The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act

Note: This review contains spoilers for The Amazing Digital Circus Episodes 1-8.

When Glitch Productions released the pilot episode for The Amazing Digital Circus (TADC), created by Gooseworx, back in 2023, no one could have predicted its viral popularity. As someone who had watched the series since day one, it was interesting seeing that popularity grow in real time to the point that it had a very packed panel at San Diego Comic-Con and the series finale would receive a limited theatrical release via Fathom Events starting two weeks before the official YouTube premiere. Naturally, I secured tickets to the opening weekend as soon as I found out about it so that I could witness a historical event in indie animation for myself. Although this finale did get leaked onto the internet ahead of the screening, I went in spoiler-free following a series rewatch and, as per Glitch’s instructions, I will not spoil the finale in return. However, I am allowed to share my thoughts on it, so here’s why I felt that The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act (The Last Act) felt fitting, but imperfect.

The Last Act, as presented in the theater, opens with a sort of pre-show of the orange Crappy Looking Fish (Zach Hadel) explaining that it’s Episode 8 (“hjsakldfhl”) and Episode 9 put together, along with a warning that you only have 30 seconds to catch up on the series if you didn’t watch the first seven episodes beforehand. This is followed by a quick recap from Caine’s (Alex Rochon) POV of what happened in the first seven episodes, which he adds that you had six months to watch online for free. The two episodes then play back-to-back, but only with end credits for Episode 9. After a post-credits scene, there is a QR code (telegraphed during the pre-show) that takes the audience to a page where they can buy theater-exclusive merch, as well as have early access to merch from Episode 9, all at a discount (yes, I bought something).

As for the content of The Last Act, I had rewatched Episodes 1-7 shortly beforehand in anticipation and found that going through the series close together provided a better viewing experience. It was much easier to spot foreshadowing for later episodes and the connections with Harlan Ellison’s I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (IHNMAIMS), an explicit influence on TADC, feel more apparent. Although Caine is certainly a sillier take on AM, he becomes more and more like AM until he reaches a breaking point in Episode 8, when he decides that he would rather use his godlike abilities to torture the players for his own personal amusement. After reading the short story and playing the game adaptation, I also noticed more connections between the setting and cast of TADC and the setting and cast of IHNMAIMS. For example, Jax has some similarities with Ted, a man paranoid to the point that he only sees the worst in everyone, while Kinger has a similar role to the game version of Ellen in the sense that, much like how Ellen was involved with AM’s creation, he was involved with Caine’s. Mildenhall Manor in Episode 3 ("The Mystery of Mildenhall Manor") also called to mind the castle setting of Ted’s psychodrama in the game, though with an emphasis on different character themes. Episode 7 ("Beach Episode") feels the most similar to the story of the original IHNMAIMS short story, where AM lets the survivors find a cache of food after a very lengthy journey, but doesn’t give them a can opener; in this case, of course, Caine gives the players false hope for an exit, only to reveal (out of ignorance rather than malice) that leaving was never an option.

While I could go on about the comparisons with the inspiration, I will instead say that rewatching Episode 8 on the big screen really hit differently. Caine’s breakdown felt more impactful and the fuller sound of the theater amplified the atmosphere, as though this was the way it was meant to be seen (including the lack of unavoidable artifacting from YouTube’s video compression). The episode also reminded me of just how good of a voice actor Alex Rochon really is, as he shows real range in Caine’s voice to the point that there’s immediate tension from the way he asks where Kinger is. The cherry on top for his performance is the humanity he manages to add in a single word Caine speaks before his accidental deletion. An already powerful episode is enhanced by the new setting and acts as the perfect lead-in to the finale, which takes up the remaining hour of The Last Act’s runtime.

As I mentioned before, I can’t get too specific about Episode 9’s content out of respect to Glitch’s message during the pre-show. However, I can say that it has some of the best animation the series has ever had. Light and shadow are played around with a lot more and there’s a sequence where the animators experiment with different styles in a way that fits what’s going on at the time. There’s even some live-action footage incorporated rather effectively in a way that reinforces the distinction between the real world and the digital. The writing continues the more introspective and existential themes that grow more apparent in later episodes, with a focus on revealing more about the cast as they deal with the fallout of Episode 8 and the possibility that there truly is no escape from the circus that they unknowingly found themselves in. While on this path, the audience finally learns some long-awaited information about a certain character that the series had built up and there are a couple twists that recontextualize elements of the entire series, enough to inspire another future rewatch. Add to that the great voice acting from the cast, with special mention to Michael Kovach’s Jax and Lizzie Freeman’s Pomni, and you have a finale with a lot to love.

However, I also mentioned earlier that this finale was imperfect, which I could attribute to Gooseworx’s inexperience with writing a full series. Although I found the overall story rather well-written, I can’t deny that those seeking deeper lore explorations may find the finale lacking. I won’t say which ones, but certain elements aren’t fully explained and a couple of story twists could have been established or set up better. Maybe a few more minutes in an already long finale could have helped add some additional room for these explanations, especially the ones crucial to the latter half of this particular Episode, but even then, I have the feeling that nothing Gooseworx could write would please every potential viewer who may have drawn their own conclusions about the other elements.

In the end, however, perhaps what’s more important is not whether or not the storytelling is flawless, but rather the feeling that TADC leaves you with. The conclusion is rather bittersweet and I thought that Gooseworx had a good understanding of the core themes of IHNMAIMS, where humanity’s wit and ingenuity can overcome anything, even the rule of a cruel machine with delusions of godhood, and nobility and kindness can help people become better versions of themselves. As much as I could focus on what the finale could have improved on, it would be a disservice if I didn’t mention how the ending still brought me to tears thanks to the final shots. Personally, I would rather that be how I remember this show.

If you’re a fan of The Amazing Digital Circus, The Last Act is more than worth the effort to see in the theater, no matter how you feel by the end. If you haven’t already seen the show and you are going in by yourself or with someone else who already has, I would strongly advise watching Episodes 1-7 beforehand. In any case, this show was quite the ride and I’m glad I saw it through to the end (and I wouldn’t mind owning it physically if Glitch Productions pursued such a release).