‘American Vandal’ Continues Netflix’s Long History Of Self-Mockery

If you have five hours this week, there’s really only one show you need to watch — Netflix’s stellar faux docu-series American Vandal. What starts off as a hilariously silly investigation about who drew dicks in a high school parking lot slowly transforms into a genuinely compelling look at prejudice and the power of evidence. It’s practically guaranteed to be a hit for Netflix, which could make things a little awkward it was on any other network or streaming service. While American Vandal is a great watch, it’s also one that borrows heavily from another Netflix hit — Making a Murderer.

While American Vandal is far more Serial than Making a Murderer, it’s easy to draw comparisons between the two docuseries. Both shows focus on a white man who is blamed for a crime he didn’t commit, not based on the evidence of the case but because of his reputation. In Steven Avery’s case, it was his family’s history with law enforcement that created that supposed prejudice. In Dylan’s (Jimmy Tatro) case, it was his history of drawing dicks. When it comes to both shows, the focus is less on the crime itself and on the belief that the man responsible for it is innocent. All three investigations show how mass attention can dramatically change an investigation. This shift happens in the middle of American Vandal and Serial, but the rush of legal action that followed Making a Murderer’s premiere shouldn’t be discredited. American Vandal also dives into some of the murkier themes that Making a Murderer explored, such as how public perception can change a person over time. The two Netflix shows even have similar opening credits.

Of course, it should be pointed out there are very different stakes at play for these two shows. American Vandal is a silly investigation into high school drama while Making a Murderer deals with a man who may have been falsely imprisoned for most of his life. These shows do not have the same weight or importance. However, it’s very clear Making a Murderer was a source of inspiration for American Vandal. However, American Vandal never feels overly belittling or cruel to the true crime documentaries it’s mocking. It balances its absurdity with an interesting premise and genuine tone that never feels ironic, and so it always remains funny. Therein lies the brilliance behind Netflix’s overlapping shows and movies. The streaming service has worked so hard for so long to establish itself as a hub for television lovers, its overlapping and conflicting shows weirdly work.

Take for example the clearest form of TV conflict — BoJack Horseman and Fuller House. Even if it wasn’t on Netflix, BoJack would still watch as a scathing take own of Hollywood and revival culture as told through the former star of a Full House parody. BoJack’s take on Full House isn’t kind. The  Horsin’ Around episodes are intentionally terrible, the jokes rarely if ever make sense, and the entire experience proves to be emotionally traumatizing for every writer and actor involved. However, this is a series that exists on the same streaming service that made the Fuller House revival. It’s a bit strange to have the most savage takedown of a revival exist in the same place as said revival, but it works. BoJack has actually used Fuller House to sculpt a couple of its storylines, though Fuller House has largely ignored the animated comedy.

Fuller House and BoJack are the most obvious forms of this knowing wink, but you see the same sort of self-mockery appear time and time again in Netflix’s content. The streaming service’s April Fool’s Day joke featured a livestream of Will Arnett, which made fun of terrible livestream content and the fact that Netflix loves Will Arnett. Netflix shows also constantly talk about one another. The New Year’s Eve episode of Fuller House devotes a significant amount of time to Netflix’s kid-tricking New Year’s Eve countdown, and two of the characters of American Vandal bond over their mutual love of Bloodline. A Series of Unfortunate Events is unsurprisingly king of this self-judging trend, as the series is packed full of little nods to its streaming home. Even the latest trailer for Lady Dynamite features Maria Bamford stumbling through a Netflix pitch meeting in a bit that skewers the anything-goes rules of streaming TV.

Self-mockery is also a trend you see consistently in Netflix’s marketing. Shortly before the Season 3 premiere of Narcos, Netflix released a few Narcos-themed musical numbers, one of which focused solely on Pablo Escobar’s death. The ever-suspenseful series Stranger Things has been portrayed with lighthearted 8-bit animation, and the most dramatic moments of Orange Is the New Black have been recreated using puppets. Netflix even just launched a major campaign that initially looks like an epic self-own — the “Netflix Is A Joke” campaign. In short, this is a company that’s not afraid to loosen up a bit. And it’s working.

While other networks trying to be cool look like Steve Buscemi in 30 Rock, Netflix is allowed to take huge creative leaps without penalty. Though Netflix is the most inconsistent major TV provider in terms of its type and quality of content, the streaming service rarely gets criticized for its deviations like broadcast channels often do. Also, even when these shows are directly mocking one another, that mockery rarely feels unearned, cruel, or cringe-worthy. This is partially because a lot of that mockery comes from a place of love and respect, but it’s also important to note it likely also comes from a place of safety. Netflix’s shows aren’t in competition with each other in the same way traditional shows are. They’re allowed to exist in their own, often weird, bubble.

Who knows how meta Netflix is willing to get with its cross-show nods and winks. However, for the moment, it’s fun to watch.

Stream American Vandal on Netflix