The Oblongs (2001–2002) User Reviews

I have no sense of decency.

[lambiepie-2 · 8/10 · 10 November 2003]

This cartoon was an adaptation of another wierd cartoon and they did a good job of making it into a TV series.

What I liked about this was the struggle between 'the haves' and the 'have nots'.

You have the Hills where everyone is rich, blonde and beautiful but they dumped their nuculear waste and trash on...the Valley, where everyone else lives.

Of course these Hill people didn't want anything to do with the deformed Valley people, except to do their "dirty work" while they look good. But alas, these deformed Valley people have to live too..and here we see such a thing though the Oblong Family.

There are quite a few episodes that are drop dead hilarious such as the wife "Pickles" being ordered to do community time so she heads the Valley Girl Scout troop, the son, "Milo" being groomed as a "Corporate Marketing Genius", One of the "Debbies" who live on the Hill getting in a freak accident and becoming deformed herself...and a few more.

This is not your typical un-PC Cartoon, it's not with your typical concept, its not even black comedy, it has warts and all and puts them out front. The Oblongs should have a sad existence,I mean, who wants to KNOW or even THINK about what a family of deformed and dysfunctional people DO... but they live their lives inspite of everything that has befallen on them..even in trying to compete with the blondes on the Hill.

Another animation series NOT for everyone, but it is for all of us without a shred of PC decency in our cartoons either.

It had its moments, both good and bad.

[Aaron1375 · 6/10 · 19 September 2009]

For the most part this show was okay, I never saw it when it originally aired, but rather I see it on the Cartoon Network as they replay the episodes. Why they show it four nights a week when the show only lasted 13 episodes is beyond me, I could maybe understand it if they showed it once a week, but this show just does not have enough episodes to show it as often as they do. You end up seeing an episode many times, and considering Will Ferrell is one of the voices I am rather sure it would be nearly impossible to get any new shows of this. The show consists of a family that lives in the valley, which is basically the poor part of town. Well poor is probably not the right term, the rich section of town basically flushes all its nastiness down to the people in the valley and they now have many birth defects and such. The main family consists of a father who is limbless, twin boys who are conjoined, a little girl with a thing on her head, and Milo who just looks funny and acts insane. There is also the mother, but she used to live in the hills, but now that she lives in the valley her hair has fallen out and she constantly smokes and drinks. Jean Smart does her voice and does it very well. The show follows the basic family sitcom formula and adds complete chaos to it. Rather funny and interesting, but at times I feel the show focused a bit to much on Milo and his weird friends with a lot of the family ignored to often in episodes. Still, another rather funny animated show canceled quickly.

Great adult cartoon

[donaldboykin-51250 · 8/10 · 23 October 2018]

Really wish this would have gotten picked up, it was ahead of its time.

surprisingly razor sharp, endearing comedy

[alastair_m · 1 April 2002]

I don't understand why more people don't like `The Oblongs.' It seems exactly like the kind of lowbrow humor that I can't stand and everybody else likes. But I find myself in somewhat of an infatuation with the show, while most people don't seem to like it or haven't even heard of it. I'm hoping it will catch on.

The show involves a poor family of mutants who live in The Valley area of Hill Valley. (All the rich folk live The Hills.) The father, Bob, has no arms or legs. The mother, Pickles, has no hair (she usually wears a wig) and is an alcoholic. The oldest brothers, Biff and Chip, are conjoined jock twins who are tough on the home front but losers elsewhere. The only daughter, Beth, is like a cross between something from a Tool video and the French children's book character Madeline. Their youngest son, Milo, suffers from numerous maladies associated with modern children but is endlessly chipper and the most focused-upon child. Milo is often seen with his Valley companions; Peggy, whose head is a hemisphere with beaver teeth at the bottom; Helga, whose appearance and demeanor are connoted by her name; Mikey, who has long saggy butt cheeks; and Creepy Suzie, who is, well, creepy but in a fun way.

After I had heard the description of the show I was sure I wouldn't like it. And if I read the description I just wrote, I probably wouldn't understand the show's appeal. But the show works, very well, and for two reasons.

