Over the Garden Wall
A Journey Through Wonderland Under the Harvest Moon
How can I describe the utter glee that comes from watching this new mini series from Cartoon Network. It is impossible not to be charmed, entranced, absorbed, and mystified by this show. Animation Domination might be a slogan used on Fox but clearly the art of story belongs on this channel and Over the Garden Wall is a prime example of this.
Cartoon Network is advertising this as a five night mystery event and honestly the less you know the better because no mind should be spoiled with details of this rare gem. It is created by Pat Mchale a long contributor of Adventure Time so if you love the creativity of Oooo then you will surely love this. Mchale and his crew put their hearts and souls into this and you can tell by the vibrant animation and the quirky atmosphere the show entails.
The basic plot is Wirt (Elijah Wood) and his little brother (A adorable Colin Dean) get lost in this mysterious wood and are trying to find their way home. On this journey they encounter countless characters and locations. What is the most fun is that you are experiencing this new world with them and also trying to decipher the delightful oddity of this place. It is filled with original music and songs, humor, sentiment, and darkness. If Mark Twain took a stab at a Grimm fairy tale this would be it. Do yourself a favor and tune in this week for Over the Garden Wall, it will be a wonder for the eyes and heart. Cartoon Network and Mchale give your self a pat on the back for giving your audience such a delicious treat this fall.
Overall grade of the Series: A
Mark Twain meets Grimm's fairy tales is exactly the way I would describe the series. Having just seen the first episodes, it really does feel like a living fairy tale/tall tale. It's wonderfully moody and atmospheric and the animation defies description. I could not be more excited to see more of this series.
ReplyDeleteIt just gets better and better! I binged on all ten earlier this week and it really has the making of a classic.
ReplyDeleteJust finished the series, and you couldn't be more right. Even the most minor characters are wonderfully realized. I rewatched episodes 1-8 in preparation for the final two, and despite its brevity it's thick with rewatch value as you learn more about the Unknown. The opening scene that just looks like random imagery suddenly becomes a nonstop rush of foreshadowing. Minor actions suddenly have a lot more gravity. I really hope the show did well, because I'd love for Cartoon Network to keep producing experiments like this that are even half as good as this was.
ReplyDeleteI just finished the series and am blown away.
ReplyDeleteI was actually not as impressed the first night - I was impatient for exposition and Wirt's snarkiness seemed to clash with the rest of the setting (oh, little did I know...!). But that was just me not knowing what to expect. I enjoyed each chapter more than the last, and looking back, the whole thing is excellent. The songs are catchy (I've been singing "come on and join the Adelaide parade" the past few days) and all the characters' individual stories ended better than I could've expected.
Of course, Cartoon Network had to ruin the mood by airing a promo for Shark Tale immediately after... ; )
To be fair, CGI Will Smith fish is the only thing they have on tap that's scarier than the Beast.
ReplyDeleteI had no problem with Wirt, he just struck me as a big brother dealing with his hyperactive younger sibling. I was afraid that Greg's random outbursts would be a mood killer at first, but he quickly grew on me. The end of episode 8 literally had me covering my mouth in horror.
I hear you. I have been singing Potatoes and Molasses all week. My roommates are getting concerned.
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