Over The Garden Wall didn’t necessarily air on a Saturday morning. Instead it was a quick ten-episode show, that aired over the course of four days back in 2014. But, for a show that aired on Cartoon Network and is – at least to my knowledge – relatively under appreciated, Over the Garden Wall certainly needs all the recognition it deserves!
The Dark Twist
The show is unique, in my view, as it is a show that is fit for all ages and viewers, yet has a dark twist hidden inside the story that makes older and more experienced viewers stop and think. The childishness of the two main characters, Wirt and Greg, along with their bickering and the unusual situations they get thrown into is easy to laugh at and enjoy for what it is. While looking deeper at the story and into the thought process of Wirt and his views of his little brother – as well as the plot involving the Woodsman and the Beast – one can uncover a deeper, more intriguing story that makes the show so compelling. You forget it is just a short Cartoon Network show!
The dark, gothic tone of the show is akin to something Tim Burton would come up with and the art style certainly adds to its appeal.
Chapter One: The Unknown
The series follows Wirt and Greg, two half-brothers who are lost in the woods, called ‘The Unknown’ and are trying to find their way back home. Throughout each episode, the two boys run into strange and often humorous encounters that leads Gregg to do something silly, and Wirt usually worrying over it. Usually running into the supernatural, the boys find themselves running into trouble with the wood’s entity, The Beast.
The Woodman And The Beast
The series leads you to believe the boys are from a different time to our own, and it is later revealed that they are actually from modern times. The strange costumes they wear owe to the fact the night they got lost was Halloween night. The character of the Woodsman adds some emotional dept to the cartoon.
Gregg’s innocence allows the children watching to take on a similar, unaware view, while older viewers can relate to Wirt who has a little more experience in the world. Despite the sometimes formidable undertones of Over the Garden Wall, the series still keeps a humorous tone, usually from Greg and his frog.
Star-Studded Cast
Finally, the series has a great cast roped in! With Elijah Wood playing the elder brother, Wirt, Christopher Lloyd playing the mysterious Woodsman, and John Cleese turning up as both Quincy Endicott and Adelaide, it boasts stars across the board.
There are only ten episodes altogether, and they’re about ten minutes per episode. I recommend watching it together as a film some day with a nice pizza and some great company!
Doing a little of this, a little of that. If you see me holding a camera, run!
