Network Cartoon Network

Release Date November 3rd 2014

Episodes 10

Binge time 110 mins

Over the Garden Wall; arguably the most magical 110 minutes of my life.

This miniseries, created by Patrick McHale of Adventure Time and The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, invites us to join half-brothers Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean) on their unexpected journey through the Unknown, in pursuit of a means of returning home. Though where the boys have come from or how they got here is undisclosed, we eagerly follow their strange, musical and beautiful adventures as they meet a throng of bizarre characters in peculiar places every step of the way.

Originally released in November 2014 on Cartoon Network, it is clear that every element of the show has been put together with extreme thoughtfulness. The animation–particularly the setting–is incredibly beautiful, while the music is just as delightful and clever.

The voice cast is also noteworthy, including big names such as Elijah Wood, Melanie Lynskey, Christopher Lloyd and John Cleese. While as a miniseries each episode is split into a delicious ten-minute chapter, it can also be enjoyed at its film-length 110 minutes if you, like me, cannot help but watch it all in one go.

Like Adventure Time and Flapjack, Over the Garden Wall establishes a familiar rapport with the audience through sassy characters and snappy dialogue, while the constant introduction of increasingly eccentric characters and the episodic nature of the encounters are reminiscent of British comedy The Mighty Boosh.

Additionally, Over the Garden Wall illustrates the classic “down the rabbit hole” format from Alice in Wonderland, and as in all of the above, we find ourselves in a strange and nonsensical world without familiar rules or boundaries, and in which the audience must quickly learn to accept and enjoy without question.

While the series has a pronounced darkness throughout, the quirky characters, musical numbers and playful and witty humour keep the show light-hearted for the most part, allowing for a particularly effective contrast come the frightening, sad or eerie moments.

There are clearly so many reasons to love Over the Garden Wall. What really hits home with me, however, is the way in which the series achieves everything it sets out to with complete sincerity. The characters are wonderful, the setting feels truly magical, and watched in its entirety Over the Garden Wall is a significantly and often unexpectedly emotional experience. On paper, the show obviously has a distinctive charm, but when watched in a dark room under a blanket, the show’s genuineness makes it completely enchanting.

To anyone who loves to be taken on an adventure, and who too would climb over the garden wall, I cannot recommend this series enough.