Tuca & Bertie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tuca & Bertie
Tuca & Bertie Title Card.jpg
Genre
Created byLisa Hanawalt
Voices of
Theme music composerJesse Novak
ComposerJesse Novak
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Alex Bulkley
  • Corey Campodonico
  • Richard Choi
  • Mike Hollingsworth
  • Steven Yeun
  • Gonzalo Cordova
  • Eric Blyler
Running time22–26 minutes
Production companies
DistributorTornante Productions, LLC
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Release
Original network
Picture formatHDTV 1080p
Audio formatStereo
Original releaseMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03) –
present (present)
External links
Official website

Tuca & Bertie is an American adult animated sitcom created by cartoonist Lisa Hanawalt that began streaming on May 3, 2019 on Netflix.[1] It stars Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, with a supporting cast including Steven Yeun, John Early, Richard E. Grant, and Reggie Watts.[2] The first season received positive reviews,[3][4] and was cited as one of the best shows of 2019 by several publications.[5][6] The show's central characters are two anthropomorphic female birds: Tuca the toucan and Bertie the song thrush. Episodes mainly focus on the two's relationships with each other and with their peers.

The series was canceled by Netflix after one season in July 2019.[7] In May 2020, Cartoon Network's nighttime Adult Swim programming block announced they ordered a second season of the series, which premiered on June 13, 2021.[8][9] In August 2021, the series was renewed for a third season.[10] Tuca & Bertie has received largely positive critical reception for its portrayal of adulthood and friendship-driven themes, as well as its humor and art style.

Premise[]

Tuca & Bertie follows "the friendship between two 30-year-old bird-women who live in the same apartment building, Tuca, a cocky, care-free toucan, and Bertie, an anxious, daydreaming songbird."[11]

Cast and characters[]

Main[]

  • Tiffany Haddish as Tuca Toucan, a toco toucan, Bertie's impulsive and newly sober best friend who works odd jobs and often relies on her wealthy Aunt Tallulah for financial support.
  • Ali Wong as Roberta "Bertie" Songthrush, a song thrush, Tuca's career-minded best friend, a senior operations analyst (previously a data processor) at Conde Nest, and aspiring baker.
  • Steven Yeun as Speckle, a robin, Bertie's strait-laced architect boyfriend.

Recurring[]

  • Nicole Byer as various voices including Speckle's grandmother Gamby the ghost cake; Bertie's file cabinet; lady in the bathroom at Bertie's office.
  • Richard E. Grant as Holland, Bertie's well-meaning but oblivious blue jay boss at Conde Nest.
  • John Early as Dirk, Bertie's lecherous, previously misogynistic rooster co-worker at Conde Nest.
  • Reggie Watts as Pastry Pete, an accomplished emperor penguin pastry chef that takes Bertie as an apprentice.
  • Shamir as "Draca", a house plant neighbor.
  • Jenifer Lewis as Aunt Tallulah Toucan, Tuca's rich aunt who has been supporting her financially.
  • Taraji P. Henson (first appearance) and Natasha Rothwell (second appearance) as Terry Toucan, Tuca's oldest sister.
  • Kate Berlant as the "Women Taking Up Space" Lady, a lizard.
  • Pamela Adlon as Dr. Joanne, Bertie's therapist.
  • Sasheer Zamata as Kara, a seagull hospital worker that soon becomes Tuca's romantic interest.
  • Adam Conover as Big_Hairy_Stallion69 (aka Joel), a horse Tuca meets online in a virtual sex chat, who later becomes gaming buddies with Speckle.
  • Patti Harrison as Martha, a teenage cactus living in the same building as Tuca and Bertie.

Guest stars[]

  • Awkwafina as Bertie's breast.
  • Tig Notaro as Yeast Week MC and Dr. Sherman, a flamingo physician.
  • Michelle Dockery as Lady Netherfield, the star of Bertie's favorite TV show The Nests of Netherfield.
  • SungWon Cho as Ultra-Sam S380, a hospital machine, and Kyle, the male version of Bertie that she imagines in her mind.
  • Amber Ruffin as Dakota with a Y, a naive, young canary who comes to work for Pastry Pete.
  • Laverne Cox as Ebony Black, a raven agent who works for the Center for Sex Bug Control, and Judge Sparrow, a Judge Judy-esque TV personality whose show Tuca is a fan of.
  • Tessa Thompson as Sophie Black, Ebony's adult daughter who comes to work for her after dropping out of business school. Ebony frequently belittles her for this and other missteps.
  • Jane Lynch as Meredith Maple, Bertie's former swim coach, a red-crested turaco.
  • Isabella Rossellini as Pat, Meredith's wife, a barn owl.
  • Lily Gladstone as Hawk Mechanic[12]
  • Michaela Dietz as Dottie, Speckle's sister[13]
  • Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Tamarind Toucan, Tuca's older sister and co-mayor of Birdtown with her twin brother and political rival Timbourine
  • Okieriete Onaodowan as Timbourine Toucan, Tuca's older brother and co-mayor of Birdtown with his twin sister and political rival Tamarind
  • Maria Bamford as Patricia Ramsey, a legendary victoria crowned pigeon horror novelist that once lived in Tuca's apartment whose ghost Tuca conjures in a seance, and the representative of moss
  • Max Greenfield as Thomas, Tuca's brother-in-law and Terry's husband, a quail.
  • Tunde Adebimpe as Desmond Toucan, Tuca's brother and food scientist who resides with Terry.
  • Randall Park as Bertie's father
  • Margaret Cho as Bertie's mother
  • Whoopi Goldberg as narrator of "The Flood."
  • Christina Pickles as the lighthouse keeper

