Aren’t You A Little Old To Watch Cartoons?
by Scott Graves…Why, yes. Yes I am!
But considering the plethora of culturally and politically “controversial” (read: “contrived to be offensive for promotional notoriety”) ‘toons currently offered up for consumption like a plate of live centipedes in Interzone, the silly stuff is more than refreshing. It’s soul food.
YouTube Complete Opening Theme by Bowling For Soup with Fan Credits
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Enjoyable as it is to see conservative and libertarian viewpoints deemed worthy of existence in “South Park,” and as side-splitting as the adult humor and pop cultural references, sans a blatant political agenda, may be in “The Venture Brothers,” there has long been a need in the human psyche for pure, unadulterated lunacy.
Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, creators of “Disney’s Phineas and Ferb,” meet that need better than anyone since Tex Avery unleashed Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Screwy Squirrel on the animated universe, while providing the more, ahem, mature viewer the kind of witty amusement associated with Rocky and Bullwinkle dodging the sinister antics of Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale.
Pop references, literary allusions, and lightly satirical cultural commentary abound — and while these are likely to fly past little kids held fast in the spell of bright primary colors, stuff that blows up, and plots and sub-plots unfolding at light-speed — the laughs are for everybody. That’s right, laughs, and out loud, with no sudden gut-wrenching cruelty, mockery of innocence, or screaming heads blown off with shotguns. No cartoons are injured in the production of “Phineas and Ferb,” and neither are the sensibilities of viewers jangled.
It’s entertainment that, in the words of co-creator Jeff Marsh, “was created not just for kids, but simply did not exclude them as an audience.” That concept works as beautifully as ever in animated comedy, and Marsh’s pal Dan Povenmire’s previous contributions to “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” (with both guys’ work on “Rocko’s Modern Life”) make the results of their partnership and creativity fun and luminous indeed.
So what’s it about? Kids coming up with ways to have a good time and not get bored on summer vacation. The thin line between imagination and reality, as delineated in the classic “Calvin and Hobbes” comic strips. Having a good, non-dysfunctional family life, one that happens to be blended, and as normal as it can be when the stepbrothers are building a ski resort in the back yard. It’s about the absurdity and selfishness of “evil,” as embodied by Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, whose nefarious schemes are constantly thwarted by the boys’ pet platypus Perry, secret agent extraordinaire. There are teen crushes and puppy love, sci-fi space adventures, Mom’s jazz band (and her nostalgia for her days as a one-hit wonder pop singer), adventures hanging out at the shopping mall, working part time jobs, volunteering for community charities, and other wholesome, everyday things.
And what, pray tell, is wrong with that? For the benefit of those who might harbor the suspicion that life is not always fraught with anxiety and despair, not relentlessly burdened with crisis upon crisis and the existential horror of a pointless, meaningless existence, it’s clear that there’s nothing wrong with it. In fact, it’s the sort of thing that might point in a direction a bit more upbeat– and resonant– than that which can be found in a great deal of “entertainment,” children’s show though it essentially may be. That might be one reason why ”Phineas and Ferb” is Disney’s number one animated series.
“Phineas and Ferb” may even actually be somewhat subversive in the sense that, although it’s a Disney production, it does occasionally hint, unlike the majority of Disney products, that there could be more to dealing with life than by merely “following your heart.” It might possibly be worthwhile to think, even if it’s only to figure out a way to do something fun on your summer vacation.
Nothing silly about that.
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59 Comments
What happened to Barney?
Thank you for showing me that some other adult enjoys this cartoon. My kids love it as do I. The whole clash between Doofenshmirtz and Perry cracks me up. There is no PC, psycho babble stuff here at all. Makes me long for the days of the "Laff-Olympics"
GJB
Jeez, this show's been around for months. About time someone gave it props. This is the only Disney show watched at my house, because everyone from Dad to my jaded pre-teen brother can get into it.
My three girls (9, 7, 3) LOVE this show. I agree that it is funny on several levels and wholesome without being sticky/syrupy.
