I normally don't do TV show reviews, but this latest release from Cartoon Network is the exception. Over the Garden Wall is an original series on Cartoon Network, which was created by Patrick McHale, one of the creators of another CN show, Adventure Time. The story is about two children who get lost in the woods. In their attempt to find their way home, the two boys have a series of adventures in a strange land. I won't go into details on the plot, but the creators of the series have some great actors voicing the characters to help tell the story - Elijah Wood, Christopher Lloyd, John Cleese, and many others.

What's made this series stand out to me was how well McHale combined artistry and storytelling into the series. Each 'chapter' is a 15 minute segment of the story. My wife and I sat down one night to watch part of the series with our kids. Instantly we were both amazed on how wrapped up we got into the show. Both of us immediately commented that the series had to be an adaptation from a book or book series. Nope. We were surprised to find out the show was totally original and that based on an Amazon search, books based on the show were "coming soon".

The show just oozes with references to old time cartoons. From the way the characters are drawn to the voice styles used by the voice actors, there are subtle touches that flashes you back to early era cartoon films. As you watch the show you can pick up pieces from other fairy tales, but it's the way Over the Garden Wall is orchestrated together that brings out its own story.

As the cold weather sets in for most of us, this series is definitely one where you can wrap up on the couch in a warm blanket with your kids and sit back to watch the entire series. I guarentee this one will not disappoint.

You can find it on iTunes: Over the Garden Wall