To give Cartoon Network series a bit more of a shout out, this Cartoon Chatter is all about Total Drama Island. The show is from the makers of 6teen, and it is a parody of Survivor. To its credit, Total Drama Island did an excellent job of jabbing fun at survivor-type reality shows while being creative. Like many Cartoon Network shows, some of the humor goes more to adults than children, but it broadens the target audience.
Each episode of the show follows the struggles of each challenge the participants face. The teens are all different with some very unique personalities. The beauty of a show like this is that you can create various characters to which kids can relate. The show has a lot of jokes, and it is linear, which I always enjoy. Some of the material is probably dated now, but the scriptwriters did a good job of keeping with things popular at the time. Of course, some challenges result in some pretty disgusting things happening, but that's kid humor for you. Despite all maladies and vomit, the show often highlights interesting things without beating you over the head with it. There is something for everyone here—romance, betrayal, trust, acceptance, and more. The actual style of the show makes it easy to follow the characters from episode to episode. Like Pepper Ann and Doug, the characters generally wear the same outfit every episode. I think this could have been updated more often, but that's just me. I always like cartoons that switch things up in a realistic way.
Although it has now delved into more seasons than I have watched, I can definitely vouch for the first season of the show. I have some catching up to do to reach the current Total Drama Action.
Generally, I have talked about cartoons that I love during Cartoon Chatter, but it's about time for me to pick up on some others that I am not particularly fond of. Just over the weekend, I caught an episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (also known as Billy & Mandy). It has been a while since I last watched it. If you have never seen this show before, all you need to do is think of Ren & Stimpy. If you can envision it, you will already be partway to understanding Billy & Mandy.
The titular characters, Billy and Mandy, are two children who live in Endsville. Billy is an idiot, and Mandy is a melancholy, unfriendly girl. The two manage to force the Grim Reaper (Grim) to be their "best friend" for ever and ever. The show is basically a non-linear depiction of the adventures the three face. They end up battling denizens of the Underworld and everyday children's issues—like school.
Unlike many other cartoons, Billy and Mandy never really stood out to me. The animation is nothing particularly special. The grotesque nature of the monsters and such is heavily reminiscent of a mix between Ren & Stimpy and Aaahh! Real Monsters. Perhaps because it aired on Cartoon Network, it never received the bad rap that Spongebob does. With often questionable dialogue and fairly pointless episodes, Billy and Mandy is the kind of show that you might watch in passing only to be completely confused later. I wouldn't recommend this one, but that is due to my own personal opinions.
The show did spawn one video game, so you can look out for it. It might possibly have a DVD as well, but I didn't check. Do you love this cartoon? Sound off in the comments.
I'm going to be very honest with you, reader. I feel that the cartoon has evolved from the old classics. Cartoons have become punchier and more visually appealing, yes—however, the good old days of cartoons released some of the best ideas that you could imagine. One of these classics was The Jetsons.
First of all, if you have never watched The Jetsons, then my friend, you have never lived. From the catchy theme song to the hilarious idea of what "the future" would bring, The Jetsons served up a great family show with lots of laughs. Like most cartoons from the "good old days," The Jetsons can sometimes take a while to get to the end of a gag. Also, the animation is definitely dated. But you get a better appreciation of animation and the cartoon industry when you watch shows like The Jetsons and their counterpart, The Flintstones. The show even spawned several cartoon movies and a live-action feature-length film.
Have any fond memories of The Jetsons? Let me know what you think about it. If you have never watched the show before, you can purchase or rent the DVDs or watch it on air if you have Boomerang (contact your cable provider for more information).
There are several reasons why Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (Foster's) is one of my favorite cartoons. It premiered on my birthday back in 2004, it showcases the imagination, it has fun animation and music, and it had an excellent storyline. Minus the premiere on my birthday, these are qualities that I prefer in my cartoon.
Creator Craig McCracken brings an interesting concept to the show. What does happen to imaginary friends when kids outgrow them? Well, contrary to popular belief, they are not so imaginary—everyone can see them—and they have a difficult time fending for themselves. Luckily, Madame Foster provides a home for abandoned friends and never outgrew her imaginary friend Mr. Herriman, a large, butler-like bunny. The episodes are extremely entertaining and imaginative (shocker!).
By far, the best thing about Foster's is the group of characters that the show revolves around. They are so well developed that you can't help but to like them. Cheese, Goo and Coco are personal favorites of mine, but you should watch the show and decide who you like. Although the series ended last fall, you can still purchase DVDs or watch episodes online.
I'm skipping away from Nickelodeon today to talk about a cartoon that airs on Cartoon Network. The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack (Flapjack) is a hilarious creation from Thurop Van-Orman.
What's not to like about Flapjack? Flapjack, the protagonist, wears a red and white striped shirt and a little hat. There are pirates. There is romance. There is swashbuckling. There are peg legs and hook arms. Plus, if that is not enough, there is CANDY! An entire island of it. In fact, Candied Island is the goal of our young adventurer Flapjack.
The characters are amusing, the stories and creative, and the voices are extremely well done. The animation even switches to claymation at times. It adds extra emphasis—and extra silliness—to the show. My best comparison would be to say that Flapjack is to Cartoon Network what Spongebob is to Nickelodeon. It provides that seemingly random but expertly planned hilarity that makes you laugh and possibly quote the show later. It just manages to do it in a bit of a deeper way. Like the Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Flapjack is a little edgy in some of its sketches, but I enjoy the show enough to bring it up on my Cartoon Chatter.
Now, my advice to you is to check your local listings for airings of Flapjack. It's a great show and it should still be running (it's on its second season). You can also purchase the first season on DVD—your choice.
Remember Magilla Gorilla? He was 100 times cooler than Grape Ape and annoyed Mr. Peebles like there was no tomorrow. Well, there is this video that comes on Boomerang that I'd like to share with you (now that I can). It's a pretty catchy little song called "Gorilla 4 Sale" by Michael Unger. Check out the video below.
Robots. With the upcoming release of Astro Boy, I thought about robots that I really like. While shows like Transformers made robots cool to me, I am not the biggest fan of clunky robots. In fact, I actually have a group of unusual favorites. Hit the jump to find out who they are.
