Les Oblong

I really like cartoons that target adult audiences. They don't hold back as much as Primetime comedies. The Oblongs is a perfect example of an adult cartoon that is loaded with non-PC content, but is so richly hilarious, that even the most rigid of critics should have sympathy. Its about a family of defective misfits, all altered somehow by a swamp filled with chemical waste that is located in their backyard. What is so great about the Oblongs, aside from the wonderful voice acting of Jean Smart as the savvy, alcoholic mother, and Will Ferrel as the armless and legless, but tender and soft father, is the absurd concepts and rapid-fire humor that is consistent in every episode. I would recommend this show to any adult who is not insulted by tasteless(but fabulous) jokes, or to any kid that has enough self-control not to go jump in to a chemical waste dump. Great cartoon comedy. Watch it if you have the chance.

I really thought the Oblongs was a great show that was axed too soon but I can assume that if a show doesn't get the ratings that the network wants then it's more likely than not that the show is going to get cancelled. However I think that the show was canceled for all of the wrong reasons.

I especially enjoyed hearing the children go through all of the their particular issues. Biff and Chip going through their awkward stages of life being conjoined twins. Milo the marginally disturbed middle child who thinks that the world is out to get him and Beth who's socially challenged.

Then there's the parents Pickles the always drunk and chain smoking old hag and Bob the limbless head of the household. Then there's Milo's friends, Jawless Peggy, Neckless Helga and Mikey the kid with the huge butt.

If this is offensive to some people then it's quite possible that the people say this aren't really getting the message of this cartoon. The whole Oblong family is different and that's what makes them special.

Based on a series of thirteen short stories, compiled in Angus Oblong's "Creepy Susie: And 13 Other Tragic Tales for Troubled Children", the series should not have been WB primetime. It's not right, because there are too many moral, family matters, close minded and boring people allowed to tune in. I don't like having to say that, but it's the awful truth. The world is a vastly cultural place, and some people would rather have it stay in the dark ages, propagating the same things, year after year. The Oblong's is a step forwards.

It's funny how Angus Oblong's witty social commentary is mirrored by some of the more conservative comments achieved on this very message board. I also find it funny that if Angus had full control, the comments would be far more intense. That's of course, if it made it past 1 episode.

The show was funny. My problem with it is that Angus should have been put in charge of writing the whole thing, and be given no limits or interruptions. It's not fair that WB execs wouldn't allow him to express his vision (of children stabbing themselves and fat unpopular girls mass-murdering their friends) completely, so we could explore new and more open mediums in the future. Instead, we got a more moral feel from every character. All the characters from the valley, although grotesquely deformed (and very cute) are well rounded individuals.

It's this cowardice promulgated by every TV executive, fearing the watchful eye of concerned middle aged parents, that they might call in to whine about how their children are being exposed to their scurrilous programming. It must be so hard for them to actually parent their children, instead of letting them sit up until 9:00 to watch TV-14 programming, because "it's a cartoon".

The Oblongs was a worthwhile vigil, cut short, even in it's mild adult content reformatting. I pay great respect to Mr. Oblong, and hope he will triumph above adversity, and keep my fingers crossed that he gets paid to write more filth.

The Oblongs takes a little while to get used to, but once you do, you can see past the "horror and cruelty" and "tastelessness" and appreciate it for the humor. The Oblongs pushed the Simpsons envelope in much the same way the Family Guy did, and should not have been cancelled. Critics of the show call it "awful", "gross" and "disgusting", although by the time the show hit the airwaves the network censors had watered it down from Angus Oblong's original concept. I wonder what their reaction would have been had there been no censorship.

What bothers me most about the cancellation of shows like this is that moronic pablum such as King of the Hill is everlasting while the Oblongs, Futurama, The Critic and the Family Guy get cancelled (although the Family Guy has re-emerged on cable with new episodes.)

To those critics who slam the show: if you don't like it, don't watch it. Don't get it thrown off the air by complaining about it. To those who love the show: you can still catch episodes on Adult Swim on Cartoon Network at 12:30AM & 3:30AM Mondays, and according to Angus Oblong's website, in Canada on "TeleToon". There are only 13 episodes in existence (and only 6 were ever broadcast on network television). There should be more. Shame on the critics! And shame on the Nielsen viewers!

Based around the lives of "the valley" kids, The Oblongs manages to show quite the range of human emotions behind their veil of crude, yet often very clever, jokes. If taken for just the face value, some may see the show as utterly atrocious. Of course, as with similar shows (alright, there's nothing that really comes close to this show, but there are some come within a few miles, such as Family Guy, or in a looser fashion, The Simpsons), taking the jokes at the surface level can leave many offended. These people just shouldn't watch. However, if you have somewhat thick skin, and can take a joke as it is meant, The Oblongs are quite worth it. Their presentation of all facets of life in a removed setting create an image of ourselves that we can laugh at without dwelling on the fact that it is ourselves. So sit back, relax, and prepare to cringe while laughing hysterically.