I'm not surprised you got a full series order, Ha Ha You Clowns. I love the show and I think it has a secret weapon.

Lina Portman1 week ago

0 2 minutes read

Since its launch nearly a quarter century ago, Adult Swim has brought audiences some of the best animated tv shows of all time including all sorts of random, absurd and hilarious short shows like SmallThis anthology series has long given creators and animators a platform for some of television's most original cartoons, like Ha Ha, you clownsone of my favorite shows right now. And so when I heard that the show was going to be picked up for a full series, I wasn't too surprised for one main reason.

When I first read June 2024 Variety report this Ha Ha you clowns was one of the new Adult Swim series on the way, I jumped out of my seat with excitement knowing that we would soon see more of a show that could best be described as Home Improvement if Jill Taylor died and Tim was left to raise their three strong boys alone. But more importantly, I was excited because we'll soon be getting more of the show's secret weapon: creator and showrunner Joe Cappa.

Who is Joe Cappa and why is he the show's secret weapon?

On the surface, Ha Ha you clowns looks and feels like a strange fever dream or acid trip parodying one of the best TV sitcoms of all timebut like Joe Cappa's other creations, this cartoon is much more than that. It's funny, yes, but it's also, at times, deeply moving, endearing and serious.

Each Ha Ha you clowns segment featured on Small lasts no more than a few minutes but manages to work in offbeat comedy, themes like brotherhood, family and grief, and cutesy sitcom music that masterfully strikes the balance between homage and parody. It's true when Dad surprises Preston, Tristan, and Duncan with a cruise, when they have a movie night, or even when they reference The three friends in a Costco type store.

I have long been a fan of Cappa's work outside of Ha Ha, you clownsincluding specific parodies of the Scooby Doo Short films about a gang, short films about Jesus helping a boy overcome his anger over subtitles when he impresses a girl, and a high school romance that grew out of dinosaur fanfiction. While silly, these short films all showcase Cappa's mastery of human emotion and how small moments can turn into profound events.

This is also true for Cappa's horror short at Sundance 2021, Ghost dogs, which follows a newly adopted dog as he faces the ghosts of his new family's former puppies in a comedic, frightening and poignant way. And now with Ha Ha you clowns getting a series order and giving Cappa more time to shine, I can't wait to see how he continues to explore these concepts on Adult Swim.

Honestly, I'm so excited to see what the future holds. Ha Ha, you clowns and Joe Cappa in general, because I think he's one of the great, under-recognized animators of our time. And while I'm not entirely sure when Ha Ha, you clowns will debut in the full series, or if it will be on the TV schedule 2024I plan to return to where it all began. Small and other adult swim shows with my Max subscription waiting for.