Series overview[]

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
110May 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)Netflix
210June 13, 2021 (2021-06-13)August 15, 2021 (2021-08-15)Adult Swim

Episodes[]

Season 1 (2019)[]

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"The Sugar Bowl"Amy WinfreyStory by : Lisa Hanawalt
Teleplay by : Lisa Hanawalt and Raphael Bob-Waksberg		May 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
Best friends Tuca and Bertie are former roommates now that Bertie has invited her boyfriend Speckle to live with her. Bertie, anxious about taking their relationship to the next level, fears that any future disagreements between her and Speckle may mean the end of their relationship. Disguising her sadness at living apart from Bertie, Tuca moves to the apartment above Bertie and asks to borrow some sugar. Bertie gives away Speckle's sugar bowl, not realizing it houses his grandmother's ashes. Tuca, having since lost the bowl, helps her locate it. Along the way, the two confront each other about their anxieties. They track the bowl to the bakery of Pastry Pete, an idol to Bertie, who is herself an amateur baker. Tuca pushes Bertie to challenge Pastry Pete to a baking competition in exchange for the bowl. Bertie agrees, but finds herself attracted to Pastry Pete. Upon trying her croissants, Pastry Pete offers Bertie an invitation to be his apprentice. They recover the bowl, but the ashes are accidentally baked into a cake. Bertie apologizes to Speckle, who assures her of his desire to live together. Bertie in turn assures Tuca that she's always welcome to drop in.
22"The Promotion"Aaron LongLisa HanawaltMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
Bertie is focused on obtaining a promotion at work, but her attempts to establish rapport with her boss and display her ideas at the company meeting are blocked by her chauvinistic coworker Dirk. Later, Dirk sexually harasses Bertie, who is unable to get any support after reporting the incident to Human Resources. Tuca, meanwhile, engages in a series of small jobs to make money, to disastrous results. Upon learning that Bertie was sexually harassed and her chances of securing the promotion stymied, Tuca takes a temp job at the company and helps Bertie showcase her skills. Bertie is discouraged when her boss takes a liking to Tuca's energy and offers her the promotion position instead. Tuca assures her she doesn't want it and helps Bertie call a sexual harassment meeting. Other women in the office corroborate Bertie's experiences with Dirk with their own and Dirk is dismissed. Bertie requests and receives the job promotion, but learns that it means more overtime.
33"The Deli Guy"Mollie HelmsLee Sung JinMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
The normally confident Tuca has a crush on a deli worker, who she calls Deli Guy. After some pushing from Bertie, she asks him out on a date, but her nervousness causes her to act irrationally, alienating her date. She later reveals to Bertie that this was her first date since going sober, and she doesn't know how to react while flirting anymore. Bertie apologizes for pushing her into it. Meanwhile, Bertie has grown bored with her routine sex life with Speckle and attempts to spice things up with pornography. When that doesn't work, they try spanking and role playing, but Bertie has a surprisingly negative reaction to being called a "bad, dirty birdy." The two then watch her favorite British historical romance drama The Nests of Netherfield, and Bertie explains to Speckle that she really just wants to be surprised. Speckle manages to surprise her before work by setting up their apartment like the set of The Nests of Netherfield and romancing her.
44"The Sex Bugs"James BowmanRachelle WilliamsMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
Tuca has contracted parasites called Sex Bugs, hard-partying, sex-obsessed insects that live in her pubic hair. She convinces Bertie to go out with her to buy some lotion to get rid of them, though Bertie is apprehensive, having called in sick to work to avoid giving a big presentation. Tuca promises it will be a quick trip. Along the way, they encounter a women's empowerment seminar and Bertie takes a flyer. At the store, Tuca disregards the warning labels and mixes the parasite lotions together, causing the Sex Bugs to grow to human size and run amok. Ebony Black, an investigator for the Center for Sex Bug Control, arrives to exterminate them. Tuca objects, stating that the Sex Bugs just want to party and have fun and demands a trial, with Bertie as her counsel. Bertie, whose anxiety has skyrocketed from the trip, initially refuses until Ebony Black's partner Sophie insults Tuca. Bertie capably wins the trial, determining that Tuca contracted them from a bush in a protected historical landmark, which prohibits the killing of the protected Sex Bugs. Realizing she can handle more than she thought, Bertie takes up Pasty Pete's baking apprenticeship and gives her presentation at work.
55"Plumage"Amy WinfreyNick AdamsMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)