The first is the dialogue crackles with sharp, bizarre wit. The show doesn't rely completely on gross out gags. Here is one exchange between Beth and her father that makes me laugh every time I hear it:

(The Oblongs home is very cold because the town has shut off their heat in an attempt to blackmail them)

Beth: I think I'm catching ammonia.

Bob: That's pneumonia, honey.

Beth: (Shaking her head) It's too cold for silent P's.

Every episode you get a few great lines like that that leave you howling and assure you the writers' interests aren't strictly to try and push the envelope.

The other main reason `The Oblongs' works so well is that even though they're mutants, the Oblongs function as a normal family unit and love each other. Pickles and Bob are deeply in love (she gave up life in The Hills to marry him) and have a healthy sexual relationship. They're concerned parents who want the best for their children even if they sometimes aren't sure how to go about it. The children feud in an amiable fashion and remind me a lot of my siblings and me when we were younger. The show has heart. This can also be seen with Milo and his misfit friends.

Is it offensive? Not really. Shocking? More than it is offensive at least. The shocks remain somewhat intact because the show is in the guise of a Saturday morning cartoon. The simple, rounded, fun character design, the bright colors, excellent vocal casting (especially Will Ferrell as Bob Oblong) and a general feeling of innocence upheld by Milo, his friends and most other characters in fact, counter what surprises the show holds with functional contrast. Most adult cartoons (North American ones anyway) seem to be convinced that being disgusting and derogatory is the only way a cartoon can appeal to an adult audience. `The Oblongs' tries this as well, but it isn't the shows sole purpose, so it somehow works; I believe, because it's truly what the creators want to do and not just some ploy. It's simply better than shows like `Kevin Spencer,' `Quads' and whatever the hell Tom Green is doing. Items such as these as plain boring while `The Oblongs' manage to strike some sort of balance between the total idiocies of the aforementioned and the humor and brilliance of something like `The Simpsons' (an obvious, at times too obvious, influence.)

There are only 13 episodes of `The Oblongs' and the WB has canceled production. Hopefully, someone else will see it for what is and pick it up. `Seinfeld' and `The Simpsons' took a while to find their audience, and `Third Rock from the Sun' never really did, and they're three of the best sitcoms of the 90's. `The Oblongs' may turn out to be one of the best sitcoms of this decade; we just need to give it a chance.

(I don't know if many people give star rating to television shows, but out of 4, "The Oblongs" rates a strong 3 1/2.)

A Diamond in the Rough

[phaylen · 10/10 · 25 May 2006]

The Oblongs is a brilliant tongue in cheek observation on modern day society. It most definitely pokes fun at the traditional suburban lifestyle- not to mention the conservative mentality that is the majority USA. The writing is unsurpassed. Both intelligent and witty, it is incredibly sad that this highly creative series failed to thrive in an environment that has exalted such dreck as Family Guy. The difference between the Oblongs and the McFarlane animations is the intention. The Oblongs could be viewed as social exiles who always get the last laugh; in effect, the underdogs of their culture. The Family Guy simply strives to insult the very culture represented by the Oblongs. The Family Guy, noted and lauded for being widely offensive and extremist with humor, took a direction that was unnecessary for Angus Oblong. The Oblongs were sharp, intuitive and funny without having to resort to gay jokes, black jokes, toilet humor, fat jokes. Ultimately, The Oblongs was the manifestation of pure talent and genuine insight.

I hope one day an enterprising company brings this back to the airwaves with the original cast.

Wake up USA viewing public...great show!

[oldsvolvo · 10/10 · 11 March 2022]

I looked for the creative minds of the cartoonists that brought us Bugs and Co.. I thought it was a cartoon to compare to... no other. If I were to limb out...maybe Ahh real monsters...

Most of us can relate

[danandchad · 10/10 · 30 May 2006]

This series is a combination of "Monte Pythons Flying Circus" meets "Family Circus". Although they're physically different, most of us can relate to the Oblongs and crew. Our rich and pretty run society make most of us feel little different. There's a little bit of Milo in all of us, and we all have our share of odd family members. I guess I feel we all put the "fun" in "disfunctional". Milo and his friends are the modern day "Little Rascals". It's sad to see these characters humor lost to cancellation. If you like the series, check out "Creepy Suzie" the book the show was based on. Mabey we'll all look back and see this as we did with Edward Gory 75 years after his work was published.