Well thanks. My daughter's been watching but I haven't bothered, due solely to the sketchy animation. I can't wait to give it a try.
At the risk of blundering into a buzzsaw, wouldn't Spongebob Squarepants belong in a category with this?
I do like a lot of the Disney stuff these days. Yeah, a lot of "adult" humor in a color-filled package. I just watched P and F for the first time the other day and I did enjoy it. Plus, like I said in another thread here on BH, a lot of good pop music is coming out of the Disney camp. I'm just sayin'…
It has provided my kids with a catch phrase: I KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY!! And they do…..they make plans, they execute them, and enjoy the results of co-operating together, no matter if it's failure or success. And though most of the time their plans aren't big (usually it's lego building or modeling clay), at least they have a sense of achievement, and a ton of fun.
Count us as big fans!!!
Love the show and watch when I can. I'm just glad I have a 7 y.o. daughter to be my cover. I tell the wife its bonding with my daughter time (and it really is). My cell, uh…I mean, office mate is a Sponge Bob fan. I've been trying to get him to give Phineas and Ferb a go. This post should help.
Great column, my son and I are huge fans of this show.
I absolutely love this cartoon! My boys (8 and 4) like to watch it just so they can laugh at me laughing at the antics of Doofenschmirtz. Hey, where's Perry?
Well, I guess I am a minority voice here. As a parent, I admit this cartoon is more watchable than a lot of the other cartoons on Disney (Charlie and Lola, caters to a different demographic, but it is, hands-down the best animated series on the channel), but Phin & Ferb rubs me the wrong way. I don't know if it's the ugly character design choices, the utterly derivative voice acting, or I just don't like the way the stories are structured… I just don't get the platypus spy sub plots, they always seem like an afterthought or something. For me, Spongebob satisfies my kids/adult in-the-spirit-of-Looney Tunes fix more than any cartoon since, maybe, Ren & Stimpy.
I got hooked on this cartoon thanks to my daughter, and now I tell my friends about it all the time. I like that its fun for kids and adults, and I would label it as "safe" compared to most of the other cartoons that are geared for young kids. There are some adult topics and humor, but overall the references to literature and pop culture are great. I do like the fact that I'm not getting beaten over the head with some "go green" messages or other political agendas.
My baby girl and I watch Boomerang. Your right about the soul food, she can't even talk yet but walks around singing "Clementine" and something Magilla Gorilla sung on one of his shorts. This one looks like fun and we'll check it out for sure.
I'm a big fan of the Venture Brothers. My girls and I are also big fans of the Penquins of Madagascar. I'm Skipper and the three girls are Kawaski, Rico, and Private. It is scary how my Rico is so much like the animated version. Mort, alone is worth the viewng.
As a person who would rather watch a 5 minute Looney Tune cartoon than a half hour (of full length movie) Disney cartoon, I would like to suggest, if you haven't already seen it, is Disney's "Kim Possible". I know it's not on anymore, except maybe in the wee hours of the night/morning, but Kim Possible is another show for the kids but with humor adults could enjoy too. Not only do I like the show for the humor, but I'm a sucker for redheads.
"You think you're all that, Kim Possible? Well, you're not!"
Dr. Drakken, arch-foe
Boo-yah … whoo-sha.
Disney's "kids" programming is not allowed in our house. Much too subversive.
Spongebob and The Fairly OddParents are both safe choices for 2-5 year olds. And Spongebob can be watched by anyone (assuming you're in the mood to just "space out" and observe the lunacy). Among animated shows specifically written for adults, the only good ones in recent years were Futurama and King of the Hill. Although I never saw The Goode Family.
