Chapter 2

Chapter 2

DISCUSSION

What are the factors that make adults watch Adventure Time?

Reviews on Adventure Time

     The television show, Adventure Time, has been gaining more and more popularity since its release. It has acquired a large fan base which is composed of, not only children, but also adults. Although the show may be a children’s cartoon, it has expanded into something much more complicated. It has created a world filled with such fantastic places and creatures such as: Candy people, Rainicorns, Snow Golems, Fire Wolves, Wizards, Witches, Goblins, Gnomes, Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephants, and many more. Each episode, though it is not very long, is filled with interesting stories which usually end with equally interesting morals or even cliffhangers. A critic, Darren Franich, from the website Entertainment Weekly said, “Episodes of Adventure Time are barely 12 minutes long. They're not all perfect, but they're never not interesting. At its best the animated series — much like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Watchmen — reanimates old genre tropes and discovers fascinating new depths. Creator Pendleton Ward has turned the series into an emotionally intricate look at adolescence, jealousy, obsession, parental anxiety, and maturity. It's also a fantasy panorama filled with alternate universes, penguin sidekicks, musical interludes, and a kingdom made of candy.”

     Also, when it comes to morals, they never cease to make episodes wherein no matter how deep the moral of the story actually is it can still be comprehended by children who watch it. An example would be the episode Web Weirdos, which was about these two giant arachnids that were having marriage issues. This is actually something that a lot of adults face in a relationship, and Finn was able to help the two spiders fix it. The writers of the show have a unique way of showing morals in their stories, making sure that it does not wander off from the fact that it is one of Finn and Jake’s adventures. The critic, Mike Lechevallier, from Slant Magazine said, “Adventure Time's recurring themes and examination of morals have also greatly evolved in its fourth season. The idea of everlasting, all-encompassing love and its accompanying joys and hardships have always been somewhat of a primary focus for series overseer Pendleton Ward and his creative team, but never have the intricacies and ramifications of adoration been pushed to the forefront of Finn and Jake's exploits as they are here.”

     The characters are also a very big element of the show. Unlike most shows, even the minor characters in Adventure Time seem to have a deeper psychology in them than they appear, and they are able to show this all in one episode. A critic named Joseph Leiber from the website Pop Citizen said, “I do want to note the immense creativity and complexity that goes into the conceptualization of the characters in Adventure Time, from the Lemongrab of Season Three that was initially a one-off, to Goliad, to Donny the obnoxious Jerk. They’re not just monsters, beasts or shallow characters that merely serve to move the plot of an 11-minute ep forward. Rather, they come pre-loaded with ethical implications, philosophical questions that will leave you scratching your head well after the show ends, and not-so-simple resolutions.”

     The show has been making some remarkable progress over every season. It gets deeper into its past and darker with its characters as well. Even if the show’s main plot is about two best friends who like to hang out with each other, it has ventured deeper into other aspects of the show. Due to this, a lot of people have questioned on whether this show is intended for children or not, especially since it has a lot of appeal to older audiences. However, the creator, Pendleton Ward, stated himself that he made the show for children. It is just that the type of humour he applies to it can be enjoyed by both young and old. But, besides that, there must be other reasons why adults enjoy watching it. Let us enumerate what other factors the show has which could also appeal to these older viewers.

Factors that make adults watch Adventure Time

A.  Aging Characters

      Unlike most cartoons, the characters in Adventure Time are not trapped in a permanent childhood. These characters mature as the show progresses, not only by age but also through their personality or mentality. Finn the Human, the main protagonist, was twelve years old when the show first began. Now he has turned fourteen, and along with that, his mind has also matured. During the early episodes of the series, his goal in life was to be an adventurer like his adoptive parent, Jake’s dad, and he had this idea that anything evil must be slain and that anybody with bad intentions must be evil. However, after some adventures, he has learned to be more understanding; that not everybody who does evil things are evil and that someone who is evil, given the chance, can still be turned to good.

      Another example is Jake’s relationship with his girlfriend, Lady Rainicorn. In the beginning of this series, the two have already been portrayed as lovers, and as the show progressed, we learned just how much these two loved one another. We know that Jake would do anything to be able to have adventures and still be able to spend time with his girlfriend, just as we know that Lady Rainicorn would risk her life to save Jake if he was ever in any danger. In fact, their love has even blossomed into parenthood when Lady Rainicorn became pregnant and gave birth to five beautiful Rainicorn-puppies.

      Creating the show in this way makes it more interesting to watch, since the concept will not wear out in time. The show’s main plot, after all, is about two friends who like to hang out. That is a very vague idea for a series, so giving these characters lives that actually age in time was a good idea. Now the audience watches to see how their lives will unfold and how these characters will be as they mature.

