Animation and sci-fi are two of the most eye-popping genres in the history of cinema. However, in the recent couple of decades, these two genres have become quite popular on television as well. From Stranger Things and The Legend of Vox Machina to Westworld and Arcane, streaming platforms and traditional networks are not shying away from taking bold routes to tell unique stories. Netflix is one of the production houses that paved the way for such brilliant shows to find universal acceptance, and one such show is Love, Death, & Robots. The Netflix anthology series, one of the streaming service’s flagship titles, recently aired its fourth season, showcasing how animation can transcend the traditional boundaries of storytelling.
Just like previous seasons, Love, Death, & Robots, Volume 4 contains ten episodes, featuring ten different stories. The most exciting aspect of these stories is that they have been produced by different animation studios from a range of countries and explore various genres. The first three editions turned out to be massively successful for the streaming platform and gave storytellers a chance to tell their stories in front of the world. And the best thing about this series is that it doesn’t matter if the story is 7 minutes or 25 minutes. If the story is worth telling, it will be on the episodes list. Volume 4 follows the same formula, but arguably the most eclectic yet, and continues to deliver short-form storytelling that punches well above its weight, both visually and thematically.
This edition of Love, Death, & Robots features tales of marionette rock concerts, psychic gang wars, alien revolutions, and apocalyptic errors. There’s no doubt that this season features the most diverse stories. Even then, Love, Death, & Robots Volume 4 remains true to its essence and remains one of the most daring shows on television. While every episode deserves credit for style and experimentation, some stand out as gripping, layered, and moving. The season begins with a seven-minute episode featuring the musical group Red Hot Chili Peppers performing their song Can’t Stop in front of the audience depicted as marionettes.
Directed by David Fincher, this episode feels like an introduction to the season and doesn’t have much to tell. But the animation and direction remain top-notch. Meanwhile, the performance by the band members is brilliant too.
The second episode is also a short episode spanning over 7 minutes and features an alien invasion. Although the episode is interesting, the tone for this season is set by the third episode, titled Spider Rose. In this episode, viewers are taken into the Swarm universe and introduced to Lydia Martinez, a cybernetically enhanced loner who goes by the name of Spider Rose. After her crew and husband are annihilated, Martinez isolates herself in an asteroid ring and carries the weight of vengeance on her shoulders. But things take a wild turn when she begins a relationship with a strange pet capable of absorbing DNA from consumed organisms.
The episode begins as a story of revenge, but quickly turns into a tale of loss, transformation, and emotional healing. The relationship between Martinez and the pet, whom she names Nosey, becomes the heart of the story. During the episode, we see Martinez transforming into someone that she believed she could never be. Initially, she is consumed by revenge, but as the story unfolds, we see her vulnerabilities and her loving, caring side, which makes us believe that she is not just a woman seeking redemption. Spider Rose is one of the best episodes of Volume 4 because of how it perfectly blends tenderness with violence, which is rare.
This tempo is maintained by the next set of episodes, such as 400 Boys, which showcases the postapocalyptic gang warfare led by psychic hero Slash; The Other Large Thing, chronicles the journey of a disgruntled cat named Sanchez, later revealed as Dingleberry Jones, leading a feline revolution by recruiting smart home robots to kill humans in an episode that’s as absurd as it is brilliant; and Golgotha, in which Father Donal is chosen to speak with aquatic alien beings called the Lupo, who believe a dolphin named Blackfin is their Messiah. However, it’s the last three episodes that take the season to a whole new level.
The eighth episode, titled How Zeke Got Religion, is this season’s best episode, the best. The episode tells the story of a soldier named Zeke, who has nothing to do with religion and has long abandoned his faith. However, his life changes when he comes face to face with something surreal: a Nazi-summoned creature born out of sacrificial rituals. This episode is the perfect example of how two sub-genres, war and supernatural horror, can be mixed and create something mind-boggling. Moreover, the aforementioned episode doesn’t shy away from making an extraordinary use of irony, visual terror, and atmospheric tension, proving that horror can hit both gut and soul. It’s a tale of disbelief turning into belief under extraordinary circumstances, and it remains one of the most haunting and beautifully crafted installments in the volume. The two remaining episodes – Smart Appliances, Stupid Owners, and For He Can Creep – are brilliant episodes as well. These episodes are a testament that Love, Death & Robots can tackle abstract ideas easily and effectively.
All in all, Love, Death & Robots Volume 4 proves that this anthology series is one of the most daring and diverse animated shows of our time. Each episode, no matter how bizarre the storyline is, offers something unique. By highlighting standout episodes like the WWII horror tale, the poetic feline showdown with Satan, the satirical smart appliances, and the poignant Spider Rose, Volume 4 shows its capacity to merge genre thrills with human depth. It’s a volume that doesn’t just entertain, it dares to ask questions about identity, technology, belief, and what it means to be truly alive.
In a time when content is king but storytelling often feels stale, Love, Death & Robots proves once again that short-form animation can create worlds we never want to leave.
Love, Death & Robots Volume 4 is now streaming on Netflix.
Learn more about the show at the official site for the title.
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