Tuca visits her wealthy Aunt Tallulah for her birthday. Speckle joins so he can see Tallulah's architecturally significant home. Tuca reveals that she grew up poor with her siblings and her single mother, who loved them, but died young. Tuca was taken in by her aunt, who continues to write her checks. The three celebrate by binge drinking, though Speckle notices that Tallulah's comments are highly critical of Tuca. Tuca later reveals to Speckle that she has not told her aunt about her sobriety for fear of bringing down Tallulah's birthday mood. Speckle encourages Tuca to stand up to Tallulah. When Tallulah insults Tuca's mother and mocks Tuca's sobriety, Tuca tears up the check Tallulah wrote for her and leaves. Tallulah yells after Tuca that everyone will leave her. On the drive home, Tuca fears her aunt is right that she will end up alone.

Meanwhile, Bertie takes the women's empowerment seminar after encountering a creepy plumber in her building and comes up with a mantra demanding a right to her personal space. While at the bakery, Pastry Pete forcefully presses against Bertie, which causes her to excuse herself to the restroom, where she feverishly masturbates.
66"The Open House"Aaron LongKaren GraciMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
Speckle, Bertie, and Tuca spend the day touring open houses to fantasize of home ownership. However, when Speckle and Bertie encounter a home they actually are interested in, they decide to put in an offer. This alarms Tuca, who is worried she will be left behind while they move ahead in their adulthood. She adopts a pet to help her form more commitments and adopts a wild jaguar. Meanwhile, Bertie and Speckle apply for a 30-year mortgage for the house, which alarms Bertie, who begins worrying about a mundane future with Speckle. At the bakery, Bertie's attraction to Pastry Pete grows, causing her to ignore Speckle's voicemails about the house. Bertie puts off his messages until he tells her they missed the opportunity and lost the house. Sensing some concerns, he asks her to call him to talk, but Bertie avoids him and visits Tuca instead. She finds the jaguar attacking Tuca, but Speckle arrives and manages to tame it and find it a home. Bertie apologizes to him and reveals her anxieties about commitment and uncertainty for the future, but Speckle tells her he wants to be with her now and that's all that matters to him.
77"Yeast Week"Mollie HelmsGonzalo CordovaMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
While playing a game, Tuca experiences a sharp pain in her side. She refuses to see a doctor, preferring to use homeopathic remedies instead. Bertie prepares for Yeast Week, an elite baking event where she and Pastry Pete will debut a new confection, the crünt. Tuca repeatedly interrupts her with her remedies, which cause Bertie to privately complain to Speckle that Tuca is too needy. Ashamed after overhearing Bertie, Tuca claims she is alright, but collapses in her room. Bertie arrives at Yeast Week and debuts the crünt to great admiration. Tuca wakes up in the hospital, where she learns she has an egg lodged in her Fallopian tube and requires surgery. Tuca reveals that her fear of doctors stems from her childhood when her mother died during surgery following a car accident. Pastry Pete invites Bertie to join him at the top bakers' table, but upon learning that Tuca is in the hospital, she turns down the opportunity. Bertie takes Tuca home, but expresses her resentment that Tuca is careless with herself, resulting in Bertie always needing to take care of her. Thinking they might be growing apart, they decide to take a break from their friendship.
88"The New Bird"Adam PartonLee Sung JinMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
Dakota arrives to the city and asks Pastry Pete for an apprenticeship, which he agrees to. Bertie is jealous of Dakota, but attempts to bond with her after Speckle suggests being a mentor to her. Bertie and Dakota get along and develop a successful new pastry while Pastry Pete is away. Meanwhile, Tuca is followed around by a mockingly critical apparition of Bertie. She joins a spiritual retreat, but inadvertently turns it into a cult. She flees into the woods and gives in to the apparition, which tells her she will never amount to anything. The apparition then tells Tuca that she is good at many things that Bertie is not, which is why they make a good team. At the bakery, Pastry Pete physically forces Dakota to observe the roux technique just like he did with Bertie; however, Dakota pushes him away and calls him a creep. After Bertie reveals he did the same thing to her, she asks Bertie why she did not warn her and Bertie is unable to respond. Dakota runs away in tears. Bertie leaves the bakery and begins driving. She encounters Tuca on the side of the road and the two drive off together.
99"The Jelly Lakes"Amy WinfreyShauna McGarryMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
After driving in silence all night, Tuca and Bertie tearfully make up with one another. They drive to Jelly Lakes, where Bertie's family owns a cabin. Bertie reveals what happened with Pastry Pete and wonders if he has sexually harassed other women. Speckle calls, concerned about Bertie disappearing, but she continually puts off his calls. They encounter Bertie's former summer camp swimming coach, Coach Maple, and stay at Bertie's cabin for the night. They spend a day at the beach with Maple and her wife Pat. Maple reveals her confusion as to why Bertie suddenly lost interest in swimming, when she trained all summer to swim to Peanut Island. Bertie storms out, arguing that she did not lose interest. Tuca follows and Bertie tearfully reveals a lifeguard had sexually assaulted her. Tuca tells her she is brave and reassures her she is confronting her problems. The next morning, Bertie sets out to swim to Peanut Island, with Tuca, Maple, and Pat following her in a canoe for support. Exhausted, Bertie sinks halfway there, but reconciles with her trauma and emerges, making it to the island. They celebrate and Bertie tells Tuca she is ready to go home.
1010"SweetBeak"Aaron LongLisa HanawaltMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)
Tuca and Bertie arrive in town for Molting Season, and Tuca complains about the annual call with her siblings. When Bertie arrives home, Speckle explodes over her sudden disappearance, saying she shuts him out when she's having a problem, and that she needs to be honest and communicative with him. Speckle reveals he bought a teardown home to renovate and says he wants to be with her but won't chase after her anymore. Bertie quits Pastry Pete's and plans to open her own bakery, but finds supplies and space more difficult to secure than she thought. Tuca becomes concerned when her family doesn't call. Bertie reconciles with Speckle, explaining that her trauma made trusting people hard, but she wants to be with him. Later, Tuca and Bertie realize that Pastry Pete has blacklisted them. They confront him and Pastry Pete physically threatens Bertie, but Tuca records it and posts it online. Women boycott Pastry Pete and order from Sweet Beak. Bertie and Tuca fill the orders and distribute them to the public. Tuca calls her sister and says she loves her.