Disappointingly Mediocre

[MorganRand · 4/10 · 5 April 2009]

Given the people involved and the unusual, creepy Angus Oblong source material, this show had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it became just another watered-down, bland sit-com full of the same tired sitcom plots and devices we've seen since the 1950s. Uninspired and neutered, the show rapidly became boring.

Such a shame, and an almost total waste of Ferrell, Smart, and Adlon.

For some reason, the show's producers almost entirely abandoned the macabre theme of the source and turned it into a "wacky, lovable oddballs make their way in an unfair world" cliché party.

Angus Oblong's work is worth a look, but not in this show. Angus Oblong only has one producer credit and only has writing credits for one episode (the first one, probably) so all indications are that he sold out creative control.

It shows. This program was nothing special, which is why it's gone.

If you don't like the oblongs your mama dresses you funny

[rufnreddy5 · 10/10 · 13 May 2006]

How anyone could say the writing of the Oblongs is poor is beyond me; Perhaps it is yet another person who watches some of the racist bs like "The Boondocks" on CTNnet recently. The characters all have sizeable physical problems (obviously) but they hilariously go through life coping any way they can, even though they don't have much to match the rich people on the hill. The Oblong family is far from perfect by the standards of the Hill people, but when you get down to it their family turns out to be happier and better adjusted. "The Oblongs" is a great comedy for those of us who enjoy to laugh at the less than politically correct, without having to stoop to the point of racist jokes or the N word. My recommendation: Bring back this series! (I doubt it will happen, but it should)

Gross, disturbing, and creepy. This show deserved it's cancellation.

[CartoonKing2 · 3/10 · 24 September 2011]

"The Oblongs" is a short-lived animated sitcom that aired on The WB from 2001-2002. It aired reruns on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, and was announced to be revived there sometime soon.

"The Oblongs" is about a deformed family who live in a town that was affected by toxic waste. Bob Oblong is the happy, limbless father (voiced by the famous comedic actor Will Ferrel); Pickles is his wife who once lived in the hills, but now lives in the valley, and the polluted air affected her too (she lost her hair and now wears a wig). They also have four freakish children. Milo (voiced by Pamela Adlon - Bobby Hill from "King of the Hill") is their mentally challenged, twitchy-eyed middle child; Biff and Chip are the oldest kids (they are conjoined twins); and Beth is the youngest child (she has a giant growth on the top of her head).

A lot of great cartoon shows have been unfairly cut short over the years. "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "Duckman" both ended on cliff-hangers; "Earthworm Jim" and "The Critic" mysteriously disappeared after only 23 episodes each; and who knows why "The Tick" was canceled so fast. But "The Oblongs" actually deserved it's cancellation.

Now I'm not some kind of whiny, nit-picky, uptight, every-cartoon-has-to-be-clean-and-politically-correct type of guy who hates certain cartoon shows just for being adult-oriented. I'll have you know that I'm a big fan of "The Simpsons"; "Futurama"; "Beavis and Butt-Head"; "King of the Hill"; "Aqua Teen Hunger Force"; "The Venture Bros." etc., and I already mentioned "Duckman" and "The Critic" when I was talking about great cartoon shows that were canceled too soon. I didn't hate "The Oblongs" because it was vulgar and pushed the envelope, I hated it because it was stupid, unsettling, and poorly-written. All of the deformed characters are very grotesquely designed, and they really just weren't that funny.

If you want to see a good adult-oriented animated sitcom, then watch "The Simpsons", "King of the Hill", or "Futurama". If you want to see a good adult cartoon that pushes the envelope a little, then watch "South Park", "Beavis and Butt-Head", or even "Family Guy". "The Oblongs" is just bad. Not awful, but very bad.

Rating: 3/10 "Bad"

When this show comes on, I unplug the phones

[MJCulhane02 · 23 November 2002]

I really like cartoons that target adult audiences. They don't hold back as much as Primetime comedies. The Oblongs is a perfect example of an adult cartoon that is loaded with non-PC content, but is so richly hilarious, that even the most rigid of critics should have sympathy. Its about a family of defective misfits, all altered somehow by a swamp filled with chemical waste that is located in their backyard. What is so great about the Oblongs, aside from the wonderful voice acting of Jean Smart as the savvy, alcoholic mother, and Will Ferrel as the armless and legless, but tender and soft father, is the absurd concepts and rapid-fire humor that is consistent in every episode. I would recommend this show to any adult who is not insulted by tasteless(but fabulous) jokes, or to any kid that has enough self-control not to go jump in to a chemical waste dump. Great cartoon comedy. Watch it if you have the chance.