I was lucky to grow up on the cartoons produced by the "immortals" such as Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Friz Freleng and Jay Ward. (Has there ever been a better straightman/funnyman duo than Rocky and Bullwinkle?)Today I am hooked on "Fairly Oddparents", "Penguins of Madagascar"", "Back to the Barnyard" and "The Secret Show." (I really miss "Johnny Bravo.") These do what the best Jones/Avery cartoons did – Pack an hour of action, clever wit, and driving dialogue into an economical eleven or twelve minutes. "The Venture Brothers" is amazingly inventive. It makes all the points about superheroes and supervillains that I would make if they existed in the real world. (Where do henchmen come from? What does being a supervillain pay? How are these guys organized?) A complete delight.
Thanks, I've never heard of it, I'll check it out! I never intend to get too old for cartoons. Y'all should really check out Shin Chan if you can find a site carrying it. They make some fun of the stereotyped Conservative kid, but they make fun of everything. Hmm, come to think of it Shin Chan is pretty crass (he has a fondness of getting nude & doing his "Elephant Dance") so maybe you shouldn't check it out after all…
But yes, also, I loved the Venture Brothers! They're still on? I haven't had a tv for several years now so I don't keep up very well.
I think he ended up as BBQ ribs on one of Fred Flintstones drive in dinner plates.
" We get a little nuts having to watch each episode 43 times"
My 4 year old is the same way with Terminator 2 and Godzilla
Doesn't Mort remind you of Obama
"Hey, everyone must pay attention to your King."
Doesn't Mort remind you of Obama?
"Hey, everyone must pay attention to your King."
I grew up with the "immortals" too, before the coyote splat or frying pan whack over the head was edited out. And I turned out to be your perfectly normal right-wing conspirator.
Unlike the syndicates on tv the revolution to bring comicbooks back from the dead is being led by the independant creators. Like modern day prophets they are unappreciated until they are heard. Try Deep Fried's Weapon Brown or Evan Dorkin's Milk and Cheese for starters. Although not always for children (just like Nick. or Disney) they amuse with an agenda to stimulate centers in the brain (something the passive watcher of tv gets the illusion of with each chuckle). Read, books for entertainment is as old as Beowulf, and even that can be found with talented illustrators such as Andy Lee.
As for me and my house, we LOVE "Phineas and Ferb" and the airing of each new episode is a quasi-event for us. I was gobsmacked the day I learned that their dad is played by Rocky Horror Picture Show's "Riff Raff" (Richard O'Brien). Such a funny show and it's so refreshing and cool to have certain lines ("Doofenschmirtz holding bu-uuh-cket!") that me and our kids can say back and forth to each other devoid of any context that will always get a laugh out of each other.
My boys (10 &12) and I love this show. no pc stuff and the parents are not psyco. especially the dad. I refused to watch some shows because the father is always stupid or psycho.( ie simpsons. ) Great show for everyone.
If you go to some of the animation websites, the funny thing is many of the people in the industry are very pro-Obama liberals while at the same time recognizing that the horrors of PC culture have constrained so much of what's allowed in current cartoons and turned any effort into putting out something original into a minefield of "no's" (the really aggravating thing is going to one of those websites and seeing comments from people who hate PC, but seem to think only the Rev. Donald Wildmon is the only person worth getting angry at).
(This post from "Ren and Stimpy" creator John Kricfalusi on PC images, and the comments that follow, touch on part of the problem animation has today in doing anything really funny. With so much visual stuff out-of-bounds over fears of what might happen, the entertainment has to be carried by the story, and while it's not as bad as 20 years ago, the stories also tend to be affected by PC messaging that tries to point the kiddies in the proper direction. It's why "Spongebob" has been so successful, because its created a world that can avoid any un-PC images while at the same time not having to force any PC messages into the stories.)
My 91 year old father likes the newer, computer animated preschool cartoons. Especially the ones with farm animals. He will watch them longer than anything else. He talks to the TV and asks questions about the character. It's nice to see him enjoy something. His Alzheimer's Disease usually undermines his ability to pay attention and remember.
I prefer the Jones / Avery cartoons before they were edited, that is. Now, they don't seem to be on anywhere anyway. I will admit though that South Park is a kind of guilty pleasure. (At least it isn't fattening)
Never heard of this show until this article. Watched a few clips online just now and it looks like the shows are funny.
