Jayda Week 6: Are Cartoons Only For Kids?

    The more television I watch, the more I am starting to realize that the only things that are able to keep me engaged for long periods of time are animated shows. This is most likely because I have a short attention span, and cartoons tend to be the most engaging for me. While I do enjoy watching shows with actual actors, I can not stay interested for more than a season (with the exception of my favorite show, The Boys), and I lean more towards watching something animated. 

    When asked what my favorite show is, I will generally give some variations of a few shows. This tends to include The Boys, Bojack Horseman, Rick and Morty, etc. I think I also prefer animated shows because it’s unreal. Live-action shows are like watching real people pretending to be something they are not. Not to sound like a negative Nancy, but sometimes it feels odd to watch something that you know actors are being paid to fabricate, and along with that, the possibilities of live-action shows are limited, while animated shows have unlimited creative freedom. 

    One of my favorite shows, Bojack Horseman, utilizes the fact of it being animated to a larger extent. Each of the characters are different animals, and the personalities of the characters clearly embody and reflect the traits of their specific animal. For example, one of the characters is a golden retriever, and he is a carefree social butterfly. Something else that I have a deep appreciation for in the show is that even though the show is animated, it still deals with incredibly heavy topics without making them seem less important than they actually are. 

    Contrary to Bojack Horseman, there are many other cartoons that are directed at an older audience without dealing with such topics. A favorite of mine is Family Guy. It has much lighter topics, and if it does include a heavy topic, then it is most likely making fun of that said topic. It is generally my go-to show when someone asks to watch something with me, as it has the potential to be enjoyed by a larger overall audience, and almost every episode will leave me laughing and wanting to play the next episode. 

    While I do prefer shows that are not-live action, I still thoroughly appreciate cinematography and most things surrounding live-action shows, and I much prefer live-action movies. Although as far as TV shows, I can always rely on how engaging they are and their consistency in quality.