B. Anything is Possible

      The show is filled with a diverse set of characters and settings. It has got a plethora of princesses, each with their own kingdoms, kings, wizards, monsters, and many more creatures that one could imagine. Due to this, the writers of the show could never run out of ideas for a new episode. They could think of anything to write about and it could still make sense since, in Adventure Time, almost anything is possible.

      Most episodes would start out with Finn and Jake just strolling along, maybe even having a conversation until they would stumble upon something which would start their adventure. Like, a talking skeleton that’s giving away free magic powers, a witch’s garden filled with doughnuts, a gladiator’s arena which is ruled by the Fight King, etc. In some episodes, they would be dealing with princess-related problems, usually ones that involve the Ice King kidnapping them. But there are also some situations which don’t involve him, like in the episode, Jake vs. Me-Mow, Wildberry Princess finds out that she is going to be assassinated so she asks Finn and Jake for their help, and in the episode, Ghost Princess, Finn and Jake help free the princess from her ghostly form and ascend to the afterlife. There are also some episodes which would discuss the lives of certain characters and their relationship with other characters in the show. Marceline the Vampire Queen is a very good example for this since she has a lot of issues with a number of people in the Land of Ooo.

      The episodes that the writers come up with don’t follow any proper plot. As mentioned, they just come up with whatever comes to mind. Pendleton Ward stated that, the writers write for themselves, so basically, anything goes. Although, this makes it all the more interesting to watch since, every episode is a new adventure for Finn and Jake. It’s a new place filled with new faces and a new experience waiting to happen. One can only guess what they have in store for us.

C. Humour with Cross-Audience Appeal

      People have questioned whether Adventure Time was really for kids or not, due to some of the inconspicuous jokes and puns in the show. However, this is because the type of humour which Pendleton Ward applies in it is one that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, or at least that is what he tries to do. He believes that there is humour which can be enjoyed by the young and old, and that’s what he wants Adventure Time to be; something that not only the children can enjoy but also the adults as well.

       A great thing about the writers of the show is that they don’t restrict themselves when coming up with jokes. They don’t stop to think about whether children could understand it or not. They just write down whatever they think is funny and hope that other people will find it hilarious as well. What makes this interesting is that, most of the time, it’s the simple puns that actually catch on. Things like using random made-up words to express their distress or frustrations are the ones that are remembered by most viewers. You can tell since a lot of the fans have been using some of these words ever since.

      It’s not easy to accomplish something like this, but Pendleton Ward was able to succeed this feat. Because of this formula, he was able to attract viewers of all ages and, in turn, make Adventure Time a success.

D. Nostalgia

      Adventure Time is known to have this nostalgic factor. In most episodes, one could relate to what Finn and Jake are experiencing. For example, in the episode, Rainy Day Daydream, Finn and Jake are forced to stay indoors for the day since it is raining knives, due to the knife storm. So they decide to play a game of “lava on the floor” which is a very nostalgic game since, a lot of children have tried playing that at least once in their lives. Besides games, there are also other things which the viewers can relate to, like the feelings these characters would have in certain situations. In the episode, Who Would Win? Finn and Jake get into an argument. Watching that episode, one could relate to the two if he had a sibling whom he would also argue with a lot.

      This nostalgic factor is accomplished due to the fact that the writers like to write stories they would have enjoyed themselves as a child. To put it simply, they are writing for the kid version of themselves. It is also said that they use some of the ideas they have thought of back when they were still children as well. With the idea of people in their thirties writing stories based on the ideas they had during their younger years, it is no wonder why this show can feel very nostalgic.

E. A Dark Past

      Adventure Time is set in a post-apocalyptic world, wherein most of the inhabitants of the Land of Ooo are actually mutants, while Finn is the only human being left. It is said that this was all due to the Mushroom War which occurred a thousand years ago. However, there is not a lot of information about the shows past. Pendleton Ward explained that he doesn’t want to dwell too much into it, since war is a touchy subject in a children’s cartoon and it would be too depressing. So instead, they make some episodes which would show relevant scenes from the said war, however, they are never violent and do not show anything related to guns and other war machines at all. For example, the episode Simon and Marcy shows how Marceline and the Ice King lived through the shambles of the destroyed city, 996 years ago. Basically, they only show scenes from the past in order to help the viewer understand the personality of a certain character further, like the Ice King.

      Giving a children’s show something like a dark and mysterious past is not something that all children could completely understand. It is why adults find the show so interesting. It is filled with these subliminal messages from the past, like the ruins you can find in the background, and it makes one wonder what could have happened to this land. More importantly, it makes one wonder how the two characters, Marceline and Ice King, ended up to where they are now and how they got there, since those two are the only ones known for living through the war.

