The thing that makes “YOLO” so exciting is the way it portrays female friendships. It’s not as though we don’t already have a treasure trove of media related to how women connect platonically, but “YOLO” expounds upon that inquiry for a new generation. It highlights the sometimes transactional and selfish nature of these kinds of bonds but is equally as strong in the way it reminds us how crucial they are in a life well and happily lived. There will always be crappy times in friendships, and “YOLO” is full of those in both serious and not-so-serious ways. But there will also always be moments that make those crappy times obsolete—and that’s a major strong point in this series because the heart of friendship (which is, for all intents and purposes, love itself) is always at the forefront in this weird little show.
The show is blessed with a very unique animation style thanks to Cusack, and that is a hook in and of itself. Adult animation is so commonplace as a medium nowadays, so having something very unique visually is always an excellent calling card for drawing folks in. Getting them to stay lies in the plot and characters, but the wild adventures and deeply specific (Australian) humor keeps you invested. It has an intriguing plot and compelling characters in spades. All of these elements, plus a well-structured and presented emotional through-line? It’s not hard to see why Adult Swim took a chance on Cusack’s strange project. It’s a real gem.