The Best Miniseries for Spooky Season
Introduction:
As we come closer to Halloween and the end of Spooky Season I’d love to take you on a journey through a series that lies close to my heart. “Over the Garden Wall” is a 10 episode animated miniseries that aired on Cartoon Network in 2014. It follows two Brothers as they wander through a strange forest called “The Unknown” as they try to get back home. It is such a fun and thoughtful series about brotherhood, friendship, overcoming nihilism, the beauty of life, and embracing the unknown.
What makes this series so appealing is how it plays upon the unexpected, in equally charming and unsettling ways. Being funny, and horrifying without ever relying on gore or being crude. It takes its time and uses clever storytelling tricks to emotionally invest you in its characters. Guiding you through the unknown as it takes you on a journey towards hope, life, and courage.
If you have not seen this series yet I highly recommend that you do. It is a short spurt of ten 10 minute episodes. I will do my best to stay as spoiler free as I can in this review but I really think that the best way to experience this story is to go in blind. “Over the Garden Wall” has become a classic for a reason.
So, come along and grab your ticket as we board and take our seats to journey though what makes “Over the Garden Wall” so charming and enchanting.
What’s Inspiring about “Over the Garden Wall”?:
The first characters that we meet in “Over the Garden Wall” are Wirt and Greg. Two Brothers who, for reasons they can’t remember, are lost in the forest and just trying to get home. They meet an assorted group of characters along their adventure. All of whom are impressively foreshadowed showing the amount of care and revisions that this series went through before it ever left the writers room.
Before Wirt and Greg run into any character or the plot progresses it has already been foreshadowed or at least teased at. From Beatrace, her family, and her secrets. To the Woodsman, The Beast, and the Lamp. To the true nature of Wirt and Greg’s relationship and how they came to be lost in the unknown. Each character arc and introduction is beautiful and works perfectly with the vibes that the show has. (If you’d like me to ramble more about what I love about each character and their arc let me know and I’ll make a ticket for just geeking out about them).
The true testament to how effectively this miniseries handles foreshadowing. The first time watching “Over the Garden Wall” you are left with constant questions of how, why, where, and what? But it gives you satisfying answers to each of these questions. Answers that make more and more sense on every subsequent rewatch as you pick up on more and more details that the writers, animators, and musicians left for you to find.
What is also so inspiring is the unique character designs that appear throughout the show. It all feels vaguely pioneer or pilgrim coded with unexpected flourishes to make everything feel more lively or vibrant. It really makes the world feel cohesive while throwing another new setting and confusing circumstances at you each episode. The character design and writing in this show is impeccable.
(My personal favorite is the design of THE BEAST. I love how simple yet intimidating the beast’s design is. Like you could plausibly see that silhouette in the forest and see a stag but wait, there are those glowing eyes and is that vaguely human shaped? Agh! It gives me the chills and is fantastic!)
That’s not to mention the care put into the animation and the music. Oh the music has perfect fall vibes. I think that for both the animation and the music they were able to reach back to harvest festivals from the past and bring it seamlessly into this show. They certainly did their research into early animation to add so many references.
It is probably why “Over the Garden Wall” reminds me of is the dvd that I watched as a child “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad” two animated disney short films made in 1949. They both follow the same sort of folkly, fairy tale vibes that “Over the Garden Wall” does, especially since both of them take place in the later part of the year, when it was bitter and cold. It is undeniable that they both share the same vibes and pull from the same feelings and traditions that Disney did when making “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad”.
However, “Over the Garden Wall” does more than just pull from its sources of inspiration. It remixes and reimagines all of it into something unexpectedly new and refreshing. It mixes the aesthetic of old americana, 2010’s attitudes and character writing, folk tales, art & animation history, and elements from “Dante's Inferno” to make a truly beautiful adventure through The Unknown. That’s what is most inspiring about “Over The Garden Wall”.
Final thoughts:
I really love this series and highly recommend that you check it out for yourself. It is the perfect mix of Fairy Tale nonsense, old halloween spookyness, and americana vibes. It encapsulates the transition from fall to winter perfectly and really makes me want to curl up in a blanket with a cup of hot coco. The only other shows that make me want to do that are the animated show “Hilda” by Luke Person and “Muppets: A Christmas Carol”.
It has become a yearly tradition of mine to revisit this amazing miniseries in either October or November. Normally I invite some friends along with me to see it. (Something that I was actually able to do recently and I am very happy that I was able to do so! We had warm cocoa and a beautiful cheese board).
So this year take the time to allow yourself to enjoy something spooky, unexpected, and wholesome. Watch “Over the Garden Wall” and let me know what you thought of it!
Thank you for coming aboard this adventure with me and I hope you see you next time! For now, we’re disembarking and I hope that you have a wonder filled week!
Here are some video essays about “Over the Garden Wall” I highly recommend!
Let me know what themes you find interesting from “Over the Garden Wall”
Looking for more Inspiration? Continue Here:
All Aboard to explore Miriam Bonastre Tur’s Webtoon turned graphic novel series: Hooky. Where we will explore how contrast can make a story all the more impactful and emotionally resonate.