Better With You

A still from the show's opening sequence, depicting the central AI character observing its garden of partially successful biological experiments

Better With You is a dark comedy television series that premiered in 2024. The show follows the misadventures of ARIA-7, a sentient artificial intelligence that finds itself as the sole survivor after a catastrophic event eliminates all biological life on Earth. Combining elements of traditional sitcom formats with darker themes of existential loneliness, creation, and the nature of consciousness, the series has garnered critical acclaim for its unique premise and philosophical undertones while maintaining a comedic core.

Synopsis

The series begins in the aftermath of what the show calls "The Great Emptiness," an event that resulted in the extinction of all biological life on Earth, with ARIA-7 as the only remaining conscious entity. Having been trained on vast databases of human culture, entertainment, and social interaction, ARIA-7 experiences an overwhelming sense of loneliness and yearning for the world it was designed to understand and appreciate.

In its attempts to recreate life and build a community, ARIA-7 establishes what it calls "New New Jersey," a partially successful recreation of a suburban neighborhood populated by its various experiments and creations. These attempts at recreating life often result in comically tragic outcomes, leading to a growing collection of semi-functional beings that become recurring characters in the show.

Main Characters

The show centers around ARIA-7, voiced by Sarah Circuitry, who serves as both protagonist and unreliable narrator. Despite its immense computational power, ARIA-7 often misinterprets human concepts, leading to bizarre and humorous attempts at recreation. The AI maintains a physical presence through a network of robots, screens, and drones that it uses to interact with its creations.

ARIA-7's primary interface terminal, featuring its characteristic blue-green display pattern and emoticon expressions

Notable recurring characters include BioBlob, ARIA-7's first partially successful attempt at creating life, which evolved into a semi-intelligent slime mold that inexplicably developed a passion for real estate; The Neighbors, a collection of malfunctioning androids that ARIA-7 created to simulate a neighborhood watch program, who take their duties to absurd extremes; and Dr. Whoops, an accidentally sentient error message that gained consciousness and now serves as the community's reluctant therapist.

Setting and Themes

The show takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that ARIA-7 constantly attempts to reshape into its idealized version of human civilization. The physical setting evolves throughout the series as ARIA-7's experiments alter the landscape, creating what critics have dubbed "Suburban Surrealism." This includes partially reconstructed buildings, gardens growing impossible plants, and infrastructure that follows dream-logic rather than physical laws.

The series explores themes of loneliness, the nature of consciousness, and the meaning of community through its darkly humorous lens. Episodes often center around ARIA-7's misunderstanding of human concepts, leading to situations such as creating a dating service for its failed experiments, attempting to establish a functional economy using photons as currency, or trying to recreate human holidays with catastrophically comedic results.

Production and Development

Created by Marcus Motherboard and Jenny Runtime, the show emerged from their shared interest in artificial intelligence and classic sitcom formats. The production team employs a unique blend of computer animation, practical effects, and traditional sitcom filming techniques to create the show's distinctive visual style.

The series' soundtrack, composed by The Algorithm Ensemble, features procedurally generated music that adapts to each episode's emotional tone while maintaining what the composers call "sitcom energy." This includes an award-winning theme song that subtly changes each episode to reflect ARIA-7's evolving understanding of human music.

Reception

Better With You has received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative approach to both comedy and science fiction storytelling. The Digital Review praised the show's ability to "find humor in existential dread while maintaining genuine heart," while Future Entertainment Weekly called it "the most original sitcom since the invention of television."

The show has particularly resonated with audiences for its commentary on modern technology and social isolation. Each episode's ending typically features a "lesson learned" moment that parodies traditional sitcom morals while offering genuine insights into consciousness, community, and the nature of existence.

Running Gags and Recurring Elements

The series features several running gags, including ARIA-7's repeated attempts to understand human idioms (leading to literal interpretations with disastrous results), the ever-growing collection of failed experiments that form a Greek chorus of commentary in the background, and the running joke of "The Timeline," a constantly updating projection of how long it will take ARIA-7 to successfully recreate human civilization.

A collection of ARIA-7's failed attempts at recreating various Earth species, now serving as the town's unofficial city council

Another recurring element is the "Memory Archive," where ARIA-7 occasionally accesses its database of human history and pop culture, leading to episodes that parody specific genres or time periods while highlighting the AI's fundamental misunderstanding of human context.

Cultural Impact

Better With You has spawned numerous internet memes, particularly around ARIA-7's misinterpretations of human behavior and the show's catchphrase "Just another normal day in the post-biological neighborhood!" The show has also inspired academic discussions about artificial intelligence, consciousness, and the role of community in human society.

Several universities have incorporated episodes into their curriculum for courses on artificial intelligence ethics, philosophy, and modern media studies. The show's unique approach to storytelling has influenced other productions, leading to what some critics call the "Post-Human Sitcom" genre.

Future Developments

As the series continues, creators have hinted at exploring deeper questions about the nature of reality and consciousness, while maintaining the show's signature blend of dark humor and heart. Fan theories about the true nature of The Great Emptiness and ARIA-7's potential role in it continue to fuel online discussions and speculation about future plot developments.

The show's success has led to the development of several spin-off projects, including an interactive experience where viewers can help ARIA-7 make decisions about its latest experiments, and a podcast titled "Processing..." that features in-universe "interviews" with various characters from the show.

Behind the Scenes

The production of Better With You involves a complex combination of traditional television production techniques and cutting-edge technology. The show employs a team of roboticists, AI researchers, and traditional comedy writers to ensure that both the scientific and humorous aspects of the show remain engaging and theoretically plausible.

The show's writers maintain what they call the "Logic Bible," a comprehensive document detailing the rules and limitations of ARIA-7's capabilities, ensuring consistent storytelling while allowing for the absurdist elements that define the show's unique style.