Love, Death & Robots is back – one series, dozens of worlds. Series to the Past #1

It was meant to be an experiment, but it became a hallmark of Netflix and their capabilities in terms of graphic design. Often regarded as the best animated series created by Netflix. On May 15, we had the premiere of season 4 of Love, Death & Robots. To celebrate the release of this unique anthology, we decided to take a fresh look at the entire series to find the elements that made it such an exceptional work. Can an anthology that not only has a different story every episode but also varies in graphic style remain forever in pop culture?

This is the first article in this series. We will discuss many works while looking back at series that have, to some extent, made their mark in the history of pop culture. So, I invite you to the series of articles: Series to the Past!

From photorealism to pure abstraction – each episode is a new approach to form!

What sets this series apart from the very beginning is the fact that it doesn't have a single style. It resembles more a collection of business cards from various artists and animation studios from around the world. Specifically, each episode is a totally new studio, a new type of visualisation, new tools, and new voice actors (and not only: season 4 contains an episode titled: Golgotha, featuring live-action actors). For example, we will discuss a couple of exceptional episodes, without significant spoilers, and skip season four:

First up is the episode “Immortal Art” (s1e14) – a classic from the first season. Here, the creators opted for a minimalist, slightly retro comic book aesthetic. Bold outlines, simple colours, and a slightly exaggerated style create the atmosphere of a philosophical science fiction fairy tale. It's animation that resembles a graphic novel – seemingly static but bursting with emotion and colour.

In turn, “Witness” (s1e3) surprises with something completely different. It is one of the most visually “alive” episodes – full of neon lights, with dynamic editing and exceptionally smooth camera movement. The whole thing was created by the Spanish studio Blow, which combined CGI with hand-animated textures and effects. The result? A visual extravaganza that brings to mind futuristic thrillers in the style of “Blade Runner,” only more deeply immersed in the techno club aesthetic.

Meanwhile, “Mason's Rats” (s3e7) and “Life Hutch” (s2e7) show how close animation can come to realism. The latter episode, featuring Michael B. Jordan, hardly reveals that what we are witnessing is full CGI. Motion capture technology was used here to capture every facial grimace, muscle tension, and gaze – the final effect is almost indistinguishable from live-action cinema. The action takes place in a claustrophobic escape pod, and the weight of the emotions and terror is amplified by every detail: sweat on the forehead, light reflections, subtle close-ups. This is animation at the edge of the illusion between CGI and the real world, and this is precisely what gives it its power of being “too real to not hurt.”

Visual feast and a mental trip. This Netflix series does more than many narratives!

What connects such diverse episodes is the quality. Whether you’re watching the grotesque CGI from the episode “Three Robots” (s1e2), the cel-shaded fantasy styling like in “The Drowned Giant” (s3e2), or the painterly animation from “Jibaro” (s3e9), you feel that these aren’t just adult fairy tales. These are refined, often experimental artistic visions that never forget that in a spectacle, emotions are always the most important thing.

Importantly, each visual style has been chosen to suit the story it tells. If an episode is chaotic and crazy – like “Kill Team Kill” (s3e5) – we get animation straight out of Cartoon Network on steroids. And when the narrative delves into poetic or tragic realms – like in “Jibaro” (s3e9) – the creators lean towards an almost spiritual aesthetic, with choreography and colour that overwhelm with their intensity.

What's more – short forms, zero boredom!

One of the key advantages of the series is the length of the episodes. Most of them last from 5 to 20 minutes – and it’s no coincidence. This means that even if the storyline is simple, the motif familiar, and the characters only sketched, there’s no time to get bored. Short forms allow us to focus on what really impresses, namely the atmosphere, presentation, and rhythm of the story. This works particularly well in tales that could lose their impact in a full-length format. In this case, they simply strike us: quickly and effectively.

Sound design? Just as good as the visuals – and equally underrated!

Although sight dominates, we can’t forget about the soundtrack. Many episodes of the series use sound not just as a backdrop, but as an integral part of the narrative. In “Jibaro”, there isn't a single spoken line. Everything relies on the sounds of the body, breath, water, metal, and screams. Surprisingly, in this context, it is louder than any other dialogue, especially thanks to these sensory impacts.

In “Good Hunting”, sound plays the role of a guide between eras. Initially, we hear calm, Asian melodies, the breath of nature, and silence, only for them to give way to the sounds of a mechanised city, the hissing of steam, and the clatter of machines. The contrast in the audio layer perfectly complements the change in the world and characters in the episode.

On the other hand, in “Pop Squad”, we see how expertly mood is created through sound. Where other episodes focus on effects, suddenly we have silence in our ears. The rain and the echo of an empty apartment are meant to build an atmosphere of loneliness and moral conflict. The soundtrack here acts like a gentle pang of conscience, quietly but impossible to ignore.

The only series that captivates the eye, ear, and brain – and still maintains its quality!

There is no other series like it. “Love, Death & Robots” has turned out to be more than just an ordinary anthology with elements of science fiction. They’ve created some kind of festival of visualisation, ideas, and styles. A series that can be watched like an art exhibition, designed to inspire graphic artists and filmmakers. 

 It's also a work that practically begs to be viewed on a high-quality screen – OLED, Mini-LED, or simply something with great black levels and strong contrast. It’s worth watching this series on a television that will fully convey the creators' vision – every detail, light, texture, and movement. So check out our rankings of budget televisions, as well as comparisons of LG and Samsung models that handle this type of animation best.