Review: Disenchantment - Part Three

A princess, a demon, and an elf walk into a bar – whilst this may sound like the setup of a joke, this is the best way to describe the basic premise of Matt Groening’s fantasy animation series Disenchantment. For those who have been following the story so far, the continuation of the saga has been long-anticipated since the release of Part Two in 2019. Despite the wait, the third instalment of the series exceeded all expectations!

Disenchantment is a refreshing addition to the ever-growing array of adult animation

When you think of Matt Groening’s work, your mind likely goes straight to The Simpsons. It’s no wonder – The Simpsons is arguably the best-known animation series of the last three decades. Despite existing in the shadow of Groening’s other work, Disenchantment is a refreshing addition to the ever-growing array of adult animation. From its female protagonist to its surprisingly beautiful artwork, Disenchantment has certainly risen to the challenge of reaching the high expectations of both Groening’s fans and casual viewers alike.

Part Three picked up exactly where the previous part had been left: Princess Teabeanie, more fondly known as Bean (Abbi Jacobson), narrowly avoiding being burnt alive alongside her friends Elfo (Nat Faxon) and Luci (Eric Andre). Disenchantment has already set a precedent for ending each part on a high cliffhanger, so instantly being immersed in the action from the get-go of Part Three ensures a natural and exciting bridge between each part. Indeed, Disenchantment excels at creating the perfect pacing, just enough action and story progression alongside the moments of pure comedy to keep you hooked.

Part Three…creates a truly expansive world, opening up many possibilities for where the story will be taken next

Unlike Groening’s other work, Disenchantment is far more story-driven, and Part Three develops the ongoing mysteries of Dreamland even further; it almost creates more questions than it answers. This may annoy some viewers, but the developing lore of an otherwise lighthearted fantasy series seems to be gearing up for an even more intriguing continuation to the story. Indeed, Part Three has a great deal of world-building, including further exploration of the curious steam-powered city of Steamland. In just ten episodes, the land explored by Bean and her sidekicks creates a truly expansive world, opening up many possibilities for where the story will be taken next.

Disenchantment is completely under-appreciated, but the third instalment proves that it should not be overlooked any longer

Part Three also included a deeper level of character development than seen in previous instalments. Disenchantment remains relatively casual and lighthearted viewing, however, Part Three began to look further into the themes of morality, sexuality, and friendship. The sixth episode ‘Last Splash,’ in particular, gave us a further look into Bean’s personality in particular, as an encounter with a mermaid gets her to reconsider her preconceptions of romance and friendship. Whilst the more serious moments tend to still be fleeting in the overall storyline, it will certainly be interesting to see how Disenchantment will continue to tackle these concepts as the series goes on.

Disenchantment is completely under-appreciated, but the third instalment proves that it should not be overlooked any longer. Part Three drew us even deeper into the mysteries of Dreamland and is a perfect continuation of the story so far. Well-written and hilariously witty, Disenchantment Part Three is undoubtedly worth a watch!