Du, Dudu e Edu

I once hated this show but I decided to give it a chance. I love it because of how much deep thought Danny Antonucci and his cohorts had to put into this. This is a satirical commentary on the lives of kids who are between the ages of 10 and 13. At least one area in every big city has to have kids like this. Every kid in America has at one point has tried to scam money out of someone. Every kid in America has at one point been a bully to the weak or been bullied themselves by the weak. Every kid in America has shown hypocritical to their personality.

The show's basic premise has the three main characters (Ed, Edd, and Eddy) interacting with nine major supporting characters but it doesn't stop there. One of the most revealing aspects of "Ed, Edd, and Eddy" is the interactions between the supporting cast themselves. I remember one episode where the Kanker sisters kidnapped Kevin and tied him to a large wheel. The girls seemed to like Kevin as well as the Ed Boys. Ed released Kevin but the latter decided to be a complete dick and not say give out gratitude to his rescuer. Another episode showed Jonny 2x4 getting pushed down a hill in a tire by Sarah and Kevin. This to me shows that early adolesence is a trying time for all those who are going through it.

Another major aspect of "Ed, Edd, and Eddy" I like are the distinct characters. Every character on that show is well-written so they can have depth and personality. The situations they all get involved may be seriously far-fetched but I think it brings out the best parts of each personality. Each character that was created to portray some sort of typical adolescent personality (eg Eddy is the brainy wimp and Ed is the stupid brawn). Each character has its' own flaws and they are displayed perfectly in each episode they appear.

Possibly the best aspect of "Ed, Edd, and Eddy" in the gritty-like pencil and watercolor animation. It gives you the point of view of actual art that an early adolescent that might create in relation to his life and friends. At that age, artistry of that caliber is well-done and genius. The animation gives you the feel that you are actually in the mind of an early adolescent as they create such a visual landscape.

Overall, I think this a very original premise. It is a satirical look at the lives of twelve distinct characters who are in the stage of early adolescence. Each character's personality and depth are well-written and perfectly thought out. The animation is exceptional because it portrays the idea of superior early adolescent pencil and watercolor artistry. This shows ranks high on my list with "Beavis and Butthead", "Courage the Cowardly Dog", and "The Simpsons" for best animated shows of all time.

Grade: A++, the best show on Cartoon Network

My favorite part of Ed, Edd, and Eddy is that no matter how old you are or where you grew up, the characters of this hilarious show remind us all of those we grew up with. Look at it this way:

ED- the dim-witted, but good-natured kid who was always lacking in the brains department

EDD- that brainy kid who always got straight A's and was a complete nerd

EDDY- a greedy short kid who takes everything way too personal and knows that he's destined to be rich and famous someday

KEVIN- the basic "jock" stereotype who picked on the non-athletic kids

JIMMY- a weakling who felt terrified to play with older kids and everyone thought was a bit on the "feminine side"

SARAH- the super-evil bully who scared off practically everyone she met

ROLF- the foreign kid who puzzled everyone with their strange and bizarre customs

NAZZ- that pretty girl who always got boys' attentions and all the other girls wanted to be like

JOHNNY- the unusually strange kid who no one could ever really understand

THE KANKER SISTERS- those girls who thought the best way to get someone's attention was to be as ruthless as possible

No matter where you grew up, we can all identify with kids like this. Perhaps not as extreme as these characters, but it's hilarious to think of the kids we went to school with and now see them on TV.

Though young people might enjoy this show, it can only be fully appreciated by older adults. EEnE takes us back to the carefree days of our pre-teen years. No matter which decade in which you were 12, this timeless show will resonate with you. The Eds and their friends are on perpetual summer vacation, back in the days before the internet and cable TV. They while away the aimless days creating misadventures and pre-teen power struggles. Jawbreakers really were the ultimate delicacy to strive for. Each episode recalls some aspect of those old summer vacations we had forgotten about until now. This surreal view of pre-pubescence hits home in a timeless, powerful way.

