Cartoon Network was hitting a gold mine in the early to mid-2010s as they kept churning out surprising and creative cartoons that were just as funny and adventurous as they were deeply thought-provoking. Shows like Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Steven Universe would go on to grab acclaim from critics and audiences alike, but possibly their most ambitious show would be Cartoon Networks first animated mini-series known as Over the Garden Wall which was created by Patrick Mchale (Former Adventure Time writer) and stars people such as Elijah Wood and Christopher Llyod.
The series follows the misadventures of Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean) as they find themselves lost in the woods during Halloween night. Along the way, they discover many oddities and strange creatures that are unlike anything in their everyday world. They even get the help of a cursed bluebird named Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey)who claims she can help the brothers find their way home. However, a strange woodsman (Christopher Llyod) they meet along the journey warns them to beware of a beast that lurks within the woods and stops souls from leaving the woods and returning home
This was one of the first shows to introduce me to the idea of a mini-series in which each episode is all part of one giant experience. The best way I can describe the tone and feel of the show is like imagining if Adventure Time, Studio Ghibli, and Alice in Wonderland were all put into a blender. Each story focuses on a different dilemma and the tone can range from being upbeat and fun to dark and uncertain at the turn of a dime. What I personally love about this mini-series is how it defies conventions that you’d usually expect to see in western animation. Of course, it still is made for a family audience, but it’s not afraid to take creative risks to give viewers a look into a strange new world the likes of which we have not witnessed before.
The characters we meet along this journey are memorable as heck and it’s practically hard not to love any of these well-developed and intriguing personas. Wirt and Greg are a great duo as they are made different but ultimately feel like a true sibling relationship. Writ goes through a lot of change throughout the adventure and his personality gives off this hopeless but still determined individual bend on getting back home. Meanwhile, Greg while somewhat annoying in some cases is also really loveable in just how naive he is even in dire circumstances my personal favorite character in the whole mini-series however is Beatrice as her wisecracking and reluctant personality is rather refreshing and she had me laughing with her teenage-like rebuttals. There are of course plenty more memorable faces along the journey but I’ll leave it to you to discover who those characters are when you watch the series.
The animation does have some of the limitations that come with making a western cartoon, but at the same time, the creators went all out with working with the limitations to make something that is special. The backgrounds in this movie are gorgeous as they are plagued with beautiful fall scenery and Halloween-ish-like visuals. The series also takes inspiration from old cartoons and comics from the ’50s and earlier to give it an old-timey but still timeless look. The characters are simply designed, but their costuming or postures allow for so much emotional expression. The world of over the garden wall has its many wonders but also many dangers and the animators go all out of their way to be as imaginative as they possibly can in bringing to life something mysterious and original.
The music much like the visuals has a bit of an old-timey vibe but still feels timeless and unique from other western animations. The opening melody, in the beginning, is so Flippin awe-inspiring and gentle and I like how the music stays that way and doesn’t attempt to go loud and explosive like many other shows and movies that try to be artsy and unique. The mini-series also features some songs that are calm and fun with one of the most memorable being the potatoes and molasses song which is guaranteed to get stuck in your head.
This is the type of show that makes me wish there was more like it. Over the Garden Wall is a masterclass of how even tv animation can be used to tell creative and unique stories that are engaging for both kids and adults it is also rich with loveable characters, a hauntingly beautiful autumn atmosphere, and a musical score that you can’t get on your typical American long-running cartoon. Every Fall I look forward to coming back to experience the trip into the unknown again and again.
(Final Grade: A)