Season 2 (2021)[]

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [14]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [15]U.S. viewers
(millions)
111"Bird Mechanics"Aaron LongShauna McGarryJune 13, 2021 (2021-06-13)0.412[16]
Tuca wants to enhance her dating life by putting several prospective dates in a competition held on a bus, and ends up dating a bird who is a mechanic. Meanwhile, Bertie sees several therapists in an attempt to find a new one who will help her with the anxiety that she feels over her and Speckle's anniversary dinner.
122"Planteau"Meg WaldowLisa HanawaltJune 20, 2021 (2021-06-20)0.484[17]
Speckle's sister Dottie is getting married and invites Tuca and Bertie to a bachelorette party weekend in Planteau. Tuca, knowing how much Bertie wants to impress Dottie, agrees to be her social lubricant. Bertie offers to stay sober for the weekend in support of Tuca, but will her social anxiety get in the way of that? Meanwhile, Speckle is also going to Planteau for Dottie's husband-to-be's bachelor party.
133"Kyle"Adam PartonGonzalo CordovaJune 27, 2021 (2021-06-27)0.493[18]
Bertie has secretly been selling her pastries to her coworkers, being rivaled by Pastry Pete (who hasn't been cancelled). In order for her to stop worrying about Pete and get in touch with the male market, Bertie's therapist recommends she create an idealized version of herself in her head to turn to for guidance when she's stressed or anxious. Instead of imagining herself in a power suit, as most people do, Bertie manifests the ultimate "bro" version of herself named Kyle. With Kyle, she is able to make a pastry that excels in the male market. However, it all goes horribly, and Tuca, finding a job as a crossing guard, helps her put out the fire literally. Soon, Bertie reveals to her boss what she's been doing. However, her boss is all for it, and allows Bertie to make birthday cakes for her coworkers.
144"Nighttime Friend"Meg WaldowShauna McGarryJuly 4, 2021 (2021-07-04)0.399[19]
Tuca can't sleep, so she decides to venture across the city after hours, including going to her favorite diner at night, supplying her Aunt Tallulah with the cheapest booze she can find, gaining the Power of Attorney, meeting a child who also can't sleep, and visiting her mother's grave. At the hospital, Tuca meets a potential new love interest, the night shift nurse Kara. They soon hit it off as Kara takes Tuca to her home, a lighthouse. Kara sings a lullaby, allowing Tuca to finally go to sleep. Meanwhile, Bertie just wants to stay awake long enough to watch an episode of the latest prestige television show, Buried in Oil. Her attempts to stay awake fail as coffee triggers a bout of IBS. It's only when she power naps first that Bertie can stay up and watch the episode with Speckle and Tuca, only to realize the show is actually terrible.
155"Vibe Check"Peter MerrymanSamantha IrbyJuly 11, 2021 (2021-07-11)0.444[20]
Bertie has been having intrusive sexual fantasies while using her vibrator. First, she blames the sex toy for having dreams about Pastry Pete and then she blames the mattress. Bertie soon tells Speckle, who is understanding about what Bertie has been feeling and even shares his own secret fantasy. Meanwhile, Tuca has been crushing hard on Kara ever since she first met her. Without any means of contacting Kara, Tuca goes to the hospital and learns Kara is at a co-worker's birthday party nearby in a bar. Tuca visits the bar and sees Kara texting with another woman. Then she chats with the bartender, who tells Tuca a similar story. She also had a text thread with Kara before Kara inexplicably ghosted her one day. When Tuca calls it a night, Kara chases after her, the two have a sudden hot makeout session.
166"The Moss"Erica PerezGonzalo CordovaJuly 18, 2021 (2021-07-18)0.365[21]
Tuca and Bertie wake to find their apartments covered in moss and a rent increase. The new property manager informs residents that the owner is the unfeeling, unspeaking moss. At an apartment meeting, Tuca promises the irked residents to take the issue to the Mayors: her argumentative brother and sister. The Mayors tell her if a famous person did something in the building the rent is fixed and can't be raised. Back at the apartment, Dapper Dog informs them that famous horror writer Patricia Ramsey used to live in the building. They go to the cactus teens to perform a seance where they discover Patricia's first novel written on the walls of Tuca’s apartment. Tuca’s apartment is exempt from the rent increase, but not the rest of the building. Meanwhile, Speckle, feeling constrained by client demands, is excited to go “Full Speckle” to create his dream house. Bertie encourages Speckle to go nuts on their house renovation and do what he wants for once. The unfettered Speckle becomes indecisive and decides to just do one of everything. Speckle realizes he needs constraints and a design direction so he goes to Bertie to select the doorknob.
177"Sleepovers"Samantha S. GrayLisa Hanawalt and Shauna McGarryJuly 25, 2021 (2021-07-25)0.390[22]
Bertie goes to Tuca’s apartment for a fun roomie hang while Speckle is out of town, but ends up spending the whole time alone. Tuca has a date with Kara that evolves into a multi-day sleepover of constant hangouts and activities. Bertie reminisces of early memories with Tuca and why they were friends. She struggles with being alone for so long and tries to keep herself entertained, but runs out of things to keep her occupied. She keeps messaging Tuca with no response. Meanwhile, Speckle is traversing the snow-covered Knock-Knock in search of the doorknob Bertie selected for their house. A polar bear gets the last doorknob but Speckle is determined to get it anyway.
188"Corpse Week"Meg WaldowSamantha IrbyAugust 1, 2021 (2021-08-01)0.391[23]
Tuca, Bertie, and Speckle go to see their families for Corpse Week. Tuca and her sister Terry fall into familiar roles and end up screaming at each other. Tuca takes her niece Tulip “Yum or Yell”ing but doesn't realize Tulip is allergic to beets leading to a bad reaction.The next day they all go to Bertie’s parents house where they learn her father had open chest surgery and her mother is a hoarder. Despite being raised in a family that holds things in, Bertie shares her childhood trauma and how no one talking about it was the worst part. Meanwhile, Speckle’s luggage was switched with a cowboy and at the end they go to switch luggage and ride horses at the “Dude Ranch”.
199"The Dance"Peter MerrymanShauna McGarry and Chikodili AgwunaAugust 8, 2021 (2021-08-08)0.385[24]