Ode to the Oblongs

[Howard-30039 · 9/10 · 11 August 2016]

Out of all the adult programs, there was one unique TV show that Didn't go to the extreme, yet is features comedy for adults, and that was the Oblongs. When others think this show, they think the Mutant Simpsons- guy's burgers, but i think of it as a unique family sitcom. You get Your sensitive 60's Dad that has medium intelligence, A Slacker/smoker Mom, Two Siamese twins which one of them is homosexual and this was before gay marriage,a hyperactive normal son, and a Calm tattletale daughter which has never been done before, since when did Lisa Simpson or Meg Griffin ever spilled the beans or Tried being normal. The animation has to be why i watch the show, it has that Billy and Mandy/Gerald McBoing Boing/Whats with Andy/Kaput and Zosky style that is rarely used by media nowadays, I honestly prefer thick lined animation over this Cal arts Style that has been Plaguing TV shows.The Plot is that The Hill Residents made some toxic waste that was sent into the valleys,leaving nothing but Toxic radiation to all the residents in the Valley. The Characters all stand out of the Simpsons and Family Guy characters, Milos Friends in general are nothing like your nerdy typical geeks, they are just average people, some people like them, and some of them don't, like the Hill residents. The Debbies represent the creativity of what you could do with the snobby blonde popular girl, you could make it a clique trend, this is real, its on musically,and Tumblr, besides its better than Bully with leather jacket or Pop singer with pasta hair. I like how the voice caster tries to find the best voices for them, they chosen lots of people to do Bob Oblongs voice and they chose Will Ferrell, which shows how intelligent the Voice caster is with trying to find voices, its better than just randomly selecting College students to voice characters in shows like in The Powerpuff girls reboot. If you see any airings of the show, i suggest you join the Oblongs in their misadventures, and if you can't then watch them online.

A very funny show, in very poor taste.

[TOMNEL · 8/10 · 15 October 2007]

When you create a comedy making light of handicapped people, you have to assume it won't last long. "The Oblongs" lasted one (arguably two) seasons, was on WB, then Cartoon Network, then just disappeared. And really I didn't expect it to be on a long time. The show is about a family of people living under a hill, near the chemical spill, and everybody in the family has problems. The dad, voiced by Will Ferrell, has no arms or legs. The two oldest sons are conjoined twins. The little girl in the family has a growth on her head. And there are other problems with many other characters. This show was actually funny, generally relying on slapstick humor, but there was also a lot of wit. It actually felt like a handicapped version of the Simpsons. I'd recommend you rent or buy the complete series.

My rating: *** out of ****. TV 14. 30 mins.

A Very Funny Poke at Our Society!

[petiteflowerr · 9/10 · 6 May 2006]

This is a great show- a little more shocking than The Simpsons, but just as many silly inside jokes. Definitely Adult humour.

If you can accept that the show pokes fun at every taboo they can think of, then you're set! It's silly, and if you're offended by off-colour, shock humour, then just don't watch it. Hopefully one day there will be more episodes made- maybe it can air on Showcase or release to DVD where censoring peoples can't mess with it! I don't think the show is trying to convey any specific messages. Rather, it just hilariously pokes fun to the utmost extreme at our Western society's extremes and faults within.

Jean Smart is Fabulous as Pickles! All of the characters voices are very well done and generally don't bring to mind the actor doing the voice. Though Will Ferrell's voice is pretty distinct he's able to blend with his character enough that you can enjoy the show and not be thinking about the actor and what other shows they've done! (Like most of the Cartoon animated movies out these days with big name starts in the leads) Milo and Bobby Hill are certainly similar voices but Pamela Segal Aldon twists it enough that it isn't too distracting.

Two Thumbs Up!

