Over the Garden Wall 🍂
the perfect limited series for October
Two weeks ago, what my husband has dubbed “reverse seasonal depression” hit us hard. The endless sun beat down on us, the high temperatures were relentless, and the days were getting shorter with no change in temperature or foliage — it felt like we were stuck in a bad desert nightmare. We scrolled through our phones to look at old photos of the Blue Ridge Mountains in October. We went on a walk in a park in search of familiarity, but only made it half a mile before we were too sweaty and cranky to continue.
It’s far too easy to be cliché about fall. I could insert that quote from Anne of Green Gables about how she could never live in a world without Octobers. I could talk about sweaters and pumpkin spice, cool damp mornings under a blanket and crisp evenings around a bonfire. But if you, like me, spent your entire thirty-one years on earth in a climate with four seasons and then decided to move to a place where the only leaf peeping to be done is at a state park two hours away called Lost Maples, you understand why all these clichés are haunting me and I’m day-dreaming about apple-picking, spiced cider, and flannel!
In desperation to satisfy our hunger for cozy fall vibes, we turned to fantasy over reality: television. We signed up for Hulu intending to catch up on the newest season of Only Murders in the Building, and instead discovered that a limited animated series on our watchlist was included with the subscription. Over the Garden Wall turned out to be the balm we needed for our wounded, homesick hearts. We went all out fantastical on this one, with no regrets.
The first episode opens, mystifyingly, with a frog singing a delightful song at a piano and a montage of various characters and scenes. After the title card, we cut to two boys walking through the woods. As soon as the taller boy starts talking, Ben says, “Is that Elijah Wood?!” There’s no mistaking it. That’s the voice of our beloved Frodo. His younger brother is played by an actual kid, very cute, and he’s trying to come up with a good name for his pet frog.
Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean) are our two step-fraternal travelers, trying to find their way home. Along their journey, they run into a number of bizarre, slightly disconcerting, and unexplainable scenes — a Pilgrim harvest festival where everyone has pumpkins on their heads, frogs dancing on a steamboat, a one-room schoolhouse for baby animals, to name a few. The only thing connecting these vignettes is our trio of companions, the brothers joined by talking bird Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey, who fans of Ever After will recognize), seeking “Adelaide of the Pasture.” Beatrice has promised Adelaide will help them get out of “the Unknown” and back home.
The mystery and whimsy of each mini story did not trouble me at all. I was eager to find out what would happen in each sequential episode without needing much explanation for why Greg and Wirt are in the unknown in the first place. But I want to say, without giving too much away, the payoff is all there in the final few episodes. It’s quite touching to see how our trio of main characters change and grow. And then even more fun to play it over from the first episode and look for all the little clues along the way.
We started out watching one episode at a time, but finished the last 6 episodes in one evening. We couldn’t get enough. Each installment is about 10 minutes, and the entire series clocks in at about an hour and half. So you can spread the love or watch it like a movie in one night.
Over the Garden Wall is filled with gorgeous artwork of falling leaves and misty woods; cute and funny dialogue and quips (especially from Greg); and unique subplots with whimsical characters voiced by a cast of great actors including Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry, Shirley Jones, and John Cleese, all set in a vaguely historical eras: early settlers and colonial times. The musical score is excellent, ranging from beautiful to funny to haunting. The artistic and musical elements elevate what otherwise might be written off as a children’s show, making it a contender for the whole family’s move night.
If you’re wondering how much we love it, just know this: we started rewatching Over the Garden Wall two days after finishing it. We have been quoting Greg, and listening to the soundtrack and learning the songs to sing along. I’m recommending this little animated diddy with a 10/10 — appropriate for kids, enjoyable for adults, and the perfect lead up to Halloween. Over the Garden Wall is the epitome of an October show and I hope you give it a try today!
P.S. Speaking of Halloween-related cartoons, check out a crazy song from my only memory of the kids show Arthur.
A yearly watch in our home!
We will definitely watch this! And we miss you.