12 Years Later, This Forgotten Cartoon Network Show Is The Perfect Weekend Binge

Over the Garden Wall is one of Cartoon Network's best series, but it's also one of the most overlooked. The fantasy miniseries was released in 2014 and follows two half-brothers who are lost in a whimsical forest full of surprises, some of which are significantly more dangerous than others.

Their journey to get home proves to be more difficult than they thought, but they make plenty of friends along the way that keep the narrative feeling fresh and exciting. Its visual aesthetics, slow-burning mystery, and imaginative storylines all work together to make this one of the best fantasy series of all time. Plus, with just ten episodes that run no longer than ten minutes, it makes for the perfect binge.

Over The Garden Wall Is One Of Cartoon Network's Best Series

One of the best things about Over the Garden Wall is that it moves fast, with each episode sitting at about ten minutes long. Even though it's significantly shorter than other fantasy series, it uses that to its advantage. Every minute is used wisely, and everything feels intentional, especially with no insignificant side storylines to distract from the main narrative.

The series begins with half-brothers Wirt and Greg, who are voiced by Elijah Wood and Collin Dean, respectively, as part of Over the Garden Wall's impressive voice cast. They're wandering through a mysterious forest called "The Unknown," but we don't know why or how they got there. Joined by Greg's pet frog and a talking bluebird named Beatrice, the group encounters strange creatures and towns on their journey to get home.

Each episode feels like a chapter of a book. We learn more about the characters and how Wirt and Greg first arrived in The Unknown bit by bit, and this element of mystery keeps audiences engaged and wanting more. Every piece placed throughout the series ultimately comes together in this full-circle story that isn't fully realized until the end of Over the Garden Wall.

Over The Garden Wall Is The Perfect Blend Of Horror And Fantasy

On the surface, Over the Garden Wall seems like an innocent children's cartoon. But audiences quickly learn the story is much more complex, with some of the most seemingly harmless things having tragic backstories, such as Beatrice's curse. Over the Garden Wall also has parallels to Dante's Inferno and contains dark themes with unsettling visuals to correspond.

As Wirt and Greg struggle to find a way out of The Unknown, their seemingly never-ending sense of abandonment is amplified by The Beast, who always lurks just out of sight. The actual sight of him is blatantly terrifying, with branches twisting out of his head and petrified faces making up his body.

But each of these haunting details is balanced with uplifting moments, whether it's Ms. Langtree's catchy alphabet song or a ferry filled with frogs. Greg also offers a consistent sense of innocence and childlike whimsy, which keeps Over the Garden Wall from feeling like a heavy watch.