Why 'Adventure Time,' Now In Its Fifth Season, Is More Groundbreaking Than You May Realize

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• Daniel | March 29, 2013 12:11 PMReply

  Also, aside from the caption, which some people may ignore, you seem to be promoting that opening image as being from the show itself. It's not. Finn gets attacked by Jake as the Lich, then the screen cuts out. We never see anything even remotely akin to the Lich's head being pulled off or whatever that fanart seems to be suggesting, and Jake never goes over to the screen.
  
  To re-emphasise what I wrote below: The Ice King was not a scientist, and he sure as heck wasn't responsible in any way for the destruction of civilisation in the Mushroom War or at any other point. He tried to /save/ civilisation in the alternate future that you're supposedly writing about in this very article! The fact that it subsequently got frozen into an ice age wasn't his fault because he died and the crown did it after he was crushed by the bomb from which he had saved everyone. I don't know how you can miss any of this.

• Daniel | March 29, 2013 12:03 PMReply

  "the Ice King, his backstory as a scientist partly responsible for destroying civilization hints at a much darker history that the spirited nature of their encounters only partially covers up."
  
  Do you even watch the show before posting completely incorrect and highly misleading things as though they were fact?

• Penny | March 26, 2013 11:46 AMReply

  Absolutely fantastic article. Googled reviews on Adventure Time after keeping up with Season 5 to see if anyone else felt the way I do about the show, and it seems so! Would love to read more commentary on Adventure Time if you had any inclination to continue writing about it.

• Patricia Collura | November 14, 2012 7:49 PMReply

  Hi there, just wanted to say great article. By the way, I was wondering if it was possible for you to credit me or link back to my art that you used in the title of this article. I did that art the other day when the episode premiered and as glad as I am that it's getting all this attention People may want to know the source of it! http://zerovice.tumblr.com/post/35625991754/my-wishes-always-have-this-ironic-twist-to-them If not then I kindly request that you remove it. Thank you.

• Al Bracken | November 14, 2012 7:35 PMReply

  I remember I would flip through the channels with the remote looking for something to watch,
  and in my haste, I would eventually flip past Cartoon Network and this weird looking show (I know know to be Adventure Time) would be on and I immediately dismiss it as foolishness. THEN, one day I was sad and bored as hell so I plopped down in front of the tv and was so drained that whatever appeared on the screen when I pressed the remote's 'on' button, I would be watching. Luckily, it was Adventure Time and I sat there and gave it a chance. It turned out to be a marathon and I walked away thinking how brilliant,clever and infinitely silly it was!!!!! I'm hooked forever.

• zeldarms | November 14, 2012 5:27 PMReply

  I enjoyed this article somewhat, but would have preferred it if you'd stayed on topic rather than turned the majority of page two into an episode recap. Still, it's great to know that someone out there - and more judging by the comments - gets it. Simply the most refined cartoon on television, and the messages it gives to young and old alike it something that many programs have failed on (See: Princess Cookie for one example).

• Kristen | November 14, 2012 2:10 PMReply

  Hm... The Ice King seemed to be more of a historian/researcher (in the show, he says he's an "antiquarian") than a straight-up scientist. And when was it said that he is responsible for the Mushroom War? Although he was a survivor (saved by his crown), it's never hinted at that he is the cause of the disaster. Unless you mean because he didn't stop the mutagenic bomb in the regular timeline, like he did in the Lichless timeline.

• Kon | November 14, 2012 1:15 PMReply

  Alright, but PB is 'Princess Bubblegum', not 'the Bubblegum Princess'. She's the one who strays from the norm (with ___ Princess being the norm - Slime Princess, Raggedy Princess, Ghost Princess, Princess Princess Princess...)

• brittney | November 15, 2012 2:30 AM

  technically, 'the Bubblegum Princess' is still accurate. Seeing as she is a Princess and she is made of bubblegum.

• Kyle | November 14, 2012 11:59 AMReply

  Brilliant points, but you need an editor.

• Derping | November 15, 2012 6:28 PM

  No

• Eli | November 14, 2012 11:46 AMReply

  Finally someone else gets it! Adventure Time isn't just any old Saturday morning cartoon like SpongeBob Squarepants, it's a show with a deeper meaning, with a somewhat linear storyline that continues to expand with each episode. The characters' comedy up against such a sad, emotional backdrop of the post-apocalyptic world they live in is what really gets me.

• Olivia | March 29, 2013 1:40 AM

  I agree, but you know there’s a theory that Bikini Bottom in Spongebob is set beneath Bikini Island, the site of Nuclear testing in the past, which caused all the creatures to mutate. It would explain a lot.