Bertie is staying at Tuca’s apartment while Speckle completes renovations on their new house, but is worried because she hasn't seen Tuca in 3 weeks. Bertie’s therapist encourages her to reach out to Tuca and invite her to the annual carnival. Tuca accepts and shows up early in a new outfit chosen by her new girlfriend Kara. Bertie is suspicious of the new Tuca. Kara unexpectedly shows up and Bertie tries talking to her to no avail. Bertie takes Tuca to the photobooth and expresses her concern that Kara is controlling and not meeting Tuca where she is and demanding Tuca to make all the changes. In a dreamlike dance sequence Tuca and Kara dance but Kara is impatient of Tuca's dancing and belittles her until she is small enough for Kara to swallow Tuca whole. Then Tuca and Bertie dance and are in perfect rhythm, complimenting each other's dance styles. Kara leaves the carnival and Tuca is upset at Bertie for insinuating that she isn't happy.

Post-credits scene: Speckle goes into the soundproof bathroom after eating dozens of hotdogs. He emerges a few moments later after complete silence and struggles out.
2010"The Flood"Mollie HelmsLisa HanawaltAugust 15, 2021 (2021-08-15)0.336[25]

Timbourine and Tamarind, the mayors of Birdtown, fail to repair the damaged levees as a result of political interference from the moss. Due to a severe rainstorm in the city, they burst. This causes the city to begin to flood as the city's more wealthy inhabitants flee, the flood being worsened as the drainage system became clogged with the moss. Bertie, in therapy, struggles to find the benefits of her multiple sessions together with Doctor Joanne. As the flood worsened, the two decide to head home, Bertie heads to Tuca's home, who is still waiting for Kara to return her call. The two prepare to head out, but Tuca is reluctant to leave, concerned if Kara would return and not be able to find her in the storm. As Bertie gathers Tuca's belongings, it inadvertently unleashes Tuca's repressed emotions, who manifest themselves in the form of ghosts which circle around her head. The two are forced to leave Tuca's apartment, Bertie decides to head to her and Speckle's house, which was on dry land. The two begin to unpack Tuca's repressed emotions, including Tuca's troubled relationship with her late mother and past with alcoholism. Before Bertie could unpack Tuca's last emotion, the two spot Kara's lighthouse home. Tuca jumps off their makeshift raft and swim towards the lighthouse, meeting its keeper. Desperate to find where Kara is, Tuca desperately asks the keeper, who points her to a cruise ship where Kara and her coworkers are lounging. Tuca confronts Kara, who wordlessly shrugs to her, ending their relationship. Feeling dejected, Bertie and Tuca confront the issues regarding their relationship, they head to Speckle, who wound up stranded as the flood reached their home. A narrator explains that the flood washed away the moss from the city of Birdtown. Speckle, Tuca, and Bertie return to Tuca's apartment, which remained free of the flood. The two look into the setting sun as rescue helicopters pick up stranded residents.

Post-credits scene: Dr. Joanne counsels the couple consisting of one of Tuca's Sex Bus rejects and the bird whose car Tuca threw the former into.

Production[]

Development[]

Tuca originated in Lisa Hanawalt's webcomic Tuca the Toucan which ran from 2013 to 2014.[26][27] On February 20, 2018, Netflix announced it had given the production a series order to consist of a first season of ten episodes. The series was created by Lisa Hanawalt who executive produced alongside Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Noel Bright, Steven A. Cohen, and Tiffany Haddish. Production companies involved in the series include The Tornante Company and ShadowMachine.[11][28][29] On March 14, 2019, Netflix announced that the series would premiere on May 3, and a first look featurette trailer was released.[1]

Casting[]

Alongside the initial series announcement, it was reported that Tiffany Haddish would voice the lead character of Tuca.[11] On May 7, 2018, it was announced that Ali Wong had been cast as the voice of Bertie.[30] In March 2019, it was announced Steven Yeun had been cast as a series regular, with Nicole Byer, Richard E. Grant, John Early, Reggie Watts, Tig Notaro, Amber Ruffin, Jermaine Fowler, and Tessa Thompson appearing in guest capacity.[31]

Cancellation and revival[]

Netflix announced the series cancellation on July 24, 2019. In a series of tweets responding to the news, Hanawalt expressed gratitude for the cast, crew, reviews, and fans.[32] Hanawalt and Haddish both expressed hope that the show could find a new home.[33][34]

The announcement of show's cancellation was met with a negative response. Within 24 hours of the cancellation, the Twitter hashtags #RenewTucaAndBertie and #SaveTucaAndBertie each received more than 10,000 tweets from users.[35] A Change.org petition to renew the show gained media attention and received 3,600 signatures in 24 hours.[32] Various news and lifestyle sites published columns lamenting the cancellation, while continuing to praise the show for its female representation, diverse cast, and handling of complex issues.[36][37][38][39] The cancellation was deemed to be "disappointing" and a "loss for television".[40][37]

The cancellation also led to criticism of Netflix's algorithm, highlighted by its failure to recommend the show to creator Hanawalt,[32][41] and at Netflix itself for prematurely canceling the series less than three months after its premiere, disallowing the show a chance to grow its audience.[42][43]

According to Hanawalt, several networks showed interest in picking up the show after its cancellation; however, she felt Adult Swim was the best home for the show to continue.[44] On May 22, 2020, it was announced that the series would be revived on Adult Swim in 2021,[8] making it the second Netflix original series to be revived coming off the cancellation of One Day at a Time in 2019.[45][46][47] The revival was named one of Indiewire's "Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2021".[48] On May 3, 2021, it was announced that the second season would premiere on June 13, 2021.[49] The second season ran for ten episodes.[50] On August 4, 2021, Adult Swim renewed the series for a third season.[10]

Reception[]

Critical reception[]

Season 1[]

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first seasons holds an approval rating of 98% based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Tuca & Bertie skips right past BoJack Horseman's shadow with its chipper sensibility and madcap sight gags, bringing plenty of laughs as it addresses adulting anxiety and exalts the joys of friendship."[3] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[51]

In a positive review, Kate Abbott of The Guardian wrote that the show was "a chirpily realised world that stays true to its experimentalism - and its pleasures are consistent, if deliciously twisted, and very surreal indeed."[52] James Poniewozik of The New York Times, praised "Hanawalt's surreal vision, the anarchic fluidity of the landscape, the series's whimsically bending laws of both nature and physics." Critics praised the show's female-focused portrayal of trauma,[53] desire,[54] and friendship.[52] In a negative review, Brian Lowry of CNN wrote that the show did not stand out beyond similar adult animations on Adult Swim, declaring that the show was "strictly for the birds".[55] The show drew both praise and criticism for perceived similarities to Comedy Central's Broad City, due to both shows focusing on female friendship.[54][56]

Season 2[]

