Netflix is known for it’s ever-constant, yet ever-changing release of original programming on a monthly basis. Their shows garner excitement and discourse in the blink of an eye and often lose the fame in around the same time frame (one month ago, Tiger King was all anyone could even think about). However, it’s latest original series from Adventure Time creator  Pendleton Ward and podcaster extraordinaire Duncan Trussel seems to have a bit more topical longevity. Midnight Gospel delves into the heavy things such as life, meditation, death, psychedelic drugs, and the ever sought after key to happiness.

The series focuses on “space-caster” Clancy, voiced by Trussel, a stoner-type living on his own (with a super-canine dog) who spends his days traveling interdimensionally in his Universe Simulator and interviewing people he meets along the way for his space-cast (podcast, but you know, space). In the first episode, he journeys to a universe where the White House has been taken over by zombies. He interviews the President while the two work together to fight off the undead at every corner. While trading off and reloading assault rifles, the two begin a conversation that covers everything from marijuana legalization to mental health issues. 

The show has an obvious podcast-like format, with casual conversation between two characters being the auditory focus while wild, colorful animation and adventure take over the screen. In simple dialogue, Clancy guides each episode’s “guest” down his or her individual rabbit hole based on their own experiences; ranging from overdosing on sleeping pills to spending a day with spiritual icon Ram Das. They aren’t always easy conversations, but they flow naturally and move with the pace of the animation in a way that is both difficult and engaging to watch. 

While Ward first demonstrated his prowess on Cartoon Network, this cartoon is clearly for adults only. It stands out against other programs of similar style in that it presents information about real life that the viewer sometimes may not want to hear. The metaphysical is a difficult realm, but Clancy and his friends can help navigate anyone through it, they just have to accept what’s coming.

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