Adventure Time (2010)

You can watch Adventure Time for pure entertainment or for something more meaningful. Either way you win. Pendleton Ward's ability to layer complexity into seemingly simple stories is remarkable. the emotional depth beneath the weirdness is evidence of a master.

I watched Adventure Time as a kid and rewatched it as an adult. It's even better the second time. the emotional depth beneath the weirdness is only apparent when you're older. Marceline remains one of the great animated characters.

I did not expect Adventure Time to make me cry but here we are. Simon and Marcy hit me completely off guard. Jake the Dog is written with such care that the emotional moments land with full weight.

Ask anyone to name the best animated shows ever made and Adventure Time will be on every list. Princess Bubblegum is one of animation's great characters. The post-apocalyptic whimsy theme gives it lasting relevance.

I grew up with Adventure Time and now I'm watching it with my own children. They love it as much as I did. the surreal world-building is just as effective the twentieth time. True classics work across generations.

Adventure Time manages to be both laugh-out-loud funny and genuinely insightful. the emotional depth beneath the weirdness gives the show a comedic engine that never gets old. Pendleton Ward understood that smart humour and broad comedy can coexist.

Adventure Time has a visual identity so distinctive that you can recognise it from a single frame. Pendleton Ward worked with artists who understood that style should reflect substance. The look of the show embodies growing up and identity.

Adventure Time works on two levels: kids get the surface entertainment and adults get the subtext. Pendleton Ward's writing treats its audience with respect. The episode Simon and Marcy is as good as any live-action drama.

What makes Adventure Time work is the characters. Marceline is one of the most fully realised animated personalities ever created. Pendleton Ward gave them enough depth that their choices always feel meaningful.

Adventure Time has a few weak episodes scattered through its run but the high points more than compensate. Marceline's storyline is beautifully handled. Pendleton Ward had a rare clarity of vision for the whole series.