Every fall, the leaves turn and flutter to the ground. Pumpkins are hollowed out and carved with the devilish grins of Jack-o’-lanterns; kids, young and old, dress up as ghosts, ghouls and goblins; and animation fans bundle up under the covers to rewatch Cartoon Network’s “Over the Garden Wall,” a dark fantasy cartoon that perfectly captures the spooky vibes of the Halloween season as well as the sense of community that brings light to our darkest feelings.
Created by “Adventure Time” alum Patrick McHale, the 2014 series follows brothers Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean) as they travel through a dark, scary forest called the Unknown, searching for their way home. Along the way, they interact with a strange assortment of characters voiced by famous actors, including Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey), a helpful bluebird, and a strange Woodsman (“Back to the Future” and “Addams Family” star Christopher Lloyd). Tim Curry and John Cleese also make cameos.
Throughout its 10 episodes, the series creates a peculiar world of odd characters, ranging from the benign and helpful to the downright monstrous, all with heaping doses of charm and humor. This special alchemy created a powerful cult around the show. After winning the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program in 2015, “Over the Garden Wall” became an annual tradition for fans, leading to the show being ranked No. 87 on IMDb’s Top 250 TV Shows. Although conceived as a limited series, repeated viewings are a rewarding experience that few other cartoons can provide. And if those 10 episodes are not enough, in 2024, McHale created a 10th anniversary short with animation studio Aardman, best known for “Wallace & Gromit.”
Over the Garden Wall is the crown jewel of Cartoon Network’s golden era
Before his work on “Adventure Time,” Pat McHale got his start on one of Cartoon Network’s oddest shows, “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.” That series managed to sneak past the network’s “no weird” rule and gave many future animation superstars, including “Adventure Time” creator Pendleton Ward ,their first big break. The early 2000s was a seminal era for animation, resulting in some of Cartoon Network’s most iconic series like “Samurai Jack” and “Steven Universe.” Cartoon Network was founded to make classic cartoons easily accessible to a new generation. and these innovative series aired alongside shows like “The Flintstones” and “Tom and Jerry” until the 2022 merger of Warner Bros. with David Zaslav’s Discovery ushered in an era of cost cutting that left it a shell of its former self.
Things took another dark turn when Cartoon Network’s website was shuttered and fans were directed to sign up for HBO Max. Soon after, many animated shows were jettisoned entirely, with everything from the classic Looney Tunes shorts to modern favorites like “Summer Camp Island” being erased from the network. Cartoon Network’s brief golden age, which gave us “Over the Garden Wall,” one of the network’s most beloved and experimental shows, came to a definitive end when the network’s Burbank offices closed in 2023.