• Olivia | March 29, 2013 1:39 AM

  I agree, but you know there’s a theory that Bikini Bottom in Spongebob is set beneath Bikini Island, the site of Nuclear testing in the past, which caused all the creatures to mutate. It would explain a lot.

• Galen | November 14, 2012 11:46 AMReply

  Animation in America is an often wasted medium. Japan and now France are get it, the value of the format and how you don't have to create shows that are just for adults or just for kids. There is not only the potential for art but an entire universe that is unique compared to television or film. Adventure time is pushing the boundary, where you can have a wide range of emotional responses and have seriousness tucked in with all of the jokes and characters. As an animation fan it's so frustrating to see so many cartoons that are completely disposable due to their appealing to the lowest common denominator. They lack heart and character, which shows like Adventure Time are overflowing with. Networks need to understand, you create a show with a universe and the fans will come. In the present internet age where episodes are re-watched and dissected constantly the tiny details adds infinite value and speculation and that's great! we need that.

• Galen | November 14, 2012 11:47 AM

  *getting it. Editing augh!

• lel | November 14, 2012 11:42 AMReply

  Watchadventuretimeinhd.tumblr.com
  
  if anyone is interested in this show

• vladimir | November 14, 2012 9:43 AMReply

  Eric: I love this show. My wife loves this show. It is art and commentary... We thank you for this review

• vladimir | November 14, 2012 9:43 AMReply

  Eric: I love this show. My wife loves this show. It is art and commentary... We thank you for this review

• Chris | November 14, 2012 2:53 AMReply

  I don't like Flame Princess......
  
  The show is still awesome.

• Fred Seibert | November 13, 2012 10:33 PMReply

  Eric, I'm the executive producer of Adventure Time. I've been waiting for someone the write this commentary for five seasons. Thank you.

• Joe | November 13, 2012 9:55 PMReply

  More people should be watching Adventure Time. Everyone dismisses it as Cartoon Network kids' stuff, but it's just plain good. If only "intellectuals" cared as much as about this well-crafted, well-written show as they did about their soon-to-be-cancelled NBC sitcoms that use "funny" pop culture references in place of quality storytelling. I feel completely comfortable saying Louie and Adventure Time are the only good comedies on American television right now.

• Chance | November 17, 2012 6:24 AM

  What? How can you get down on Community? The show is just as careful with the complexity and interactions of its characters as Adventure Time is! It deals with interesting conflicts and themes that other sitcoms don't bother to touch. The Big Bang Theory relies on Sheldon's apparent-but-never-directly-addressed-Asperger's as a well of comedy! Community's Abed has Asperger's, but they address it seriously numerous times. The show should also get a badge for the best use of meta-humor and homages. I mean, c'mon! Give it another chance! I know it starts out sorta MEH, but it gets really damn good. Like one of the best sitcoms of all time good!

• Tim | November 16, 2012 11:16 AM

  yeah, Community is horrible. I watched 5 episodes of that show and only laughed at a single joke. I'm utterly perplexed by its popularity. every "joke" on the show is just a reference, just pointing at something, and that's supposed to be funny in and of itself. it's not. that's not comedy, that's just pandering. it's designed to make the viewer feel culturally informed and part of some in-group, even though all the references are mass culture staples that have been parodied and referenced a billion times before. also, every character is just a horribly written stereotype with no depth whatsoever. I've never been genuinely surprised by anyone or anything on Community, and I think part of the reason why Louie and Adventure Time (I'd agree with Joe that those 2 are the only truly great comedies on TV right now) are so amazing is because they have really well developed characters yet they're always surprising.

• Joe | November 14, 2012 10:25 AM

  Hey, I'm all for deconstruction, but how about constructing something first? Make a good normal sitcom before you go about breaking it down. That's a total college student "I know better than you, professional" mentality, and I say that as someone who had that same mentality in college.
  
  That said, I admit I'm someone who would rather watch a great, traditional sitcom like Roseanne or even Fresh Prince than a now-beloved deconstruction of the sitcom format like Get A Life. Yeah, I get that subversive shows are being "edgy" or whatever, but I'd also like to laugh even once in the process.
  
  I know I sound like an old man, but I'm really only 27, I swear!

• J.L. | November 13, 2012 10:55 PM

  I agree with the first sentence but I couldn't help but notice the slight dig at Community (Let's face it, that's the only show that fits the description) and while it does have pop culture references it can go deeper just like Adventure Time. The show deconstructs the characters from their usual sitcom style, has them grow, and even question the story telling process of sitcoms.

• theresa | November 13, 2012 8:00 PMReply

  great piece

• tom | November 13, 2012 4:21 PMReply

  This is well researched,thoughtful review. I am a big fan of animated films one of the few redeeming features of commercial Tv. is "grownup cartoons"