Overanalyzing cartoons.

[CastletonSnob]

Does anyone else get annoyed by the "No guys, this cartoon made for literal toddlers is actually SUPER deep!" crowd? Mostly, I see this with Bluey. It's just a wholesome preschool cartoon that parents can watch without wanting to pull their hair out. Stop acting like it's The Sopranos.

 

[Dantheman]

I thought this was going to be about stuff like "how could characters in 1970s Hanna-Barbera cartoons fly in outer space with spaceships that were basically just speeder bikes exposed to the vacuum of outer space?", but I guess not

(My response would be, "Their ships produce an invisible force field with a pocket atmosphere inside, naturally")

 

[the_joker]

Why should Bluey not be "overanalyzed"?

Why is The Sopranos more deserving of that approach? Are you saying people are only allowed to "overanalyze" TV-MA (live-action) drama shows?

 

[Light Lucario]

I find this question kind of strange, mainly because people reading too much into cartoons is kind of normal. That isn't bad thing. I've seen people write out huge posts analyzing shows for elementary school age kids. I've done that myself for plenty of shows on Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, etc. Over analyzing a preschool show like Bluey isn't that big of a stretch. It isn't even the only preschool show in recent years that would have gotten a noteworthy amount of discussion. I can still look up recent comments about The Lion Guard, discussing its characters, storyline and pairings.

In the case of Bluey, I don't think I've seen people treating it like the Sopranos exactly. Bluey is a wholesome show that parents can enjoy with their kids instead of tolerating it like other preschool shows, but I think it's more than fair to say that the show has more going on than that. From the character writing, the dynamics between the family members, the messages and the emotional moments, there's often quite a bit for people to pick up on in these short episodes, much more than people typically expect from preschool shows.

 

[Scofisticated]

Preschool TV is this interesting place. So many showrunners put alot of academic analysis on how children learn. To inform how they make their show. Or, in some cases, exploit that toddlers have 0% media literacy. And cant resist forms of visual manipulation. With all of this formula and academic study, does art still bubble up? Well of course. Even the most manipulative ones have some amount of creativity outside the formula. An actual story can form away from the studies-informed structure. Otherwise they would be YT toddler slop, or Daniel Tiger reading cold essays with simple terminology. ...I mean, little words.

And if art can still grow out of the formula and structure, then there may be some depth in there. This ~can~ happen with any form of art. A silly cartoon about cartoon characters living in a virtual circus can be about complex themes of dysphoria, avoidance, emotional regulation, and egos past infinity. If a human is pouring their heart and soul into lessons about numbers, or how to give a neighbor back their stuff, some of that person's depth can transfer into the work.

I think preschool shows -try- not to be too deep. Cause if you try to hard to be deep, it either: 1) is wasted effort as a toddler might not pick up on most or any of it. And 2) it might overwhelm to tears or confusion. But, this doesnt mean the shows dont have any depth. Big Bird learning that Mr Hooper died is dripping in meaning, and is one of the most touching bits of television. And it's made for preschoolers.

So I believe it is possible. And is avoided. But just because we try not to overwhelm preschoolers, isnt an excuse to talk down to them (there's a difference). And, to deprive them of the depths they can handle, or need to learn to handle, is kinda unfair to them as people.