Over the Garden Wall: A Fairy Tale Perfect for Fall

Somewhere lost in the clouded annals of history lies a place that few have seen. A mysterious place called, ”The Unknown".

If you could go back to watch something for the first time when it was initially released, what would you choose? Would you go to opening night of the very first Star Wars? Perhaps join theater-goers in 1939 for the introduction of color to cinema in The Wizard of Oz? Maybe it would be something on the small screen; when audiences at home were first traumatized by The Red Wedding in Game of Thrones? These are all excellent picks, but one piece of entertainment I sorely wish I had seen sooner, is Over the Garden Wall.

Over the Garden Wall2014

This animated miniseries created by Patrick McHale and produced by Cartoon Network first debuted throughout the week of November 3rd to November 7th, 2014. It follows two half-brothers, Wirt and Greg, as they wander through a mysterious forest called “The Unknown” encountering a variety of strange characters as they try to find their way home.

Now this isn't nearly as monumental as some of the other films and shows I mentioned above, but in its 11 years since it released it has grown in popularity and gained acclaimed status amongst its fans. It wasn't put on my radar until a few years ago, but my admiration for it has exploded ever since then. Where Over the Garden Wall gets me directly in its crosshairs, and by extension makes me wish I had boarded the hype train earlier, is where my love for animation and autumn intersect.

My affinity for animation has only grown exponentially as I have gotten older, especially when it comes to hand-drawn animated works. It has almost taken on a similar quality to stop-motion, where you get a certain tactility and can easily feel the level of effort that goes into the craft. With hand-drawn and cell-animation, you can sometimes see the little differences or imperfections between frames and in the linework that give it an added layer of the artist's touch and personality.

On the topic of stop-motion animation, part of what drew me to Over the Garden Wall in the first place was how evocative “The Unknown” was of another fairy-tale dreamscape, that being The Hinterlands in Henry Selick's The Nightmare Before Christmas.

As a kid, this mere 80-second scene captivated me unlike anything else and still to this day is a fantastical location I wish I could visit and explore; not just because of the appealing access to several holiday worlds, but also because of its mystery and unique liminal atmosphere, and it's something Over the Garden Wall captures just as well in my opinion.

It is this atmosphere and personality that shines through across Over the Garden Wall's 10 episodes. Whimsical landscapes, creative character designs, and a palpable tone that gives the whole show a warm and cozy feeling. A feeling I get every time the fall season rolls around.

Anyone who knows me well knows that autumn is my favorite season. The crisp fall air means layering up, whether it be your favorite flannel, pullover hoodie, or cardigan. Plus, cooler temperatures also means soup and tea at an alarmingly higher rate in my household (yes soup and tea can be had year-round, they just hit different with that fall chill in the air). Dopamine floods my brain every time the shades of yellow, orange, and red appear in the trees. The other notable highlights of autumn are the holidays it is home to; Thanksgiving with its hearty food and family gatherings, and Halloween with its abundance of candy and spooky entertainment.

Nearly all the things I love about fall are present in Over the Garden Wall. The entire show has a color palette befitting of the season; full of browns, oranges, and yellows. There's even one episode in particular that just screams fall; including everything from pumpkin-headed villagers to harvest festival celebrations and an underlying creepy tone. This is easily my favorite episode, and it's not just because of its abundance of autumnal atmosphere. It's a perfect distillation of the whole series. We meet a new recurring character and watch the boys navigate a new fantastical setting with strange individuals. There's also a healthy dose of dry and absurd humor, and the ever-present dark and sinister undertones that linger across the ten episodes.

In fact, one of my other favorite aspects of this miniseries is how uncompromising it is of the more grim nature of this fantastical world the boys find themselves in, as well as the bleak themes and mature approach in the subject matter. Something that is reminiscent of classic fairy tales where children or innocent characters regularly encounter sinister creatures with malicious intent, be it fattening them up to roast in their oven, or dressing up as their grandmother to get close enough to eat them. This series is not catered to kids, and that makes Over the Garden Wall have a stronger enduring impact.

Another reason this is such a timeless and accessible piece of entertainment is the series' primarily episodic nature. We follow the boys as they encounter various fantastical locations; a schoolhouse full of woodland animals, a haunted mansion with a looney aristocrat, and a riverboat cruise harboring fancily dressed frogs. Each episode has its own self-contained story arch, featuring distinct and memorable characters, funny and dark moments in equal measure, and have Wirt and Greg usually learn something new by the end.

Over the Garden Wall isn't without an overarching story though. There are couple key episodes that dive into Wirt and Greg's backstory and how they came to arrive in The Unknown, and every episode gives some development to a few of the recurring characters, even some you might least expect. The show does play with its genre conventions quite a bit so that it never feels too predictable or cliché. You can still just as easily just pop a single episode on if you want a quick hit of fall programming. Each episode is only ten or so minutes long, so even if you want to do a full binge of the show, you'll barely even be hitting the feature length film runtime doing so.

There are many things to love about Over the Garden Wall, but the cozy fall atmosphere and its dark fantasy fairy tale setting of “The Unknown” has made it annual viewing for the season. If you share my affinity for animation and autumn but have yet to watch this miniseries, I cannot recommend it enough, especially during the fall season. It is unfortunately not available to stream anywhere at the moment, but the DVD is only like $14.99 CAD on Amazon if you have a player at home. If you have seen the show, let me know what your favorite episode is, or if you have any other quintessential animated fall-themed shows or movies, shout them out down below!