My sister introduced us to Over the Garden Wall a few years ago, and it’s become one of our staple Halloween shows. It has this delightful Halloween ambiance that gets you all ready and excited for Trick-or-Treating, pumpkin-flavored everything, and cozy autumn weather.

One of my favorite things about it is how quick it is, since I have a hard time sticking with shows that drag on and on and on. Over the Garden Wall is a Cartoon Network miniseries with 10 episodes, and each one is only about 10 minutes long, so by itself, each episode makes for a nice quick break from work or study. The whole thing can also be watched all together in about an hour and a half for a movie-length TV show that goes down smoother than potatoes and molasses.

Into the Unknown

Wirt and Greg are two strangely dressed brothers on their way home through the woods of the Unknown. Realizing that they aren’t sure which way to go, they encounter a woodsman with a lantern and a weird obsession with keeping it lit. The woodsman warns them to head home before they run afoul of the Beast, who roams the Unknown and preys on lost children. 

Wirt and Greg are more than happy to heed the woodsman’s advice, but they’re hopelessly lost. So, they follow him to an old grist mill, only to have a run in with a candy-loving creature (they think must be the beast) who ends up destroying the mill. The woodsman, who no longer has a place to offer the boys to stay, sends them on their way back into the Unknown.

The two brothers wander aimlessly until they run into Beatrice, a talking bluebird with an excess of sass and a mysterious past. It quickly becomes apparent that Wirt and Greg aren’t the only ones in the forest who are trying to get home. Beatrice invites the boys to accompany her to see Adelaide of the Pasture, the Good Woman of the Woods, who she says can help them all get home. Wirt and Greg have no better ideas, so they set off with Beatrice, hoping Adelaide can set things right.

So begins a journey filled with exploration of the pressing mysteries of the Unknown: who or what is the Beast? What else is lurking out there in the woods? What’s with Beatrice? And why is Wirt so obsessed with poetry and clarinet?

Dancing in a Swirl of Golden Memories

Each episode of Over the Garden Wall is distinct from the others. They usually take place in different settings in the Unknown, ranging from towns to taverns to tugboats. Each has its own cabined plot, but each also builds on previous episodes. Although they’re short, the episodes feel like well-thought-out, self-contained stories that then come together to form a cohesive whole with a surprise of its own at the end. 

Tying everything together is the thread of the Beast, which helps the episodes not to feel too random. You get hints of him here and there until Greg and Wirt are ready to face him, and his scarce appearances are part of what makes him so eerie.

From the beginning, Over the Garden Wall is full of twists that keep you wanting to watch more. None of the episodes ends the way you think it will, and the characters are constantly subverting your expectations. Some twists are spooky, like the identity of the Beast, and others will make you laugh, like the origin of Greg’s outfit. Every episode leads you in one direction and then surprises you in a way that feels natural, which is a lot of fun. 

Up till now I’ve made this sound like a serious spooky show, but it’s actually lighthearted and pretty funny. Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice make each episode just delightful and hilarious. Each of them feels fleshed out even though this show is just a miniseries and just follows the three of them as they ramble around the Unknown. 

Wirt is the older of the two brothers, a high schooler with a penchant for quoting poetry to himself for no reason. He’s a bit over dramatic and doesn’t always take responsibility for his actions at the outset. His lack of confidence is equal parts endearing and pitiable, which makes it all the more satisfying to see his character develop over the course of the show into a slightly more confident, responsible soul.

Although Greg doesn’t grow much throughout the series, he doesn’t really need to. He’s just a kid with hilarious, upbeat commentary everywhere he goes. Where Wirt sees despair and the poetic indifference of the universe, Greg’s can-do attitude and positivity provide a nice beacon of light in the Unknown. He is a kid, though, so he frequently misunderstands situations, makes up his own “rock facts” about the world, and says pretty much whatever comes to mind. His lines are some of the most quotable in the show because of how funny they are.

Beatrice is saltier than the dead sea. She’s constantly harping on Wirt for being a pushover, trying to corral Greg so they can press on with their journey, and getting snippy with everyone they meet along the way. Her hotheaded qualities compliment the other two members of the group nicely, and the three of them are a well-written trio.

Over the Garden Wall has more to offer than just some spooks and giggles. Wonderful themes of responsibility, kindness, and clinging to hope pervade the show. On top of that, you’ll learn a clever new way to sing your ABC’s and stick it to your ex at the same time, get some ideas for hilariously creative Halloween costumes, and appreciate that things and people aren’t always who (or what) they appear to be. And throughout the whole thing, you’ll wonder: are Wirt and Greg physically lost? Or are there other ways of being lost?

Who to Binge With

Over the Garden Wall is fairly tame as far as a Halloween show goes, but there are a couple of episodes that would definitely scare younger kids. Of note are an episode with a spooky possessive spirit and the episode at the end with the Beast (of course). I probably won’t let Geekling watch it until he’s at least eight, due to the scary spirit episode. 

Eeriness aside, it’s a very family friendly show. We did not find any curse words, crude jokes, or inappropriate references. The character growth and bonding could provide positive examples for young kids, and we think it’s generally an uplifting show.

Grab your copy over on Amazon.

After you finish the show, check out For Sara