Home Movies
Home Movies is a dialogue-driven animated series about 8-year-old Brendon Small (voiced by the creator, head writer, and lead musician of Home Movies, Brendon Small), who makes films with his friends, Melissa and Jason, in his spare time. He lives with his divorced mother, Paula, and his adopted baby sister, Josie.
Home Movies premiered on UPN on April 26, 1999 but got pulled after five episodes before returning to TV two years later in Cartoon Network's Adult Swim late night lineup. The brain trust behind this show is Soup2Nuts (formerly Tom Snyder Productions), the same people who created Comedy Central's defunct animated series Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.
In its first season, Home Movies utilized Soup2Nuts's patented Squigglevision technology to animate the show, but later abandoned that for cheaper Flash animation, similar to that of South Park's animation production.
Home Movies' chief gimmick (aside from the early Squigglevision animation) was its use of "retroscripting." Retroscripting is a process in which an episode's scripts are purposely left vague, and instead of giving exact dialogue for the actors merely outline a scene which the actors improv. The use of retroscripting in Home Movies gives the show very casual, realistic dialogue with an often dry, sarcastic wit.
It currently airs on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim block in the United States, and in Canada on Teletoon as part of its Teletoon Unleashed block.
The show was cancelled by Cartoon Network in March of 2004 to much disappointment of its loyal followers.
Cast
- Brendon Small - Brendon Small
- H. Jon Benjamin - Jason / Coach John McGuirk
- Melissa Bardin Galsky - Melissa
- Paula Poundstone - Paula Small (episodes 1-5)
- Janine Ditullio - Paula Small (episodes 6+)
- Jonathan Katz - Erik Robbins
- Ron Lynch - Mr. Lynch
- Louis C.K. - Andrew Small
Notable minor characters
- John McGuirk, the school's irreverent, bad-mannered soccer coach. More of a major character by the series end.
- Mr. Lynch, Brendon and Melissa's teacher.
- Walter and Perry, two hyper best friends who are a little too close for comfort.
- Shannon, the school's bully. Voiced by Emo Philips.
- Fenton Mewly, annoying character with the tendency to call Brendan "Bren-Bren".
Notable episodes
- Episode 12 "Law and Boarder"
- Episode 23 "History"
- Episode 29 "Bad Influences"
- Episode 32 "Renaissance"
- Episode 40 "Coffins and Cradles"
- Episode 42 "Bye Bye Greasy"
