Assignment 2-1

(Ditzian, 2010)

Napoleon Dynamite Comes to TV

Napoleon Dynamite is a hit movie that debuted in 2004. It was based on a kid from a small town that was portrayed as an unpopular misfit with a very strange personality. The movie was about “a listless and alienated teenager who decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home” (Franzen, 2010). Napoleon was a movie that was a hit overnight. The movie was based on the unpopular crowd and not the normal popular crowd. This change in the usual plot gave the film a different feel. A feel of predictability and stereotyping of cute and popular crowds and how they live through their high school years were not the basis of this story line. The movie was full of one-liners that were so stupid that the watchers could not help but laugh.  Although my family was much taken with this film I was not. I did not find the humor in it and found it a waste of time to watch. Mostly because it was just so different than what I normally watch.

In recent news, Napoleon Dynamite was announced as an upcoming new cartoon coming to TV. “Six years after the world met Napoleon Dynamite and his stupid hair, Fox has decided to bring the misfit teenager back as a cartoon” (Raymond, 2010). With an initial launch of six episodes, most of the stars have signed up to voice their characters in this cartoon TV show. “Get ready for all those obnoxious quotes from 2004 to make a resurgence: Fox has ordered a six-episode cartoon series of the inexplicably popular flick Napoleon Dynamite” (Harnick, 2010). Whatever made this movie a popular phenomenon will most likely help in making the cartoon a popular hit as well. It will join other late night cartoons like Family Guy, The Simpsons, South Park, and who can forget, Beavis and Butthead. Although the cartoon is supposed to be aimed for teenagers, I wonder how appropriate it will be. The few times I have watched the Family Guy or South Park I have not found it appropriate for teenagers. It has been a struggle in my house to police my kids and ensure they were not watching adult late night cartoons. I guess time will tell how teenaged based this cartoon will be.

Ditzian, E. (2010). Napoleon Dynamite Animated Series Headed to Fox. Retrieved on October 10, 2010 from http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1649742/20101011/story.jhtml.

Franzen, D. (2004). Napoleon Dynamite. Retrieved on October 11, 2010 from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0374900/.

Harnick, C. (2010). Napoleon Dynamite Cartoon Series Coming to Fox. Retrieved on October 11, 2010 from http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/10/11/napoleon-dynamite-cartoon-series-coming-to-fox/

Raymond, A. (2010). Fox is Developing a Napoleon Dynamite Cartoon. Retrieved on October 11, 2010 from http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/05/fox_working_on_napoleon_dynami.html.