This week, we're covering the cartoon that kicked off The Disney Afternoon programming block! Before Disney's TV efforts switched over to adapting feature films in the mid-90s, TaleSpin stood as one of their most interesting animated series to date, with its odd mix of Cheers, Casablanca, and Indiana Jones... and starring characters from The Jungle Book? Despite how odd it sounds on paper, TaleSpin adds up to a great adventure series, and one that kicked off a beloved block of Disney bliss for k...
Feb 22, 2021•2 hr 10 min
Thanks to the generous contributions of patron David Whittington, we're once again talking about one of our all-time favorites, The Venture Bros! After the show's tragic cancellation in 2020, we return to the fifth season and discuss that premiere and the show's second half, full of references that arrive at least three levels deep. So grab some student green and enjoy this week's extra-large podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons a...
Feb 15, 2021•2 hr 45 min
This week we're joined by one of our top Patreon supporters, Devin, to discuss the short film that spawned two decades of Digimon media! Not only do we dig into the creation of digital pets, but we also cover the career of Mamoru Hosoda and how Digimon was a launching pad for his career. Then we chat about the surprisingly deep and violent first cartoon of the Digimon universe (with a couple of asides about the US localization of it) so listen along to this week's podcast from the digital world!...
Feb 08, 2021•2 hr 17 min
Another month has passed at the Talking Simpsons Network , and that means we've got another awesome podcast about an animated feature film! This month, our $10+ Patreon subscribers get to hear us talk about 1999's Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip! Listen now to this free extended preview, and then subscribe at the $10 level (or up your current pledge to $10) to hear the whole thing and all of our previous What A Cartoon Movie podcasts! Sign up today !...
Feb 01, 2021•46 min
As chosen by premium Patreon subscriber Duckmeat, we cover the new Disney TV series, Amphibia! We discuss how the series was created out of a love for stories of people transported to magical worlds mixed with the creator's Thai background, and we cover how he got that on the big screen. Then we discuss the slimy, bug-filled second episode of the series, all on one froggy podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons and becoming a patron!...
Jan 25, 2021•1 hr 46 min
This week, as chosen by premium Patreon subscriber Phil, we're covering a bedrock of TV animation: The Flintstones! The series is now a bit of a forgotten institution, so we explore how the show came to define the 1960s. And after cover the creation of it, we also cover the show's first downfall, as defined by a little green alien that only Fred and Barney can see. Listen along as we have a gay old time! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpson...
Jan 18, 2021•2 hr 7 min
This week, we're exploring the DuckTales reboot made especially for us, as chosen by our premium Patreon subscriber Royce! We explore how this relaunch of the Disney Afternoon universe came to be, plus how it's expertly aimed at Millenials and their kids. Then we cover the early season 2 episode (don't worry, no big spoilers) where Donald meets some old friends south of the border. Listen now while wearing a snappy serape! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 54 min
We've reached the end of 2020 on the Talking Simpsons Network , meaning it's time for us to discuss one of the most controversial films in Japanese animation! This time around, our $10+ Patreon subscribers get to hear us talk about 1997's The End of Evagelion! Listen now to this free extended preview, and then subscribe at the $10 level (or up your current pledge to $10) to hear the whole thing and all of our previous What A Cartoon Movie podcasts! Sign up today !...
Jan 04, 2021•47 min
We're finally goin' on down to South Park for a look at the series that put Trey Parker and Matt Stone on the map, and has remained a Comedy Central mainstay for nearly 25 years! And since the series started its life as a Christmas-related short, it's only fair that we tackle a Christmas episode of South Park that celebrates the origins of the series well before the creators knew they'd be making episodes for 20 more years. Listen in and learn about the surprisingly prolific careers of Parker an...
Dec 28, 2020•2 hr 33 min
It's time for the first of two holiday cartoons for the end of 2020! After covering Garfield's Halloween toon in 2018 , we return again to the Monday-hater's second holiday special. Garfield hates heading to the farm for Christmas, until he sees that he can eat a bunch of stuff and hang out with a rockin' Grandma Arbuckle. All that plus a mix of sad stories and confusing Odie side plots in this week's seasonal podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com...
