Apple TV Plus is all set to premiere ‘Strange Planet’, a fresh show inspired by the popular extraterrestrial-themed comics by Nathan Pyle. The comic series is recognized for its little blue alien characters who navigate the world with a quirky sense of wonder, giving amusingly unusual names to commonplace objects; for example, ‘mouth stones’ for teeth and ‘star damage’ for a sunburn. Their endearing exploration of human absurdities has made them uniquely relatable.
However, this endearing factor poses a significant challenge for the upcoming 10-episode series of ‘Strange Planet’, set to debut on August 9 on Apple TV Plus. With the original comics and the two books, including the sequel ‘Stranger Planet’, readers have been free to imagine the voices of the alien characters. However, the transition to television lends these aliens an unexpected aspect. The curiosity arises regarding their voices – would they be small and thin, or delicate and fragile? The question remains, can an animated series truly encapsulate their verbose curiosity?
The comics, with their humor-infused narrative (or as the aliens would term it, ‘humorous’) make it easy for readers to interpret the jokes with perfect inflection. Transitioning this into an adaptation where other voice actors bring these characters to life could potentially be disconcerting, presenting the biggest leap yet for these out-of-water aliens.
However, ‘Strange Planet’ can boast of a strong lineup of voice actors, including Tunde Adebimpe, Demi Adejuyigbe, Lori Tan Chinn, Danny Pudi from ‘Community’, and Hannah Einbinder from ‘Hacks’. The press release from Apple TV didn’t reveal the nature of the adventures awaiting the cast, but it’s likely to reflect the narrative arc of ‘Strange Planet’.
So, perhaps it’s the perfect time to read the books and determine your imagined voices for the aliens. And who knows, you might just be right!
The first season of ‘Strange Planet’ will premiere on Apple TV Plus on August 9, with the release of the first three episodes.
