The Kid (2001) (TV)

Director:

Larry Jacobs

Writers:

Stan Daniels (writer)
Gahan Wilson (creator)

Release Date:

30 October 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Young Boy | Childhood | Breasts | Vulgarity | Cleavage

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Edward Asner	...	Dead Cat (voice) (as Ed Asner)
Lolita Davidovich	...	Mother (voice)
Eugene Levy	...	Father (voice)
Andrea Martin	...	Witch (voice)
William Shatner	...	Professor (voice)
Jennifer Tilly	...	Waitress (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jake Goldsbie	...	The Kid's Friend
Jacqueline Pillon	...	The Kid

Also Known As:

Gahan Wilson's The Kid (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

75 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Movie Network, The (TMN)

If Gahan Wilson were dead he'd be spinning in his grave...

But he isn't dead, so it's puzzling how he'd allow something this bad to bear his name (as well as a bastardized slapdash imitation of his unique drawing style).

Gahan Wilson is one of my all-time favorite cartoonists, his gag panels for Playboy, The New Yorker and many other periodicals having provided many laughs over the years. He is also one of the first cartoonists whose work so moved me I was inspired me to become a cartoonist myself. When I first encountered the comic strips, "Nuts," which featured the "The Kid" in National Lampoon back in the '70s it was a revelatory experience. I marveled at the subtlety, the empathy, and the truth in these simple strips. When they were collected as a trade paperback I saved my allowance money and bought a copy, which I still have.

So, suffice it to say I've been a fan of Wilson's oeuvre since I was about seven. I'm now almost 38, so it's been a long-term love affair with his work. More's the pity then, that this animated made-for-TV abomination was so horrible. From the irritating and oft-repeated "nya-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah" song that introduces each of the segments, to the wretched animation, this thing was a total disappointment. I can't imagine that Wilson was happy with this thing. He didn't write it, so at least he isn't to blame for the retarded script. Made for the cable channel Showtime, this is one of those made-for-cable programs that overuses cursing for cursing's own sake. I have no problem with cussing; in fact, when used well it can achieve a certain poetry, but sometimes, as in the case of this piece of &^%$, it's only there because they could put it there; it adds nothing.

It really is a shame that "Nuts" wasn't tapped as direct source material, because that would have made for a thoughtful and infinitely funnier offering. This thing comes off as a very poor imitation of "South Park", a show that does everything well that this thing did so badly. "South Park" understands kids, understands taboos (and how to make and break them and keep it hilarious).

Avoid this at all costs. It's just sad and pathetic.