The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) has called for the cancellation of new animated television series Krapopolis.
The series set in a mythical Ancient Greece focuses on a flawed family of humans, gods and monsters trying to run one of the world’s first cities without killing each other.
It has debuted to mixed reviews with an IMDb rating of 6/10, while Rotten Tomatoes rates the show as rotten with a 57 per cent critic score – and it seems that it’s not just the critics who are panning Fox’s new show.
Greek Americans have taken great offence to the series, with AHEPA sending a letter to executive vice president of Fox Entertainment Jean Guerin, requesting the network halt production.
“We find the series demeaning to the contributions gifted to Western Civilization by the ancient Greeks,” writes AHEPA president Savas C. Tsivicos.
“These contributions, which also include the arts, architecture, and sciences; and ideals, which include notion of democracy and right of self-governance, inspired academicians, playwrights, and scientists; and revolutionaries, including our nation’s founding fathers, across centuries.”
Tsivicos has requested a meeting with Guerin to discuss the Greek American community’s concerns and potential harmful implications of Krapopolis.
“Although irony of the ancient Greeks performing satiric comedies as far back as 500 B.C. is not lost on us, we believe Krapopolis crosses a line that is offensive to our community, and perhaps others as well.”
“Our aim is to have a constructive dialogue with the network and hopefully the show’s producers to explore if there’s a path forward.”
How does “Krapopolis” portray the Ancient Greeks?
“Krapopolis” rests on the foundation of a family comedy that escapes into adventures from which the heroes barely survive and learn. It centers on a crazy youth: the ironically named Tyrannis, voiced by British comedian Richard Ayoade.
Although Tyrannis dreams of uniting Krapopolis with the neighboring cities to form an empire, he doesn’t really have the brains or the brutality to pull it off. For that, he must rely on his motley family of gods and monsters—who couldn’t care less about civilization.
Tyrannis is constantly in competition with his half-siblings. Stupendous (Pam Murphy) is a goofy, muscular cyclops who lives to fight and kill.
The half-mermaid Hippocampus (Duncan Trussell) moves around in a wheelchair with a glass ball on his head. Scientific genius and socially awkward, Hippocampus is the brains of the family.
“Krapopolis” was created by Dan Harmon for the Fox Broadcasting Company, and premiered on September 24.
Last year the series was renewed for a second season and in March of this year it was renewed for a third season before its first season aired.
