Superjail!

This is perhaps the most violent of all the Adult Swim shows, and it's filled with plenty of outrageous jokes, which combined with the bizarre-looking animation, it almost ends feeling like a fever dream.

But it works. It was entertaining to watch despite (or maybe because) of all the weirdness and extreme violence. At least nobody can deny it was a very imaginative series.

Shame it was cancelled in such an abrupt manner.

It takes something special, a quality that possibly cannot be named, save for whatever the combination of 'violent' and 'awesome' could possibly make-- Maybe that 'awesolent' quality-- the one that makes you sit back in your chair, or couch, or edge of your bed respectively, and say "This show is so 'awesolent', I wish *I'd* created it.." Maybe I'm projecting, but we should all, as proper Adult Swim watchers, be so very thankful to have the work of Augenblick Studios at our beck and call.

Superjail is comprised of a cast of characters that are so unique-- (save for the odd resemblance of the Warden to... I'll let you finish that one..) and yet somehow relative... if only on the abstract sense.

The animation is amazing, creative doesn't even begin to describe-- there is clearly so much thought in this series, from every single aspect -- artistically, audibly-- the thoroughness is almost enough to make your gut churn, because it's so pleasing to see something so *different* from the current line up of Adult Swim. Don't get me wrong. Thereare shows that I shan't name, that do actually have excellent stories-- but the animation is garbage, it's careless, and it's done on a low budget-- okay, I know, I'm sorry the economy's bad... but Superjail..

Ahhh.. just say 'Superjail..' aloud, and sigh. Doesn't it feel good? Don't you just want to stop reading this and watch it? The shows always leave the viewer in a state of awe at the end, which is excellent. I'm not talking' dumbfounded, not sure what happened awe, I'm talking' the 'oh, holy $h!t!!!' AND THAT IS WHAT WE WANT, WHEN WE ARE WATCHING AN ADULT SWIM PROGRAM, AMIRITE? This show gets an A+, as far as I'm concerned. It's the best show on Adult Swim right now, hands down.

"Superjail" is a great cartoon from Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block that combines psychedelic imagery with a bucket load of graphic violence. Focusing on the exploits of an insane jail warden and his crew, Superjail is perfect for cult audiences.

One of the best parts of this series is its use of imaginative imagery. The show packs as many weird images as it can into a fifteen minute cartoon, creating a dense visual style in which a single frame can contain multiple jokes.

The psychedelic visuals coexist with a flood of graphic violence, as prisoners kill one another or fall victim to the warden's various schemes. At times, the show comes across as the unholy offspring of an R. Crumb comic and the Happy Tree Friends. Although some reviewers have suggested this show is best watched under the influence of drugs, the amount of blood makes it at best questionable eye candy.

Ultimately, this show is best appreciated by cult audiences.

I would not label myself as an Adult Swim connoisseur, but I've watched enough of it to realize that it's quality has greatly declined in the last few years. Though AS was and is more a showcase for offbeat, randomness-based humor than top-notch animation, recent programs have begun to severely push the limits of tolerable quality in both fields - that is to say, they aren't funny and the animation sucks (there is no excuse for '12 Oz. Mouse'. There is no excuse.).

By no means is 'Superjail' adult swim's saving grace. In terms of premise, it's no surprise it'd be in their programming block (a violent, surrealist comedy set in a violent, surrealist futuristic prison), nor is it quite chock full of gutbusting humor or even a foreseeable future beyond one or two seasons (but I feel I'm being too harsh).

See, what makes 'Superjail' stand out far above it's fellow Adult Swim shows is it's art. In a complete 180 from AS' usual preference of poorly animated Flash cartoons, 'Superjail' is psychedelic, vivid and detailed, recalling the best of early 90s alternative comics and cartoons (think Mike Judge and 'Liquid Television'). Each second of animation is pure mania, crammed with as much action as the eye can take, but never in a way that seems too busy or distracting. It's a sheer blast to the senses and you can't take your eyes off it. Simply, the art breathes with LIFE, which is a lot more than I could say about...well, ANY Adult Swim cartoon.

Not to say that the art is the show's only positive point; the consistently hilarious David Wain (of 'Wet Hot American Summer' and 'Stella') supplies the voice of "The Warden", the series' protagonist who, though slightly two-dimensional, is just as lively and wild as the animation, both in character and voice. And, though not as often as I'd have liked to, I had a hard chuckle here and there at some of the show's clever 'ATHF'-esque use of non-sequiturs ("four hearts was one too many", indeed).

Though it certainly won't become the next 'SeaLab' (or whatever), 'Superjail' is definitely worth the time for those into offbeat animation or anyone who just wants to see something *different* on TV for once. I only hope that the demented aesthetics 'Superjail' will spark a similar line of Adult Swim shows in the future and get the block back on the right track...after all, future generations simply can't endure another "Assy McGee"...

Superjail! reminds me of the brilliant animation that one found 20 years ago in those animation festivals that toured college campuses. Sure, it is twisted and sick, but it is so unpretentious and loyal to its own universe that it is simply genius.

From the massive body counts to the animation that makes 'Yellow Submarine' look drug-free, Superjail! is a gift from above.

I cannot believe how lucky we are that this network, whose bread and butter is cartoons for children, turns around and embraces the cutting edge while little ones sleep. I wish that I could do more than just write this to show the network my support.