Kal Reasons
August 2023
After almost two years of waiting since its initial announcement, Max’s August 31 release of the Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake spin-off series has instantly satiated fans' desires for more information about plotlines that were left unfinished in the two initial series. The journey to release has been a long one, with audiences analyzing every piece of advertising related to the show, with the first trailer released at San Diego Comic-Con in late July. This sparked massive internet debates regarding various lore, characters that have been brought back, and behind-the-scenes development on how Max is changing the Cartoon Network Studios process and what that means for the branding of the show.
Following gender-bent versions of the characters Finn the Human and Jake the Dog, the heroines of the story end up in the remarkable Land of Ooo, where magic is real, and from there, they go on a variety of adventures. There are various hints about returning characters, potential villains, and the appearance of more adult themes targeting the aging demographic that grew up with Adventure Time. I think this is a fantastic adaptation so far, without listing spoilers too heavily. They stuck to the original art style with references galore for fans to nitpick. My youngest son was named FinnLee in part because his brother, father, and I bonded significantly over the original series, and I am thankful it is maintaining the same level of depth and relatability while being watchable as a family. This is a very difficult balance for most children’s shows to achieve, which is why Adventure Time is so encapsulated as an iconic show for anyone who watches.
However, it is important to recognize the changes in the company’s climate due to their issues with the SAG-AFTRA strikes and their multi-billion-dollar merger with Warner Bros. Discovery along with their recent rebrand. These have all been major hits for Max as a streaming service, which is why animation is going to be a big advertising point for the company overall. Many of their movies and shows that bring in the viewership they need are at risk of being dropped altogether, and certain stipulations prevent most animation unions from going on strike with the actors and writers. Fans and creators alike have been upset by the merger causing the shut-down of many different shows in production and the movement of Cartoon Network Studios from their Burbank location that they have been at since the 90s. For Fionna and Cake, other fans have been upset by the lack of return of the character Prismo’s voice actor, Kumail Nanjiani, but most of the show has avoided major controversy or issues.
As a longtime fan, I am grateful that a major streaming service is continuing with a story that had many loose ends left behind during the original series finale. Max, as a company overall, I have my own bad preconceptions of, which affect their brand image as a result. If they ensure they are paying attention to audience feedback on major social media platforms, they will have a better chance to create quality content with happy production teams and the profit margins they want. Will that happen? It’s not a certainty when a brand as large as Max has such large breadth their individual customer relationships suffer for the sake of profits. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy this little bit more of some of the greatest characters ever created to me.
Sources
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake:
Kumail Nanjiani Says He Didn’t Receive Offer To Reprise Prismo Role In ‘Adventure Time: Fionna And Cake’: “They Never Told Me” (msn.com)
‘Adventure Time’: Who Are Fionna and Cake? (collider.com)
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake Season 1 Trailer - YouTube
Max:
WarnerMedia and Discovery have completed their mega-streaming merger - The Verge
SAG Actors Strike FAQ: Who’s Affected, What’s Allowed, More – The Hollywood Reporter
'Heartstopper' Writer Gives Season 3 Update During SAG, WGA Strikes (usmagazine.com)
Cartoon Network Studios to Move Out of Storied Burbank Headquarters | Animation Magazine
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