The second season has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 8.29/10. The website's critical consensus states, "Tuca & Bertie's superb second season is as vivid and sparkling as the first, diving deeper into its dynamic leads without losing any of its singular humor."[57] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 87 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[58] In a positive review, Dan Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "the show has become a savvy vehicle through which to explore repressed trauma, workplace sexism and what may be the most simultaneously nurturing and corrosive friendship on TV".[59] Melanie McFarland of Slate praised the show for demonstrating "that shows created in and for the female gaze are inclusive and appealing to everybody" and "reminding us of the many ways that animation tells multi-dimensional stories that speak to everybody, not just the guys".[60]

Awards and accolades[]

Upon release, The A.V. Club thought that the show was one of the best new shows of 2019,[61] with Vox naming Tuca & Bertie one of the "5 best TV Shows of May 2019".[62] The Huffington Post named it as 6th best show of 2019,[5] Indiewire named it as the 2nd best new show of 2019 and the 20th best show of the decade,[63][64] and TV Guide named it one of the best animated TV shows of the decade.[65] In addition, The A.V. Club named it the 18th best show of 2019 and Junkee placed it on an unranked list of the best TV of 2019.[6][66] Specific praise was given to the episode "The Jelly Lakes", with both Entertainment Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter naming it one of the best episodes of 2019.[67][68]