A terrible show with only a few redeeming qualities

[blbbg1 · 3/10 · 26 May 2015]

Why do some shows like these even have a fanbase? I mean really? The Oblongs is probably the worst show I've ever seen on Adult Swim (It even used to be on TBS years ago, because why the hell not). This show is awful. Now don't get me wrong, I like the concept but it was poorly executed and I mean POORLY. First of all, the bullies are never f*cking punished for beating up Milo, the bald headed kid and neither are the other rich people. I mean what the hell, Angus Oblong? You can do way better than that. The only positives I will give this show is the voice acting, which is modest and maybe the character Bob Oblong but that's pretty much it! No wonder this turd lasted only 13 episodes, it was horrible! Even other AS shows like Squidbillies are better than this dreck! I'd rather watch Mr. Pickles or Teen Titans Go! for God sakes!

The Sklar Brothers

[view_and_review · 8/10 · 22 December 2020]

The Sklar brothers made this show funny and watchable.

I can not Bevileve I found this Funny.

[tommypezmaster · 5/10 · 16 July 2009]

This show, I use to have high-hopes for it after watching one episode on Adult Swim. After that, the show just lost my viewing and I still remembered it's existence.

Plot: Sometimes Funny yet, Corny story lines that got worse as the series progressed.

Humor: The only (current airing) shows that I have been able to find about a male child that has humor that isn't completely unfunny or stupid or gross or stuff like that are Jimmy Two-Shoes & The Marvolus Mis-Adventures of Flap-Jack. Can someone PULEEZ attempt to make a halfway-decent show about a boy child having mis-adventures?

Voice Acting: Above average.

Dialogue: Below average.

Characters: The main character's Sister, Animal Patrol & The School Princial were just plain annoying, and I would have liked the show better if a meteor had come from the sky and 'gotten rid' of them. Most of the other characters were average or above average.

The best show in late night cartoon series!

[radtrl20 · 14 October 2002]

"The Oblongs" is a wonderfully done series about a screwed up deformed family. We're not laughing at them, but with them. The characters recognize that they are not perfect and make the most of it. Last nights episode saw Milo striving to fit in and be "cool". Every kid in America has gone through that. Why not make fun of it by using buckets with ham labels on them? This series makes my stomach hurt from laughing for thirty minutes straight! True, the jokes are crude, but that's what makes them funny! I recommend it to anyone who can put aside reality for half an hour and realize that life is hilarious and meant to be laughed at!

Little known animated show, still works on my rotation list

[sherylchilders82 · 8/10 · 15 December 2020]

There are only a handful of animated shows that stand the test of time. This one, even though only one season was made, is every bit as good as The Flintstones, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama, and Bob's Burgers. I guess it was a little less mainstream, and the animation is more basic for its time, like a kids show. But, the story and writing is very entertaining. Plus - Will Ferrell and Jean Smart? It's classic adult animation that any fan of the genre should watch.

Depraved...and is that so bad?!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 1 March 2009]

THE OBLONGS is a short-lived cartoon about a family that lives in the vacinity of a toxic waste dump. As a result, they and their friends are all genetic mutants--ranging from the limbless father, the drunken and bald mother and their freakish children. Their adventures are all rather sick and disturbing--making it a show that is like THE SIMPSONS as written by Hieronymous Bosch!

This is a cartoon that you'll probably either love or hate. Those who hate it complain that the show is depraved, as it makes fun of genetic freaks and horrible parenting. Those who love it think the show was wonderful exactly because it makes fun of genetic freaks and horrible parenting!! If you have a dark sense of humor and don't mind that others look at you in disbelief that you like this sort of show, then give it a try. Just understand that MOST people don't like this sort of sick humor and they only made 13 episodes. And, no matter how much you hope and pray, they won't be making any more.

It wasn't as bad for me the second time around, but it still wasn't too amusing

[Beta_Gallinger · 5/10 · 11 March 2008]

I was slightly under fifteen years old during this cartoon show's very brief run, and never even heard of it until a few years later. When it first came out, I wasn't familiar with too many shows out there at all, and the few I was familiar with would have been more well-known than this one. However, in recent years, being such a big cartoon fan, I decided to check out "The Oblongs..." not too long ago. After doing so, I thought it was horrible (or at least a lot of it was)! I have since tried it again, and this time, it wasn't as bad, but certainly not good enough for me to want to watch any episodes again.