F. Non-Stereotypical Female Characters

      A lot of the characters in Adventure Time are female. Majority of which are princesses, but there are also others like Marceline, Lady Rainicorn, and if you count the gender-bent episode, Fionna the Human, Cake the Cat and Ice Queen. But unlike most cartoons, these female characters are not like the usual stereotypes. They are more genuine and have realistic personalities. Although in some cases they become damsels-in-distress, there are also other cases wherein they will be given the chance to fight back. Like in the episode, Lady and Peebles, wherein Princess Bubblegum and Lady Rainicorn have to save Finn and Jake who were in the custody of Ricardio, the Ice King’s evil former heart. Showing the different personalities that these characters have and allowing them to be whatever they want to be is great, since it also attracts more adult female viewers as well.

      In terms of romance, Fionna makes a great example and possibly a good role model since she has shown that she doesn’t need to be in a relationship to be happy or to feel needed. She knows what she wants and is very independent. Hopefully, girls could learn from her and realize that relationships are not the most important things in one’s life; at least at a young age, and that having platonic friendships with boys are all right too.

      When creating female characters, Pendleton Ward focused on making them as normal as he made Finn. He wanted them to have cool personalities and was trying not to make them stereotypical at all. Because of that, an array of cute and likeable female characters was born; Marceline being a fan favourite.

G. Morals with a Twist

      Although some episodes from Adventure Time can get very random, they can still come up with some very heart-warming morals. However, like most of their episode’s conclusions, even these morals end with a twist. When Pendleton Ward adds morals to some episodes, he likes to “flip it on its head” and make fun of it a little. So, even with these kinds of episodes, it will still leave you thinking.

      One episode to refer to would be "Princess Cookie". It was about a cookie who wanted to fulfill his dream to become a princess by any means necessary. However, since he tried to use force to take Princess Bubblegum's crown by keeping some candy people as hostages, he became a criminal. Although, Jake realized that he was a good guy at heart and decided to help him attain this dream. In the end, he did become a princess while he resided in a mental asylum. The lessons there were that you should not do unlawful acts to attain your aspirations and that it is easier to reach your goals if you have good friends to help you. There are a lot of episodes that have these kinds of weird endings and after you watch them, it gives you these conflicts of emotions. There are not a lot of cartoons that can do that, making it another reason to why this show interests so much people. One would always think that morals were supposed to make one feel good and reflect but when he/ she watch these morals, it will make him/ her think twice.

H. Characters with Complicated Personalities

      Unlike most cartoons, Adventure Time has ventured deeper into its characters personalities as it progressed. Although these characters may seem like happy and playful people, most of them actually have very sad origins. Finn is the only human left in the Land of Ooo, and the whereabouts of his true parents or whatever happened to them was never mentioned. Despite this fact, he was never seen questioning this at all. Instead, we see some moments when he just sits and contemplates on life.

      Another example is the Ice King. At first, one would label him as the antagonist. However, there have been some episodes which have revealed that he is not actually evil but insane. The Ice King used to be a compassionate and caring human being named Simon Petrikov until he came across the magical crown he wears to this day. Ever since he started to wear the crown, he began seeing and hearing things which continued to drive him insane even if he would not wear it. Over time, it caused his body temperature to drop, turning his skin blue, his hair turned white as it grew, and his nose had grown long and pointy as well. In the episode, Simon and Marcy, it showed that he was always put into situations which would force him to wear the crown, since it also gave him the power to control ice and snow. Due to this, he slowly began to forget about his past life as a human each time he wore it. This is only one side of the Ice King; his past. Today, he is a powerful being, however, because of his insanity; he is often unaware of this. A lot of people would think of him as a pathetic fool, mostly because he does act like one most of the time.

      Giving these characters such colourful personalities, whether they are sad or joyful ones really make the show more interesting to watch. The psychology of these characters can affect how the story of each episode will turn out; making the show as unpredictable as it always is. Since psychology is a little difficult to comprehend, it must be another reason that attracts adults to watch Adventure Time.

Negative Reviews on Adventure Time

     Although the show has gained a lot of viewership, there are also others who are not at all keen on watching the series. These are mostly concerned parents and possibly fans of other shows that are envious of Adventure Time’s success. Due to this, they have also made their own reviews on the show which feature most of its flaws. They are the following:

·         Finn and Jake rely too much on weapons and violence in order to resolve problems.

·         There is a mild use of gateway language such as “sucks” or “friggin”.

·         It has this over-the-head adult kind of humour.

·         Finn is seen without his clothes on in some episodes, like in Wizard, wherein towards the end of the episode, everyone’s clothes get incinerated and a log covers their crotch.

·         There are some intense scenes like the Nightosphere which is a depiction of hell.

     First of all, not every television show is perfect, no matter how much positive reviews it receives from a lot of people. However, it is still good to point out some of the flaws it may have in order for the creators of the said show to be able to work on making it better. Although Finn and Jake use violence to solve most of their problems, these problems are usually the ones that involve defeating evil monsters and other creatures of that sort. They don’t always use violence on the innocent. However, for the sake of concerned parents, it is probably a good idea to put this show in a later time slot, since it is better suited to children aged 10 years old and above.