In fall of 2020, I had just started a film podcast with my dear friend Brian. For one of the first of the weekly episodes of the show, Brian had me watch Over the Garden Wall. Since then, I’ve come to watch it with my family every fall and love it more each year. Here is a journey of my reviews and reflections each year as shared on my Letterboxd account.
2020
First time watching this animated miniseries upon Brian’s selection for the podcast.
Auntie Whispers will haunt my dreams, as will Jason Funderburker’s frog voice.
Series discussed on The Goods: A Film Podcast.
Podcast Episode Link
2021
I loved it even more this year than last. Its sprawling autumnal tones and early/mid-century influences make every frame a treat; I found lots I didn’t notice the first time. And there’s lots of foreshadowing to plot points that I didn’t pick up the first time through.
Greg’s random silliness stuck out to me less this time around, in part because I was prepared for it and in part because I could better see its thematic purpose in providing tension between him and Wirt. I also felt less disappointed by the inclusion and connection to the “real world,” as I appreciated the way it amplified the deathly/decaying feeling of the woods.
It wraps up in such a satisfying manner that it almost made me want to loop back and start again right away. (Though I still think Greg should have named the frog The Beast.)
The episodes still feel quite short but I’ve come around on the length. I’m not sure many of these premises could sustain much more screen time (though a few certainly could).
My two favorite episodes remain “Into the Unknown” (clarinets and poetry) and “The Ringing of the Bell” (Auntie Whispers!).
Jason Funderburker’s oft-repeated name and frog voice will never not make me laugh.
2022
Better every year.
I decided to write a full length review to capture my thoughts:
Full Review: Over The Garden Wall (2014)
2023
Keeps getting better?
My current chapter ranking:
1. “The Ringing of the Bell” (7)
2. “Into the Unknown” (9)
3. “Songs of the Dark Lantern” (4)
4. “Schooltown Follies” (3)
5. “The Old Grist Mill” (1)
6. “Hard Times at the Huskin’ Bee” (2)
7. “The Unknown” (10)
8. “Lullaby in Frogland” (6)
9. “Mad Love” (5)
10. “Babes in the Wood” (8)
SPOILERS:
My top 5 favorite moments, no order:
– Frog sings (6)
– Jason Funderberker voice reveal (9)
– Truth about Lorna revealed (7)
– The Highwayman (4)
– Woodsman’s Redemption (10)
I asked my two daughters why they thought Greg and Wirt transported from the water they fell into to The Unknown, and here’s what they said:
Six year old: “I think they didn’t drown but were close to drowning, and it is magical water so they went into a deep sleep where they dream about fall things because it’s Halloween, and the dreams are The Unknown.”
Three year old: “It’s very magical and silly water! After they fall in, they go to The Unknown in no time!”
2024
Happy 10th anniversary!
I’m increasingly convinced that this is greatest cinematic contemplation of mortality for children of the 21st century (aside from Toy Story 3). I understand why so many think the ending is a bit tacked on — I did the first time I watched — but it really echoes everything that builds up to it.
I was sleeping on Chapter 8 (ha) in my previous watches and. No idea why I ranked it as the worst episode last year. It’s some visionary animation.
Really might be a full masterpiece. Going to noodle on that next year.
Thanks as always to Brian for making me watch this 4 years ago.
2025
Six thoughts in honor of my sixth autumn watching this:
1. It’s kind of a miracle that the very-2010s non-sequitur (i.e. “random”) humor not only holds up as very funny on repeated viewings but actually serves a thematic purpose by contrasting Greg and Wirt as the story progresses. Wirt’s horizon-gazing poetry contrasts Greg’s silly whimsy, but they’re borne from similar souls. And in that contrast comes synthesis; potato colliding with molasses.
2. Wood offers surely the most important and accomplished voice acting here, but we should really give some sort of award to Christopher Lloyd for his defeated woodsman. That aching voice (matched with his tinkling music box motif) slays me in an instant.
3. I feel increasingly incapable of ranking the episodes. They all offer delights and diversions. (Though I always forget to breathe when Auntie Whispers is on screen and often find myself checking my watch during the mansion madness episode, so those are probably the best and worst.)
4. It’s very odd given how much it drives the overarching narrative and how much foreshadowing it gets that we spend all of 30 seconds with Adelaide. Beatrice’s arc is a little compromised as a result. I wonder if the team needed to find a way to cut an episode and so merged the frog ferry ride with Adelaide.
5. It may or may not be the right storytelling choice, but I’m a little annoyed that miniseries opens with what is either its scariest story or its second scariest depending upon your feelings towards Lorna’s transformation. The reason I’m annoyed is because my eight year old spent most of the runtime asking me “is this another scary episode?” I wish we built to that freaky wolf a little bit more.
6. I think the reason I love coming-of-age stories so much is that they’re also death stories, and resurrection stories, and metamorphosis stories, and death rattles of adult modernity crushing quaint childlike pastoral life. Over the Garden Wall is all of those in very meaningful ways. The ways we use art to process all of those inevitable but traumatic changes of human existence are the loveliest lies of all, indeed.
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Dan is the founder and head critic of The Goods. Follow Dan on Letterboxd. Join the Discord for updates and discussion.
One reply on “Over the Garden Wall – My Journey”
Thanks for putting this together! Awesome to witness the evolution