Julia Christianson

“What time is it?” “Adventure Time!” So begins Adventure Time, a show currently in its fourth season on Cartoon Network. Set in the magical Land of Ooo, Adventure Time follows the crazy exploits of the human boy Finn and his magical dog Jake. Finn and Jake are best friends, and together they do heroic deeds like saving princesses from the Ice King or defeating zombie candy people. There’s no predicting what will happen next, and each episode explores new ideas and possibilities. Filled with surreal humor and entertaining situations, Adventure Time is an endless smorgasborg of unique delights.

Adventure Time has a unusual structure that I think has greatly benefitted the show. Each episode is about eleven minutes long, and usually two episodes air in a thirty minute time slot. The best thing about this is that there are no commercials aired during the episode itself, so each story maintains its flow and integrity. Also, the briefer time slot forces the story of each episode to be clear and to the point. Adventure Time does a lot with sight gags too – Jake can change size and shape at will, and characters in the background are usually doing their own thing rather than just standing around. There are subtle and not-so-subtle references to the fact that the Land of Ooo is part of a post-apocalyptic Earth, and Finn is the only human he or anyone else knows of; but the world is populated with a truly astonishing array of beasts, sentient creatures, elementals, and intangible beings.

Adventure Time is set in a dangerous world, and things that happen in the Land of Ooo are not without consequences. Finn and Jake can be badly hurt, and during one story Princess Bubblegum is nearly killed. While episodes can easily be watched individually, there is character development that happens throughout the series. This is true especially for Finn as he grows from a young boy into an adolescent. Although the world contains true danger, there is also joy, and most episodes have happy endings.

The original pilot for Adventure Time was a short by Pendleton Ward that Cartoon Network showed along with a variety of others, but it immediately sparked an incredible fan response. People of all ages were intrigued and inspired by the idea of the show, and today there are official comics and merchandise that have happened as a spin-off of the show. There are also an inordinate number of fan art pieces, fan fiction, cosplay, and spoken references to the show that have made their way into everyday life.

Adventure Time is an adventure for people of all ages, even if the show is (in the words of a friend) “irritatingly original”. If you like animated shows and creativity, take a look at Adventure Time – you won’t be disappointed!

Sources: Cartoon Network press releases, Adventure Time episodes, DeviantArt