Tuca and Bertie was nominated for three awards, winning one, at the 47th Annie Awards, all for the episode "The Jelly Lakes".[69] It was nominated for Best General Audience Animated TV/Film and Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting (for Ali Wong), and Outstanding Achievement for Writing (for Shauna McGarry).[69] On January 25, 2020, McGarry won the Outstanding Achievement for Writing for "The Jelly Lakes".[70]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Schwartz, Dana (March 14, 2019). "Watch a first look at Netflix's new animated series starring Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  2. ^ Miller, Liz Shannon (May 3, 2019). "'Tuca and Bertie' Voice Cast Guide: From Tiffany Haddish to Richard E. Grant". IndieWire. Penske Business Media, LLC. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Tuca & Bertie: Season 1 (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  4. ^ "Tuca & Bertie". Metacritic. CBS. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "The 8 Best Shows Of 2019". HuffPost Canada. December 4, 2019. Archived from the original on March 13, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "The 25 best TV shows of 2019". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 8, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  7. ^ Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (July 24, 2019). "'Designated Survivor' & 'Tuca & Bertie' Canceled By Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Sippell, Margeaux (May 22, 2020). "'Tuca and Bertie' to Fly Again: Adult Swim Rescues Canceled Netflix Series for Season 2". TheWrap. Archived from the original on May 22, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  9. ^ Turchiano, Danielle (May 3, 2021). "'Tuca & Bertie' Season 2 to Premiere on Adult Swim in June (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Del Rosario, Alexandra (August 4, 2021). "'Tuca & Bertie' Renewed For Season 3 By Adult Swim". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Andreeva, Nellie (February 20, 2018). "Netflix Picks Up Supernatural Teen Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  12. ^ https://twitter.com/lisadraws/status/1405717863906693121[bare URL]
  13. ^ "Review: Tuca & Bertie Returns for More Wild and Relatable Content in Season Two".
  14. ^ "Tuca & Bertie". Zap2it.
  15. ^ "Tuca & Bertie – Listings". The Futon Critic.
  16. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (June 15, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.13.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  17. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (June 22, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.20.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  18. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (June 29, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.27.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  19. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (July 6, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.4.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  20. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (July 13, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.11.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  21. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (July 20, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.18.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  22. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (July 27, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.25.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  23. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (August 3, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.1.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  24. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (August 10, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.8.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  25. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (August 17, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.15.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  26. ^ "Tuca the Toucan: Tuca Will Eat Your Eggs". Hazlitt. July 23, 2014. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  27. ^ "Lisa Hanawalt". Hazlitt. September 10, 2013. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  28. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (February 20, 2018). "Tiffany Haddish to Voice Lead Character in Netflix Straight-to-Series Animated Comedy". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  29. ^ Ottersen, Joe (February 20, 2018). "Tiffany Haddish to Star in Netflix Animated Series 'Tuca and Bertie' From 'BoJack Horseman' Team". Variety. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  30. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 7, 2018). "'Tuca & Bertie': Ali Wong To Voice Co-Lead Opposite Tiffany Haddish In Netflix Animated Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  31. ^ Schwartz, Dana (March 14, 2019). "Watch a first look at Netflix's new animated series Tuca & Bertie starring Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  32. ^ a b c Feldberg, Isaac. "Netflix's Cancellation of 'Tuca & Bertie' Renews Criticism of Its Perplexing Algorithm". Fortune. Fortune Media IP Limited. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  33. ^ "Netflix Cancelled 'Tuca & Bertie' and Fans Are Pissed". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  34. ^ "Tiffany Haddish Talks 'Tuca & Bertie' Cancellation: "It Might End Up Somewhere Else" – TCA". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  35. ^ Anderson, Jenna (July 25, 2019). "Tuca & Bertie Fans Are Outraged at Netflix Over Series Cancellation". