Over the Garden Wall: Crafting a Modern Fairy Tale
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- In this video, I discuss the 2014 Cartoon Network series’ Over the Garden Wall, including its themes, influences, and character development.
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Sources:
Over the Garden Wall and Vintage Postcards | Weird Christmas
weirdchristmas.com/2020/09/29...
“All That Was Lost Is Revealed”: Motifs and Moral Ambiguity in Over the Garden Wall
www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/5/3/51
Heroes in Patrick McHale’s Over the Garden Wall: A Reading of the Modern Epic
repo.library.stonybrook.edu/x...
An Examination of Patrick McHale’s Over the Garden Wall as a Contemporary Otherworld Journey
repository.stcloudstate.edu/c...
Evolving Mediums: Over the Garden Wall and the Divine Comedy
dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.c...
Behind the Potatoes and Molasses - Interview with Patrick McHale | Manuscripts Burn
manuscriptsburn.blogspot.com/2...
Patrick McHale on the Haunting Magic of ‘Over the Garden Wall’ | The Dot and Line
dotandline.net/patrick-mchale...
Patrick McHale LIVE | The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast
bancroftbros.libsyn.com/patri...
Over the Garden Wall: slapstick for the kids, existential dread for the adults | The Guardian
www.theguardian.com/culture/2...
0:00 Intro
1:25 1) Contemporary Fairytale
10:39 2) Into the Unknown
18:29 3) If dreams can’t come true, then why not pretend? - Розваги
Ugh, there is something so beautiful, haunting, and timeless about this show. As the oldest sister to younger siblings, I find myself relating to Wirt constantly, yet long to have the innocent curiosity that Greg possesses. Everything about this show is so beautiful and I cry on the final montage at the end of the last episode every time I watch it.
This would have been my comment almost word for word
I wonder why the Creator never did anything else?!? They're so talented! WHY?!!
This is exactly how I feel to a tee 🥹
As an older brother I couldn’t agree more
@@WhitneyDahlinPatrick McHale co-wrote Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio!
I think what makes it for me is that it's a very Americana type of fairy tale, like Washington Irving's stories or Poe or some of the Oz stories, which is surprisingly rare in fantasy media (or at least underutilized). And the score and songs especially reflect this with the perfect blend of spooky folk music and ragtime.
Yes exactly! I really love the Americana feel of it
@QualityCulture in some ways to me, it almost feels like a Thanksgiving series too, especially in the first half. I'm from New England and my family used to go all out with vintage Halloween and Thanksgiving decor, and now because of commercialism, we go straight from Halloween to Xmas without that month of warm Thanksgiving-inspired color palette I remember growing up with, which is a huge shame.
How important do you think the music is for adding this feel to the show?
I never connected the people in the tavern with the lost souls of the lantern. That revaluation literally blew my mind lol
It's interesting to talk about the comedic aspect of the show as something only done out of obligation and the show would've rather gone without it when its moments of comedy are a huge part of the show's charm to me. The jokes in OTGW are so organic and witty, it's something I internally reference regularly lol.
OTGW is the embodiment of the fall season. I also love that even though it’s revealed that the boys’ experience was a result of them nearly dying, most of what they experienced is left up to interpretation.
I remember watching this when it came out and thinking why doesn't CN do this regularly? It was sooo good wished they invested making more shows like this
Right?? Pat McHale did an interview last fall tho and said he doesn’t think it would have gotten made in today’s landscape. Seems like studios are becoming more and more reluctant to take risks
@QualityCulture I was honestly scared it would end up going the way of Infinity Train, but thankfully it's at least still on Hulu (for now). It's a very bad time for animation right now, especially at WB.
@@QualityCultureThis might be a good video idea. Why and how have we ended up with this current landscape? Often good shows are getting axed for very arbitrary and ambiguous reasons
CN took the success of Over The Garden Wall and decided it meant the miniseries format was the key, not the original concept. It's how we got Stakes, Islands, and Elements in Adventure Time which are amazing in their own right, but obv not stand alone originals like OTGW. It is truly a miracle that it exists as unspoiled as it is.
I want to be more optimistic for original animation, but the Cartoon Network Studios building has been emptied and the new WB Discovery CEO is an absolute ghoul. Streaming had potential with its "see what sticks" model, but let Tuca and Bertie be a cautionary tale. Even if something starts great and gets cancelled only to be rescued by another party, it'll get cancelled again for tax write offs so the big wigs can churn out more franchise slop.