I have been watching "The Eds" since they first came to Cartoon Network. After recently reading a review of this show, I decided to make a comment. Many people complain about the animation quality of the show. However, I would like to point out that this is a CARTOON. This isn't real life, nor does it claim to portray real life. Therefore, it may be forgiven that the art isn't up to the quality of classic cartoons (Loony Tunes, Tom and Jerry, etc.). In truth, I really appreciate the animation of this show. It adds to the energy that the show has. A constant liveliness runs in every episode, just as kids are in real life.

The characters seem so familiar to me (after all, I'm 19, and childhood wasn't too long ago). Each one is exaggerated, but they each seem more realistic the more that they are pushed to extremes. The girly guy (Jimmy), the tomboy girl (Sarah) - reminiscent of some of my friends. The hot girl everyone wants (Naz), the jerk who of course has the best "chance" with her (Kevin) - who hasn't known those two? The guy who lives outside of reality (Johnny), and the guy who works too hard (Rolf) - yep, been there too. Of course, those are gross simplifications, as there is quite a bit to everyone in the show.

Creativity - the show is full of it. The show's premise - three guys whose life lives around making money - is surprisingly fresh. Generally, characters in a kids' show deal just with growing up (As Told By Ginger and Hey Arnold come to mind). Those shows tend to bog down sometimes. I personally found Hey Arnold to be too serious for me. The Eds, though? Comedy in its truest form. It never bogs down, becomes sentimental, depressing, or anything of the sort. Instead, it gives us constant humour and action. The characters live in a constant summer, so to speak. It is never schooltime, it is never winter. There are no parents, no responsibilities. Only desire. Perhaps even, if one was to truly be devoted to the show, one could argue that The Eds could be a study on the psychological aspects of each character type. But I'm not going to go that far.

Stock episodes tend to be the worst ones for shows. By stock episodes, I mean Christmas, Halloween, etc. The standard episodes that every show does to show its diversity and have something to be played at a certain time of year. There have been few to do these well (Rugrats, sorry but your Passover special is much better than your Christmas). The Eds treat it differently - they all get the Christmas spirit in July. How wonderful is that? As I said, perpetual summer. Halloween is done in a unique way - it's not really Halloween. Instead they do a sort of "scary" mystery episode. Very nice, with a great ending.

But what about the lack of parents or any other adults? Adults would detract from the cartoon. While adults worked for a show like Rugrats, bringing adult humour to an otherwise children's cartoon, the humour in the Eds is already mature enough to be enjoyed by adults as well as kids. Ed's slapstick humour is purely in fun, reminding one of Harpo Marx, though slightly exaggerated and dumbed down, of course. But his slapstick is so oustandingly unrealistic that adults can appreciate it. Edd provides the verbal wit that allows for humour that can be a bit more mature. And let's face it, the older you get, the more you appreciate verbal humour over "kick in the groin" style of humour. So why would you need adults in this show? It would only detract from that fantasy "perpetual summer" that I mentioned earlier.

Before judging the show to be a piece of rubbish passed off as a show (as I have heard all-too often from people who've just seen the drawing), you should try watching a few episodes. Don't Rain On My Ed is my favorite, showing off the classic Murphy's Law and how everyone reacts to it. Another is their delving into the cartoon world, One + One = Ed. It even ends with a slightly religious connotation (which makes that ending so much better if you think of it like that). If you watch these two episodes and find yourself disliking it still, then don't watch it. However, you should find the humour quite appealing.

Question: Why does everyone hate this show? Answer: I don't know. This has got to be one of the greatest shows known to man. The animation is far more unique than any other style of animation I've ever seen. And you've just got to love these characters!

Ed-An idiotic but lovable lummox who's absolutely crazy for those ridiculous B-movies, buttered toast, and stuff we rarely give a hunch for. His head is so empty you could fit Veterans Stadium in there but yet he's what makes this show so funny!

Edd-Also known as Double D, this genius knows just about everything as we all know. As a favorite of mine, I enjoy his liking for being clean, labeling everything, and being kind of course. Loved the way he played that Pedal Steel Guitar!

Eddy-The master scammer, as we know him, is always trying to scam the cul-d-sac kids.(or pigeons as he refers to them) He may not be the most popular of this fab trio but he's funny and hey, I like him!

So go watch it already! This is WAY better than the Powerpuff Girls anyhow! Thanks Danny Antonuci! You rule!