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  36. ^ Elderkin, Beth. "Netflix Really Clucked Up by Canceling Tuca & Bertie". io9. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  37. ^ a b Framke, Caroline (July 25, 2019). "Netflix Canceling 'Tuca & Bertie' Is a Disappointing Loss for TV (Column)". Variety. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  38. ^ Peck, Patrice. "Netflix Cancelled "Tuca & Bertie" And People Are Pissed All The Way Off". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  39. ^ Berkowitz, Joe (July 25, 2019). "Netflix canceling 'Tuca and Bertie' is a bad sign for all the distinctive, weird shows streaming is supposed to keep alive". Fast Company. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  40. ^ Placido, Dani Di (July 26, 2019). "Netflix Seriously Disappoints With The Abrupt Cancellation Of 'Tuca & Bertie'". Forbes. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  41. ^ "Netflix Algorithm Didn't Recommend Tuca & Bertie To Its Creator". Screen Rant. July 27, 2019. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  42. ^ Chaney, Jen (July 25, 2019). "A Wake for Tuca & Bertie, Which Should Not Have Been Canceled". Vulture. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  43. ^ Warner, Sam (July 27, 2019). "Netflix viewers angry after fan-favourite show Tuca & Bertie is axed". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  44. ^ Nast, Condé (June 15, 2021). "'Tuca and Bertie' Is Back, and Creator Lisa Hanawalt Is Over the Moon". Vogue. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  45. ^ "'Tuca and Bertie': Canceled Netflix Comedy Revived for Season 2 at Adult Swim". The Hollywood Reporter. May 22, 2020. Archived from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  46. ^ "One Day at a Time Saved From Cancellation by Pop TV". Vulture. June 27, 2019.
  47. ^ Schwartz, Ryan (November 10, 2019). "One Day at a Time Season 4 Sets Premiere Month at Pop TV". TVLine.
  48. ^ Hill, Ben Travers,Libby; Travers, Ben; Hill, Libby (December 28, 2020). "The Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2021". IndieWire. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  49. ^ De La Paz, Maggie (May 3, 2021). "Tuca & Bertie Season 2 Gets Premiere Date & Sneak Peek Teaser m". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  50. ^ Chaney, Jen (June 21, 2021). "Tuca & Bertie Are Just As Anxious As You Are". Vulture. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  51. ^ "Tuca and Bertie Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic.
  52. ^ a b Abbott, Kate (May 3, 2019). "Tuca and Bertie review – Bojack's deliciously twisted cousins take flight". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  53. ^ "Netflix cancels "Tuca & Bertie," loses out on one of the most timely TV narratives". Salon. July 25, 2019. Archived from the original on January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  54. ^ a b Giorgis, Hannah (May 6, 2019). "The Raunchiest Women on TV Are Technically Birds". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on October 28, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  55. ^ Lowry, Brian (May 3, 2019). "'Dead to Me' and 'Tuca & Bertie' yield hit-miss verdict". CNN. Archived from the original on May 7, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  56. ^ "'Tuca and Bertie' Is Too Close to 'Broad City' for Comfort". Time. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  57. ^ "Tuca & Bertie: Season 2 (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  58. ^ "Tuca and Bertie Season 2". Metacritic. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  59. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (June 2, 2021). "Critic's Notebook: Summer's Second-Season Successes". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  60. ^ "The return of "Tuca & Bertie" sings, while ruffling some patriarchal feathers for the good of us all". Salon. June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  61. ^ Chavez, Danette. "The vibrant, surreal Tuca & Bertie is one of the best new shows of the year". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  62. ^ VanDerWerff, Emily Todd (May 31, 2019). "The 5 best TV shows of May 2019". Vox. Archived from the original on June 12, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  63. ^ Donahue, Ann; Travers, Ben; Hill, Libby; Greene, Steve; Garcia, Leo; Hersko, Tyler; Obenson, Tambay (December 4, 2019). "The Best New TV Shows of 2019". IndieWire. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  64. ^ Nguyen, Hanh; Donahue, Ann; Travers, Ben; Hill, Libby; Greene, Steve; Obenson, Tambay; Hersko, Tyler (December 3, 2019). "The Best TV Shows of the Decade, Ranked". IndieWire. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  65. ^ Clark, Noelene (October 24, 2019). "A Year-by-Year Guide to the Best Animated TV Shows of the Decade | TV Guide". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  66. ^ "The Best TV Of 2019". Junkee. December 10, 2019. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  67. ^ "The 30 best TV episodes of 2019". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  68. ^ "Tuca & Bertie, "The Jelly Lakes" - Daniel Fienberg: The 10 Best TV Episodes of 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. December 17, 2019. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  69. ^ a b Michael, Brendan (December 2, 2019). "'Frozen 2,' 'Missing Link,' 'Klaus,' Lead Annie Award Nominees". Collider. Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  70. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 25, 2020). "Annie Awards: 'Klaus' & Netflix Dominate Animation Awards – Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2020.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""