Prime Video’s newest summer sensation is a show called “I’m A Virgo.” The show follows Cootie, played by Emmy Award winner Jharrel Jerome. Cootie is a 13 foot tall young Black man from Oakland, California. He discovers the world for the first time as a giant with hopes to make an impact. Director Boots Riley, known for 2018’s “Sorry To Bother You,” combines live action elements as well as animation to convey Cootie’s stories and viewpoints of society throughout the first season of “I’m A Virgo.” Cootie has an eclectic comic book view of the world that is reflected in a fun and charismatic way through colorful visuals.
Raised by his adoptive parents, Cootie is sheltered throughout his youth and is hidden away to be protected from the dangers he could face for being 13 feet tall. Cootie goes on a joyride with his three friends, and through this journey he finds himself. Along the way, Cootie realizes everything can not always be perfect.
The show depicts Cootie going through average adult woes in a giant-sized body, which can be a relatable experience for some viewers. In an interview with Time Magazine, Jerome said: “I think as a Black man, when you walk around the street, you kind of already feel like Cootie: You feel a little too big, or you feel a little too intimidating, even though you’re pure hearted.”
Cootie was an outcast for so long, he craved acceptance from others in the outside world. He is idolized for his size and taken advantage of.
Underneath the wacky visuals, the show has great social commentary and leaves the audience considering how young people perceive the world. The show takes a deep dive into conversations about capitalism, racism and the healthcare system in America.
Cootie’s comic book idol, The Hero, is a great representation of how police brutality is depicted in the real world as he is a vigilante. Riley went into detail in an interview with NPR about The Hero. He said: “What superhero shows and what cop shows do is not only promote this idea of the police being the good guys. It’s also to sell us this idea that poverty and crime come from bad choices of the impoverished. And what this show points out is that poverty and crime are built into capitalism in the sense that we don’t have any kind of safety net.”
Roger Ebert reviewer Peyton Robinson said, “Cootie idolizes The Hero’s comics but learns that with real-world implications, The Hero is not a protector of the people but of America’s classist, capitalist rhetoric.”
Life lessons can be taken from “I’m A Virgo,” as well as valuable insight from the perspective of young Black adults in marginalized neighborhoods.
CNN writer Brian Lowry said, ““I’m a Virgo” operates from an admirable place of trying to get its audience to identify with, or at least think about, the deeper origins of that discomfort, using the grand absurdity of its concept as a jumping-off point.”
“I’m A Virgo” is a creative and innovative coming-of-age story. It is the perfect watch this summer. If you are a young person trying to make sense of the complexity of American society and are interested in social commentary that is easy to digest, I highly recommend “I’m A Virgo.” This show is larger than life literally and figuratively.