The show takes place in a valley community. The residents of this community are deformed due to chemical waste coming from the hill, where rich snobs who tend to discriminate the valley people live. One of the families in the valley is the Oblongs. The parents are Bob (a man without any arms or legs who works in a poison factory, and has to do things with his mouth) and Pickles (a former hill resident who moved down to the valley when she fell in love with Bob, and has since lost all her hair, so she now wears a wig). They have several offspring, including Milo, a hyperactive boy with more than one disorder. Milo's friends are Helga Phugly (an overweight girl who loves to eat and claims she is very popular, though she's sadly living in denial), Peggy Weggy (a girl with no bottom jaw and one breast who cannot help but spit while she talks), Creepy Susie (an odd goth girl who seems to float instead of walk), and Mikey Butts (a boy with long, floppy buttocks). The oldest siblings in the Oblong family are conjoined twins named Biff and Chip who often get into fights with each other. The youngest in the family is Beth, who has a tumor growing out of the top of her head.

"The Oblongs" is an irreverent cartoon, and definitely could offend some people, due the fact that its a comedy show featuring so many characters with disabilities and/or deformities. However, if I were to bash the show solely for that, it would be hypocritical, seeing how many times "South Park" has made me laugh, and I can't think of anything more irreverent than that! Yes, I understand the concept of pushing the boundaries in comedy, even if it's shocking at times, but I still do NOT find "The Oblongs..." very funny. This show has made me smile occasionally, but VERY rarely did it ever make me laugh. I guess I used to be disgusted by gags like the alien taking Milo's brain out through his nose (I was still a little grossed out by that the second time), and rodents living in the folds of Helga's fat. I also think Helga as a character really got on my nerves the first time, but not as much the second. I can't remember everything that made the show horrible for me the first time, but I was basically indifferent to most of the gags the second time, though some parts do stand out as lame, such as the quote, "You're not certified to drink your own urine!"

The length of a show's run doesn't necessarily determine its quality, and some good shows have definitely been cut too short. Personally, I don't think this show is one of them, though some clearly do, and I respect those people. The show seems to have gotten more of a following since its cancellation. Obviously, the short-lived series isn't for those who are easily offended and can't stand political incorrectness. I'm not one of those people, and I had seen controversial, irreverent cartoons before by the time I first saw "The Oblongs", and yet, I've still never quite been able to get this show. So, if you like cartoons aimed at adults/adolescents that tend to push the boundaries, you might like this one, or you might not. Even if you seem to have the right tastes for the show, you might still be disgusted, like I once was! Being indifferent to it is probably rare.

A Political MSG wrapped up in semi decent comedy

[eddymachin-80427 · 1/10 · 5 April 2022]

I watched up until they dressed up the Younger male son in makeup and womens clothing like something out of a public drag in Seattle (which don't get me wrong , I like CD but these people are clearly pushing an agenda)

ted kaczynski once wrote there is a natural evolution to the leftist psychology , as it evolves so does its inherent forms (I'm more or less on the fence with his beliefs I believe him and Micheal Chrichton where very similar in there views towards the natural world and genetic engineering a subject very hastily ignored in science for the obvious affectionate cash grab for the corporate elites and no valid considerations for ethical concerns)

Stuff like this is a mere ethical or even more transcending socio-political development in how some areas of the leftist ideologues press for there inverted ideals into the minds of youth and you'd might argue (well certainly this isn't for children !!) well have a long look , how many children have known in your family who watch south park or play M Rated games like call of duty , at some point it is intent appeal to them and there trying to have them listen some lambasted conversative lampoon on there TV set to a comedic invitation to more political rhetoric

This also goes back too ted who'd also spoke of how these same people asserting in there own creepy inviteful manor of endorsement towards minorities is well acknowledge behind closed doors to full hearted contempt as they are just invariable tools of those above there status , this stuff has no interest for homosexuals or transgenders...

