There have been a number of excellent animated shows aimed at adults that never received their just dues. Series’ like Axe Cop and Undergrads were canceled before their time to shine. Typically, if an animation can push past those first couple seasons, they tend to enjoy some ramblings of a dedicated fan base. Any show that has endured four seasons is in an illustrious club of under 30 television series’ all time. But, out of that elite club, one show seemed to push through despite being before its time and underappreciated.
Home Movies was an American animated series developed by Tom Snyder Productions- known today as Soup2Nuts. It featured a group of small children with dreams of producing films. Between filming shorts, and going to school, they would often have to deal with their alcoholic soccer coach and a world of strange characters. Home Movies endured a turbulent run, managing to squeeze out 52 episodes over four seasons. While the series gained a cult following, it is often unrecognized for its accomplishments and is usually forgotten in the conversation of legendary animated shows. Let’s review ten reasons why Home Movies deserved better ratings, and why we should all give it another watch.
Dr. Katz
Home Movies was primarily influenced by original Tom Snyder Production, Dr. Katz. The unique concept for Dr. Katz was to showcase stand-up comedy in a new format. With a low cable TV budget, the show enlisted Tom Snyder’s help, who developed ‘Squigglevision’ a cheap alternative to modern animation that would give the illusion of movement.
Dr. Katz won multiple awards and critical praise. Opening the door for a new project; Home Movies was developed with the same low-budget style. Much of what made Dr. Katz a successful series was translated over giving Home Movies a winning formula and format. Fans of Dr. Katz are almost guaranteed to love Home Movies.
Overcoming the Odds
Squigglevision may have been an animation style that was cheap and helped to develop Dr. Katz to fame but, it was still undesirable to watch. Add that to a cast of little-known comedians and Home Movies was not received well. A slow start to ratings lead broadcaster UPN to cancel the series after just five episodes.
What could have been the end of Home Movies– like so many shows before and after- the producers persevered, and the show was picked up by Cartoon Network for the nighttime block, Adult Swim. Thanks to CN, Home Movies was able to adapt, dropping Squigglevision, adding new characters, and developing larger story arcs. UPN was much stricter in what could be aired, so the switch ended up being a blessing, giving the Home Movies creative team more freedom in episode development.
Brendon Small
Brendon Small is the co-creator, writer, musical composer, and driving force behind Home Movies. As a voice talent, he also happens to use his real name for the main character of the series. Small was an unknown stand-up comedian when he was discovered by Home Movies executive producer, Loren Bouchard.
Of all the talent a part of a production, Brendon Small was the surprise breakout performer. With original ideas and an immature comedic style, Small helped to develop a show that would perfectly showcase his talents. Mixed in with other comedy trailblazers, Small was capable of holding his own and creating the charismatic dialogue that drove the shows main appeal. After the end of Home Movies, Small would go on to make cameos in other popular shows, as well as develop the hit animation series, Metalocalypse.
Music
Besides Brendon Small’s comedic talents, he was able to infuse his desire and knowledge of music into Home Movies. Small had graduated from the Berklee College of Music before starting his stand-up career. The entire Home Movies soundtrack is composed and performed by Small himself.
The music added another level of humour to the show with parodies of any genre from soft jazz to heavy metal. Many episodes were centered around the music including the stage show episode “Bye Bye Greasy”. The music had become so popular that the release of the DVD collection of season 4 included a soundtrack album with songs from all four seasons. Fans will always remember classic tracks like ‘Livin’ Like a Bug Ain’t Easy’ and ‘Mr. Pants’.
H.Jon Benjamin
Easily the biggest name involved with Home Movies was H. Jon Benjamin. Starting his career in stand-up comedy groups along the likes of Sam Seder and David Cross, Benjamin soon made the jump to animated television. With a starring role in Dr. Katz, the transition to Home Movies was a natural move for the comedian. His voice talents are so popular today Benjamin enjoys fame as Bob of Bob’s Burgers, and has had cameo appearances in everything from Family Guy to PBS’ Wordgirl.
H. Jon Benjamin was the voice of two main characters in Home Movies including 8-year-old Jason Penopolis, and the ever-popular, yet highly incompetent soccer coach, John McGuirk. A natural charisma with Brendon Small, the series is littered with hilarious moments of extended dialogue between the actor’s characters. The open format of Home Movies writing also gave Benjamin a wide-open opportunity to showcase his impromptu humour, making Home Movies some of his best work.
Loren Bouchard
Today Loren Bouchard is an Emmy award-winning writer/producer for his work on Bob’s Burgers– which he also created. However, Bouchard owes many thanks to Home Movies for where he is today. After being brought in to help produce Dr. Katz, Bouchard was the mastermind behind assembling the cast and developing Home Movies through four seasons.
While Bouchard is celebrating his well-deserved fame and popularity today, the work he put into Home Movies defined his style. The raw format of the show was a great indicator that Bouchard would continue to create magic in the future. And, it is of great thanks to him for assembling a cast and recognizing talent, that would transform into wonderful comedy for years to come.
Melissa Bardin Galsky
You can call Melissa Bardin Galsky many things, but a comedian isn’t one of them. As part of the team that transferred over from Dr. Katz, Galsky’s position was talent more coordinated, a job she continues today for Bob’s Burgers. It was her natural charisma alongside the shows stars Small and Benjamin that lead them to insert her into the series as Brandon’s best friend, Melissa.
Galsky may not have added much of the humour to the series but, she balanced things out. Most often Melissa would be the voice of reason to the more outrageous characters, which commonly ended up with her as the punching bag. It was Galsky’s natural sensitivity and commonality that gave fans a doorway into the world of Home Movies.
Slew of Other Cameos
Aside from the three stars of Home Movies, the cameos are a minefield of comedy gold. Regular appearances by Jonathan Katz, Laura Silverman, and Sam Seder helped to drive the show’s humour. Listening to any of these comedian’s conversations with the stars will instantly put you in hysterics.
Home Movies cameo list is like reading names off one of the best stand-up comedy line-ups you could see. Ron Lynch, Andy Kindler, Louis C.K., and Emo Philips all enjoyed reoccurring characters. While guest stars include the likes of David Cross, Eugene Mirman, Patton Oswalt, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and even They Might Be Giants showed up as camp counselors.
Improvisation
What separates Home Movies from many of the world’s most popular animated shows is how an episode is developed. The writers would put together a loose plot, or, an over-arching theme. Then, the talent would come in to perform their parts, most of the dialogue would be improvised on the spot. An episode could then be built with whatever made sense, all before the artists even began their production.
The idea of putting comedians together in a room to act as characters with little to no direction is risky, but thanks to the cast involved it created a winning formula. The end product would require less animation, as it tended to involve mostly dialogue. The method also gives Home Movies a timeless humour, less dependent upon current events, or social interpretations; watching an episode is more like watching comedy duo’s go at it on stage.
The Movies
The number one reason to watch Home Movies time and time again is for the films that are created within the show. Putting H. Jon Benjamin and Brendon Small in a recording studio to act like children, acting out an amateur movie is comedy gold every single time. The actors play their parts perfectly becoming the children that are, for the most part, terrible actors. The animation takes it to another level with most the props involved in the films were repurposed items you would find in a basement.
While many of the films created were clever satires of classic movies, they also created many original (ridiculous) plots. From the space-traveling adventures of Star Boy and the Captain of Outer Space to a Noir style detective story, there is nothing these creators would shy away from. A show involving nothing but these films would be hilarious enough, especially if we could watch the unseen video, Jesus-zilla, Son of Godzilla.