What A Cartoon Should Be

[FoolKiller]

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Iron Giant was very good. I feel like this is rapidly becoming the "shows for kids that are actually decent" thread, which seems like a useful topic.

I'm three years in and pretty colors and songs are still the preferred watching in my house. You have plenty of time to build up a kid friendly library.

 

[Danoff]

I'm three years in and pretty colors and songs are still the preferred watching in my house. You have plenty of time to build up a kid friendly library.

Especially given that most of my preferred kids movies are for age 6+.

I remember the new fantasia being pretty good.

 

[Joel]

Just like many great things of television, they've all gone to waste, and left television an empty, useless void and shell of its former self with nothing left except a FEW reality shows, MythBusters (if it still gets new seasons anymore!), The Big Bang Theory and live events such as news and sports broadcasts.

You can't rant about all TV sucking and say The Big Bang Theory is good. TBBT is another one of these "lifeless pile of crap" shows. It's seriously awful. The most obnoxious laugh track on TV (I know it's a live audience), terrible jokes, no character development, and the show's attitude towards women is strange. There's also that the show just makes fun of nerds. Sheldon says "I'm going to the comic store", and the audience dies laughing as if it's actually something to laugh at.

As for the topic at hand, I guess the true meaning of cartoons is the same as any TV show is supposed to be. All a cartoon has to be is entertaining to a target audience. As was brought up earlier, Archer vs. Dora the Explorer isn't really a fair comparison.

 

[niky]

Personally, it doesn't feel that patronizing, and it does indeed have some character development. Except for Sheldon, who never changes. But that's like asking Mister Spock to crack a smile.

Nowhere near as good as Scrubs, but not a bad sitcom, as sitcoms go.

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Yeah, nowhere near as good as Scrubs. Because my wife will sit and watch Scrubs with me for hours, while she absolutely hates TBBT.

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If you want a good new sitcom, Modern Family is nice. And unlike many recent "Family-themed" sitcoms, it doesn't rely on everyone being absolute jerks for laughs.

I remember the new fantasia being pretty good.

I loved it. Wish Disney would do another one. It's about time.

 

[F1 fan]

By the way, sucky cartoons are nothing new, back in the 50's-90's Hanna-Barbera was making crap faster than a 300 pound guy at Taco Bell.

Such as? My wife bought me the complete boxset of "Wacky Races" last Christmas and I still laugh as much as I did when I was a kid. Perhaps moreso. Flintstones, jetsons and top cat were childhood favourites of mine and were still funny when I watched a few episodes last year.

Sheldon says "I'm going to the comic store", and the audience dies laughing as if it's actually something to laugh at.

Exaggerate much? Or have you considered the possibility that the show just isn't for you? No, I'm sorry, you were right the first time. The show is terrible because you say so.

 

[niky]

The animation of the "made for TV" shows in the 60's and 70's was horrible. No two ways about it. Since they were made to a budget, they took huge shortcuts in animation. It was painfully obvious, even then, how poor the animation and art were compared to earlier shows.

I think they're still watchable mostly due to the fact that they relied on good dialogue and voice acting to carry the humor. Something which still carries through today.

 

[Minty]

That's...spooky. I just watched this for the first time in like 5 years yesterday...

That's some weird timing.

(That bit being my 2nd favorite. Flamingo with a yoyo is awesome.)

 

[Pupik]

A cartoon can and should be whatever it wants to. That's the advantage of that format over live-action TV/movies. CGI just blurs the distinction between the two.

Hanna Barberra just mass-produced cartoons to a massive degree, but stuff like The Flintstones/Jetsons at least appealed to a wider audience, and were prime-time staples in their heyday. Then they went ape and like The Simpsons, everyone wanted to make a cartoon that was edgy and something people could relate to; despite being absurdist, having no physical limitations with acting allows you to transcend questions of plausibility.

It helps to have a library of cartoons/animated movies that you both (kids and adults) can stand to watch, plus a few that you can look away from, so the kids leave you alone for 30 minutes.

Not everything is going to appeal to you...that's life.

I loved it. Wish Disney would do another one. It's about time.

I couldn't wait to see Fantasia 2000, but the theater was only about half full on opening night. I suppose that means they'll probably put the idea on ice for a few more years, until waves of nostalgia start bothering them to make another.

 

[Danoff]

I couldn't wait to see Fantasia 2000, but the theater was only about half full on opening night. I suppose that means they'll probably put the idea on ice for a few more years, until waves of nostalgia start bothering them to make another.

Might actually do better going straight to DVD.