I’ve seen a lot of people in my age group (early 20s or so) express love and admiration for these two shows, saying that their humor and plots appeal to all ages. I love animated shows that slip in sly adult humor (Spongebob, etc.), but I’m not sure that I will like Adventure Time and/or Regular Show. I am looking for something new to watch, preferably light-hearted. I usually go for shows and movies that are slice of life or comedy rather than those that are action heavy. Keeping that in mind, should I give these shows a chance? Are they really all that good?
I was converted to brony-hood a while back, and well, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic all the way. I mean, it’s got it all: incredibly hilarious moments, great characters, and tons of fun. It’s sweet - but never saccarine or false.
I’ve also been watching Young Justice, but I don’t think that’s quite up your alley. I could provide some older shows if you like, many of which might be available on Hulu or similar services.
I’m a brony/pegasister as well; it’s an amazing show. What old shows would you recommend to me?
Adventure Time is bizarre, absurd, surreal, nonsensical, often funny and sometimes genuinely sweet. I really like it, although not all episodes are equally awesome.
It seems like a lot of people who like Adventure Time also like Regular Show, but for whatever reason I can’t get into that show at all. I was just bored.
My son (10 years old), watches both. As a 43 year old, I find Regular Show much more enjoyable. The 80’s references come hard and heavy, leading me to wonder if the creators are around my age (they’re not). The main characters are 23 year old slackers who work at a city park, and most episodes usually involve them trying to avoid work, which leads to surreal adventures.
Adventure time is about 13 year old Finn, the last human alive, and his companion Jake, a talking dog with stretchy powers (and Bender from Futurama’s voice). Amaguri’s description is pretty spot-on. My son prefers this one.
Same here, I think what puts me off TRS is they seem to be trying too hard, but at the same time holding back. I mean I do like surreal humor like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, but The Regular Show just did not grab me.
Adventure Time perfectly captures a certain stage of life in Finn, not quite an adult but no longer a child. I think this is further confirmed by the Jake character, although he is a dog and content being Finn’s dog he is also much more mature and adult. He is a “cool uncle” character to Finn.
Many plots are I think metaphorical about larger issues like government or life, others are just pure freeform fun like a child playing with action figures.
My ten-year-old watches them both as well. I am entertained by Regular Show much MUCH more than Adventure Time. Also, some of the voice characterizations on Adventure Time make my skin crawl. (Lumpy Princess…shudder)
Regular Show has some cute sound bytes that stay with us and worm their way into our family conversations. We are all unable to attend a birthday celebration without chanting “free cake! free cake!” and every silly gaffe results in a “good show!” in an old timey accent.
I think both are jolly good shows. Regular Show is best if you’re wanting a show to skew above that preteen market of Adventure Time, since Mordecai and Rigby are 25. Finn is 13, but Jake is 29 so he’s making most of the adult jokes between the two. I like them both for different reasons, but all of Finn’s screeching and some of the songs do grate.
Young Justice is very good. Not a comedy but a very solid superhero show. If you watched and liked Avatar the Last Airbender, Legend of Korra is quite good as well. It has its fair bit of teen love drama but I think the action more than makes up for it. Also, the new Thundercats was enjoyable. Not what you asked for but just some additional endorsements.
Geez, episodes are less than 20 minutes long. Just watch a couple shows and see for yourself. It’s isn’t that big of an investment.
Even my wife has come around to liking both Regular Show and Adventure Time. She bought all three of the sets we didn’t have for the car’s DVD player so she wouldn’t have to listen to the kids give a running commentary of Ponyo for the 75th time.
The kids love both shows, and even dressed up as Finn and Fionna when we went to Animefest last year.
I’ll give an edge to Adventure Time over Regular Show for three reasons:[ul][]It’s Post-Apocalyptic Fiction - What, come on… you didn’t notice? The unexploded atomic bombs in the opening sequence? References to the “Mushroom Wars” in “Memory of a Memory?” That giant chunk of Earth that is missing from the globe in “Five Short Graybles?”[]Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy - Even if unintentional or vague, the kind of things that go along with how I remember D&D endear it to me.[*]Finn and Jake are Good People - They’re heroes, and they help people. I’d rather count on them than Mordo and Riggs any day.[/ul]I know that Adventure Time was nomiated for an Emmy for “It Came From the Nightosphere”, but as far as stories go, “The Enchiridion” is my favourite adventure. Favourite episode is “Fionna and Cake”, though, simply because it turns everything upside-down and ladles on a thick dose of Neil Patrick Harris.
Both shows are excellent, you simply have to take the for what they are and not expect anything much on your first couple of episodes.
Adventure Time is extremely surreal, and often simply bizarre for it’s own sake. That said, it has some of the most honest, delicate treatment of early teenhood that I’ve ever seen in any show. Possibly it may be because Finn is the only human in the land of Ooo, but he is able to react honestly to all the various characters rather than any sort of societal expectation. He does what he feels is right, and often pays for it.
Regular Show takes a few episodes to get into. One there though it’s rather addicting. The jokes are fresh, and the juxtapostion of everyday problems against surreality is pretty interesting.