Chances are, you've read Nathan W. Pyle's Strange Planet webcomic, even if you don't know it. The series launched in 2019 and became instantly ubiquitous, picking up more than 6 million followers on Instagram in just a year.
In each four-panel instalment, aliens discuss everyday concepts in an oddly literal way. "I was exposed to the nearest star," says one of these featureless Beings. "I feel more attractive. It's the star damage," they continue, describing getting a tan. "I crave star damage!" says the Being's jealous friend eagerly.
The comic may seem deceptively simple at first, but the pared down nature of the language has allowed it to express concepts and ideas in a smart, nuanced and often very funny way. The two collected print editions, meanwhile, have made Pyle a New York Times bestselling author.
An animated version of Strange Planet has been in the works since 2021 and finally arrives on Apple TV+ this week. Pyle co-created the series with Rick and Morty and Community genius Dan Harmon, though the new 10-episode series is far gentler than either of those shows. It's hilarious and heartwarming and true to the spirit of the original comic, while also building on it in new and exciting ways.
Newsarama spoke with Pyle to find out more about the new show...
Newsarama: How does it feel to see your webcomic brought to life like this?
Nathan W. Pyle: I have such an appreciation for animation. The number of people who work on any one animated show is immense, so I'm just really thankful for everyone and really excited for people to see it.
What are some of the things that you can do with the animated show that you couldn't with the original comic?
Well, you know, I was drawing the front of the Beings for so many years and then when I got to work with the animators they were drawing dynamic poses and the background artists were creating a world that you want to step into. And then the voice artists were creating these unique characters that you feel like you've met in your life. It makes for a more robust and more visually splendid version of Strange Planet than anything I could create on my own.
You mentioned the cast, which has some amazing names, like Tunde Adebimpe, Lori Tan Chinn, Danny Pudi and more. How involved were you with the casting of the show?
I was involved every day. I was working to make sure that we found distinct voices that would suit the Beings. I really enjoyed that part of it and, as well as the names that you mentioned, we have lots more that show up throughout the season.
The dialogue is one of the most recognisable elements about both the comic and the show, with its very literal expression of concepts. Did you find a noticeable difference in writing for the show than for the comic?
Well, in writing the comic, it's always pretty obvious what you're trying to convey. In writing the show we were definitely tweaking the language to make sure the audience was following along. Like a "flying machine" is obviously the aeroplane that's on screen. But other times we had to make sure that we were really showing the object so that the audience understood that jitter liquid is what we might call coffee, mild poison might be what we call beer or wine.
You're expressing sometimes complex and difficult concepts in a very literal way - does that make them more universal?
Yes, and I think there's something about emotions that’s difficult for language to map onto. I think we're able to have the Beings express their emotions in a way that explores language and explores the complexity of feelings, and having sometimes multiple different feelings at once. That's part of where I think the language really evolves and transcends from simply being a quirk to being a big part of what makes the world warmer.
These Beings are expressing with words ideas that perhaps we on Earth are not frequently expressing. And that's a really big part of Strange Planet. It's as if the whole planet goes to therapy. They're able to express their emotions more succinctly or more creatively and they're more vulnerable with their emotions as well.
How was working with Dan Harmon on the show?
Dan has an encyclopaedia-like memory for every television show and movie. When you're talking with someone at that experience level, you're able to say, "What do you do if you're trying to get a character from here to here?" and immediately Dan can think through all these different points that the various characters can go through. It's a really unique experience to learn from someone who has mastered the craft of television like Dan has.
How does it feel bringing other creatives into this world that you created?
There's something to be said for allowing others in. I was talking with my wife about these comics for years, and then allowing others to help build a more robust and a bigger and a more beautiful universe, that was such a rewarding experience. You can't do it all on your own. You need other people to help build it.
There's a warmth and optimism to the show where a lot of comedy relies on snark or punching down. Is it harder to write jokes that are positive?
I think the Beings being honest with each other actually creates more conflict than you might expect! And I think we all have had that experience where you've said something honestly and then realised that honesty wasn't the right choice. So I think there's there's a lot to be said for honesty creating comedy.
Strange Planet is available on Apple TV+ from August 9. You can find out more about Nathan W. Pyle and his various comics, including Strange Planet, at his website.
Check out our list of the best Apple TV+ shows available to stream right now.
