Writ and Gregory walk across the pond in Over the Garden Wall.Image via Cartoon Network
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Kendall Myers
Published 18 minutes ago
Kendall Myers is a Senior Author with Collider. As part of the TV and Movies Features team, she writes about some of the most popular releases before, during, and after they premiere. In three years, she has written over 900 articles with topics ranging from classic sitcoms to fantasy epics.
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While there is no end of options when it comes to things to watch, some shows just keep having a resurgence, even years after their release. Sometimes it's because of a compelling story, and other times it's more about the perfect vibe, but in the case of Over the Garden Wall, it's both. The animated series may have only run for a single season more than a decade ago, but it has made itself right at home in Letterboxd's top shows and has more than earned that distinction.
Over the Garden Wall is a 2014 Cartoon Network dark fantasy miniseries that centers on two half-brothers, Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean), who become lost in a mysterious forest, setting them on an emotional journey as they attempt to find their way home. The cozy-creepy masterpiece delivers the perfect, slightly spooky, but nostalgic feeling that no other series can replicate. Just as unique is the fact that, as a miniseries, every minute counts in Over the Garden Wall, which tells the story in only ten episodes, without rambling or leaving it incomplete.
'Over the Garden Wall's Cozy-Creepy Tone Makes It the Ultimate Autumn Comfort Watch
Over the Garden Wall creates a strange niche for itself, mixing folktale horror and melancholic humor, which is what makes the show so fascinating. By combining both whimsical and unsettling elements, the series creates a tone that no other animated work can match, pulling off the collision, as contradictory as it seems. It's easy to see how Over the Garden Wall gets a little creepy. There is an underlying sense of danger to the adventure as they wander into the Unknown while getting stalked by the Beast (Samuel Ramey).
Even with the unsettling undercurrent, Over the Garden Wall thrives on fantasy imagery, making it feel warm and dreamlike. This adds comfort, as does the overwhelming sense of nostalgia the series creates as it visually and musically evokes the past. Yet perhaps the most comforting part of the series is the story itself, as the emotional elements explore feelings that everyone experiences while growing up. The message of hope goes a long way to making the series cozy as the characters learn to go on without giving in to the despair that seems to follow them. It's that comfort and the autumnal aesthetic that make Over the Garden Wall an ideal fall watch, but what keeps the audience returning is the series' utter uniqueness. Managing to be scary enough to feel genuinely unsettling, but warm and nostalgic enough to be rewatchable every year, Over the Garden Wall sets itself apart from the competition.
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Posts By Tyler B. Searle Nov 16, 2024'Over the Garden Wall's Tight, 10-Episode Story Feels Perfectly Finished
Wirt, Greg and Beatrice in The Unknown in 'Over the Garden Wall'.Image via Cartoon Network
Over the Garden Wall may not be a long series, but it is full of surprises and reaches a satisfying end, which is a rarity. Many series try too hard to set up another season with no guarantee of a return, so a definitive end, no matter the length, is an impressive feat. Wirt and Greg's adventure is tight and neat, unraveling over only ten episodes, but allowing the audience to become invested in the journey. Over the Garden Wall also takes the time to wrap up everyone's story, showing just how much the brothers alter the lives of the people they encounter.
Yet, Over the Garden Wall does more than make the most of its conclusion by not wasting a single episode. TV series often struggle with filler episodes that don't move the plot, but with its limited time, Over the Garden Wall doesn't bother with that. Although there is only one season, this series tells a complete, emotionally satisfying story that never gets sidetracked, making it perfectly bingeable, even if you don't have much time to commit. Over the Garden Wall may not be a series that you hear about often, but it is so unique and well-done that once people do discover it, they tend to rate it highly, which is why it continues to hold a top spot on Letterboxd years after its initial release.
Over the Garden Wall is streaming on Hulu in the U.S.
Over the Garden Wall
Like Follow Followed TV-PG Mystery Animation Family Comedy Drama Fantasy Release Date 2014 - 2014 Network Cartoon Network Showrunner Patrick McHale Directors Nate Cash Writers Bert Youn, Natasha Allegri, Zac Gorman, Jim Campbell, Pendleton Ward, Cole Sanchez, Mark Bodnar, Steve Wolfhard, Vi-Dieu Nguyen, Nick Edwards, Aaron Renier, Laura ParkCast
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Elijah Wood
Wirt (voice)
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Collin Dean
Gregory (voice)
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Melanie Lynskey
Beatrice (voice)
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Samuel Ramey
The Beast (voice)
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Over the Garden Wall
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