I'd like to think that Fiona and Cake's success on HBO Max could reverse this tale and signal the studio heads to funnel more money towards animation in general, but I think it's gonna lead to strip mining the Adventure Time franchise, not more originals.
OMG YESSSS!!!! Thank you for showing the antique postcards that heavily inspired so much of the visuals in the show. Started collecting around the time OTGW aired. It can be QUITE an expensive hobby, especially when you are going after Halloween cards, but I'm sure McHale saw many pass through his parent's business.
Ooh that’s so cool, now I’m wondering what’s in your collection haha
@@QualityCulture HA it's a lot, about 2 albums full with some chromolithograph ads and trading cards mixed in. I definitely treasure the Halloween ones in my collection (I actually have the witch in the watermelon car one shown in the video). But yeah, I love chromolithographs and pull a lot of influence from them too with my own art (which is why my work gets compare of OTGW so much 😅same source of inspiration)
Wow!! I've seen so many OTGW video essays bc I'm obsessed but I was pleasantly surprised at how much this analysis added to the overall conversation on this media, incredible work!
Thanks so much, I’m glad to hear that!
I rewatch it every autumn too! Usually in October, but I kinda missed it! I need to rewatch it soon. Then I'll come back to this video, remind me please haha
Absolutely love this miniseries! I will never forget how I felt when I first watched it
On the topic of music in OTGW, McHale says in the audio commentary for episode 8 that the scene with Greg going to cloud city (especially when he looks up at the stars) is inspired by the Hansel and Gretel opera. And the events of episode 10 before the boys leave the Unknown are inspired by the visuals of that opera as well, and by operatic scene changes more generally. I feel like you can hear the influence of opera in the Beast's singing as well. I love hearing all about the inspirations & influences of this show! 😊
I just watched this series a few days ago and modern fairytale is exactly what I felt about it. Thats so crazy!
The idea that staying in the comforting moment of the in between, the quiet comfort of Autumn and December, hits really hard. What a poignant summation of the entire show.
I also only read one comic- I've never seen the one with Wirt's song. That final shot of him looking so small and alone as he takes off his hat hits really hard, poor kid. :(
I was absolutely delighted to see this video, you guys are one of my favorite video essay channels so seeing you make a video about one of my favorite works of art really made my day!
I’m literally about to cry the quotes and poetry in this were so well selected an read. Thank you for feeding my hyper fixation ❤
midway through this it occurred to me that 'Over the Garden Wall' and 'The Green Knight' are EXTREMELY similar in how they approach storytelling and its (and their own) purpose- not a completed thought but just a very odd but accurate similarity :)
I really hope your talking about the original poem and not the a24 movie because that sucked so bad.
Crazy that this cartoon came out 9 years ago. I was 19 at the time and could relate to Wort and Greg's relationship between myself and little brother. This show will always get reccomened by me to anyone. Like yourself and many have said, it's truly a tale of the colonial Americana spirit that permeates the setting. Minus the cowboys lol
the choice to have greg be well respected and welcomed by his peers was such a good narrative choice. he's in his head too much, his insecurities do not represent reality and he isn't actually perceived to be a loser or disliked by his peers. he shuts himself off from connections and opportunity, not the other way around. all of that is why it felt so good to see him take charge and take control in the last episode. i teared up to see wirt exhibit such growth
For me, Over the Garden Wall just had everything I'd been looking for in a cartoon. It brings back something from my earliest memories. It's like that feeling of playing in the leaves in the fall as a small child.
This show reminds me a lot of Big Fish, with it's "familiar but just weird enough", and how one grounded realistic character and a fanciful imaginative one can often clash, but ultimately love each other.
Wow just when I feel like I've heard every angle of this story, you've brought even more to me to chew on. Fantastic Video.
Great video! I remember when I was pretty young and saw the first trailer for it and instantly felt the magic. This show really is something special. I especially like Pottsfield and Enoch.
I almost teared up listening to you talk about Wirt's internal struggles because I really relate to them now as an adult more than as a teen when I first watched this show. I feel like now more than ever I craft these delusions about the world and the people around me, similarly to the way Wirt does, but just like Wirt, it's all a fabrication, and the people around him are actually pretty chill and the world isn't as scary as he makes it out to be. When I actually open up to other people and take more responsibility for the circumstances I'm in, my perception on everything changes and my surroundings aren't as bad as I've made them out to be.
