Son of Zorn (2016–2017) User Reviews

A modern day Flintstones about a divorced dad trying to reconnect with his son

[Ed-Shullivan · 8/10 · 25 September 2016]

I was not sure if Son Of Zorn would be a TV series that would interest me but after watching this past weeks pilot episode I must say the concept and story line are funny and interesting The interaction between the cartoon character barbarian named Zorn who hails from the island of Zephyria with his real life ex-wife and 17 year old son is something unique. Now there is no one who thinks higher of Zorn than Zorn himself. Zorn is an egomaniac warrior god who decides to temporarily stop fighting his enemies on the island of Zephyria and to travel by plane and bus as normal human beings are expected to, and he travels to Orange County California only to discover that his 17 year old son is a vegetarian with no desire to kill or fight anyone and his ex-wife Edie, (played by Cheryl Hines) is engaged to be married to a dweeb professor Craig, (played by Time Meadows) who teaches through an on-line course so Zorn takes every opportunity to emasculate Craig.

Zorn's son Alan (played by Johnny Pemberton) is not exactly thrilled that his missing in action animated barbarian of a dad named Zorn has chosen to reappear in his life to try and reconnect with his teenage son and bond. There are some very comical situations that kept me laughing at the story as it progressed and Zorn's unorthodox approach in trying to appeal to his son Alan is unique to say the least.

During the end credits there is one last scene where Edie's fiancé Craig is left cleaning up a mess that Zorn created as a result of his barbarian world and his Californian families lifestyle collide. I liked the pilot episode and am looking forward to seeing what happens next. It kind of reminds me of the 1960's animated TV series The Flintstones with a unique story line that just seems to work.

I rate Son of Zorn a strong 8 out 10

An underrated show with alot of potential

[mobadizhere · 8/10 · 10 September 2018]

Son of Zorn is interesting, and the idea should've bought itself many more seasons. I'm utterly sad that it was cancelled and won't get any more seasons. Because watching this show made me very entertained, and it did not disappoint at all! This show is original, and will never not be entertaining!

A Star Is Zorn

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 26 September 2016]

There are some Zorn scorners here, but this show has an original premise: Father who hasn't seen his son--or his ex-wife--for many years decides to drop in for his son's birthday to reconnect, but finds they have little in common as they come from different worlds. The ex-wife shames him into moving locally so he can be present in his son's life like a responsible father. Makes you want to watch it right now, huh? Maybe not. But what if the father is a cartoon and he has to move into the unanimated world? That's the premise that makes it all interesting--an ANIMATED fish out of water story.

Jason Sudeikis voices the titular Zorn--a Conanesque warrior who also makes jokes and acts silly on occasion. Cheryl Hines is the ex-wife who moved from "Suburgatory" to suburbia and tries to forget the wild excesses of her former life with Zorn.

Much of the comedy originates from the juxtaposition of a cartoon with modern reality as when Zorn is hired for a sales job because he satisfies management's desire for diversity (not that cartoon characters are a protected class).

I was going to mention an error in the show in another section of IMDb, but I will list it here: At the beginning of the first episode, the volcanic island they show for Zephyria is actually the island of Xenaphydria--a common mistake, but the inhabitants--especially the Phydradites--are touchy about it.

There is a lot of potential in this comedy, but its success will depend on clever writing.

Could grow into a great show

[jellyneckr · 21 September 2016]

As one might expect from watching the advertising for the show, "Son of Zorn" is a really odd match for Fox. With its unusual story (at least by network TV standards), casual attitude towards comedic animated violence, and somewhat crude nature, the show is something that would feel right at home on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block on the weekends. As a Fox show, however, it seems stuck between a traditional network comedy focusing on a father who wants to be a better parent and the made-for-adults, absurd satire its creators probably would like it to be. That's not to say that the show isn't a lot of fun to watch. To the creators' credit, "Son of Zorn" is still one of the funniest shows I've seen all year long, even if it is a bit uneven. The mixing of animation and live-action works way better than I expected, Jason Sudekis is inspired casting voicing the He-man/Conan-inspired Zorn, the live-action cast is fantastic (Tim Meadows is given the best role he's had in years), and there are far more successful jokes than groaners. This could have easily been an unwatchable disaster, but it shows a lot of promise. If given a chance, "Son of Zorn" could easily grow into the best comedy network television. However, given how easily and quickly shows are canceled these days, I can't see "Son of Zorn" being the big hit Fox wants it to be. Still, "Son of Zorn" is worth checking out while it's still around. 7/10

some light fun

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 11 May 2017]

