Santa Inc. is a new show on HBO Max that has been at the center of controversy ever since its release. For those unaware, it’s an adult animated series about Santa Claus and a female elf who wants to become the next Santa. Sarah Silverman voices the elf (Candy Smalls) and Seth Rogen voices Santa Claus. The show hasn’t received the best reception in terms of critical reviews or user reviews – and now, one of the show’s stars has hinted at a reason why that may be.
At the time of writing this article, Santa Inc. has a 1.1 out of 10 on IMDb and 4% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes has only posted two critic reviews, one of which is bad from Variety and one that’s good from Hollywood Reporter.
Here’s a sample of some of the user reviews (verbatim):
- The writing is cringey, the delivery of the lines is not stellar. Most of the jokes don’t really land. I breathed forcefully out of my nose at one point, but that was about it. I gave it two episodes and just couldn’t justify wasting my time any longer. It’s all very high school edge lord energy. I just can’t. Sorry.
- Watched 1 episode and that was all that I could take. Worse than sausage party. Not even funny. Just sad attempt at humor.
- Not funny in the least. Truly sad how far Seth Rogan has fallen – he’s traded humor for political messaging and it doesn’t suit him at all.
- Even cynical, bitter jokes can be ok if done right. But there is literally nothing at all good about this. Nothing.
- Awful. Just an incredibly cynical awful mess.
- I originally was excited to see this show,But there was nothing funny at all more cringe than comedy. HBO should be able to find much better talent than the writers who made this hideous, painful to watch mess.
- HO-HO-HORRIBLE. Im not offended or shocked by the crude or profane….only perhaps my comedic sensibilities. Sooooo UNFUNNY.
- Not as bad as some of the reviews suggest but not great either. 3 out of 10 is about fair. There’s too much exposition, the jokes are stolen from other shows, and I do not like the constant morality lessons. Plus the animation style is distracting, it really doesn’t work. Also, too much swearing for swearing’s sake – it’s like they tried to cover up the lack of jokes with swearing.
Seth Rogen, who also is an executive producer of the show, took to Twitter to say, “We really pissed off tens of thousands of white supremacists with our new show #SantaInc which is now available on HBOMAX!”
You can view the tweet along with some of the responses below:
We really pissed off tens of thousands of white supremacists with our new show #SantaInc which is now available on HBOMAX! (Please read the responses to this tweet for confirmation)
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) December 3, 2021
Always with the white supremacy 🤣
— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) December 3, 2021
What’s up with the reindeer Seth.. pic.twitter.com/dcYsydwztv
— WhatATwist (@StormRiderOroro) December 3, 2021
Have you considered the audience rating isn’t based on white supremacy, and that maybe~ it’s actually just not that good?
— Alisha (@alishapennyy) December 3, 2021
Is an audience rating of 2% a bad thing? pic.twitter.com/SMbhI3yiaq
— MarkHyman (@MarkHyman) December 3, 2021
Seth, as a rich straight white male. You are everything you think you are fighting against. I bet your carbon footprint would even give green peace a heart attack. That’s the part of the joke you aren’t getting or maybe they aren’t… Love much of what you do, respect!
— Mark Huber (@MarkJHuber2) December 3, 2021
It must be such a comforting notion for the Hollywood Elite to be able write off literally any response to the things they create that is slightly not to their worldview as “White Supremacy” every single time https://t.co/vT8vv2BHo9
— Archon.exe Has Stopped Working (@ArchonOf) December 3, 2021
Everyone must be a white supremacist, because I can’t find a positive review.
— Ricky Prevatt (@RickyPrevatt) December 3, 2021
You can’t just attack people’s religious holiday and expect no backlash.
Neither Christmas nor Santa started in America. He’s from the east Mediterranean. He has nothing to do with your racial divisions.
Also the show feels like it was written by an 11 year old edgelord.
— Syrian Girl 🇸🇾🎗 (@Partisangirl) December 4, 2021
“We make terrible shows and will continue driving potential customers and fans away by calling them white supremacists. (Please read the responses to this tweet for confirmation)”
— ☀️ Mandy Summers 💖 (@WartTheWizard) December 3, 2021
So, when you made this, and you all said to yourselves, “They’ll really like this!” …who was “they,” exactly?
I’m just wondering who you *thought* was going to enjoy watching this. pic.twitter.com/wsK6XR3gs5
— R. M. Huffman (@Huff4Congress) December 3, 2021
I can’t even take this tweet seriously it’s so off the wall. It’s either bait or you have completely lost your mind.
— Philip Williams (@urbosasfury2021) December 3, 2021
Excellent!!! One hundred percent support pissing off racist assholes 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
— Antony Starr (@antonystarr) December 3, 2021
Sarah Silverman also posted a tweet about the show’s response:
For all those who say Jews are white (yes, white Jews experience white privilege often for sure) search “Santa Inc Jews” on this app and see what THESE white people think https://t.co/udTXikBQTU
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) December 2, 2021
For those interested in watching, Santa Inc. is currently streaming on HBO Max.