I use to be a huge fan of J 2 S. Don't get me wrong, I still like this show, but it is more of my gateway drug into cartoons than anything else now. Whatever the case, it is one of the best that Canada has to offer in cartoons and an underrated gem.
First off, the show's concept. A lot of people say it's like SpongeBob, which I can't deny, but I always felt it was more of like The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. It takes a morbid concept and makes it ridiculous like GABM while also using the chipper protagonist concept of SpongeBob. A lot of people complain that the show should have gone with the original concept of being straight-up Hell. I feel otherwise. A wacky, "kid-friendly" version of Hell is a lot more creative and funny than the bog-standard cartoon depictions of Hell.
Second, the writing. Most people bash the show as stupid, but let me point out that co-creator Edward Kay also wrote the critically-praised STAR Academy (look it up). Besides, J 2 S doesn't feel any less smart or dumb than other good cartoons. It's got a dark sense of slapstick humour and never stops with the jokes (some clever, others dumb in a funny way; like all good cartoons). HOWEVER, that only applies to the first season. The second season's writing takes away all the charm and lowers the intelligence. Unfortunately, it's the only season aired in most of the world, so that should explain a lot of misunderstandings about J 2 S.
Many bash J 2 S' visuals as being simplistic in a lazy way. That I disagree with. J 2 S' artstyle goes with "less is more", keeping things like monsters and demons colourful and easy on the eyes. The animation is a mixed bag though. The first season is animated by the folks behind Season 1 of Star vs. the Forces of Evil and Wander Over Yonder, so it's bright, bendy, and fast-paced. However, it's on a modest budget compared to WOY and SVFOE , so it looks like Adobe Flash. That being said, Season 2 is actually animated in Adobe Flash and animated by the folks behind Total Drama. It is bad! It's dull, VERY stiff, and even grotesque at times.
The characters are the best part of the show to me. Heloise is my favourite, but I like Jimmy, Lucius, Beezy, and the rest too. They're funny, quirky, and lovable, despite their heavy flaws. That only applies in Season 1 though. Season 2 reduced them all to shallow shells of themselves, killed off their likable qualities, and upped their bad ones without making them funnier. The voice acting is A+, and the music is awesome (even in Season 2).
In a nutshell, Season 2 is really what keeps me away from J 2 S (that, and cartoons I ended up liking more as well as an awful lack of J 2 S fans on the Internetnote Bless you, Tora Newton!). That said, the first season is still worth watching if you want a good laugh (It has an official channel on Youtube with all episodes but the banned one (S1 E05) - Miseryville TV!). I'd give it a 7/10 now, but I hope this cartoon gets more attention some day!
WesternAnimation One of the best in Canadian cartoons
I use to be a huge fan of J 2 S. Don't get me wrong, I still like this show, but it is more of my gateway drug into cartoons than anything else now. Whatever the case, it is one of the best that Canada has to offer in cartoons and an underrated gem.
First off, the show's concept. A lot of people say it's like SpongeBob, which I can't deny, but I always felt it was more of like The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. It takes a morbid concept and makes it ridiculous like GABM while also using the chipper protagonist concept of SpongeBob. A lot of people complain that the show should have gone with the original concept of being straight-up Hell. I feel otherwise. A wacky, "kid-friendly" version of Hell is a lot more creative and funny than the bog-standard cartoon depictions of Hell.
Second, the writing. Most people bash the show as stupid, but let me point out that co-creator Edward Kay also wrote the critically-praised STAR Academy (look it up). Besides, J 2 S doesn't feel any less smart or dumb than other good cartoons. It's got a dark sense of slapstick humour and never stops with the jokes (some clever, others dumb in a funny way; like all good cartoons). HOWEVER, that only applies to the first season. The second season's writing takes away all the charm and lowers the intelligence. Unfortunately, it's the only season aired in most of the world, so that should explain a lot of misunderstandings about J 2 S.
Many bash J 2 S' visuals as being simplistic in a lazy way. That I disagree with. J 2 S' artstyle goes with "less is more", keeping things like monsters and demons colourful and easy on the eyes. The animation is a mixed bag though. The first season is animated by the folks behind Season 1 of Star vs. the Forces of Evil and Wander Over Yonder, so it's bright, bendy, and fast-paced. However, it's on a modest budget compared to WOY and SVFOE , so it looks like Adobe Flash. That being said, Season 2 is actually animated in Adobe Flash and animated by the folks behind Total Drama. It is bad! It's dull, VERY stiff, and even grotesque at times.
The characters are the best part of the show to me. Heloise is my favourite, but I like Jimmy, Lucius, Beezy, and the rest too. They're funny, quirky, and lovable, despite their heavy flaws. That only applies in Season 1 though. Season 2 reduced them all to shallow shells of themselves, killed off their likable qualities, and upped their bad ones without making them funnier. The voice acting is A+, and the music is awesome (even in Season 2).
In a nutshell, Season 2 is really what keeps me away from J 2 S (that, and cartoons I ended up liking more as well as an awful lack of J 2 S fans on the Internetnote ). That said, the first season is still worth watching if you want a good laugh (It has an official channel on Youtube with all episodes but the banned one (S1 E05) - Miseryville TV!). I'd give it a 7/10 now, but I hope this cartoon gets more attention some day!