I never realized that Beatrice's betrayal and the discovery of Lorna being the actual witch were essentially "proving" Wirt's fears and anxieties about the world and people to be true, or maybe I did and just forgot about it after watching it so much. But I think those two events are integral to the ending and Wirt ultimately saving himself and Greg and getting out of the Unknown for good. I think it's important for someone with anxiety like Wirt to have those fears be proven true, but also prove to yourself that you can overcome them and that the outcome might not be as bad as you imagined it would be. It was Wirt who saved Lorna with the power of the bell, and Beatrice came back to help him in the final episode and all was forgiven. And then of course there is the final confrontation he had with the Beast which I feel is pretty self explanatory. You can't hide forever from the things that scare you and become complacent, you have to stand up to your fears and face them head on. I don't know, that's just my two cents on it, as someone who had to recently face something they were afraid of for a very long time, only to realize it wasn't so bad and actually having the experience make myself stronger in the long run.
There's something about your voice that feels perfect for this subject. And I mean that as the highest compliment I can possibly give.
It's relaxed but not bored, it's interested but not overly excited. Your voice is soft but now whispery or mumbly, clear but not loud. You clearly have passion for the subject you're speaking about, but you also focus on speaking clearly with a steady pace that's easy to follow along to.
Honestly, if there's ever an Over the Garden Wall comic audiobook, I'd love to hear you narrate it.
I find your voice and your approach to your videos to be so soothing that no matter what way my life goes I end up coming back to this channel for at least one video, if not a whole binge session.
I love it when ya'll make videos about OTGW. You always find some new way to look at it and talk about. It's amazing, and I never get tired of it.
The funniest thing for me is, out of everything in the video, the thing that I focused on the most was when you pointed out Wurt's shoes. I kept zoning in on them everytime ya'll showed a clip from the show.
Also, I really appreciate the editing. It makes everything you say more profound and hard-hitting, and it replicates the atmosphere of the show so perfectly.
Also, Wurt's poetry is actually really nice, and it kinda resonated with me. It might because I feel a strong connection to him tho, I was and still am a waxy poetry writer.
I watch Over the Garden Wall every Halloween. Such a beautiful little series
Breaking out this show every Fall feels almost religious. Thanks so much for talking about it! 🐸
I am literally wearing an Over the Garden Wall sweater lmao
I will always flex that I watched this when it originally aired. Also, I am currently mad that Cartoon Network or WB has not issued another physical release of the series when it still gains new fans while old fans tend to watch it every autumn or at least I do
I was planning on rewatching this in October but I've been so busy, but November's weather seems more fitting so maybe it's not too late
This was lovely and I learned small details I hadn’t learned before (and I am best friends with two artists who have talked to me about the show for years). It was also encouraging, as I sometimes am tempted to retreat inward like Wirt does. A good reminder to resist that feeling. Thank you.
I've seen this show like 5 times and I wish there was more 😭
ahh this show is like the first sip of tea on a cold grey morning! it's so comforting and timeless, and the perfect little pick me up for when life starts to feel dark. i really loved this video, i can't wait to watch it again and notice all of the details you mentioned!
the point on not binge watching and instead gradually consuming is so important. i watched it in 2 episode sessions and i don't think it would've been the same had i watched it all in one sitting.
I love your videos!! (I have that pumpkin shirt too! 😆) I’m so happy you’re breaking this show down! It’s so fun to listen to your breakdowns! 💕
Thanks so much! And yesss it's the perfect shirt for fall 😌
I need that shirt
I absolutely love this video, you pointed out so much that I never noticed! Completely resonate with Wirt not wanting to make a decision and at times preferring to be stuck in the unknown forever rather than face failure.
This makes me so happy this show is the absolute most amazing thing and I’m so happy so many other people watch and love it ❤❤
It's definitely one of my favorites 😊
I was a 9 year old boy I remember most of it terrifying me but I just couldn't look away to this day I think it's the greatest thing ever made by any cartoon channel ever
It hit me like a truck when you said this show came out 9 years ago omg
When it first came out i thought it was a neat fairy tale with spooky elements but now i can appreciate it for what its trying to say through its themes, characters, and the general feel of the show itself, i NEED to watch this again sometime soon
I was waiting for you to do this. After seeing the Frog & Toad one, I knew you’d appreciate this show too. And as usual, the writing and editing on this are quite superb.