Dec 21, 2020•1 hr 49 min
Nothing from the '90s can truly stay dead, so it was only a matter of time before we saw a revival of Warner Bros.' Silver Age of animation with the return of Animaniacs. And while it could have been a cheap, cynical cash-in, the presence of Steven Spielberg assured that someone spent a whole lot of money on this series—which rarely happens in the world of streaming. Sure, the actors sound a bit older, and the new animation takes a bit of time to get used to, but this reboot stays incredibly fai...
Dec 14, 2020•2 hr 55 min
Another month has passed at the Talking Simpsons Network , and that means we've got another awesome podcast about an animated feature film! This month, our $10+ Patreon subscribers get to hear us talk about 2005's Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit! Listen now to this free extended preview, and then subscribe at the $10 level (or up your current pledge to $10) to hear the whole thing and all of our previous What A Cartoon Movie podcasts! Sign up today !...
Dec 07, 2020•40 min
This week we're headed back to 2032 anime as chosen by premium parton James, meaning more Bubblegum Crisis! After covering the sixth episode last August , we return to the pioneering OVA series to discuss the debut of Priss, Sylvia, and the rest in this cyberpunk adventure! So get ready to feel the hurricane in this week's podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons and becoming a patron! And please follow the official Twitter, @TalkSimp...
Nov 30, 2020•2 hr 1 min
This week we're doing our most British podcast ever, as requested by premium Patreon subscriber, Alex! We're covering the ultimate adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, as this 1984 stop-motion series did so well by Kenneth Grahame's text, with many cute animals hanging out and having adventures. We cover Cosgrove-Hall's history with the series, as well as the eerie episode "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" on this week's podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting...
Nov 23, 2020•1 hr 43 min
This week we're staying in turn of the century Cartoon Network as chosen by premium Patreon subscriber L! With a pilot nominated for an Oscar, Courage The Cowardly Dog was one of CN's most promising original productions. How did the terrified dog series come together and what is its legacy? (And how is it connected to Speed Racer?) Listen and learn on this week's podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons and becoming a patron! And plea...
Nov 16, 2020•1 hr 46 min
This week we're heading into Cartoon Network history as chosen by premium patron Isaac, with the Ed boys! This series had a lot of firsts for CN, and the show's creator was a big name in '90s indie animation, which we delve deep into. Not only that, but we discuss a pair of fun and edgy season three episodes, so grab your jawbreakers and listen along to this week's podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons and becoming a patron! And pl...
Nov 09, 2020•1 hr 54 min
It's time for Halloween on the Talking Simpsons Network , meaning it's time for us to discuss a scary animated feature film chosen by our supporters! This month, our $10+ Patreon subscribers get to hear us talk about 1998's Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island! Listen now to this free extended preview, and then subscribe at the $10 level (or up your current pledge to $10) to hear the whole thing and all of our previous What A Cartoon Movie podcasts! Sign up today !...
Nov 02, 2020•47 min
This week we're doing Halloween right by finally covering perhaps the most famous cartoon dog of all time, Scooby-Doo! Were' joined by professional artist and Scooby fan Kris Dobbins (check out their work here ) to discuss the creation of the series and the life of Scooby creator, Iwao Takamoto! Then we dig into one of the best eps of the original series, featuring the gang being chased by The Creeper! So grab a giant sandwich and enjoy this week's podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of...
Oct 26, 2020•2 hr 4 min
This week, we're returning to one of our favorite Adult Swim series that always mixed horror and comedy so well: Aqua Teen Hunger Force! And for our second look at the series, we're discussing a classic Halloween episode all about Blood Feast Island Man, his missing mail, love of juice, and failed Freddy-Kruger-style zingers. Plus, you'll get to hear the guest of this episode berate one of our hosts! So sit back, listen in, and beware of unknown attic roommates! Support this podcast and get doze...
Oct 19, 2020•1 hr 31 min
When the Back to the Future Trilogy wrapped up in 1990, the time-traveling antics of Marty McFly and Doc Brown seemed destined for an episodic TV series. And it would eventually see one the following year, though this animated show wasn't a shameless cash-in. Overseen by BTTF scribe Bob Gale, and featuring live-action segments with Christopher Lloyd himself, this cartoon offered a level of quality far greater than what could have been—even if the focus on Doc's sons hold it back. On this episode...
