When I first heard about this brand new Netflix show called Squid Game  that's been going viral I was kinda disappointed to see it wasn't a quiz show about hentai. But I liked it anyway; it's not the most innovative show I've seen but it's an entertaining enough take on the death game genre and does enough to stand out amongst the others. Not as good as Alice in Borderland but better than Escape Room. 

The aesthetics had to be the strongest aspect of the show for me. The sinister circle/square/triangle branding on just about everything including the guard's masks, the huge bunk beds where the contestants sleep and the MC Escher-type stairs they take to play playground games with a deadly twist - these strong visuals are probably a big reason why it's been such a success outside of South Korea, mostly because of the memes they've inspired. 

Even if you've not seen the show you've probably seen memes of the creepy doll robot from the first game, where the contestants find out the hard way these games aren't fucking around. A high-stakes game of "Red Light/Green Light," or whatever you call that kids' game where people have to cross a distance without being seen by the person at the other end, moving only when they're facing the other way. Here, the doll is "it" on the other side, using motion detectors to decide which contestants are eliminated. The first elimination marks a huge tonal shift compared to the rest of the first episode up to that point and makes it clear that anyone can die at any moment, a vibe that persists in every episode. And the fact that a giant kids' doll is overseeing life and death for hundreds of people struggling for money? That's pretty fucked up. 

You know what else is fucked up? How much R34 art has been made of the doll alone. 

Netflix knew exactly what they were doing when they dropped Squid Game weeks before Halloween. Parties this year are gonna be full of people in green tracksuits or red jumpsuits and masks, but I'm hoping to see at least a few slutty dolls. 

Have you guys seen Squid Game? Does it live up to the hype? What do you think of the doll and how she's kinda dressed like a gender-flipped Stewie Griffin? Sound off below!