Yukio Mishima a proud man of Japanese descent who was gay , (who I'd also for a brief second to show not only how tone deaf the LGBT community for noting his name down in Castro even though he was hardcore ultranationalist and stands for nothing they represent) had a painting that was owned by David Bowie another symbol of gay pride , so I'd like to ask when do we associate david bowie as a reactionary for having a painting of a pro Imperial Japan homosexual Japanese Nationalist...

the scheme of this is , there is no right answer...

there is only how "they" choose to make the rules

and this is just natural evolution of that.

Very funny cartoon ;-)

[OOlada77 · 2 December 2002]

The oblongs, where do i start? If you have seen the show, you know the basic storyline is about a deformed family living in a toxic filled landscape. Now I am a current watcher of cartoon networks "adult swim" and have found myself looking forward to sundays again because of this programming. 2 weeks ago I saw this show for the first time and I laughed so hard I thought i was seriously going to wet myself. This has all the great makings of a cartoon, rude, funny and the characters are drawn so weird that you cant help to laugh even when they are'nt talking. I was acutally surprised to find out that before this show aired on Cartoon network that it had been on WB and was canceled, I am truly in shock, this could have been the next family guy or simpsons. You know, now that i mention it, this cartoon is very simuliar to an older cartoon called "Duckman". In any case, just alittle interesting note, 13 episodes of this were ever made and from what i understand, only 8 made it to WB, I guess CN is going to show all of them, but currently have no new plans to make anymore (let's pray thus not true), So if you have'nt seen this show and want some good funny stuff, sit down and watch the show. I also suggest you record them on your VCR so you can watch them over and over agian. Give it a fair shake and see what you think. I give it a 9 on the funny scale.

Very funny and cynical

[hfhfdfse · 5/10 · 16 July 2008]

Phenomenal success of The Simpsons triggered a wave of animated series centered around a middle class family in distress, pillorying the middle class values. The Oblongs is one of them. As far as the form and the content concerned the show is modeled on The Simpsons (they all are after all): there is a premise story not directly linked to the main plot line, the show combines satire with consideration of important issues (environment, widening gap between the rich and the poor, corruption, etc.), sometimes a famous movies is spoofed and each episode ends with a sort of a "thought of a day" message, like "to be generous is better than to be mean". But it is all done in a rather unobtrusive way, alter all it is entertainment. What makes The Oblongs different is its anger. Yes, the show is very angry, bitter and even aggressive. Actually compared to this show The Simpsons look like The Mickey Mouse Club. The Oblongs is filled with amazing characters: mother who is bald and has to use a wig, father who lost both hands and legs and can move around by long kangaroo-like jumps, three sons two of whom are conjoint twins and a TV obsessed daughter. Oh, why are they so ugly? Personally I think it is a sort of a metaphor. They stand to represent/symbolize the ugliness and distortions our world is full of. And there is a herd of kids next door (they are devastatingly ugly and I dare not give their description). All in all The Oblongs is a very good show. It is funny, cynical and the characters are lovable. Yes, their true beauty lies within and has nothing to do their looks. And this is what the show is about after all: no matter how terribly wrong the things are going, no matter how dirty and distorted our world seems to be, there is always some hope. Sad to say the show did not run very long. It was canceled after 30 episodes but anyway The Oblongs rule!

Bring back the Oblongs!

[Vermin_Empire · 8 April 2004]

The Oblongs takes a little while to get used to, but once you do, you can see past the "horror and cruelty" and "tastelessness" and appreciate it for the humor. The Oblongs pushed the Simpsons envelope in much the same way the Family Guy did, and should not have been cancelled. Critics of the show call it "awful", "gross" and "disgusting", although by the time the show hit the airwaves the network censors had watered it down from Angus Oblong's original concept. I wonder what their reaction would have been had there been no censorship.

What bothers me most about the cancellation of shows like this is that moronic pablum such as King of the Hill is everlasting while the Oblongs, Futurama, The Critic and the Family Guy get cancelled (although the Family Guy has re-emerged on cable with new episodes.)

To those critics who slam the show: if you don't like it, don't watch it. Don't get it thrown off the air by complaining about it. To those who love the show: you can still catch episodes on Adult Swim on Cartoon Network at 12:30AM & 3:30AM Mondays, and according to Angus Oblong's website, in Canada on "TeleToon". There are only 13 episodes in existence (and only 6 were ever broadcast on network television). There should be more. Shame on the critics! And shame on the Nielsen viewers!