On the South Pacific Island of Zephyria, Zorn (Jason Sudeikis) is the heroic violent barbarian leader. It's his son Alangulon (Johnny Pemberton)'s birthday and he travels to Orange County, California to see him. His ex-wife Edie (Cheryl Hines) has new fiancée Craig (Tim Meadows), a professor of psychology in an online college. She's putting her wild days behind her. He decides to stay close to his son and gets an office sales job working for Linda Orvend (Artemis Pebdani) as the diversity hire. Layla (Clara Mamet) becomes Alan's girlfriend.

It's a fun irreverent show. The cartoon element is fun. The live actors are all terrific and they interact well with the cartoons. There is some good light comedy. It is a little different from the rest of Fox's cartoon slate. It doesn't have the biggest laughs but it's perfectly good fun.

Cool.

[sanjin_9632 · 6/10 · 9 January 2017]

When watching Son Of Zorn I can't help but recall 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. I absolutely loved that movie as a kid and I still get reminded of some scenes from that movie. This follows the same principle. Combining real with cartoon characters opens up a lot of space for unusual comedy. Sudeikis' voice adds to it.

Don't get me wrong, the show's far from perfect. It has many flaws. Mediocre writing (not enough good jokes) is only one of them. The cast is fine. I have to say this is definitely better than The Last Man on Earth. Zorn is silly, but in a good way. Forte's show is silly, but in the way that makes your hair stand up and/or your skin crawl.

I especially liked the Radiana episode with Olivia Wilde (Sudeikis' real life partner) voicing his +1 and former girlfriend. So far, this exceeded my expectations. 6.4/10

Bloody brilliant

[sdmfcrazyhorse · 10/10 · 25 September 2016]

I'm not going to waste my time rebutting the negativity surrounding this show. I loved this pilot and look forward to the future episodes. I grew up watching He-man and Thundercats in the late 80s early 90s. I also watched the Conan movies as a boy. The pairing of this aesthetic with a coming of age sitcom is just genius to me and wonderfully nostalgic. I am a big fan of traditional animation and miss the days of mixing live action with drawing. I am really excited and pleased that in 2016 this is being allowed to happen. I don't want this show to get cancelled because the wrong audience are reviewing it. So please if its not for you just walk away. i'm the target audience and I love it.

Good idea with some good stuff but not executed well

[MajBlade2 · 7/10 · 23 May 2021]

It was a really good idea. He-Man in a real suburb. I just think some of the story lines werent that funny by the end of the first (and last) season I was ambivalent about the whole show one of the best lines on the show happned early

when zorn reminds his ex wife about he tatoo on her butt

"talking about tatoos the one you have of my name with the Z on one butt cheek and RN on the other"

think about it.

How could they cancel this show?!

[bunny7741 · 10/10 · 16 November 2019]

I need to know what happens after the season 1 finale! This show isn't the best out there but it's definitely more entertaining than most of the other shows that are running. :( The concept and the cast are wonderful. I would love it if Hulu or Netflix picked this one up.

A Star Could Have Been Zorn

[lopezemm · 5/10 · 20 September 2021]

Son of Zorn is a situational comedy about a He-Man-esque warrior moving into Orange County to reunite with his son, his estrange wife and her new husband. This situational comedy is almost as trope-y as you would expect divorce dad, estrange wife, awkward teenaged son, etc. The show mixed animation with live action in a decent blending of the two genres. Most of the jokes are fish out of water jokes stemming from Zorn's being from Zephyria, despite this there are some concepts that are showcased well which come up in the later half of the season. It played with my expectations and although it's ending is a cliff hanger it leaves the potential for a revival (because this show definitely wasn't for primetime) for Zorn to once again try to be Master of the Universe!

The most underrated show you will ever come across ! ! ! :O

[namikazedante · 10/10 · 25 January 2017]

I first saw these commercials for the show on TV and it looked kinda funny with a animated dude-warrior. And it was the part when Zorn plays that guitar thing and when Greg starts to join in he smashes the guitar.

Anyhow this show is so freaking hilarious ! Your heart must be of stone if you don't find this show funny.

It is truly a genius thing they have done (yes I know about Roger Rabbit) but still it's a big fresh of air when it comes to today's shows. And the characters are fun and believable. Like Nick Offerman's character Dr. Klorpins. Haha just laughs when that character open it's mouth.

