Animal Control

The show follows a ragged team of local animal control officers whose daily work is simple in concept, but messy in practice because people are complicated. Frank Shaw, a blunt, bookish ex-cop who was fired after trying to expose corruption, runs the crew with a mix of cynicism and odd compassion, and he has an uncanny knack for reading animals. His colleagues include earnest rookie Emily, thrill-seeking Shred, pragmatic Amit, and desk-bound Victoria, and their calls range from sweet rescues to absurd emergencies. Episodes balance goofy fieldwork with quieter moments that reveal how these imperfect humans relate to creatures that are straightforward by comparison.

Animal Control premiered in 2023 and was created by Dan Sterling, Rob Greenberg, and Bob Fisher. Joel McHale leads the cast as Frank, joined by Vella Lovell, Michael Rowland, Ravi Patel, and Grace Palmer, and it was developed as an original sitcom for television.

As a series it hasn't racked up major awards or high-profile nominations in its first season, though reviewers and viewers often singled out McHale's timing and the ensemble's chemistry. The show earned attention more for performance and tone than for trophies.

The series found a modest audience among fans of workplace comedy and animal-centric humor. Short clips and standout scenes circulated on social platforms, and conversations around humane handling and the oddities of municipal jobs gave the show a bit of cultural footprint without turning it into a mainstream phenomenon.

Critical reaction has been mixed, reflected in its average vote score around 6.0 out of 10. Many critics appreciated the show's warm center and the contrast between straightforward animals and messy human relationships, while others felt the tone could be uneven and some jokes landed better than others. Overall, it leans on character-driven humor, satire of bureaucracy, and small moments of empathy to keep viewers engaged.