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.

The title of this review should say it all. The people who created this are clever writers, appealing to an intelligent viewer by delivering what those who don't quite understand it think is absurd and unfunny. The truth is, it's anything but.

This is an intentionally poorly animated, comedically fast-paced glimpse into the twisted, surreal world of Xavier, an aesthetically (not to mention morally) objectionable wanderer, with delusions of philosophical grandeur. As Xavier lands himself in situations born almost completely out of his absurd incompetence and inability to reason, he attempts to further understand himself and nearly always fails.

Comedically, this is a real gem. The attention to detail elevates this from a 'weird cartoon' to something that has very obviously had a lot of thought and care invested in it. The show has many layers, from odd almost dream-like logic to conveying some very intelligent ideas (which unlike South Park it doesn't always turn into the main focus of the show). It's a show that can move dramatically in completely unexpected directions, often from just a turn of phrase or an internal after-thought. In that way it's very similar to Wonder Showzen, but Xavier takes the surreal humour to a whole different level! I'm loathe to say "if you don't like it, you don't get it" about comedy shows because it's invariably a cop out of a proper justification, but some of the criticism this show is getting is as a result of things (deliberately dubious animation, consciously offensive stereotypes, etc.) that the creators intentionally set out to portray. There's often a very tangible commentary on social responsibility to the show's sub-text and in amongst it's absurdity lies some pretty deep stuff, apparently lost on it's critics.

In summary, I haven't been this excited about a comedy show since, well, Wonder Showzen.

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

Xavier: Renegade Angel is the apocalypse of randomness. This show is about the strange-looking...person(?) who is trying to find out his origins-His father's killer, is mother whom abandoned him, and whoever else in the next season. I Think. This show makes NO sense, so if you try to follow it...you'll stop breathing because your lungs would've already busted out and your brain will be virtually non-existent since it would've been burnt out in the war of your mind...kind of. This show features humor familiar to Wonder Showzen, since it IS pretty edgy (although not as racy as Wonder Showzen in my opinion), but surly crazier (and THAT'S saying something). Xavier (portrayed by Jim Tozzi, who also played Him on WS) is of himself 'deep' and complicated and there could've just been a show about his ramblings and philosophy. It would've been awesome. Vernon Chatman and John Lee have created what seems to be a cult classic, a show where you can say "Yeah, I watch Xavier, but you shouldn't. You'll hate it." Kudos to you guys of PF/F/FR for creating another designated audience show.

Try it out if you liked Wonder Showzen, (to some extent) Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, and other shows with VERY awry and eccentric views of life, and seem to create philosophy of nonsense. You'll be quoting this for weeks...IF you're not brainwashed by Xavier's powers of philosophical awesomeness.

9/10. Worthwhile for a weekly viewing. Next season.

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.