Gargoyles: Il risveglio degli eroi

Gargoyles was very different from the Disney stuff we're used to and that was a good thing. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against Disney but I do like it when a cartoon goes into a dramatic plot, has lots of character development, and where when one thing happens in an episode it can affect what happens in later episodes. I actually didn't know that this was a Disney show until I saw it on a cover of Disney Magazine. Most of the episodes in Gargoyles were well thought out, most of the characters have back-stories to them and there was historical accuracy in many flashbacks being truth or popular legendary. Unfortunately Gargoyles didn't have a very long run and almost as soon as it ended it was pulled from most networks and had retreated to channels Disney owned. But if you ever get the chance to see Gargoyles on TV take it.

Gargoyles is the only kids' show I've ever seen that contained this much continuity, introducing the concept that actions have consequences that can last more than 30 minutes. There were plot elements introduced in the first few episodes that became important as much as two full years later. You had to pay attention to this one.

When Disney bought ABC, they moved this show from the "Disney Afternoon" to the new Saturday morning line-up. However, they wanted to present it like a new show, so they re-titled it "The Goliath Chronicles." This confused a lot of fans, for a rather pointless reason. The show died that season, and I'm not surprised. Some ABC affiliates didn't carry it at all that year.

"Gargoyles" boasted a cast of voice talents that was truly beyond belief. For the Star Trek fan, the two main villains were Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis, but it didn't end there. Voice talents from *every* Star Trek franchise were included: Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Nichelle Nichols, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Colm Meany, and Levar Burton all contributed. Toss in other great voices like Tim Curry (I'd listen to him recite the phonebook!), Clancy Brown, David Warner and John Rhys-Davies, and you could enjoy this show with a busted picture tube.

And let us not forget: this show was educational. It drew on elements of folklore and cultures from every corner of the globe, including Scottish, Japanese, British, Irish, Chezch, Native American, South American, Greek, Norse, African, Australian... the only continent they didn't hit was Antarctica. The show demonstrated the consequenses of violence, intolerance and illiteracy, and made it entertaining enough for kids to enjoy it without feeling like they were being preached to.

This was a great show. Find the re-runs and watch them with your kids.

Quite simply, Gargoyles was wonderful. No other word could possibly describe it. A great plot that continued to grow; characters that matured, lost innocence, and grew up; simply beautiful animation, even better acting on the part of the voice actors; and, most important of all, an absolutely original idea. There will never be another one like Gargoyles, ever. There can be no dispute. I don't think I will ever run out of praise for Gargoyles, nor have anything but. Everything about it was pure genius on the part of the shows creator Greg Weisman. In fact, to this day, I am certain that Gargoyles do exist because of the sheer realness of the show. And believe me, Gargoyles was very real. People died, trust was betrayed, central characters were changed forever by events in the story. One example of this is the vengeful agenda of the main "bad guy" (quotes are around the term "bad guy" because in Gargoyles, no one was truly evil, with the possible exception of the non-Fox members of The Pack.) Demona. The former love of Goliath, the leader of the clan of gargoyles that forms most of the central characters, Demona is an immortal gargoyle who was deeply hurt when her entire clan, save Goliath and his five friends, were smashed during their daytime sleep, during which they are stone statues. Betrayed, hurt, and angry, Demona has dedicated her life to the destruction of humanity. This is but one example of how the characters were developed and changed by events in the entire chronology of the series. Gargoyles is no longer on TV anymore. It could not compete commercially with Power Rangers, may they endure a thousand torments, and had to be cancelled. But, it's legacy will always live on in the hearts of those of us whose lives were touched by it and who will always keep a special place in our hearts for it. However, I may have mispoken myself. Gargoyles may be not be on TV any longer, but, they still thrive in the form of fan fiction. They are great stories, and they are written in such a way that you do not have to have seen the entire series to fully understand what is going on, although it helps slightly. And, if you wish to see Gargoyles in it's televised form, some of the very early episodes can be found in any video store in the cartoon section. Watch it. Trust me, you will never be the same once you've looked through the eyes of a gargoyle.

"Gargoyles" was a series released during the "Disney Afternoon" block of the mid-nineties. What makes it so unique is that it's still the only dramatic animated series Disney TV has ever produced. It stunned people at the time with its tragic plots, realistic weapons, and clear consequences to characters' actions. It's definitely not for young children (the Y7 rating is a good guideline), but don't think it's just another brainless afternoon shoot-'em-up designed to sell action figures. The backbone of this saga is what all timeless fiction must contain: plot and character development. The writing is taut, the acting fantastic, and the animation beautiful, but they are all mere servants to the story, which stays interesting and moderately serialized throughout the entire series (just the first season has been released on DVD, 13 of 65 episodes).

Overall, I think this is the best animated television series to ever come out of this country. If you at all appreciate the art form, you'll wonder where this show has been all your life. In a time when comedies are saturating both the primetime and daytime cartoon markets, it's nice to find a gripping animated drama without needing to set your sights to the other side of the Pacific. Highly recommended.

I cannot begin to detail how phenomenal this show is. I have seen plenty of exceptional animated shows, and some of them are very underrated, but Gargoyles has it all, mystery, complexity, depth, adventure and suspense, and one of those rarities where there is not a bad episode.

The animation is superb, very dark, moody and stylish. In fact, there are several animated sequences in Gargoyles that have a cinematic feel to it. The backgrounds especially are a wonder, and I loved the creative yet bold and dark use of colours. The music is outstanding, it is dark, atmospheric and mysterious constantly and adds to the mature tone of the show.

Another strong asset is the show's writing. No clichés, no wishy-washy moments. This writing can have a subtle humour to it, yet is also very intelligent, bold and thought-provoking. Then there are the story lines. They are filled with mystery and adventure, and I was really surprised at how incredibly deep Gargoyles was. I have seen some deep and complex animated shows, namely Peter Pan and the Pirates, to some extent ThunderCats and especially Batman:The Animated Series, and Gargoyles is just as deep as those. And the characters are wonderful, so unique and likable, while the voice work is top-notch from all involved especially from Keith David who is note-perfect in the title role of Goliath.

Overall, if you haven't seen Gargoyles, I suggest you do. 10/10 Bethany Cox