The Imperfects is an American science fiction television series created by Dennis Heaton and Shelley Erickson. It premiered on Netflix on September 8th, 2022, and it was cancelled on November 8, 2022, after its only season was made available (which leaves a lot of questions left unanswered, especially after the ending). Promoted as a "coming of rage" story, it follows three young adults trying to find the Mad Scientist who altered with their DNA and gave them disruptive superpowers.
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The series provides examples of:
- Affectionate Nickname: Darcy calls Juan's Chupacabra form "Chupi". Juan doesn't find it affectionate, however (for obvious reasons).
- The Alcoholic: At the beginning of the series, Tilda acquires Super-Hearing that causes Sensory Overload. Alcohol is one of the few things that helps with making the whole thing even remotely more bearable, so she ends up with a very high alcoholic drink consumption. The owner of the house that serves as headquarters for the protagonists in all but name has a small wine cellar that Tilda is making fast work of.
- Alternate Identity Amnesia: Juan doesn't remember anything he does in chupacabra form, and almost any time he's told what he's done, he is horrified at his own actions. He lampshaes this in "One of Us"Juan: Hey, what happened to my arm?Tilda: You don't remember?Juan: I don't remember anything the chupacabra does.
- Ambiguously Gay:
- Despite being asexual, Abbi shows signs of having feelings for Hannah beyond friendship. As she specifically mentions being asexual, not aromantic, it's entirely possible that she's an ace lesbian.
- When Tilda is listening to Abbi and Hannah's offscreen conversation, she says, "Abbi's telling Hannah she's ace... and that is the correct response, Hannah!" It's entirely possible that response is asking if Abbi is romantically interested.
- The ambiguity is pretty much gone by the final episode, where they are living together and going to Abbi's mum's house for dinner.
- Sarkov himself is heavily implied to be gay. In a flashback, Dr. Burke tries to convince him to ask out a waiter, and he refuses only because he thinks the guy will say no.
- Despite being asexual, Abbi shows signs of having feelings for Hannah beyond friendship. As she specifically mentions being asexual, not aromantic, it's entirely possible that she's an ace lesbian.
- Artistic License – Biology: The show focuses on three people who have been given pwoers via having experimental genetics injected into them, something that is (obviously) not possible in real life.
- Bad Powers, Good People: All three of the main characters have powers that can easily harm (or even kill) others, but they are still good-natured, well-meaning people and eventually learn to use their powers for good.
- Berserk Button: All three of the imperfects do not like being experimented on.
- Blessed with Suck: The main trio are a banshee (who would like to sing again without shattering glass), a succubus (who would like to have a conversation without people proclaiming their love or lust to her) and a chupacabra (who would like to wake up without tasting puppy).
- Brutal Honesty: This exchange from Episode 10:Abbi: What is wrong with you?
Tilda: [cheerfully] Lots of things. - Casting Gag: Darcy is a skilled artist, much like her actress.
- Chupacabra: Juan transforms into one when people he cares about are in danger.
- Deadpan Snarker:
- Dr. Sarkov has his moments.Juan: Darcy. Darcy. Is she okay?
Sarkov: She's on a bus to Vancouver.
Juan: Is she alive?
Sarkov: If not, that's gonna be a very disturbing bus ride. - Tilda is also fairly snarky.
- In fact, it would be difficult to find a character who isn't one.
- Dr. Sarkov has his moments.
- Following in Their Rescuer's Footsteps: Abbi, Darcy and Juan have a rare genetic condition for which the only existing treatment was developed by the geneticist Alex Sarkov. Abbi is now studying genetics because she was inspired by Sarkov.
- Here We Go Again!: In the denouement of the finale, Tilda finds another monster girl presumably in need of a cure. Shortly thereafter, the 'cured' Abbi and Juan show new side effects.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: In Episode 7, Hannah is impaled on a large metal pipe.
- Insult Friendly Fire: Later in the series, Juan and Tilda have gotten frustrated enough with the plot's tendency toward Morally Ambiguous Doctorate that they start insulting scientists at the drop of a hat. Abbi, who is training to become a scientist, has a few issues with that attitude, but they No True Scotsman her out of the "scientist" category rather than go the Present Company Excluded route.
- Irony: Abbi is an asexual succubus.
- It Is Dehumanising: In one scene, Juan refers to his chupacabra form as "it", rather than "he", to separate himself from his monster form. Darcy calls him out on this, as she doesn't see him as a monster to be feared.
- Jekyll & Hyde: Isabel Finch is a manifestation of Dr. Burke's Id.
- Living Aphrodisiac: Abbi is a succubus whose pheromones make people attracted to her.
- Mad Scientist: Dr. Alex Sarkov is an eccentric and morally flexible Aussie scientist who is responsible for the protagonists' mutations. It's revealed that Alex isn't even the real Alex Sarkov, but the genetic creation of a man who is. He's not the only one laying claim to the title, though, and the number of scientists with a functioning moral compass in the show is rather low, to the point that Abbi isn't sure if she wants to be called a scientist. Given Burke's Finch persona and Abbi's misuse of her powers, the only one who might qualify as morally competent is actually Monday, who at least tried to keep her nanobots from escaping.
- Moment Killer: The exchange mentioned in Rhetorical Question Blunder is immediately preceded by Tilda ruining a sweet and tender moment between Abbi and Hannah.
