Home Movies

I have recently re-watched the entire series and enjoyed it as much the second time as I did the first. The whole cast is great but John McGuirk by far is the most entertaining in the show. There are so many great quotes from his character it would be impossible to remember them all but here's one of my favorites.

Coach John McGuirk: Brendon, there's nothing wrong with lying to women... or the government... or your parents... or God. Alright? Brendon Small: Yeah, but what if they figure out you're a liar? Coach John McGuirk: What, women? Brendon Small: Sure. Coach John McGuirk: Then who needs 'em? Lie to men.

Praise the Lord one of the programming executives at Cartoon Network grew a brain. They decided to put defunct mature-themed shows and a few original short shows on Sunday Nights to attract a more adult audience ("Adult Swim" rules!!!). Even though the audience is probably teenage boys and college-aged males, that executive is a bonifide genius.

Anywoo, with that out of the way, my favorite show on "Adult Swim" is "Home Movies". With quick wit, distorted animation, hilarious voice-overs, and warped storylines, you have a classic on your hands. Even though this show never made it on primetime television, it was and still is laugh out loud funny. I love the premise of an eight-year old having a digital video camera so he can make crappy and/or strange films so he can cope with life around him. My two favorite characters are Brendan and Coach McGuirk and their relationship is the best aspect of the show. I also like the crazy plots that make this show great. Where else will you see an eight-year old kid make a really strange film and present it to his class when he should done a report on Susan B. Anthony? Anyway, this show is one of the ten best all time and it is one of the best shows currently on Sunday nights (if I said it was, I would be dragging the name of the greatest show all time through the mud). I give this show an A+.

PS: Other great Adult Swim shows are: Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Harvey Birdman, Sealab 2021, Mission Hill (if they ever replay it), Cowboy Bebop (also in my top ten) Avoid these: The Oblongs (too nasty), The Ripping Friends (sorry John K.), The Brak Show (too stupid), Space Ghost Coast to Coast (lame premise that needs to be retired)

One more thing: "Home Movies" is far superior to "South Park" because these eight-year old aren't as foul-mouthed, cocky or lame. Sorry Trey and Matt.

Although, like many of the posters here, my girlfriend thinks this is the worst show on TV, I can't get enough of it. We get it every night here on teletoon. It does take a bit of getting used to as the show is dialogue based, but it is easily as clever as anything you will see on any episode of Sienfeld. The producer/writer must be a big movie buff as well, because the movies Brendan makes are often parodies of famous movies. There's a lot to enjoy about this show. Why people are so down on it, I'll never know. I say, give it a chance. The early episodes, shot in "squiggle vision" are actually funnier than the newer ones. The animation does take a bit of getting used to, but I don't feel it detracts from the basic genius of the writing.

Network: UPN & The Cartoon Network; Genre: Animated Comedy; Content Rating: TV-PG (for language); Available: on DVD; Classification: Cult Classic (Star range: 1 - 5);

Season Reviewed: Completed Series (4 seasons)

In 1999 primetime animation was so in vogue for the network that even UPN got into the act. After the much hyped 'Dilbert' slowly crashed and burned on the runway, those that stuck around found a surprise gem in the next time-slot. 'Home Movies' comes from comedian creator Brendon Small, Loren Bouchard and Soup2Nuts, the production company behind Comedy Central's modest hit 'Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist'. When UPN canceled the show after not even a full season I mourned the loss and put 'Home Movies' on the list as one of those great shows that never had a chance. Then a modern television miracle happened. The show was resurrected from the dead by the Cartoon Network 2 years later and thanks to the cost effective animation (turned into the flash style) and a real nuts-and-bolts crew that pulls the show off, it went on for 3 more seasons. Given the time and freedom, it fleshed out characters, matured and improved.

'Movies' follows 8-year-old Brendon Small (voiced by creator Small) whose passion in life is making movies with his home camcorder using his best friends, Melissa (Melissa Galsky) and Jason (H. Jon Benjamin, giving Jason a hilarious and endearing sniffle in his voice), as actors. The 3 kids talk as if they have the experience of adults, and like true young elites, often mock someone for not having seen a movie that was released before their parents where born. To complicate matters Brendon's best friend is pathetic soccer coach John McGuirk (Benjamin). The show's breakout character, McGuirk isn't above blaming the kids and not his coaching abilities when they lose or to mysteriously not show up for practice leaving them to stand around in the pouring rain.