Anyway not gonna be boring anymore, The show is awesome so go see it ! And change these very stupid ratings on IMDb. Because a 6/10 is not fair rating for this show !

'Zorn' should be scorned.

[andrsbckly · 1/10 · 13 September 2016]

Often, as I watch a new TV show, I ask myself questions; how did they come up with the premise, what kind of humor are they trying to convey, etc...well, "Zorn" answered those questions quickly. The premise? Cartoon He-Man parody deals with the non-cartoon actual real world. As to the type of 'humor', there is little. Zorn glibly says/mutters his lines, and the premise of the cartoon 'fish out of water' dealing with reality by constantly stating that he is "Zorn, conqueror of the shepherds of blah-blah..." wears as thin as a bare tissue very quickly...the details- his ex-wife, his son, and so on, has absolutely no bearing on the humor, and you could replace them with any aspect of human characters and get the same result... unless you count nonsense recollections between Zorn and his ex about her former stupid behavior with him. Of course,from the network that brought us 'Brooklyn 99', the stunningly unfunny cop 'comedy' show, well, nothing surprises me. Someone should tell FOX that it doesn't matter how many commercials of Zorn they constantly throw at us, it is still UNFUNNY. You would think they would understand by now that you can't try to wedge and force another animated show into the Sunday line-up unless it is a comedy that is funny. A funny comedy. Did I just write that?

Yeah, I guess I did. Get on it, FOX.

Too sharp for most

[djburton-1 · 10/10 · 22 May 2017]

This show punches well above its weight, and clearly from the negative responses, well above the heads of most. The writing is sharp, the humour is - in spite of its absurdity -

quite nuanced and sophisticated, at times the equal of the best writing in Arrested Development or Archer. A sign of the times that a show of this quality can't make it past one season.

I haven't laughed so hard at one line in a long time

[sanjsrik · 10/10 · 12 September 2016]

Finally a show that is silly, smart, funny, and topical. Why did it take so long? Best line, "Oh, no, no, this bird would kill animal control if it wasn't so heavily sedated." Even better 5 seconds later, "What, it's painless, it went right through its spinal cord, didn't feel a thing." and then the next 5 seconds stabbing and chopping to kill said death bird.

There are very few shows that make me stop and laugh so hard that I spit whatever I was drinking across the room.

FINALLY, good silly writing married to an even sillier funnier plot.

Thank you.

Completely misses the mark

[CaptRon-2 · 2/10 · 27 September 2016]

Fox animation division has come out with many good shows (Simpsons, Bob Burgers) and a few that tried and failed (Cleveland Show) but all were good quality and entertaining. Son of Zorn is none of these with a poorly executed script, bad interaction between live-action sequences, and no place to go with the script. The quirky trailers were the highlight of the pilot and even those scenes set the bar painfully low. I am left to wonder if anyone actually watched the pilot before green- lighting the show for production.

If this show is still around after the November sweeps I will be surprised. Fox needs to cut its losses quickly and find a replacement.

Love this Show!

[lunargentmkb · 9/10 · 23 October 2016]

I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I think it's hilarious. The cliché divorced father trying to bond with his son theme is given a great twist. Combining animation with live action is definitely a gimmick, but it totally works for me. The entire cast plays it straight, interacting with a 7-foot-tall animated character in a totally natural manner. The animation is crude, but intentionally so.

The dialogue is sharp and funny. Cheryl Hines is predictably great. Tim Meadows, as her wimpy, excruciatingly politically correct new fiancé, is sublimely annoying. The kid is believable. Best of all, Jason Sudeikis, voicing Zorn, is a wonderful combination of of epically clueless and touchingly earnest, as he attempts to build a relationship with his son - and sell industrial soap dispensers - or was it paper towels?

The show also lacks the mean-spirited tone that keeps me away from the Fox animated comedies.

What were they thinking?

[gdump · 1/10 · 28 September 2016]

I love animation, but I've learned that with animated shows I have to ask myself, "Would I watch this if the characters weren't animated?" The answer for this show is a resounding, "No!"

It simply isn't funny. Annoying, stupid, and intelligence-insulting are all adjectives that suit it, but funny isn't. Add in the totally gratuitous cartoon violence and it crosses the line from not funny to actively disgusting. The fact that Fox only made 3 episodes sums it up nicely: even they don't have confidence that it will make it. We can only hope that it goes down quickly so that Fox will give something else a chance when replacing it.

