While Animation Domination is on an extended hiatus, I’d
thought I’d take the time to examine some other options the Cartoon Connoisseur
can enjoy (during the rare heartbeats when BBC Three isn’t showing Family Guy). And
while I’m eventually going to get round to some of the true greats (mainly Archer) I’m going to start out with
something a little bit different: Cartoon Network’s Regular Show.
Regular Show
Created By: J.G. Quintel
Starring: J.G. Quintel, William Salyers, Sam Marin, Mark Hamill
Number of Episodes to date: 82
Dates Aired: September 6 2010 – Present
Watch if you like: South Park, Adventure Time, Clerks, The Mighty Boosh
Cartoon Network, everyone’s favourite channel in the late
1990’s, has recently made loads of headway into the ‘adult’ cartoons
market. While of course Adult Swim has been in a roaring trade for a number of
years, the Channel has been spending time making cartoons which, while still
suitable for children, appeal to young 20-somethings who grew up on a diet of Johnny Bravo, Dexter’s Lab and Powerpuff Girls. And whilst their
biggest, most gigantic break out hit has been Adventure Time, my personal favourite of the lot is the remarkably
quirky Regular Show.
Regular Show has
the most basic of sitcom setups. Two slacker friends, Mordecai (a talking Blue-Jay)
and Rigby (a talking Racoon) work as groundskeepers in a large city park, and
will do everything in their power to goof off, annoying their supervisor Benson
(a talking Gumball machine). And by that
enclosed brackets character description you can probably guess this is not
really a down to earth kind of show. Other workers in the park include Skips
(an immortal Yeti), Pops (an old fashioned lollypop man), Hive-Five Ghost (a
ghost with hair in the shape of a high five) and Muscle Man (a green, vaguely
human like creature). Together they face down various supernatural threats that
attack the park, usually taking the form of demons, Death, super beings, or
sinister men with beautiful blond hair.
As you can tell, this show is a far cry from the family-based fun of Animation
Domination, and sounds as if it wouldn’t be out of place in Cartoon Network’s typical programming. But Regular Show separates itself from
its stable-mates, by making clear that it’s being written for a student-aged
audience. This isn’t just in its use of stronger language and subject matter
(which we’ll come to later) but at the root of the very programme; in the
relationship between it's two main characters.
Mordecai and Rigby are like every 23 year old you know. One’s
frustrated, lovesick and lazy, the others goofy, obnoxious... and lazy. They’ve
known each since they were kids, and are already pretty fed up of their station
in life. They’re procrastination stems not from mischief, but from frustration
and the inability to act like adults. In short, they represent exactly the sort
of people who are watching shows like Regular
Show!
Other Cartoon Network shows are based around childen. The channels earlier attempts at ‘older audience’ cartoons, Chowder and The Marvellous Misadventures of Flapjack (where creator J.G.
Quintel was creative director) still featured the problems of little kids (even if
they featured drunken old men and sugar-momma whales). Perennial stoner
favourite Spongebob Squarepants, although
detailing the daily life of an adult going to work, is clearly still in child
in mental ability. Regular Show specialises
in plots driven by adult problems, like paying the rent, girlfriends and
dealing with your jerk of a boss. Sure, it’s not exactly The Wire, but it's still a recognisable adult setting.
The writers push the language barrier in a variety of
amusing ways. Mordecai and Rigby speak with a range of strange quirks, from
their trademark OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!, to bursting into song at regular
intervals. It’s a simple way of keeping the dialogue fresh, and the pair
likable, even if they're arguing. Their also not adverse to mild swearing, and
the sheer ‘getting crap past the radar’-ability of the programme often makes my
jaw drop. I never thought anyone would say ‘pissed off’ on Cartoon Network!
With this keystone in place, the programmes humour lets rip
with traditional Cartoon Network affair, though again a little more complex.
Like every 'short form episode' series, each story follows a similar
structure: Mordecai and Rigby face a problem they will try to shirk out of. They
eventually take the easy road, but are confronted by a supernatural force. They
work together to defeat it, learning some lesson as they do. This formulaic
structure is often played around with however, and a fair amount of continuity
is maintained across episodes; so the pair doesn’t often make the same mistakes
twice.
The programme storytelling has certainly broadened
over the seasons, and this is down to the tremendous cast of secondary characters.
Park Manager Benson is the grumpy old boss in the classic sitcom style, and the
animators really manage to push his fury to new heights every week (check out
the above video to see what I mean!). However, despite being a gumball machine, he’s
one of the more restrained characters in the series. My favourite is Skips,
played by the ever-talented and lovable Mark Hamill. He often acts as Chef did
on South Park, dispensing wisdom, and kicking ass when needed. Pops is an old
timey gentleman, son of the Park's owner, who naivety and old fashioned
sentiments make him the most sympathetic character. Muscle Man and Hive-Five
Ghosts are another pair of groundskeepers, even more obnoxious than the star
duo (“You know whose also even more
obnoxious than the star duo... MY MOM!). This isn’t even mentioning the
secondary characters, or the many original villains that appear throughout the
series. It’s fair to say the series has the best cast outside of
The Simpsons.
What’s even better is the programme has no problem in
deploying its rich mythology. The Season Four opener, the two part ‘Exit 9b’
was an ‘Avengers’ style affair, with every villain from the series uniting as
an army, and a massive battle taking place (as well as introducing a brand new
regular, Thomas the Faun). That the show's quirkiness is used and celebrated
takes it away from the Cartoon Network mold, and into the realms of South Park or The Mighty Boosh, where weird and wonderful events are as much a
part of its appeal as the jokes. Anyone who loves these series, (or indeed slacker
comedies like Community or the works
of Kevin Smith), will love Regular Show. It’s a charming, well made series,
which everyone should check out. Below I’ve linked five of my favourite
episodes to start you off! Grab your chips and dips, and enjoy!
Free Cake
Mordecai and Rigby go to ridiculous lengths for free cake, which include jepardising Skips chances at immortality.
http://gorillavid.in/yve0gsqke70i
The Unicorns Have Got To Go
A group of obnoxious unicorns arrive in town. Horn jokes all round...
http://gorillavid.in/2bn5rutzkrjb
A Bunch of Baby Ducks
Mordecai and Rigby adopt a group of baby ducks, teaching them all their lazy ways. And defending them from Duck Pedophiles...
http://gorillavid.in/lll80h6cgft6
Mordecai and Rigby borrow the golf cart in the hopes of picking up chicks...
http://gorillavid.in/rjdjpgkj6jxc
Exit 9b (Parts 1 and 2)
An epic battle through time itself, where a legion of enemies descend on the park; and only new intern Thomas can save the world...
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