and this series has potential, I just personally think it lacks in comedy. Some jokes are okay but others just seem like scrap jokes. For example there's a reference to Mrs Doubtfire where they use Mrs Doubtcar. Which doesn't make sense as Mrs Doubtfire wasn't a fire... What about Mrs DoubtTyre so at least it rhymed? The jokes just need a bit of work to make them funny.

The episodes too are good ideas but not great execution. James being a phone for example, there is soooo much you could do with that. The kids never had a smart phone before, he could go crazy with all the apps. But instead he just tries out like 3 of them and the episode focuses on him not getting cracked.

Overall the show has potential but I think the writing needs a lot more polish. I realise it's for young kids, but there are jokes that work for young kids and also are good. And the episodes really drag (like the line one where nothing happens until right at the end) which I don't think would grab the attention of a kid. A lot of it is just talking in pretty environments.

Animation is top notch, art style great. Just episodes drag and aren't very funny. Still shows a bit of promise though and I'm sure James has potential to create a great cartoon, he just needs a good writing team behind him.

Exceeded Expectations

[mona-alemadi · 9/10 · 14 October 2022]

Usually the first episode gives an indication of what the rest of the show will be like, it is not the case here. It went from good to excellent very quickly.

I am an adult in my mid 30s who doesn't watch cartoons on daily basis. Finding an entertaining cartoon for both me and the family kids is challenging, so here comes Oddballs.

There is a perfect balance in this show, it brings the best from James's show on YouTube and the best from the cartoon industry. Plus I was glad that Netflix didn't ruin it. They have the tendency to destroy promising shows, this time they didn't. This is why my title is "exceded expectations".

Really looking forward for a second season!

an okay show from the odd1sout

[JustAObjectShowFan · 7/10 · 9 July 2023]

I watched all of this show (seasons 1 & 2) and i honestly think the show isnt as bad. Yeah sure sometimes it lacks in a few key things, but i think season 2 does the plots & including side characters and episodic episodes better. Season 1 was okay, but not as good as season 2. Most side characters didnt have much of an important role, but season 2 includes them more which is what i liked. The quality of episodes also slightly improved, which i liked. There were also a few out of context moments which i laughed at. Overall, it isnt a bad show but not a good show. Season 3 seems kinda promising.

Yay and Nay.

[mjmikomiji · 5/10 · 9 October 2022]

The art style is great, animation is creative, and some of the jokes are pretty good. However most of the jokes I don't find that funny and the episodes tend to drag and not be very interesting. (I'm 22 though and think it's aimed at a younger audience.)

What I do like though, is that they made the character James be a bit of a jerk who complains a lot, which makes him much more interesting as he could have just been a generic nice, every-man character. In the first episode James flat out murders their traumatised toaster child because they raised it wrong, immediately after consoling it, all because he wants breakfast. LOL. The first episode was the best imo.

It's an okay-show in my opinion so give it a watch.

Surprisingly fun

[cshreff-15337 · 8/10 · 9 October 2022]

I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't expecting very much. It's not that I doubt James as a creator, it just had a lot of things going against it. Netflix original animated kids shows don't have the best reputation, and neither do youtube originals. But despite all that, I've always liked James's YouTube channel and thought I should give it a fair go. I'm glad I did. It's fun, actually pretty funny, and even has some serialized story elements. The animation is really good too, and I really like how well it balances absurdity with slice of life. Also, despite it being aimed at kids, a couple of the episodes were weirdly dark, if you've seen the show you know what I'm talking about. I wasn't expecting to like Max, just assuming he was gonna end up being the stereotypical brain dead sidekick character, but he actually has some depth and isn't dumb, more just naive. Its not gonna be some super deep experimental masterpiece with 50 seasons and an extensive amount of complicated lore and 736 characters, it's just a fun, well animated and pretty funny kids show that adults can enjoy too. I've noticed that most people giving it bad reviews either haven't seen more than the first episode, or haven't even seen more than 3 minutes of the first episode, while the positive ones watched all of it. James, if you see this, good job. Same goes for everyone else who made it a reality, he couldn't have done it without you folks.