Finding deeper meaning in ‘Adult Swim’

I think we all have our daily needs. For some, it’s a cup of coffee, for others, it’s having to pick on their neighbors each morning because of the racket (mostly singing) they caused the night before. But whatever they may be, these "needs" are an essential to each day (or night) and make things more interesting. Personally, I need my daily dose of cartoons or it won’t be pretty. My cartoon viewing is in even more demand now that my dad hogs the TV day and night, because it’s the PGA Tour Finals. Whoopee.

I’m not a very picky person when it comes to cartoons, but when I am made to describe some of the cartoons shown in the daytime, they only get an "okay" rank from me. Cartoons that are shown in the daytime are those that cater to everyone — everyone can watch them; everyone can appreciate them, maybe. These are the shows that "grab" people, because they are colorful, and are "funny" to everyone. I’ll admit that some of my favorite cartoons show in the afternoons (hence the struggle with father dearest for possession of the holy remote control), and that I do find time to watch them. However, I find myself eagerly looking towards the later parts of the day, after all the B-movies and golf tournaments are done. Or when my dad goes upstairs for a drink, which is perfect time for my brother and I to take control of one of our household’s most sacred objects.

It’s a good thing then that the marvelous PGA Tour is in the daytime, because it means it won’t disrupt any of the good evening cartoons. There are instances where in I feel that the TV itself gets bored watching golf, B-rated movies, and the occasional infomercial here and there. However, I really feel the TV’s pain when the channel hasn’t been switched for a long period of time (sometimes even days, only in different intervals, these being morning, afternoon, and early evening), especially when the channel it stays on is one of the three major news channels. I then take it upon myself to "cheer up" the TV. This is when late night cartoon shows come into the picture.

Every Friday and Saturday night on Cartoon Network, there is a segment of cartoons which begins at 10:30 p.m. and ends at about 11:30. It’s called Adult Swim, and it directly follows Samurai Jack, another excellent show. This segment is filled with low animation cartoons, which are, in fact, really for adults and those who are ready to try something new, and realize that cartoons aren’t always for children (sorry, I’m not really an adult yet, but at least I am one who truly values this segment. The bonus is that it brings joy to our traumatized TV).

One characteristic I love about Adult Swim is that it uses low-tech animation. All of the cartoons are very primitive in their animation techniques, all still in 2-D. The animation style takes on a very cheap, crude look, like not much was spent on animation costs (which is probably the case indeed). But the beauty of it all is that these cartoons are still able to grab people’s attention because of the dialogue. The characters on each show are very eloquent and have a certain "wittiness" to them. Even if they are cartoons, I feel as if they can out talk some humans I know. Another characteristic of Adult Swim I immensely enjoy is that each cartoon segment uses characters from really old cartoons. These are the likes of Birdman, Space Ghost, Zorak, Moltar, the lead male from the Herculoids, and such others. The only difference is that their roles have slightly been altered to entertain the adults now (who were kids when they first watched them). I believe the producers of Adult Swim chose to use these characters so that those who used to watch them everyday when they first came out would relate easier to them, and accept their new "roles." I think this is a very brilliant technique: catch their attention with these characters when they are young, so that they can connect with them a second (maybe third) time when they are older.

Some cartoons in Adult Swim include Space Ghost, Coast to Coast, which transforms intergalactic hero Space Ghost into a cosmic TV show host with an attitude. On each episode, there is a human guest on Space Ghost’s Show, who is subject to the host’s volatile conduct. The human guest must really be on his/her toes at all times, or else s/he will become subject to Space Ghost’s "power bands," which deliver a deadly laser beam. Another show is Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, where Birdman puts battling villains to a rest, starts wearing a spiffy suit, and takes on cases in court. He has various guests, and uses his newfound superhero skill (reasoning out with a judge and opposing lawyers using his attitude) to get his obviously guilty clients out of sticky situations. Another show is Sealab 2021 which is a satire on an underwater laboratory (thus the name "Sealab"). All the personnel inside the Sealab are in great need of some mental assistance/confinement in an asylum, but it is this that makes them a really funny bunch. One of the best shows on Adult Swim is the "Aquateen Hunger Force." They are: Master Shake, an enlarged shake glass; Frylock, an enlarged box of fries; and Meatwad, an enlarged piece of, well, meat. They solve mysteries (which always begin at the lab of Dr. Weird with aid from their good friend and neighbor, Carl, a bum. A personal favorite on Adult Swim is "The Brak Show" which is about Brak, his mom, his dad, his brother Sisto, his friend Zorak, and his friendly neighbor Thundercleese. Brak and his family are supposed to be the perfect, suburban family, but they are far from it. It’s too hard to explain "The Brak Show," just watch it. And while you’re at it, watch the entire Adult Swim set, it’ll be good for you.

Adult Swim is headed by its slogan, which is "all kids out of the pool." It is actually also a call for all adults to then "jump into the pool," and remember that deep inside them beats the heart of a kid. I myself am not an adult, but I watch Adult Swim; so throw me into jail. By doing this however, you will be making a certain TV very upset, and may cause it to break down. You will be responsible for the death of our TV. So take my word for it: it may be bizarre at first, but give it a shot. Try to understand the characters, the scripts, and every aspect of these cartoons. And don’t mind the rare instances wherein "profane" language is used, because you will find that these "offensive" words are all strategically placed so that they make the cartoons more vibrant and more interesting to watch, not to mention, funnier.

Trust me, your TV’s will be the happiest they’ve ever been in a while. Besides, it’s so much better than watching the PGA tour.