Sam & Max is a totally different breed of comic than your standard "Captain America" superhero book or "Dilbert" newspaper strip. And Steve Purcell, the artist and thinker behind the madness, had a lot of guts making it into a Fox kids TV show, since it was more of an "adultish" comic duo. The sad part is that a lot of Sam & Max fans were dissatisfied with the more family-friendly atmosphere, since it introduced a brainy little girl called simply "Geek" that designed improbable and incredible gadgets for the duo.
But I'm here to allay your fears.
The sort of humor backing every episode is classic Sam & Max. No, maybe it's not exactly like the comic books. No, maybe it isn't a carbon copy of Lucasart's fantastic adventure game "Sam & Max: Hit the Road." But what you will find in here is Sam using a wide vocabulary and spouting off bombastic exclamations. Max is the same old hyperkinetic rabbity-thing that just wants to see justice served as violently as possible. And while the whole of the series is a bloodless affair, you'll find most of the humor in the banter that is volleyed between the two at a dizzying pace. The dialogue, the tasteful use of puns, and the voice work are impeccable.
It proves that you don't necessarily have to make something more edgy to make it good. While there are cheesy parts in places due to the sometimes-too-tame atmosphere, it's an overall very enjoyable romp through the world of Sam & Max. Besides, what kids these days are going to get jokes like a parodied Jerry Springer or the game show password? It's a little childish in spots, but it's definitely Sam & Max, and you're going to love it.
