Hear Kristen Bell sing about being 'f---ing awkward' in Ultra City Smiths first look

The phrase "the best show you're not watching" is inherently flawed. After all, "best" is subjective, and how does anyone who's not in your household know what you are or are not watching? But sometimes, folks, just there's no other way to say it: Ultra City Smiths (streaming now on AMC+) is absolutely the best show you're not watching.

Created by Steve Conrad (Patriot, Perpetual Grace, LTD), this stop-motion-animation dramedy tells the story of a missing power player (Kurtwood Smith) and the detectives (Jimmi Simpson and Da'Vine Joy Randolph) on the case. Meanwhile, Kristen Bell plays Donella Pecker (née Smith), an upstanding government official who leaves her hedonistic husband, Congressman Chris Pecker (voiced by Bell's real-life husband, Dax Shepard), after he sends one too many, um, "artistic nudes."

Elephant Pictures/Stoopid Buddies Stoodios/AMC 'Ultra City Smiths'

Now Donella is running for mayor of the crime-plagued, corruption-filled Ultra City. In this exclusive preview, she makes her case to the voters through a jazzy song about being an outsider — or as she puts it, being "f---ing awkward."

As you'll see from the clip, Ultra City stars repurposed baby dolls, beautifully brought to life through painstaking stop-motion animation. The series premiere also features an incredible number called "The Rookie Song," performed by Simpson's Detective David Mills, that took over one month to film. Watch some behind-the-scenes footage below.

The level of artistry and detail in Ultra City Smiths is stunning, as is the emotional depth of the story and characters. As Simpson noted during Smiths' Comic-Con At Home panel, "It's one of the most fleshed-out characters I've played, and it's a baby doll with stubble... plus he sings!" It might be an exaggeration to say that Ultra City Smiths is the Sistine Chapel of stop-motion animation... but dang it, we're gonna say it anyway.

Plus, like most streaming services, AMC+ offers a free trial period. So what have you got to lose?

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