Awesome and Fresh.

[pbgajanayaka · 9/10 · 24 October 2016]

I Was amazed when i saw the show.These actors are acting with a cartoon figure and they ought to be praised for that.They are just acting with thin air and it's a damn good comedy too. But , was terrified when i saw 6.4 and Gave a 9 out of 10 for this.Why all the negativity people?

This is fresh and a comedy with a new perspective.cartoon characters and humans mixed in a bowl of funny soup. Some of you will love it as this contains the combination of comedy and many other genre. And, to the others who are giving negative remarks, I will have to ask to broaden their horizons. Give it a go .You will love it. Just like I did.

Freakin Hilarious

[idontbrushmyhair · 10/10 · 10 July 2017]

Totally overlooked series. Would appeal to the younger crowd if they gave it a chance, but even more-so...people in their 30s. At first I was turned off with the whole cartoon/real life setting, and thought it would be stupid, but no...no no, I was wrong. This show is brilliantly hilarious. Zorn is the best.

Not Impressed So Far...

[MovieHoliks · 4/10 · 28 September 2016]

So far I've watched the first two episodes of this new Fox Sunday night show, and -to my surprise- not impressed so far. I believe that is Jason Sudeikis as the voice of the animated barbarian "He-man"-type lead character, and the actor playing his son was just on the first season of "Superstore", only with a stache? LOL Cheryl Hines and Will Meadows round out the cast as the mom and step-dad. I read another user post; something about why even make the lead character animated? And that is a very good point. I think maybe the show creators wanted to make reference to shows like "He-man" from the '80s, I dunno? But just not very funny at all thus far. And too bad; I was really looking forward to this show :/

If I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand.

[vadorman-196-34399 · 9/10 · 22 January 2021]

Just funny. Probably not for women. not sure I'm even going to tell my wife about it. As a 6'2" 230 lbs white male who worked construction for years handling large pieces of steel I have had to deal with testosterone, stereo types, and male ego mist of my life. So over the top. I laugh out loud. I don't even really like cartoons. Much can be learned about tolerance from this show if one doesn't take it too seriously. A guilty pleasure for sure.

so disappointing

[andy-97171 · 1/10 · 2 November 2016]

This series started off with so much promise but by episode 5 it has really lost the essence that made it great and turned into a below par look at suburban life.

I was really excited about this series when I first saw it. I loved the political incorrectness about it. I liked that it was sexist and a little violent. I am adult enough to understand that these things are not representative of how we should act and that this was a lighthearted look at modern society and some of our strange foibles.

Unfortunately it appears that the writers are trying to play it safe rather than continue with the edginess that was prevalent in the early episodes. Hey guys this is not a show for kids and doesn't need to be. The last thing we need is another TV series that runs through the formula for building a happy modern family.

This is fast becoming a soap opera.

great show

[inverbras · 10/10 · 19 August 2021]

Watched son of zorn ever since it came out in 2016 and continue to watch the repeats over and over. It is such a unique show, blending cartoonish zorn with real life people. Storyline is interesting and amusing. Don't understand why fox would cancel this show. Hoping that possibly one of the streaming sites (like amazon, hulu, netflix or disney) picks it up again.

Why would they cancel this show?

[aaronmccord10 · 10/10 · 16 October 2019]

I just discovered this show on HULU. It's GREAT. Why would they cancel this? It's really funny. FOX has the worst track record of canceling great shows, think FireFly. It's really too bad this didn't get a second season. It really could have taken off.

One Trick Pony that Gets Boring Quickly

[kingbk-2 · 2/10 · 11 January 2017]

Son of Zorn is one of those things like Saturday Night Live sketches that are funny in small doses, but try to stretch the concept out to say a feature film or TV series and it falls flat. The first couple of episodes of this show were funny with the whole "Conan the Barbarian cartoon character reunites with long lost son, who is part cartoon, part human, living in Orange County. Hilarity ensues." When you have such a concept like this, once the freshness is over, you need to rely on strong writing to keep people interested. The Grinder last year found a way to do that. This show, on the other hand, has gotten worse and worse each episode. The Zorn character I just find aggravating and the family is so choke full of stereotypes that I roll my eyes. Sketch like concepts sometimes are meant to be just that, and trying to extend them past their expiration date results in bad television or movies. Son of Zorn hasn't learned that lesson.