The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack

In a mad twist of irony the first entry that I cannot possibly keep in a thoroughly positive review on a cartoon, a medium that I am a great advocate of. It's called 'The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack'.

What a fantastic cartoon. It's a cartoon that captures that pure essence of imagination that we disgusting young adults - well, we don't even dream of it, such is our lack of imagination nowadays. But this show is just unashamed pure enjoyment and invites you back into that realm with a crooked, well-illustrated finger. It makes me so happy.

It features two main characters, Captain Knuckles and Flapjack, a cynical, lazy sailor and a happy-go-lucky idealistic young lad. They live in Storm-Along Docks, where the main currency seems to be candy. The relationship is classic, Flapjack being young, naive and idealistic, always hungry for adventure, alongside a Knuckles, who is jaded, manipulative and something of a fraud. But, of course, Flapjack idealises him! Boy, they really are the original odd couple! Well, not quite. But it's a classic set-up with an original 'by-the-sea' back-drop bordering on simple genius. I don't want to build it up too much, judge for yourself.

Their adventures feature such wonders as 'mechanical genie island', self amused jokes like 'what say we let the cats...out...of the bag' (where cats are of course literally let out of a bag) which is followed by excessive laughter. This is a cartoon that is allowed to be a cartoon.

Flapjack could be annoying, but he is embarrassingly lovable. His plasticine features are not unlike Spongbob Square Pant's, except he is a human and not a sponge, giving him less excuse for flexing his face in such an awful manner, which makes it all the better. This cartoon couldn't exist without Spongebob Square Pants. The nautical themes, the main character bordering on irritating and loveable at the same time, etc. This is much better though, the cartoon lovers of this world would be wise to migrate from Bikini Bottom to Storm-Along.

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Quotes (which are possibly slightly wrong as typed here) and that you won't understand until you watch an episode but that I can't resist recounting:

-Flapjack: "Baa little lamb; the lamb says baa"
-Flapjack: "THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD!? - I would very much like to go there someday" "THE STORY TELLERS CLUB!? - I would very much like to hear tales there someday"
-Flapjack: "Iiii'm...think-ing of a number...it's a number you know..." Knuckles: "Eurgh - One?...three?...twenty?...nine?...fourteen?...eight?...five?...six?" Flapjack:"PHHFFFT...nooo...ITS TWO!"
-Knuckles: "Here it is Flapjack, the Storm-Along Wishing Well" Flapjack: "Well well well well well well well, neyarghahahahahaha"
-VOICE OVER: "cats are attracted to fiiiish!"

aaand, so on in that manner...

There is a a fantastic dark element to this cartoon as well. It has some of the grotesque elements and close-ups that one might associate with 'Ren & Stimpy', 'Argh Real Monsters', or even more recently. 'The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy'. Exploitation and sudden moments of a detailed, sketched drawing of a certain character and loud scream will suddenly burst onto your screen and leave your eye-brows hanging from your hairline out of pure, surprised, enjoyment. In one episode they harvest Flapjack's love, he becomes sick, and they turn out to be disgusting gnats shaped like hearts. In another episode, they get trapped for eternity by a giant baby. It's ALL, GOOD.

The very darkest character who I'm afraid I have to mention in this sickeningly long and positive rant is Dr. Barber, who's gums show when he speaks and who laughs under his breath and always says in between sentences "mmmyes, mmmmyes" like a disgusting pedofile.

All in all, it's the first thing in years that has made me really happy and that can dig me out of a mood. It's a glorious programme that I have not given full justice right now because it's midnight and I'm very tipsy, but at least there's quantity, if not quality, that should indicate how good it is. Seriously, give it a genuine go, it's on weekdays on Cartoon Network & Cartoon Network Too. You'd do yourself a favour by watching it.
And to get you in the mood (it's all on youtube) copy and past the link below. It's the first one I watched. I've run it past my sister and she found it funny, so that's endorsement enough if you think you're too cool for me or something:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3sbVZ8HwCY