Being unable to binge watch actually makes things more forgettable to me. I often forget characters and plot threads within days after seeing an episode, and waiting weeks if not months to see a character reappear or a plot point revisited or concluded makes me confused and wonder if I had forgotten who someone was or if something was important to the story. With binge watching I can easily recall something I just saw so I'm not taken aback when some twist in the plot comes along. I actually watched Over the Garden Wall on Hulu years after it originally aired so I was able to binge watch this show as well 🤷🏼♀️
I remember stumbling across this series when it first came out as a child, and while I did regrettably skip some episodes because the pacing wasn't fast enough for me then, I was always enamoured by the child-like whimsy of the story! It was almost magical how no-one else at the time had heard about it more, which only fuelled that feeling of it being something rather special.
Very few western animated media seem to capture that feeling and after watching this video, i hope to watch the series fully! I would say that Ghibli movies that are in the same vein :3
This essay gave me a realisation that this show is so close to Old Gods of Appalachia and that early 20 century urban myth idea, of explaining anything unknown to be demons, witches and gods
You’ve done it again!! Such a beautiful video, thank you for your time and energy, analyzing and discussing some of our favorite media pieces. Your work is healing as always!!
This needs more attention, y’all did a fantastic job going over and covering everything in this series. By far the most in depth video I’ve watched on this mini series. Keep up the good work guys 👍
You must live in Az, as do I, love this show and it makes me miss autumn and fall terribly.
I loved every bit of this video! Y'all did an amazing job. Your analysis was informative and concise (I know you could have gone on for hours about this series!) I def learned a lot, and appreciate your perspective. Really, really solid work. 10/10
That’s one incredible overview! Thank you so much for your input ❤❤It made me feel like there’s a continuation to the series🙌🏻Great work, I really appreciate it🌷👏🏻👏🏻
This is a refreshingly in-depth analysis of the show, its influences, themes, and its real world reception. Thanks for making it!
My best friend just got married Oct. 29th and the OTGW soundtrack was a huge portion of the night. It was magical
Ooh perfect time for a rewatch
I love that somebody uploads a new video about Over the Garden Wall every year
This review was really well-done! Thanks for making it!
I just watched this, and now i see this in the sub tab
Trippy
Only recently discovered OTGW and boy was it something unlike anything else. Also learned a lot from this video despite having watched the show over a few times already and other content on here. Cheers
Thank you for this video! I think it is a wonderful insight into the deeper meanings of the story! I watched it for the first time two nights ago, and then rewatched it with my girlfriend last nigh since she hadn't seen it before either. I was led to tears thinking about it today.
no way its been 9 years wow
I actually been falling back into my Over the Garden Wall love. Been reading fan fiction,watching old videos, and listening to the soundtrack so this is we’ll time for me I’m so happy
Great video as always. I especially appreciated your analysis of liminal realities and why certain people (myself included) are drawn to them. Helped me understand a little more about myself and one of my favourite shows. Cheers!
Beautiful analysis. I love over the garden wall even more now! Can't wait for the 2024 rewatch
I am so happy that OTGW is still being watched. I also got the series on DVD.
Funny story, when this came up in my subs feed I thought it was a glitch because I was sure you had done a video essay about Over The Garden Wall. I think it's just because you have this lovely soothing voice that has the same vibes as curling up with a book in front of the fire in Autumn, it's so appropriate for this show. Thank you for another great one, I learned a lot. This, your frog and toad, and the Miyazaki epic are my favourites, I hope you do more cosy/contemplative stuff in the future!
Absolutely adore this show! Great analysis!
Such a great video essay and analysis!
This was fantastic! Thank you for the wonderful insights into the mental and historical backgrounds of this lovely liminal piece.
this is stunning work. thank you SO much
I love you for this! Ugh I miss this show
I just saw this show last week and was amazed by the beauty, depth and ambiguity of it. To me, it's a sort of coming-of-age or taking the reins of your life story. I also think what you said on 23:57 is particularly relevant: Wirt thinks so little of himself, feels so out of place, always tries to avoid taking risks and making choices (probably because he feels incapable of choosing right). But by the end of the show, he sees himself (and probably those around him, especially Greg) in a different light.
I love this show so much, and I love it more every time I watch it!
Absolutely fantastic video. Great deep dive
My goodness, love this channel!!!!!❤
OP you get it!!!!! I like your analysis of the Unknown being a place of preservation - the preservation of lost things and lost souls - which is reflected visually in the old-timey Victorian-ish setting, reflected musically in the jazz/swing/ragtime (and occasionally operatic) soundtrack, and reflected narratively in the characters in each location being 'stuck' in their ways, and the contrasting character arcs of our protagonists, where they have to break out of their usual patterns of behaviour in order to triumph. I love your discussion of all the elements and references that Pat McHale draws from, it does really add to my appreciation of the show to understand where the stylistic choices might have come from.
