Neo Yokio Review

So I just watched Neo Yokio. It’s either The Room or Citizen Kane and I don’t know which.

For those of you who don’t know. Neo Yokio is the Netflix original series created by Ezra Koenig (lead singer of rock band, Vampire Weekend.) It stars Twitter genius Jaden Smith as a young rich socialite with pink hair, Kaz Kaan, balancing his responsibilities as a demon hunter and Neo Yokio’s most eligible bachelor. Jude Law plays his trusted companion/robot butler, Charles, and Susan Sarandon is his employer/aunt.

Kaz is spoiled and bratty, prone to the kind of depression reserved exclusively for the ultra rich that don’t have real problems. He is selfish and entitled and spends his free time shopping, or giving melancholy speeches about how difficult it is to be rich.

Watching this show was a bizarre roller coaster of thoughts and emotions. I’m not sure what the intention of the show was. Is the pretentious pseudo-philosophical dialogue ironic or meant to be serious? It’s hard to tell what was intentionally funny and what was just an accident. Is Jaden Smith in on the joke, or does he think his character is actually deep? Why are respectable actors spouting such crazy nonsense?

Everything in the show feels like parody except I don’t know of what. The dialogue has the strangest delivery. It feels like a YouTube abridged series except that it’s the original product. Jaden Smith is his usual wooden self. Which is part of why it’s so confusing. He sounds the same as he does in serious roles. I actually think he might be the only who isn’t in on the satire of high society.

The crazy thing is I kept watching. It’s bizarreness had me hooked. I laughed at the jokes. I laughed when it was being serious (if it ever was...) I think I loved this show.

Neo Yokio is a weird experience, but I recommend it wholeheartedly. I give Neo Yokio 72 out of 81 giant Toblerones.