Released in 2014, with two episodes airing a night, Over the Garden Wall instantly became a cult classic. Cartoon Network took a chance on their first ever animated miniseries created by Patrick McHale, filled with dark themes and cute sibling moments between the two main characters. Brothers Wirt and Greg are lost in the woods labeled The Unknown, and from the very first episode, the viewers are thrust into this intense walk home with the two brothers. The beast that inhabits the Unknown is the antagonist of this tale, while a blue bird named Beatrice guides them along. Wirt is voiced by Elijah Wood, and Greg is voiced by Collin Dean; the pair playing wonderfully off each other through the ten episodes, Greg, keeping the mood light with his "rock facts", while Wirt struggles with the reality of being lost.
While it is originally based on an animated short film titled Tome of the Unknown, made by the creator of the show, and intended for kids who enjoyed Adventure Time and The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack; Over the Garden Wall can be enjoyed by all audiences. Greg dons a teapot on his head and Wirt wears a cape at all times, leading this fairytale-esque show through the path of folklore and magic. Along with Wood and Dean, the cast consists of Christopher Lloyd, Shirley Jones, Thomas Lennon, Tim Curry and Jack Jones. Over the Garden Wall is meant for more than just an audience of children, and here's why.
The Dark Themes Through Each Episode
From the very first episode, it's obvious that there's a slightly darker undertone to this show. Wirt and Greg are extremely lost, have constant run-ins with a demonic dog that Greg seems to outsmart every chance he gets, and the beast is pursuing them throughout the series. In the second episode, Greg and Wirt stumble upon a town full of pumpkin people, and once the leader discovers the brothers, he enlists them to dig two grave-sized holes. Thinking that they're going to get killed, Greg tries to devise a plan to get them out of it, but in reality, the pumpkin people just wanted the two brothers to dig up a few skeletons for them.
The creepiness is mixed with a bit of silliness to keep the mood light, but when it gets down to it - Greg was fully prepared for him and his brother to die, even if he would try and stop it at first. Realistically, there would have been no way for the two of them to escape against all the pumpkin people, and it's shown throughout the show that death/accepting death, is a big theme throughout the episodes. There have been many comparisons made with Over the Garden Wall and Dante's Inferno, CBR noting that in several of the scenes, Wirt resembles Dante, with his focus and angst, while Greg relates to Virgil with his bravery and wit. It's a comparison that should be noted when making the argument about the show being for adults as well as children, when relating it to a written work such as the Inferno, which kids most likely won't understand/know what it is. The balance of being in purgatory, so close to death while also wanting to live, is what keeps Greg and Wirt going and trying to find their way home.
The Talk of Death
In all ten episodes, at one point or another, death is mentioned. Whether it's the entire plot of that episode or a brief mention; it's clear that this show is facing something that's usually not talked about, especially on a kid's show. The beast, the antagonist that chases after Wart and Greg throughout the series, is death itself. It's creepy and has that strange aura around it, where you don't need to see its clear face to know that it would give you the chills. The beast claims the souls of individuals who are lost in the Unknown, like Greg and Wirt, turning them into trees that make up the forest.
DeathMaidens states that the show is very death positive, and that it's important to teach kids about these circumstances to prepare them for what could happen, realistically at any time. Not to scare them, but rather encourage them to have questions and not be frightened with the subject. That's what is so important about Over the Garden Wall. When death is mentioned in the show, which is a lot, and very casually, it's supposed to make the viewer think. It's supposed to elicit some type of response from the individual watching it, and while a child might miss the point of it, an adult watching the show may actually be moved by the subject matter. Sure, it's an animated show about two brothers and a talking bird, but it's also so much more than that.
The Relationship Between Wirt and Greg
While it might surprise some viewers to find out that Greg and Wirt are half-brothers, that doesn't change the dynamic between the two at all. They are a perfect representation of siblings, getting on each other's nerves, bickering, but always coming to each other's rescue when it matters the most. There are moments in the show where Greg lays down, reciting poetry and being an angsty teen, while Wirt toddles off by himself in the woods; his older brother not really interested in finding out what his younger sibling is getting himself into. This type of trope, the sibling relationship, is relatable at any age.
It's almost a relief to see the two act like kids while facing such terrible circumstances; at one point getting in a five-second slap fight before they encounter Beatrice, the talking bird. In 2022, many made-for-children shows are being appreciated and consumed by adults, young, and middle-aged, such as Steven Universe, which strives off its fandom that centers around mostly an older audience. These shows remain important because they focus on matters that make up every day life, death, overcoming diversity, and being straight-up weird.