Maybe it was the show's slow pace, very loose plotting and downright shabby animation, but 'Movies' was a show that I sometimes didn't look forward to watching and then, the episodes would win me over by the end reminding me what I liked about it in the first place. This is a charming and immensely enjoyable, where the humor comes in its improved naturalistic dialog, the perfectly deadpan way its all delivered and the unique, honest and fully developed relationships between each character. The bizarre friendship between Brendon and McGuirk; the banter amongst the kids; and the indescribably sweet and true-to-life relationship between Brendon and his single-parent mom Paula Small (Janine Ditullio). There's also Melissa and her father, the priceless egging-on McGuirk gives to Melissa, and Jason's own preoccupation with Brendon, candy and a fear of his bed among other tangential things. It's not a stretch to say that 'Home Movies' is the best character comedy in recent animated memory.

One of the funniest aspects of this show are the movies within it. Brendon is part Ed Wood, part Max Fischer and part every arrogant prick you knew in school. He builds elaborate sets in his basement, dresses his best friend up in a wig and writes his scripts based on whatever is going on in his life - using the movies to exorcise his demons. Few series main characters are as interesting as Brendon. His passion for what he does is infectious - we laugh at his cheaply made movies because that's the joke, but we also are pulling for him and his dream. And the more absurd and nonsensical the movies are, the better, such as "Attack of the 50 Foot Jesus" or his history-twisting masterpiece "Starboy and the Captain from Outer Space" in which space heroes battle tyrannical figures George Washington, Pablo Picasso and Annie Oakley.

In terms of sophistication, 'Movies' is light-years from the other Cartoon Network originals. Sometimes, however, it doesn't seem that way as writer Small and co-creator Loren Bouchard indulge in more cartoonish slapstick humor and pump the show full of annoying characters with grating high-pitched voices, dragging the gags longer than they need to be and just annoying the audience. Flamboyant, sexually confused couple Walter and Perry can prove hysterical additions - but there is only so long that the gag works. In seasons one through three the show is adult animation and deadpan humor at it's finest. I would rank 'Brendon's Choice' on a list all-time-favorite episode endings.

However, in the mysteriously delayed 4th season the show becomes overrun with its annoying impulses. Characters we don't care about are given an insane amount of screen time. It seems to even infect McGuirk who is reduced to a screaming mess in 'Camp' and giant man-boobs in 'The Heart Smashers'. This season is not the best of what this show has to offer, but Small and the Cartoon Network wisely pulled out before any real damage was done.

While 'Home Movies' never got the attention of more hyped up animated fair like 'South Park' and 'Family Guy', it deserves a place in that group as one of the best animated shows in recent years. Like 'Park' it is true independent television in which a skeleton crew does all the voice, writing, directing and even writing all the original songs that never cease to pop up in the episodes (the 'Starboy' theme is infectious). The show is Small's baby and (not to sound sappy) it's a celebration of the seemingly limitless possibilities of childhood. Small's series is a little gem, proving that sometimes less is more. Amid the slapstick and the screaming and the charmingly simple 2 dimensional, is a morality play and a fully constructed character comedy. A work of honesty - subtly funny, intelligent, and fully satisfying, this show is worth the time it will take to acquire a taste for it. A modest cult classic.

* * * * / 5

Home Movies is the funniest show on TV. No show makes me laugh out loud so consistently. Everyone I've introduced to it has loved it. I don't watch a lot of animation, but I am addicted to this. It is truly brilliant and I hope more people catch on to it. Thank God it's on DVD now. I stumbled across it while watching Adult Swim several years ago and was instantly hooked. All of the characters are incredibly clear, original, full, and unique. Brendon Small is the product of a single mother who is trying to raise both her son and infant daughter. Brendon is an awkward fourth-grader whose passion is making movies with his friends (hence the title). His adult influences range from his jaded and slightly bitter mother to his alcoholic and poorly educated soccer coach/gym teacher. The quirky rhythm sucks you in and surprises you with bursts of hysterical, bright, spontaneous humor and an offbeat style. My only complaint is that it's not on enough and there aren't enough episodes. I've watched every episode more than once and I laugh just as hard every time. A genius show with a genius cast.

"Home Movies is destined to go down as an underrated show in TV history... Home Movies was a breath of fresh air in the smog filled lands of TV." - Weekly Wire