- My Friends... and Zoidberg: Tilda isn't going to let the next person to die be anyone she cares about... or Sarkov.
- My God, What Have I Done?:
- This is generally Juan's reaction whenever he learns that he killed someone in his chupacabra form, and is part of the reason he wants to be "fixed".
- Hannah has a milder case of this when she learns that she has helped Finch murder two scientists.
- Tilda also has a moment of this in "Lest Ye Become a Monster" after she realizes that she almost got Hannah killed.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: The "Terror of Tacoma"note doesn't exactly sound like something you'd want to mess with (and for good reason).
- Nightmare Fetishist: Darcy definitely has a strange liking for monsters (regardless of whether or not said monster almost killed her). Juan thinks it's a straight-up fetish, she claims it's appreciation for inner values and vulnerability. Darcy even draws in-universe fan art of her snuggling up with "Chupi" (Juan's chupacabra form), which pushes it more towards "fetish" territory.
- Noodle Incident: Burke's leverage to convince Sarkov to cure the others in "Introduction to Modern Poetry". All we know is that Sarkov was eight years old, though it's implied that he cheated in some way to get a passing grade.
- Official Kiss: Subverted. Midway through Episode 10, it seems like Juan and Tilda are going to have one, but instead they hold hands and she rests her head on his shoulder, signaling that their romantic feelings are very much real but that they're not entering a relationship just yet.
- Our Banshees Are Louder: Tilda is a banshee who also has Super-Hearing. In Episode 7, she learns to use her screaming powers through a phone call to destroy someone's brain.
- Our Werebeasts Are Different: Juan transforms into a chupacabra when people he cares about are threatened.
- Parental Incest: Abbi has stayed away from her mother because she's utterly grossed out by the thought of her coming on to her daughter.
- The Password Is Always "Swordfish": Alex Sarkov's password is a Letters 2 Numbers version of "Gregor Mendel", who is considered the father of genetics as they are currently understood. He's a geneticist and Abbi, who is a student in the same field, is the one who guesses it.
- Previously on…: Requested by Dr. Sarkov in Episode 7.Sarkov: Nate might look like a monster, but something human is driving him.
Juan: Oh, yeah, like you'd know.
Sarkov: Yes. Like I would know.
Tilda: We did kill Melanie and Qamara.
Sarkov: Wait, can I get like a "previously on"? - Power Incontinence: The main problem of the characters. Abbi can't shut off her pheromones that have everyone around her fall in love with her, Tilda can't sing without shattering glass or turn off her super-hearing, and Juan can't control either turning into the Chupacabra nor his actions in that form. They all learn some degree of fine control over the course of the season.
- Power Limiter: Abbi quickly improvises one in the form of room spray. The Portland biohackers try gas masks, a sedative that attacks Tilda's voice, and chains to restrain Juan, but they are not enough to save them from the protagonists.
- Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: The main trio consists of a singer with banshee-esque powers, a scientist who can use her pheromones to manipulate others' emotions, and a graphic novelist who turns into a chupacabra.
- Relative Button: If you value your life, don't even think about harming anyone Juan cares about in front of him, otherwise he'll turn into a chupacabra and eat you. Doug, Qamara and Sponson learn this the hard way.
- The Reveal: The man we know as Alex Sarkov is actually the result of genetic engineering, presumably by the real Alex Sarkov.
- Rhetorical Question Blunder: This exchange from Episode 10:Abbi: What is wrong with you?
Tilda: [cheerfully] Lots of things. - Science Hero: Abbi is a student in genetics. As a result, she has a better understanding of the nature of her condition than her companions. This allows her to ask relevant questions to people who might potentially help.
- Shout-Out: Episodes 9 and 10 are named All Monsters Attack and Destroy All Monsters, respectively.
- Skewed Priorities: Sponson seems more concerned over the fact that he lost his nose to Juan's chupacabra form over the fact that he nearly lost his life to said chupacabra.
- Smooch of Victory: Discussed. After Tilda and Juan make a bet on whether or not Sarkov brings a gun when he meets them, she points out that he could have requested a kiss from her if he won.
- Super-Scream: Tilda's power set as a banshee, together with Super-Hearing.
- Too Dumb to Live: One of the scientists who tries to experiment on the trio refuses to believe that Juan is a chupacabra, despite being in a series where people have unusual powers. Later, she becomes more focused on eliminating Abbi and Tilda that she doesn't notice Juan transforming right behind her before she turns around and notices the chupacabra about to kill her.
- Took a Level in Badass: Partway through the series, all three of the main characters learn how to control their powers and use them whenever necessary to achieve their goals.
- A True Hero: A recurring theme is what makes a person a hero or a monster, with powers, doing good (or evil) and overcoming weaknesses all proposed as the answer.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- Tilda gets one from Juan and Abbi for letting Doug go after they promised to kill him.
- Juan gets one from Alejendro in "Destroy All Monsters" for leaving in the middle of Paloma's birthday party, with Alejendro going as far as to ban Juan from ever coming back to the house. The ending of the episode implies that Alejendro has gotten over this, however.
- World of Snark: Just about every major character (and even a few minor ones) have a habit of making witty remarks.
- Would Hurt a Child: Sponson is all too willing to kill Paloma in order to get information from Juan. Too bad for Sponson that Juan happens to also be a chupacabra who almost kills him, prompting Sponson to leave with a missing nose.
