It’s funny how after years of physical activity campaigns from kids’ networks like Cartoon Network’s “Move It Movement” and Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play, we have a series that celebrates the virtue of being outdoors. CN’s newest show Craig of the Creek, co-created by Steven Universe writers Ben Levin and Matt Burnett, is an ode to how creative kids can be when they’re allowed to roam and take inspiration from primarily the environment around them. For any parents worried about their kids spending too much time engrossed in their smart devices, it’ll certainly come off as a call to action.
The titular Craig Williams (Philip Solomon) is a young adventurer who’s captivated by the Creek, the neighborhood’s wooded area. He and his friends J.P. (H. Michael Croner) and Kelsey (Noel Wells) form a dynamic and fun trio whose personalities would be ideally suited for a role-playing game. If you’ll allow me to dabble in a little Freudian theory, I’d say Kelsey is the group’s id, J.P. would be the superego and Craig- who is as enthusiastic as other CN kid heroes like Finn or Steven and has just as much heart- would represent the ego, or the group’s middle-man.
It’s that heart that makes his adventures so interesting to watch. This show realizes that while it may have other characters who might steal many episodes (Kelsey in particular, a gang of otaku ninja kids she and her friends encounter in one episode, or the giant dog-riding wild girl Wildernessa), it still needs an endearing lead to carry the show. Craig’s dynamic with her younger sister Jessica, for example, is extremely charming. Even when he’s being stubborn he’s still helpful, like when he finds himself stuck at a family dinner while his friends are trapped in a water balloon war.
I can relate to being that one kid in a group of friends who wanted to plan out our activities in advance. (My goal would be for us to bowl, then eat and then play games at the bowling alley, but the others would usually win out and we just chose whatever fun thing we felt like.) And while I did spend time with the other Scouts trekking through the woods by our camp, we were more aware to avoid the itchy flora than Craig and his friends are in the pilot episode. When JP’s protective suit is damaged during their trip through a poison ivy field, Craig and Kelsey run him to safety in a tense scene that could have been found in a Ridley Scott film.
Craig’s art direction shares an appealing simplicity with shows like Steven Universe and Adventure Time, particularly in its character designs. Even the teenage and adult characters look lovable, including Craig’s caring parents, his arrogant older brother Bernard, and a pair of teenage “witches” who place a hilarious “curse” on the main trio.
Though there’s a little bit of cartoon physics at play, it’s never too exaggerated. The imaginations of children are what drives this series, so the writers aren’t above working in a fun fantasy sequence within the minds of the characters. One of my favorite examples is Kelsey’s shock at finding out a book from her favorite series has been already checked out from the library- depicted as a fiery explosion that I think draws influence from Terminator 2.
Since the storylines of Craig are mostly rooted in reality, as opposed to the over-the-top fantasies of its contemporaries, it’s up to the cast’s development and the performances alongside some witty writing to carry the show. This show has a knack for turning ordinary playtime into epic, thrilling events. The animators utilize anime-style takes to convey the drama involved in just a simple game of tag, which evolves into an unexpectedly emotional crisis of Kelsey and Craig’s friendship.
Ultimately, so far Craig of the Creek is a series that’s gentle but still thrilling. Its style of humor never feels forced, and its tone is sharp without descending into making its characters unsympathetic for the sake of a throwaway joke, a trap other cartoons (including those aimed at adults as well as kids) sometimes slip into. The situations are only realistic to a degree, and Craig’s always active mind will likely keep this show from becoming dull. Strongly recommended, and hit us up at @officialFAN on Twitter if you’ve seen it to tell us what you thought!