So I'm lounging in bed, unshaven, and unbathed. In a beat up pair of sweats, old Donnie Darko T-shirt, faded bath robe and socks that couldn't be holier if the pope himself wore them. I've got my cold meds, my OJ (well, Mango Peach V8 Splash) and a bowl of Fruit Loops- you know what's missing? Cartoons. Good cartoons.
I'm flipping channels and you know what? These shows blow. Where's the bloody adventure?! Don't market a card game to me, give me entertainment! Give me pathos! Give me something to spur my imagination!
Remember Disney's Gummie Bears? Sure, there were some sugary moments meant to teach lessons, but there was character growth and pathos: When Cubby gave up on his dreams to something that was important to Grammy. When the rest of them decided it was better to sacrifice themselves / be lonely forever than endanger the rest of the species in far flung places. Sure there was some made-for-kid moments, but there was something deeper there.
Remember Gargoyles?! Man that show flipping rocked. Sure I was in middle-school by the time that show hit the air-waves but the sheer artistry of that cartoon, the darkness, the emotion, the seamless blending of mythology, literature, and an all star cast of voices? Damn skippy that was good.
Ok, so both of these shows have a certain theme in common. A mythical/fantasy species on the brink of genocide normally due to human interaction, not forced to live in shadows still trying to fight for the values and traditions they believe in. That's pretty intense. I don't care if you're 5 or 50, that is a timeless theme, and when mixed with excellent story lines that is some pretty killer entertainment.
Looking for a little environmentalism meets adventure? No no no, not Captain Planet. How about Pirates of Dark Water!?
Let's see what we have now...
Flapjack
...WTF? This is what my nephew was watching today.
Ok ok ok, Avatar The Last Airbender is pretty darn good. But Still! I want my good cartoons. :-(
/whine
Ok. Speaking of Avatar, I just saw the preview for the movie... looks pretty friggin sweat!
Poor thing, feel better! I personally recommend checking out the Adult Swim website (www.AdultSwim.com) for Lucy: Daughter of The Devil, Moral Oral, Home Movies & more.
ReplyDeleteI tried calling you to cheer you up, but you didn't answer. If you'd like a burst of enthusiasm, you know the number. -)
I think if you were to see them without the filter of nostalgia you wouldn't be so judgmental of the new cartoons.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous: Most likely. Nostalgia makes everything better.
ReplyDelete