Netflix’s Love, Death + Robots Volume 4 is, once again, a great season filled with incredible shorts. Here are all 10 Love, Death + Robots Volume 4 episodes ranked.
Love, Death + Robots Volume 4 features ten incredible shorts. Ranging from comedy, horror, and Sci-Fi, there is something here for everyone. While not each episode is everyone’s cup of tea, there are sure to be at least a few that hit home for viewers.
Love, Death + Robots Volume 4 Episodes Ranked
Personally, I love all ten episodes that were released this season. So much so that I think this is my favorite season besides the first. Still, when push comes to shove, I can choose favorites.
Here are all 10 episodes of Love, Death + Robots Volume 4, ranked from worst to best.
Can’t Stop
Synopsis: A unique take on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ legendary 2003 performance at Slane
Castle, Ireland, with band members Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and John Frusciante recreated as string-puppets. Directed by David Fincher, who originally made his name with music videos in the 1980s and early ’90s, before segueing into unforgettable feature films.
Review: Can’t Stop looks incredible in terms of the animation. The puppets look exactly like their singer counterparts, which is extremely impressive. I love going to concerts, and this short certainly captures the vibe of attending a live event. However, it is ranked last on the list, but it is simply just the performance of a song, and nothing more.
Close Encounters of the Mini Kind
Synopsis: Tiny terror is unleashed in this mini alien apocalypse as directors Robert Bisi and Andy Lyon pay loving tribute to classic sci-fi stories of alien invasion and human stupidity using tilt-shift techniques that make the end of the world look almost cute.
Review: I really enjoyed this episode of Love, Death + Robots Volume 4. The high-pitched voices help to create the illusion of the tiny humans and aliens. I can only imagine that this episode took a very, very long time to create. It is a lot of fun, but this is such a stacked season that this lands at number nine.
Golgotha
Synopsis: In a rare live-action entry in Love, Death + Robots, a conscientious vicar – played by Rhys Darby, (What We Do In The Shadows) – plays host to an emissary of an alien race who believes their messiah has been reborn on earth… as a dolphin. So, uh… yeah, Dolphin-Jesus. Directed by Tim Miller.
Review: This is one of the most intriguing stories being told this season, and feels like something we could all be better off watching. While it focuses more on the way we treat animals from the sea, we could certainly apply this to how humans treat the environment, each other, and all animals. Rhys Darby is as brilliant as ever, but the live-action versus impressive animation in other shorts puts this one at number eight on my list.
Smart Appliances, Stupid Owners
Synopsis: From an angry toothbrush to an overworked smart showerhead and an intelligent toilet, various household appliances divulge tales of bemusement, scorn, and wonder about their human owners. Directed by Patrick Osborne, of Vol. 3 favorite “Three Robots: Exit Strategies.”
Review: A charming, cute, and fun episode, it lets us know what our smart appliances are really thinking. There are some that get a bit risk-ay (but honestly, those are the best ones). It made me laugh with each and every appliance, and provides the comedic relief in between a couple of intense episodes.
400 Boys
Synopsis: In a post-apocalyptic city where warring gangs follow a bushido-like code of honor, a new gang, the 400 Boys, forces them to unite. A blend of beauty and brutality from Canadian director Robert Valley, whose LDR episode “Ice” won the Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Animation.
Review: I love a post-apocalyptic world, and always will, so I really like the story being told here. The identity of the 400 Boys is a shock, but a fun one that adds an element of comedy to the short. The action sequences are done extremely well.
The Other Large Thing
Synopsis: From the mind of prolific writer John Scalzi comes the story of a cat who plans world domination. Sanchez, as his puny human “pets” know him, is helped by a new robotic butler (voiced by Last Week Tonight host John Oliver) who can hack into the World Wide Web and is eager to help his new master.
Review: Anyone who has, or has had, a cat will absolutely be able to relate to this one. The depiction of Sanchez is spot on, which makes this one of the funniest Love, Death + Robots episodes. The animated fur is also pretty impressive and the voice acting is great. I laughed out loud multiple times.
The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur
Synopsis: On a space station orbiting Jupiter, decadent aristocrats gather to witness a brutal contest of genetically modified gladiators — fierce combatants riding deadly, engineered dinosaurs. A tale of visceral violence and unlikely emotion, directed by Tim Miller, based on a short story by Stant Litore.
Review: This episode is another one that helps to shine a light on real-life issues. Sure, on the surface it is dinosaurs and modified slaves in space, but it is so much more than that. Showcasing the unfair dynamic between the rich and the powerful and those that are just trying to get by the best they can, not to mention animal abuse, makes this a short that will likely hit home with a lot of viewers.
Spider Rose
Synopsis: A return to the fantastic cyberpunk universe of “Swarm” (Vol. 3), created by visionary sci-fi author Bruce Sterling and directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. On a remote asteroid mining operation, a grieving Mechanist gets a new companion and has a chance to avenge herself against the Shaper assassin who killed her husband.
Review: There is a lot to love about this episode of Love, Death + Robots Volume 4. The design of Spider Rose is not just pretty freaking cool, but it seems to represents how she feels about herself. She is in a dark place, allowing herself to be consumed by revenge. Her relationship with Little Nose For Prophits changes her, which is a complete joy to watch play out on screen. The ending is powerful and emotional. A great episode, all around.
For He Can Creep
Synopsis: London, 1757. A poet confined to an insane asylum believes Satan wants him to write a verse that will end the world. And the only thing standing between him and the Prince of Darkness (voiced by Dan Stevens) is his cat, Jeoffry. Emily Dean directs this wildly inventive period adaptation of Siobhan Carroll’s short story.
Review: Another cat-focused episode, it is the stunning animation in this episode that allows it to stand out so much. I love the art style here, especially when it comes to Satan in his true form. The story is great and really reminds me of Edgar Allan Poe. Easily a favorite of the entire franchise, not just this season.
How Zeke Got Religion
Synopsis: B-17 Flying Fortress Liberty Belle has the oddest mission of World War Two: a journey into occupied France to bomb a church before the Nazis can raise an ancient evil. John McNichol’s short story of blood, fallen archangels, occult magic, and ultraviolence is directed by Diego Porral (lead animator on previous LDR classic “Kill Team Kill”).
Review: Something about this episode immediately resonated with me. I am not religious at all, but I certainly would be if I went on the same journey that Zeke did. The animated blood and gore are top notch in this short, and the story it tells is captivating from start to finish. That is why it lands at the top of my Love, Death + Robots Volume 4 ranking.
NEXT: Love, Death + Robots Volume 4: Zack Snyder’s Lost Episode?!
About Love, Death + Robots Volume 4
Dinosaur gladiators, messianic cats, string-puppet rock stars, it can only be Love, Death & Robots. The fourth volume, presented by Tim Miller (Deadpool, Terminator: Dark Fate) and David Fincher (Mindhunter, The Killer), sees Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Kung Fu Panda 2, Kill Team Kill) return as supervising director for ten startling shorts showcasing the series’ signature, award-winning style of bleeding-edge animation, horror, sci-fi and humor. Buckle up.