Btw, re the turtles, McHale does mention in the artbook that Auntie Whispers was a sort of interpretation of the 'Sin Eater', and the turtles are a representation of human sin, but it wasn't expanded upon for whatever reason - but McHale has said that part of the magic of OTGW is that there's no one singular interpretation of his work which is 'correct'. The turtles are a loose concept, that can be interpreted in whatever way, just like concepts in fairytales. The narrative meaning shifts from one teller (or one observer) to the next.
Literally everything about it is perfect
Incredible analysis as per usual 🌙💫
Yeah, I'm one of those people who revisits this series every year in October when the temperature gets cooler.
A lovely show, and a lovely discussion about it!
I never knew about the comics ! Thank you so much for your insight
Thank you for making this. I feel I’ve come away having learned a lot, and gained insight not just into OTGW but also into myself. A lot of Wirt’s worse traits are a little too familiar. Some of this analysis made me think of The Boy And The Heron, too - how imagination can be freeing, but we must not lose ourselves to escapism and neglect the impact of our real lives, even in a world that is scary. Obviously both OTGW and The Boy And The Heron are about other things besides these, but it is a little magical when a new work makes me view things I’ve seen a hundred times with a fresh perspective.
i feel that over the garden wall and dimension20's neverafter campaign are quintessential modern fairy tales and required reading for each fall
This show is so gorgeous ethereal comforting and immaculate, as an older brother I relate to it heavily and it sits deep
So I wrote a pastoral horror TTRPG inspired by Over the Garden Wall! It's called "Under the Autumn Strangely", I don't want to spam a link but if you're curious, check it out!
Personally, I'm in a situation that is very similar to Wirt's. Your words and this essay have done a great good to me. Thank you for your work. 💚
Well Mr. Macaill you and I feel exactly the same about long by gone story in which such places and worlds exist and can be injoyed 😊😊😊😊
I need to rewatch this season
I LOVE how liminal this series is. Everything is old and new at the same time. Wirt and Greg are lost in Purgatory. The transition between childhood and adulthood. The way fear and comfort mingle.
Interesting that you Mention purgatory given the show's Connection to dante's divine comedy
Perfect November viewing
I just discovered this recently since my sister passed away in 2019, I was not sure even though my former brother-in-law and nephew were telling me about it. I just bought the DVD and I hope this helps.
As someone who was already very into vintage Halloween I was able to clock every antique postcard imagery. As well as the references to Fleischer studios' animation.
fantastic video essay
Hey you’re really beautiful and I loved this video. You really payed respect to this show and I love how you encapsulated our love for the show! Great video
That was FUCKING 9 YEARS AGO?! THAT SHIT STILL FEELS LIKE 4 OR 5 YEARS OLD.
You did not just say this shit is 9 years old now, I remember watching it release as a kid and have so much nostalgia
We've watched other autumn/Halloween stuff this year but now I feel like I really must rewatch this now too!! thank you!!
Also, I wanted to ask what happened to your A Monster Calls video 😭 it was such a meaningful video essay to me, as all your videos are it was incredibly thoughtful and thorough in its analysis and praise, and as it's my fave movie it just meant a lot. I noticed a couple months ago I think when I was searching to watch it again that it wasn't up in your channel anymore. was it taken down by youtube or...? 😢 will you put it up again? or is there anywhere else I could watch it? (is it on patreon perhaps?)
Children’s surrealist horror, is the best way I’ve heard the genre described. Concept that require imagination and belief but are actually pure horror when you truly except them, yet still whimsical somehow. It reminds me of my favorite Eisley lyrics;
“I awoke the dawn
Saw horses growing out the lawn…
I glimpsed a bat with butterfly wings
Oh, what marvelous things…
I followed a rabbit
Through rows of mermaid-entwined shrubbery
Ah...
Ah...
Oh, what marvelous things
But they are, they are, they are
Giving me the creeps
Dark night, hold tight
And sleep tight my baby
Morning light shall burst bright
And keep us here safely.”
Loved this!!!!
You did a Beautiful Job on This. Doubt Not your talent for this.
A rare, perfect show
Naaaaaaaah this is one of the most memorable otgw videos; made me really look forward to winter and the end of things
Good stuff !
9 years?! I only watched it this year
Love the video!!! Is it possible for your channell to add subtitles to this video? I'm hard of hearing and it's quite difficult to understand who's talking with the youtube automated captions. Thank you so much!!
Retrospective for the retrospective god!