We’ve got a lot of superhero content these days. Like, a lot. It dominates movie theatres, news headlines, social media and beyond. If that’s your thing, great! If it’s not, the glut of superhero media we’re fed might just leave a sour taste in your mouth — if it hasn’t already. However, when we get a superhero story that is as unique, cutting-edge, visually electrifying, downright absurd and masterfully on the pulse as Prime Video’s new series I’m A Virgo is, you might just have a chance to re-evaluate everything you thought you knew about what a hero is, and where they come from.
To put it quite plainly, I’m A Virgo is nothing like any superhero story you’ve ever seen. The story follows Cootie, a 19-year-old Oakland native navigating his way through life. The only problem is that Cootie is also 13 feet tall, and has never stepped outside of his home due to his parents’ literally sheltering him away from the judgement he’s destined to receive.
Who is Cootie?
We learn Cootie’s an outsider from the very first scene: his adoptive mother, Lafrancine, holding an infant the size of a full-grown husky. From there we see him absorb everything he can on TV, randomly quoting phrases and idioms he hears on reality shows while sitting like a chiropractor’s nightmare in his parents’ home. Lafrancine and Martisse, Cootie’s father, then build an appropriately-sized living space for their son in the backyard — but surrounded with high hedges and a leafy awning. Their dedication to keeping Cootie sheltered from the poison of reality, at least until his 21st birthday, knows no bounds.
Of course, Cootie’s curiosity gets the better of him and he ventures into the real world. This is a kid with superhuman strength and size, but I’m A Virgo’s brilliance lies within the fact that Cootie feels no sense of duty or responsibility because of his condition — he’s still just a 19-year-old, with the social intelligence and maturity of someone far younger. He’s adorable and silly in the most endearing way, brought to life by the incredible Jharrel Jerome.
Who is Jay Whittle?
The Venn diagram of how people see Cootie is fascinating to watch at work. You’ve got his activist friends who see him as just another member of their circle. You’ve got people who see him as abnormal (good!) and abnormal (bad!). And you’ve got people who basically think he’s the mark of the devil and want him done away with.
In fact, Jay Whittle, a mogul who created a comic book hero literally called The Hero who disproportionately fights petty crimes committed by people of colour, thinks Cootie is beyond redemption. Whittle might just mirror the super-rich superheroes we’ve all become accustomed to, and if there’s any agenda I’m A Virgo is trying to push, it’s anti-what Whittle represents. And it’s there that the series twists all tropes on its head.
The Boots Riley Touch
What makes I’m A Virgo so singular in its approach to storytelling is that it’s helmed by the great Boots Riley. If you’ve seen Sorry to Bother You — if you haven’t, fix that — then you know Boots Riley thrives in the absurd. There are many moments in I’m A Virgo where you might be like ‘wait, what?’ or ‘what is even going on?’, and that’s exactly how you should feel. Intentionally or not, it mirrors Cootie’s experience of the world that, by the time we’re all young adults, makes complete sense to us. Our normal isn’t his normal, so what must Cootie be feeling as he enters a world where he understands almost nothing, including bigotry and injustice?
However, the absurdity and unorthodox visuals of I’m A Virgo aren’t always disorienting — they’re even fun! There’s a scene in which Lafrancine and Martisse build Cootie’s new home in a stop-motion, collage style, swapping out the standard darkness of today’s blockbusters for bright, uncompromising colours. I’m A Virgo is subversive, sure, but it never wants to alienate audiences. In fact, it might even be relatable, in Boots Riley’s own twisted, trippy, terrific way.
Isn’t there a little Cootie in all of us?
I’m a Virgo S1 is now streaming on Prime Video. Sign up to start your 30-day free trial here.