The Marvelous Misadventure of Flapjack emerged towards the end of what is considered by many to be Cartoon Network’s Golden Age. This cartoon chronicles the anachronistic and grotesque journeys of orphan and aspiring adventurer Flapjack (Thurop Van Orman) and his irresponsible and untrustworthy mentor Captain K’nuckles (Brian Doyle-Murray).
They live on a sea-bound wharf known as Stormalong Harbor frequented by rough and rugged seagoing types. Flapjack’s surrogate mother, the main form of transportation and abode, is a whale called Bubbie (Roz Ryan) who does her best to protect and care for the boy (and, begrudgingly, K’nuckles).
Their adventures are highly varied and often one-off, ranging from getting a haircut or medical treatment from the local doctor barber, competing with or improving local inventor’s steampunk contraptions, and facing varied bullies in and around Stormalong. The overarching plot of the show is the duo’s many attempts to find the fabled Candied Island, a natural formation supposedly made entirely of candy from its stones and foliage to the streams of soda that the show’s theme song touts. This cartoon isn’t lying: Flapjack’s misadventures can be quite marvelous.
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack is an excellent selection for children’s collections given its Y7 rating and horror elements. While some younger kids will be frightened by the scary parts, this gives the show a large draw for older children and even young adults.
What horror or grotesqueness exists in Flapjack is typically used (in the vein of Spongebob Squarepants) to depict a character’s overreaction to suspicion, misunderstanding, or someone’s comic obliviousness. The oddly timeless and anachronistic setting is equal parts intriguing and hilarious and allows the exploration of some surprisingly heavy topics such as illiteracy, losing parents, child labor, and malnutrition.
More often than not, the topic of an episode is something simple and obviously moral like the effects of lying, not judging people based on their appearance, why spying is wrong, or how other people have their own difficulties. At the end of nearly every episode, Flapjack has gained a new friend or some greater understanding of a moral, ethical, or educational topic.
One trope which may give parents some pause is the use of sugar as a stand-in for alcohol. While not always obvious or in the spotlight, we often see the duo fall prey to the intoxicating effects of sugar, and K’nuckles’ addiction to maple syrup can be easily read as an analogy for alcoholism.
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack is an excellent study of childhood adventure and how scary life can be without the proper perspective. This cartoon is an excellent choice for children’s show shelves in public libraries. Highly Recommended.
What ages would this children’s series be suitable for?
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack are rated Y7 for fantasy violence. Ages 7 and up will thoroughly enjoy this cartoon, though children who are easily scared should be considered in recommendations because of the horror elements used throughout the show.