Oct 12, 2020•2 hr 14 min
Another month has passed at the Talking Simpsons Network , and that means we've got another awesome podcast about an animated feature film! This month, our $10+ Patreon subscribers get to hear us talk about 1994's The Return of Jafar! Listen now to this free extended preview, and then subscribe at the $10 level (or up your current pledge to $10) to hear the whole thing and all of our previous What A Cartoon Movie podcasts! Sign up today !...
Oct 05, 2020•40 min
This week we're joined by one of our top Patreon supporters, Devin, to discuss the 1983 cartoon adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons! How did the controversial and groundbreaking role-playing game become a Saturday morning favorite? Which anime company produced it? And how do the first adventures hold up to modern scrutiny? Grab your D20 and listen along to this week's podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons and becoming a patron! An...
Sep 28, 2020•2 hr 4 min
This week is a big one as we welcome back creator of OK K.O. Ian Jones-Quartey to talk about a character close to his heart: Sonic The Hedgehog! How did the fastest thing alive really move to two different animated series in 1993? How did Jaleel White define Sega's mascot? How did Ian craft a tribute to this series in his own animation? And why are there so many wizards in this more serious story of Sonic and his friends Sally, Tails, Rotor, Bunny, and Antoine? Learn it all as we juice and jam t...
Sep 21, 2020•2 hr 32 min
Thanks to the generous contributions of patron David Whittington, we're heading back to anime country with a show that's off the beaten path. Inuyashiki Last Hero spins a superhero tale in modern Japan, but casts the roles of the hero and the villain in a completely unexpected way by making the protagonist a kindly old man and the antagonist a sullen teen. It's a surprisingly dark and surprisingly touching take on the idea of super powers, and after listening to our analysis you'll be inspired t...
Sep 14, 2020•1 hr 38 min
We've reached the end of summer on the Talking Simpsons Network , meaning it's time for us to discuss an animated feature film chosen by our supporters! This month, our $10+ Patreon subscribers get to hear us talk about Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell! Listen now to this free extended preview, and then subscribe at the $10 level (or up your current pledge to $10) to hear the whole thing and all of our previous What A Cartoon Movie podcasts! Sign up today !...
Sep 07, 2020•47 min
This week, we're making our third visit to the land of Ren & Stimpy with a thorough examination of the season two finale that brought an end to the show's Spumco era. As usual, we're joined by Ren & Stimpy scholar (and all-around animation expert) Thad Komorowski , but this time around, we also have a guest who worked on this legendary animated series: Bob Jaques! Via his studio Carbunkle Cartoons, Bob served as the animation director on some of the best episodes of Ren & Stimpy, and...
Aug 31, 2020•1 hr 57 min
We return again to the world of Gargoyles, again joined by comics pro and Gargoyles lover Kory Bing! After filling in some of the history gaps we missed last time, we cover another important early season 2 episode! There's Halloween and werewolf talk, but really this podcast is about celebrating Xanatos as one of the best villains in cartoon history! So be sure to grab your Eye of Odin and listen now! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons a...
Aug 24, 2020•1 hr 50 min
Chosen by premium Patron Brian Hortin, we watched the arguably the best pilot Adult Swim ever produced, Korgoth of Barbaria! We discuss the career of creator Aaron Springer, the production of the pilot itself, and the history of '70s strongman fantasy it parodies. So listen now as we steal the golden goblin together! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons and becoming a patron! And please follow the new official Twitter, @TalkSimpsonsPod !...
Aug 17, 2020•1 hr 34 min
We wanted to go back to the primal days of US anime VHSes, and with the help of anime expert Mike Toole , we go back to the landmark series Ranma 1/2! How was the series created by Rumiko Takahashi and what was its bumpy arrival on Japanese TV before its surprise popularity in North America? Plus, we discuss the first season's eighth episode, all in one anything-goes martial arts podcast! Support this podcast and get dozens of bonus episodes by visiting Patreon.com/TalkingSimpsons and becoming a...
Aug 10, 2020•2 hr 17 min
Another month has passed at the Talking Simpsons Network , and that means we've got another awesome podcast about an animated feature film! This month, our $10+ Patreon subscribers get to hear us talk about 1985's The Black Cauldron! Listen now to this free extended preview, and then subscribe at the $10 level (or up your current pledge to $10) to hear the whole thing and all of our previous What A Cartoon Movie podcasts! Sign up today !...
Aug 03, 2020•43 min
