It’s been ten years since the cult classic Over the Garden Wall aired on Cartoon Network. The miniseries follows the story of two brothers, Wirt and Greg, trying to find their way home after becoming lost in a mysterious and strange place called the Unknown. Along the way, they encounter strange people and creatures while trying elude a mysterious being called The Beast.
Unlike most of the cartoons that were airing on Cartoon Network at the time, Over the Garden Wall‘s tone, themes, and sense of humor is refreshingly mature and not targeted exclusively at children. Young audiences will no doubt enjoy the song numbers or Greg’s ramblings; instead, the show relies on witty dialogue and meaningful character interactions to be thought-provoking and humorous.
After all, there is much more to Over the Garden Wall than what it seems at first glance. Belied by the surreal yet pleasant autumnal visuals and atmosphere, bizarre creatures, whacky side characters, and charming songs, at its core, Over the Garden Wall is a show about life, death, manipulation, and sacrifice.
From the Woodsman’s desperation to keep the lantern containing his daughter’s soul lit no matter the cost, to Wirt’s lost hope that they can ever escape the Unknown, and just what the Unknown represents, are all themes that masterfully reveal themselves with each episode as the layers are peeled back. It’s for all of these reasons that Over the Garden Wall succeeds at creating tense and unsettling moments.
The character writing for all three protagonists – Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice – is masterful. They are not stagnant caricatures or stereotypes; each character grows and changes over the course of the show. Including a star-studded cast comprised of Elijah Wood, Melanie Lysnkey, Christopher Lloyd, and more, each character is brought to life by the voice talents of these excellent actors.
Thanks to its nostalgic visuals, emotional voice acting, and haunting music, Over the Garden Wall has earned its place as a staple of the fall season. Ten years later, fans continue to dutifully rewatch it each year, taking comfort in its story, characters, music, and art.
If you haven’t had a chance to experience Over the Garden Wall, do yourself a favor and watch it. With ten episodes at around twenty minutes each, you can easily binge watch it in an afternoon.
You can find Over the Garden Wall is streaming on Hulu.
Featured image: Hulu
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