Still, I wish TV cartoon art would improve. Give me the art of Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck/Elmer Fudd any day. — the characters are obviously "cartoony" but are just as obviously an animal or person. That art beats an inverted triangle and an oversized exclamation point as the main characters hands down. Most cartoons of the last decade simply have mediocre art at best.
Right. on. Apart from being extremely funny, the sheer uncynical positivity of it all is what's so refreshing — as you point out.
This is my 5 year old son's favorite cartoon in the world. I can't tell you how many conversations we have about things that come out of this show. Watching it is a lot like those long last days of reading Brinley's "The Adventures of the Mad Scientists Club" books under my grandparents maple tree. (I'm also a huge Venture Brothers fan and can't wait for Season 4 later this year.)
Phineas and Ferb is awesome although I'm a bigger fan of Animainiacs.
I love Phineas and Ferb. They crack me up. The creativity shown in the show is amazing. Hysterical Candice is great comic relief too. The care and concern shown to Candice by the boys is a great example on how to treat one another in the family. Great show!!! I watch it with my 12 yr daughter.
Mine constantly hit us with "What-cha doooin?"
Heh! I get that, too…..mostly from Hubby
I was glad to find out on the Venture Brothers that the president is really not the president. It gives my hope under the Obama administration. : )
Well it was The Road Runner and the Coyote for me, so much so that when it was time for me to go to flight school. I ended up at a school called Acme School of Aeronautics, run by a bunch of retired USAF Colonels. Acme Manafacturing Co, where the Coyote got all his Rube Goldberg Stuff to better catch the road runner with. Such were the Toons of my misspent youth. Now I am almost 60 and I would rather watch a Cartoon than anything else. Disney has done and are doing today a lot of very good Toon's so is Pixcar, Cars was the best movie I seen this decade. With the Rat Chef coming in a close second. But for good old fashoned incorrectness, Rocky Squirrel and Bullwinkel the Moose, is just good cold war fun.
Too bad you didn't catch the Goode Family when it was on. It was great.
Phinis and Ferm (as my 3 year old calls it) is a very entertaining show. We get a little nuts having to watch each episode 43 times, but each episode is entertaining for the first few viewings.
and Bowling for Soup plays the theme, Go Denton County!!
I think so, but my wife vehemently disagrees
I heard a commercial that refered to it as Squaresponge Blue Pants. I don't think the creators would complain.
Anyone remember Secret Squirrel? Nick used to show that back in the mid 90s. I was hooked!
We absolutely LOVE Phineas and Ferb and it rates right up there with Looney Toons and Animaniacs. My husband and I watch it with the kids and once they go to bed, too! Its full of the most brilliant comedy, and the small nuances of details from earlier shows showing up in newer shows is awesome! Thanks for promoting one of the best shows out there!
Ugh…Barf…..
I should add, maybe he went the way of the dodo?
Love me some Phineas and Ferb. We do't get a lot of American television over here in South Korea, but my wife and I make it a point to catch PandF every day. I especially like that the relationship between Candace and Jeremy is played out as genuine, and not some girl obsession. Also the way the family works together is great. Believe it or not, my 20 year old son got me hooked on Pand F.
I do however REFUSE to watch Aaron Stone. Until Hollywood finds a different villian than corporate America then they don't get my attention.
"Perry the Platypus, what an unexpected surprise. And by unexpected, I mean COMPLETELY EXPECTED!"
"Do I know romance, or what?"
"What."
"I said, do I know — "
"I heard you."
"You're Candace Flynn! You've fought dinosaurs! You've been to Mars! You've traveled through time!"
"Oh, the spa is gone now, isn't it?"
"What does that even mean?"
Cartoons are better written then many tv shows.
Maybe the writers are paid better?……..
Has anybody seen Perry?
In all fairness, the intended audience and display format drove the resources invested in DOING the old bugs bunny cartoons (NOT for a regular TV slot – as can be seen by the shoddy animation of the TV-only footage) is markedly higher.
