Official Trailer
Rating: 0/10 | Genre: Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Seasons: 1 | Episodes: 10 | Status: Returning Series
Starring: Nick Kroll, June Diane Raphael, Zach Woods, Sabrina Jalees
I went into Mating Season expecting to hate it. The premise is basically just “horny animals try to date” and the 0/10 rating on TMDB was screaming at me to skip it entirely. But I had nothing to watch on a Sunday afternoon and honestly? This show is a lot funnier than it has any right to be.
It’s not a masterpiece or anything. There are definitely clunky episodes and the premise runs out of steam pretty quick. But for a goofy animated comedy about forest creatures navigating relationships, it’s genuinely charming and frequently laugh-out-loud funny. The cast is clearly having a blast, and that energy is infectious.
Season 1
The first season follows Josh, a bear who wakes up from hibernation to discover his girlfriend has completely moved on. This sends him into a bit of a spiral, and his raccoon friend Ray convinces him to get back into the dating world. It’s a pretty simple setup, but it works.
The early episodes are the strongest. “The Copulatory Tie” is legitimately sad and funny at the same time. Josh’s confusion about how much has changed feels real even though he’s a bear. Nick Kroll voices him with just the right amount of pathetic energy that makes you root for him anyway.
“The Dating Sites” is where the show finds its groove. Watching Josh fumble through animal dating apps while Ray keeps trying to keep his own relationships from falling apart is comedy gold. The running joke about misinterpreting profile pictures had me actually laughing out loud.
By the third episode though, you start to feel the limitations of the concept. “The Lull” involves Josh stealing horny goat weed from his dad to help Ray, and it’s funny enough, but you can tell the writers are already reaching a bit. The episode feels like filler, which is concerning when you only have ten episodes total for a season.
The rest of Season 1 kind of coasts on the charm of the characters and the voice acting. There are good jokes scattered throughout. Some episodes are genuinely solid. But there’s definitely a point around episode six where you realize this show isn’t going to blow your mind. It’s just a fun little comedy that knows what it is.
June Diane Raphael as Penelope the deer is probably the best performance in the cast. She brings real personality to what could have been a one-note character. Zach Woods as Ray is also fantastic. He plays up the anxiety in a way that makes even the dumb jokes work because you believe him as a nervous raccoon trying to figure out love.
The finale doesn’t exactly stick the landing, but it doesn’t completely fall apart either. It sets things up for Season 2 with enough of a cliffhanger that I’m actually curious where they’re going with it, even if I don’t think this show is some hidden gem that deserves way more hype.
Should you watch it? If you like animal comedies and don’t mind a pretty straightforward humor style, yeah, knock yourself out. It’s ten episodes. You can get through it in an afternoon. Just know what you’re getting into. It’s not deep. It’s not trying to say anything meaningful about relationships. It’s just a bunch of funny voice actors playing horny animals, and sometimes that’s enough.
Have you seen Mating Season yet, or are you still on the fence about it? I’m genuinely curious if other people think the rating is fair or if it’s just another case of TMDB users hating anything that’s silly.
Episode Guide
Season 1 (10 Episodes)
Episode 1: The Copulatory Tie
Josh wakes up late from hibernation to find his longtime girlfriend has moved on. Fawn tries dating an older stag. Ray gets himself stuck inside a skunk.
Episode 2: The Dating Sites
Ray urges a nervous Josh to get back out on the dating scene. Fawn plays Penelope's wing-deer to help her pick up girls at The Beaver Dam.
Episode 3: The Lull
Josh steals his dad's stash of horny goat weed to help Ray keep it up. Penelope consults a psychic. Fawn dates a moose who won't make the first move.
Episode 4: The Truth About Canada
A flashback reveals Penelope's brush with forbidden love, Fawn's frustrating attempts to cohabitate — and the moment the two first became friends.
Episode 5: The Hot Mess
Josh is on guard when Ray's deadbeat mom pops into town to throw him a party. Fawn celebrates her freedom, and Penelope learns how to do "The Thing."
Episode 6: The Horse Who Loved Me
While Penelope and Fawn take Zeke to The Boneyard to sow his wild oats, Josh goes out with a well-heeled horse who's running from her past.
Episode 7: The Polycule
A pair of polyamorous marmots pull Penelope into a throuple. Fawn hits it off with a cute bobcat, and Ray takes Josh to an orgy with too many rules.
Episode 8: The Passion of Raynal Skidski
Ray falls in love with a sweet schoolteacher while Fawn dates a bro-goat from hell. Josh and Penelope try living as platonic partners.
Episode 9: The All-Nighter
Penelope plans a cozy night in for a heartbroken Ray — but he wants a wild night out. Fawn runs into her ex. Josh finds trouble with a tempting mink.
Episode 10: The Wolf Wedding
The friends leave the forest to crash Dylan's wedding when Fawn admits she still has feelings for him. Will the truth come out… or is it too late?
Where to Watch
Streaming availability varies by region. Check your favorite streaming platform to see if this title is available in your country.