Say what you will about Michael Eisner, but a massive amount of good animated things from Disney came out of the period when he was in charge. He left the television animation department alone to do its thing and they created magic. His successors have gradually dimmed that glow.
"Gargoyles" is an example. It is an extremely rare thing: an animated television series with an impressive level of dramatic gravitas. That came not only from the realistic animation but the down-to-the-wire soap opera plotting and characterization. Unlike so many other series of this kind, the content wasn't served with a chaser of bad humor; it was straight ahead action. It's the television animation equivalent of a rare bird.
This series and many of its contemporaries in the 1990s and 2000s permanently raised the stakes for animation on television, and for all of the ones now that are dramatic in tone, a huge debt is owed to the predecessors who paved the way.
I don't think I ever saw the whole series as a kid; I saw a few of the beginning episodes once and remember being broken up by the tragedy of it. And that song, my God, if there's one theme that can match the opening theme of Batman: the Animated Series, Gargoyles was it.
I really want to go back and watch the whole series now.
I've seen every episode of Gargoyles and I would argue it easily sits as one of the Top 25 cartoons of all time. Great storytelling, voice acting, and each episode had solid pacing. We need a cartoon like this more than ever today!
Oh I loved this show as a child, I couldn’t get enough of it. I wanted to be a police detective. I knew early on billionaires were total morons. The mythology had me daydreaming for years. I ask people every now and then what cartoon they watched as a kid and I secretly hope someone will say “Gargoyles” but they never do. It was such a treat seeing this piece mentioned on my feed. Thank you for that! ☺️
I loved this show as a kid (I was in the right age range) but am a little afraid to rewatch because I have such fond memories. I found it sooo adult and cool. Maybe it’s time I do dive back in…
That's always a risk of revisiting childhood favorites. Even if it's not as amazing as you remember, you might at least appreciate that kid-you had good taste.
Wait, I thought that mixing Batman: The Animated Series and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles together got you... Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures. 🤣
Joking aside, I remember enjoying the five-episode premiere and many episodes of Gargoyles back in the day!
Unfortunately, as TV was back in the day (especially kids TV), it was hard to have watched all the episodes and in the right order...
So I'll definitely have to try and give it a watch again now that it's on Disney+! 😄
It's close enough! I've been meaning to watch the cartoon but haven't found it on any streaming platform when I've looked. I did watch a few clips on YouTube, and it looks like a lot of fun.
Great article! I loved this show as a kid. It was my introduction to Shakespeare and Nordic mythology. The future episode where Puck wants to trick Goliath to surrender the Phoenix Gate used to scare me so much lol. I used to say Deslagrate muri tempi et intervalia! as a kid like I was some kind of wizard
Loved the show, and I always think of the quote - "Pay a man enough and he'll walk barefoot into Hell." - Xanatos
That was pretty deep!
Say what you will about Michael Eisner, but a massive amount of good animated things from Disney came out of the period when he was in charge. He left the television animation department alone to do its thing and they created magic. His successors have gradually dimmed that glow.
"Gargoyles" is an example. It is an extremely rare thing: an animated television series with an impressive level of dramatic gravitas. That came not only from the realistic animation but the down-to-the-wire soap opera plotting and characterization. Unlike so many other series of this kind, the content wasn't served with a chaser of bad humor; it was straight ahead action. It's the television animation equivalent of a rare bird.
This series and many of its contemporaries in the 1990s and 2000s permanently raised the stakes for animation on television, and for all of the ones now that are dramatic in tone, a huge debt is owed to the predecessors who paved the way.
It was a great era for cartoons, for sure. If the 1930s and 1940s were the golden age, this was the silver age renaissance.
Absolutely.
I loved Gargoyles! I haven’t seen it in years, but I loved it when it was on.
I don't think I ever saw the whole series as a kid; I saw a few of the beginning episodes once and remember being broken up by the tragedy of it. And that song, my God, if there's one theme that can match the opening theme of Batman: the Animated Series, Gargoyles was it.
I really want to go back and watch the whole series now.
It is a stellar opening theme. They nailed it.
Hey they do make 'em like that or at least I did in Crown of Blood. Lol no matter I loved this show as a kid. Great essay.
Thanks! Perhaps we need a Crown of Blood animated series to fill this void.
Lmao maybe, but first I must get over 300 sales before I start talking about that ;)
I've seen every episode of Gargoyles and I would argue it easily sits as one of the Top 25 cartoons of all time. Great storytelling, voice acting, and each episode had solid pacing. We need a cartoon like this more than ever today!
Oh I loved this show as a child, I couldn’t get enough of it. I wanted to be a police detective. I knew early on billionaires were total morons. The mythology had me daydreaming for years. I ask people every now and then what cartoon they watched as a kid and I secretly hope someone will say “Gargoyles” but they never do. It was such a treat seeing this piece mentioned on my feed. Thank you for that! ☺️
Loved this show growing up. Would stay up super late to catch reruns. I need to go back and revisit it soon.
I loved this show as a kid (I was in the right age range) but am a little afraid to rewatch because I have such fond memories. I found it sooo adult and cool. Maybe it’s time I do dive back in…
That's always a risk of revisiting childhood favorites. Even if it's not as amazing as you remember, you might at least appreciate that kid-you had good taste.
Wait, I thought that mixing Batman: The Animated Series and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles together got you... Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures. 🤣
Joking aside, I remember enjoying the five-episode premiere and many episodes of Gargoyles back in the day!
Unfortunately, as TV was back in the day (especially kids TV), it was hard to have watched all the episodes and in the right order...
So I'll definitely have to try and give it a watch again now that it's on Disney+! 😄
They didn't shake vigorously enough to achieve a proper solution.
Those were fun crossover comics, though.
Have you given the animated adaptation a try? I really enjoyed it! 😄
(Sorry, I know that this has nothing to do with Gargoyles now… 😅)
It's close enough! I've been meaning to watch the cartoon but haven't found it on any streaming platform when I've looked. I did watch a few clips on YouTube, and it looks like a lot of fun.
It is a lot of fun - I enjoyed it a lot! 😄
I actually had to buy it off YouTube to watch it, if it helps!
Great article! I loved this show as a kid. It was my introduction to Shakespeare and Nordic mythology. The future episode where Puck wants to trick Goliath to surrender the Phoenix Gate used to scare me so much lol. I used to say Deslagrate muri tempi et intervalia! as a kid like I was some kind of wizard
Dope. Thanks for the reminder of the show and adult analysis of a childhood favorite. Hope my 8 year old daughter likes it.
Loved this as a child thanks for sharing this