Xavier: Renegade Angel

Don't worry, mattbromagin, I won't tell you you JUST don't get it. Because you went far beyond JUST not getting it.

The first brilliant thing about this show is that there isn't a bit of dialog that's throw-away. Every sentence, every word is carefully crafted in service of some point. Sometimes the point is as crass as a stupid wiener joke, sometimes the point is a genius bit of biting social commentary. Which brings me to the second brilliant thing about this show is that it is equally comfortable with the high brown and the low brow, recognizing that each has its place and that "smart humor" isn't about content as much as craft. It makes little distinction between the two and fluidly uses one in service of the other.

If you think the dialog is dumb or inane, you don't get it. If you think the content is pointlessly crude, you don't get it. And if you think the animation is crappy, you reaaally don't get it.

I came across this show because of a recommendation from the podcast "sardonically" but I'm not going to lie, I had low expectations for this, I saw the animation and thought it would just be nonsense on a screen like I had seen in some adult swim shows, but this, this was much more than that. It is probably one of the most clever, funny, and creative shows I've ever seen. Starting off an episode, it's impossible to truly tell what turn each episode will take, and its nearly impossible to catch all the word play and jokes in the show on the first viewing. This show takes the limits away, so literally anything imaginable could happen, and it always seems to be clever and have a punchline to each joke, not just random for random sake. It is so refreshing to see creators have their own brand of humor, it isn't like most modern comedies where the jokes are soft hitting or predictable, I think that's what elevated this show to being truly hilarious and interesting, it is never afraid to be in its own world with its own brand, and I don't think I will ever find something like this again.

I decided to write this review as a counterpoint to the one star review which was obviously written by someone who didn't quite get the show despite their insistence on understanding it.

Xavier: Renegade Angel (from the creators of MTV2's Wonder Showzen) is a show best described as the TV show Alejandro Jodorowsky would make if he was obsessed with wordplay. Every episode (with the exception of two) follows the title character, who is voiced incredibly well by series creator Vernon Chatman, NOT Jim Tozzi, as he tries to help people who he believes need help while causing a chain of events that only harm and frequently ruins the lives of those he is "assisting" all while searching for his father's killer and his missing mother. He is a character that was purposefully made as ugly as possible in order to show his inner wretchedness. He speaks mostly in wordplay in an attempt to appear more intelligent than everyone else. The wordplay is, for me, the highlight of the show and is by far some of the most clever I have ever heard. A favorite line of mine is (in reference to the Mayan God Quetzacoatle) "Let's give this sadis-dick Sun God a taste of his own meta-META- sin, man". A common problem amongst people who don't enjoy this show is not being able to see the multiple layers of a single line like that. And that lines a simple one...

The animation is also not as bad as detractors like to ascertain. The first season was very choppy and a bit clumsy but by the second season the animation improved drastically. Like Xavier the show was purposefully made to be ugly as another way for the creators to challenge the viewers and our often shallow perception. Theirs a reason that the show's writing is so good and that because it's the star of the show, not the animation. If you can't look past the animation you simply shouldn't be watching the show and if you enjoy ANYTHING else on Adult Swim you are a hypocrite for saying the animation effects your experience as it's the best animated show on the network (tied with Superjail).

Xavier was described as "a warning to children and adults about the dangers of spirituality" by the shows creators though it's other main focus is displaying ignorance as one of mankind's biggest flaws. Xavier himself is possibly the most ignorant character on the show though he perceives himself as a gift from God and the answer to stupidity. This again ties into the shows look which only exposes the ignorant among us. Speaking of "ties in", another major aspect of the show is the fact that every episode is insanely well constructed (something the other reviewer said the exact opposite about and more so than anything proves he doesn't quite understand the show and it's structure). The show normally starts with Xavier walking through the desert and speaking to himself about the topics we will come across during the next 10 minutes. It's very important to pay close attention to this as everything he says here comes back up in more wordplay and metaphors/visuals later in the episode. Each episode is very tightly put together and references to important issues and jokes are spread throughout. How someone can say "there is zero balance" to this show is absolutely beyond me.

If you need any more proof of the other reviewers ignorance of the show go watch the episode "Shakashuri Blowdown" on AdultSwim.com. He claims Xavier simply plays the flute on and on and on. Go watch it and see if thats a correct statement or maybe you'll see that flute part for what it is... A brilliant piece of animation that marries music and image incredibly well. Hope this helps. And as I said before, if you don't like the show then that's totally fine but don't judge something if you don't understand it for what it is. This review barely scratched the surface of what this show is so give it a shot. The whole first season is up on Adult Swim though it's far more tame than season two which is my favorite season of any animated show ever.

Xavier, the Renegade Angel will not be to everyone's taste. It can be ludicrous, lewd and is scatological and juvenile at times. But here also is deconstructionist combination of smart-ass street jargon and zen poetry diatribe. Xavier's rambling nonsensical musing are like a modern cultural melting pot, he talks from his unconsciousness, our unconsciousness. Some people don't want to go there. But I love it and I have re-watched this show twice and enjoyed it equally each time. Repeating review below to fulfill the 10 line minimum. Xavier, the Renegade Angel will not be to everyone's taste. It can be ludicrous, lewd and is scatological and juvenile at times. But here also is deconstructionist combination of smart-ass street jargon and zen poetry diatribe. Xavier's rambling nonsensical musing are like a modern cultural melting pot, he talks from his unconsciousness, our unconsciousness. Some people don't want to go there. But I love it and I have re-watched this show twice and enjoyed it equally each time.

I won't say as many words as others, but this is bizarre and deliberately weird, and brilliantly done