Writers Get Animated

The Final Episode! Animation that Inspires Us to Create

Episode 200! In our final episode we discuss what we've learned from watching all these cartoons and what makes art "inspiring." How does art make us feel the need to create? How have the animated shows and movies we've experienced over the past six years (and beyond) helped our art? 
Thank you so much for being with us on this journey! 

The Best New Animated Shows of 2021!

Every year, we binge all of the new shows of the year to bring you some recommendations in the hopes that you will find some new favorites! The list keeps getting longer and longer as more and more animated shows hit the airwaves. What a wonderful time to be a fan of animation!
Chris and Mackenzie’s Recommendations
Young Ages:
City of Ghosts (Netflix)
Ada Twist, Scientist (Netflix)
Ridley Jones (Netflix)
Spidey and His Amazing Friends (Disney)
Alma’s Way (PBS Kids)
Oggy Oggy (Netflix)
All Ages:
Kid Cosmic (Netflix)
Wolfboy and the Everything Factory (Apple TV+)
The Snoopy Show (Apple TV+)
Kamp Coral (Paramount+)
Elliott from Earth (CN)
Rugrats (2021) (Paramount+, Nickelodeon)
The Bad Batch (Disney+)
Monsters at Work (Disney+)
Dug Days (Disney+)
Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life (Disney+)
Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs (HBO Max)
Jellystone (HBO Max)
Centaurworld (Netflix)
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Character Study: Chip ‘n‘ Dale

Those rambunctious chipmunks Chip and Dale are back in a new show, so we're seeing how they have evolved over the years! What makes duos so satisfying? Why are Chip and Dale always fighting? Are we Chip or Dale?
Links
Watch Food for Feudin' on Disney Plus
Watch Chip 'n Dale's Rescue Rangers on Disney Plus
Watch Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life on Disney Plus
Remembering ‘Rescue Rangers’
Frank Angones on Twitter Explains the Rescue Rangers' Cameo on DuckTales (2017)
Here's How Disney's 'DuckTales' Just Gave 'Rescue Rangers' a New Origin Story 

The Emmy Episode (2021)!

It's the Emmy's again, and we're watching (streaming) all the nominees to see what stories are being told! Spoilers, there's a lot of coronavirus in these shows. From South Park to Simpsons to Robot Chicken to Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal, this year has some striking entries!
Links
Watch South Park on HBO Max
Watch Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal on HBO Max
Watch Bob's Burgers on Fox
Watch Big Mouth on Netflix
Watch The Simpsons on Fox
Watch Love, Death & Robots on Netflix
Watch Once Upon a Snowman on Disney Plus
Watch Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens from its Nap" on Disney Plus
Watch Robot Chicken on HBO Max
 

Vivo!

First there was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, then The Mitchells Vs. The Machines, now Sony brings Vivo! What can we learn from this musical, buddy comedy, finding a new family adventure movie? How do the music and visuals interact to create something meaningful?
Links
Watch Vivo on Netflix
Lin-Manuel Miranda's Music from Vivo Deep Dive on Twitter

He-Man v. He-Man

We have the power (to discuss the character development and world-building He-Man)! In this week's episode, we look at where He-Man and the Masters of the Universe started and then look at what has changed in Masters of the Universe: Revelation! How do you reboot a show without rebooting a show? How can you give depth to a world that was built to sell toys?
Previously on Writers Get Animated
004 - A Very Special Christmas Special Christmas Special
Links
Watch The Cosmic Comet on YouTube
Watch the Diamond Ray of Disappearance on YouTube
Watch Masters of the Universe: Revelation on Netflix
Watch The Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe on Netflix
Kevin Smith unpacks Masters of the Universe: Revelation's world-shattering premiere

Space Jam: A New Legacy

Chris and Mackenzie jump into Space Jam: A New Legacy to see how the game is different this time! How do you get a famous NBA player and the Looney Tunes characters to the basketball game and make the game matter? How is the story constructed? What did we learn from this Looney sequel?
Links
Watch Space Jam: A New Legacy
Behind the Scenes of Space Jam: A New Legacy
Why Hollywood Can’t Stop Transforming Workaholic Dads Into Cats, Dogs, and Snowmen

We the People

All rise for a rocking, moving civics lesson from Chris Nee, Barack and Michelle Obama, and a whole host of artists and musicians: “We the People” on Netflix! How do narrative and image and music collide to teach lessons? What are the different ways to inspire an audience toward action?
Links
Watch “We the People” on Netflix
'We The People' Creator On Making A Kids' Show About American Democracy
‘We the People’ Updates the Sound of Schoolhouse Rock With Rap and R&B
She Never Saw Herself in Children’s TV Shows. So She Created Her Own

Pixar's Luca

Travel with us to Italy for Pixar's latest story: Luca! How does the story of Luca fit with our expectations for Pixar movies? How is Luca different? How can a story's intentions change through the collaboration process?
Links
Watch Luca on Disney Plus
Luca: How Studio Ghibli Inspired the Pixar Movie
How Pixar created Luca’s adorable, transforming sea monsters

City of Ghosts

We're investigating the gorgeously crafted show "City of Ghosts" on Netflix! How do the stories of real neighborhoods and real people get enhanced with art and story? How can a show about ghosts be so inviting and earnest in its approach? How can you make a show that is for everyone?
Links
Watch City of Ghosts on Netflix!
Watch the short Welcome to My Life
Read on Wired: Netflix’s City of Ghosts Maps a Better Way to See LA—and Everywhere Else
Interview from NPR: City of Ghosts creator Elizabeth Ito 
Read on Vulture: How City of Ghosts Crafted an Inclusive Ode to Los Angeles’s Overlooked Past