Heh.
While much of the disney channel stuff is drivel that seems aimed at convincing kids there is no higher calling than following your heart (which means being a pop singer, of course), I actually have enjoyed watching some of their shows – at least the ones where the parents are treated with a modicum of respect.
My opinion on the quality of other shows and movies starts at excerable and goes downhill from there. Don't get me started on their "Xenon" "movie." (Yah, I have kids, can you tell?)
While I like south park and futurama, on the "kids side" – P&F and Kim Possible are the only two cartoons I've liked since the early days of the cartoon network (Dexters Lab, Johnny Bravo, Samurai Jack, Powerpuff Girls on occasion)
And I miss the old chuck jones/bb/rr stuff.
My mother always loved to watch some of the Disney Saturday morning cartoons more than I did. She particularly loved the series based off of Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear character (then again, it had a pretty stellar cast of comedic actors like Larry Miller, Ryan Stiles, Dedrich Bader, John O'Hurley and Brad Garrett, as well as sci-fi actors like Bill Mumy, Jonathan Harris and Linda Hamilton.) My mom and I always enjoyed watching cartoons with each other, but I think she was a little more into them than I was. Well, she was a former drug addict and had a wickedly-warped sense of humor, but that's what I always loved about her.
CURSE YOU PERRY THE PLATYPUS!!!!!!!!!!
Good grief, whoever recommended Fairly Odd Parents has to be out of his mind! That's the most mean spirited, obnoxious cartoon on television with the loudest, most grating voices. Its sense of humor faded long ago and was replaced with cruelty and sexist humor (word to Wanda: D-I-V-O-R-C-E!) I won't let my daughters watch it.
Phineas and Ferb, on the other hand, are a true oasis in the midst of stupid obliviously cruel characters. It has heart in the best sense of the word. While the art doesn't exactly say Disney, its sensibility does. I enjoy it as much as my kids do. Phineas and Ferb and Spongebob pretty much rule the roost in my household. Thanks for giving Phineas and Ferb the boost its deserves.
Several years ago when we first got cable, my wife discovered Lifetime — Television for Women, and then suddenly my Sunday night visit to the Simpsons house ended.
Having first to recover from her indifference to cartoons in general (Shock!), I attempted to find a show for her to like so that she could understand my love of cartoons, and relinquish the remote (we call it 'The Power' in our house) for a bit on Sunday nights.
During commercials with 'The Power' in hand, I'd skim into cartoons on DC, NIk or CN to see if there was something that might be interesting to her. I found a show on DC called Kim Possible — a strong female lead and that had the 'humor at many levels' that I'm reading of P&F featuring a teenage, crime fighter cheerleader doing good deeds around world.
Sound corny? Yeah… it is, but it works.
But, the plan backfired… sort of. I became the BIG fan and my wife kept 'the power' on Sunday nights. (I know almost all the characters on Army Wives.)
It airs daily at 1:30 AM….. too late for the kiddies, but not so for me.
Shin Chan took a bit for me, but i really like it, and try to catch it when i can.
you gotta love the venture brothers, nothing escapes getting blasted there.
I love how this show has so many inside jokes it gets better the more you watch it. Like when they were stranded on an island and built an amazing treehouse, and their sister came to see it and said "You're giving a monkey a shower?!" and they replied "It had to be done." Good times.
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
I am in your debt!! I finally got a chance to watch three episodes last night with my boys, and I'm SO hooked!
Thank you, Scott!
[...] video.] – Enjoyable as it is to see conservative and libertarian viewpoints deemed worthy of e click for more var _wh = ((document.location.protocol=='https:') ? "https://sec1.woopra.com" : [...]
[...] now The Vampire Diaries! What about the GUYS!!! What will WE watch aside from football? … Aren't You A Little Old To Watch Cartoons?That might be one reason why "Phineas and Ferb" is Disney's number one animated series. "Phineas [...]
I, too, am in your debt! P&F is now my favorite new show!
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