One of the best things about the series is how it does such an effective job at authentically tapping into that experience of being a seventh grader again. The season tackles a number of smart, genuine storylines that children have to deal with, like school dances, first kisses, sleepovers, seeing a friend’s penis, periods, or defining if “you’re a couple.” Big Mouth goes one step further here by contrasting these authentic moments from youth with an outlandish, elastic reality. Children may be learning life lessons here, but crazy stuff like the Statue of Liberty handing out feminine advice, children getting sucked into Sylvester Stallone’s amateur porn, and a masturbation pillow developing feelings for its owner and wanting to be more than just a “fling” still go down. Not to mention, the Ghost of Duke Ellington and a Hormone Monster are also some of the supporting characters of this unique world.

The Hormone Monster, Maurice, is really a stroke of genius for this show (a pun which Maurice would love). Maurice is essentially a sexualized version of Aladdin’s Genie. He’s perpetually horny and lewd in the best possible way, yet he has an excuse—he’s a Hormone Monster—so it doesn’t play as gratuitous. He’s disgusting, but so were all of we when the hormones first started to flow. Also, Jessie’s Hormone Monstress, Connie, is a great evolution of the gag and Maya Rudolph owns the role in the same way that Nick Kroll does Maurice.

These characters may feel a little reminiscent of American Dad’s Roger at times, but they work best when they’re helping these kids with their sexuality rather than recklessly having their way with inanimate objects. It’s also smart to actually turn Maurice and Connie into supporting characters rather than just a one-off joke for an episode.

Big Mouth also succeeds in being a deeply sweet show, in spite of the crude exterior. It’s the series’ way of highlighting the many weird shapes and sizes that young love can come in. Characters can break out into a song about how “Life is a Fucked Up Mess,” yet still have the chipper veneer of children. The series even opens up the conversation towards more serious topics, like consent and sexual abuse…albeit using a beautiful Seinfeld gag to dig deeper into the issue. In this sense, Andrew Goldberg’s Family Guy-like cutaway sensibilities are definitely felt at times, but Big Mouth does a good job at not going overboard in that department.

Weirdly enough, this combination of styles ends up creating an almost Bobby’s World sort of approach to the world and life lessons. Only if Bobby’s World was much more jaded and adult. I also felt many pangs of the tone and absurdity present in Mitch Hurwitz’s Sit Down, Shut Up, which is high praise in my opinion. At many times Big Mouth is not only aware that it’s a television show, but it addresses the fact head on. It’s a show that doesn’t shy away from getting meta, but with this series, it’s the sort of thing where an episode won’t end up all being a dream, it’ll end up all being a wet dream. That’s this show’s wheelhouse.