Kaden Hufstedler

Joe Pera Talks with You, a short-form television series about a soft-spoken man exploring life’s mundane wonders in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, has carved out an iron nugget-sized place in my heart. Premiering on Adult Swim on May 20, 2018, to critical acclaim, Joe Pera Talks with You is a unique, touching comedy series among a sea of sitcoms and adult animations. The series centers around Joe Pera, a mild-mannered, middle-school choir teacher in his early 30’s. In each episode, Pera explains the intricacies of everyday life, ranging from the first episode, “Joe Pera Shows You Iron,” to the last, “Joe Pera Answers Your Questions About Cold Weather Sports.” Each episode is a bit Mr. Rogers-esque, with Pera greeting the audience at the start, explaining a bit of background information on that day’s topic, and then inviting the viewer along to enjoy the rest of the story. While each episode includes a healthy dose of information about the topic at hand, it also introduces a heartwarming plot mixed with relaxing stock footage and the musical equivalent of cuddling up to a warm fireplace in the middle of winter. The first episode opens on Pera explaining the different types of metals and minerals that can be found in Michigan. During his speech, he’s interrupted by a family who believes that his home is having an open house (due to a mixup with a real estate sign and some rapscallion youngsters). Pera, being too shy to tell them otherwise, becomes torn about whether or not he should sell his house to them. Eventually, however, after some reflection and a conversation with his oddball best friend Gene, he comes to the conclusion that he is “not a rock” and would rather stay in Marquette, the town where he grew up. Pera’s delivery is monotone and kind, giving the viewer the impression of a grandfather stuck in the body of a relatively young adult. His clothing choices are a reflection of his grandfatherly attributes, with sweaters, khakis and dres's shoes making up his regular outfit. It’s precisely the way that Pera conducts himself, coupled with a convincing, over-the-top cast of side characters, that drive this show from an obscure, experimental art piece to a thought-provoking, cozy adventure. If there is one thing to criticize about the show, however, it would have to be that it is too short. Each episode clocks in at around 12 minutes. This suits Pera’s style of comedy very well but also leaves the viewer wanting much more. With season 2 having been released in January of last year, though, viewers may keep their fingers crossed for season 3 sometime in the near future.