While Clarence Is More Simple Then Your Average Cartoon It Definitely Gets Much Better The More You Watch
84 Reviews
Not as good as Regular Show or Adventure time but still worth it
jackjack-2995130 June 2020
Clarence was a great show filled with interesting characters and a shallow but fun plot. Most episodes were generally great with an occasional really good or bad one. The jokes were hit or miss but I get a lot more nostalgia from this show than others. This isn't as good as some original CN shows, but it is still a great watch.
Surprisingly good!
jediforce104 June 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Admittedly, when I first saw promos for Clarence, I was really turned off by it. The show looked really weird and honestly, it seemed to remind me, for some reason, of The Problem Solverz. I got curious one day about it though and decided to watch an episode on YouTube, and let me say this. You know the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover"? Well this show proves that old saying again.
In Clarence, it centers around a boy of the same name, with his friends Sumo and Jeff. Usually, either Clarence or he and his friends get into some kind of adventure, with hijinks ensuring. Alright, the show's premise isn't the most original, but most shows can reuse an old premise and make it good. It's something the show does do a good job on.
You know how shows like Uncle Grandpa and Breadwinners don't follow any kind of plot line? Well this show actually does follow a plot. They aren't anything groundbreaking, but the stories themselves are pretty good. The one where Clarence goes to the grocery store, I have to admit I felt like I was watching that Rugrats episode where Tommy went to the store and caused destruction, which is something that also happened in this episode. It's a very nice callback. The other stories can range from Clarence making his own money, to him and Sumo having fun in a playpen. The show does try to be creative, which is something I really welcome since most shows these days seem to lack that.
=The character, surprisingly, are really good. I have no real issues with these characters at all. Clarence is a very good protagonist. He isn't stupid like Fanboy an Chum Chum, or Sanjay and Craig. Nor is he annoying like Uncle Grandpa or the "heroes" from Breadwinners. He's a good kid who's helpful and wants to just have fun. I really like this kid because of how kind he is and even though his methods are out there, his intentions are harmless.
His friends, Sumo and Jeff are pretty good too. Sumo's a nice kid too, but he's often the one causing trouble and chaos to others. To his favor, at least Sumo isn't like a Patrick Star ripoff, like how most shows these days seem to have the best friend be like him. Jeff, he's kind of like Squidward in a way, but they keep him unique too. He's pretty uptight, but at the end, he learns something about having fun. The mom reminds me of the one from Phineus and Ferb because of how oblivious she is to what her kid is doing. Again, nice to see there's some inspiration from other shows.
The jokes are another good thing. There are no fart jokes, or extreme randomness for the sake of randomness. It has some good jokes and antics like how Jeff goes nuts over his fries being stolen and those light up shoes Clarence was wearing. There are some laughs to be found in each episode and, the best part, no crude humor at all. Something that's a welcome breath of fresh air.
Where the show falters though is in two categories.
One, the voice acting is pretty bad. Clarence and Jeff sound pretty good, but everyone else? Not so much. Clarence's mom sounds like she's got something in her throat and very nasally. Sumo, has got to have the worst though. It sounds like he smoked a bunch of cigarettes from the moment he was born and this is the end result. It's not God awful like The Mighty B!'s acting, but it could've been a bit better.
The other problem goes to the artwork. The set designs are good, the coloring is very nice, and the locations are creative, but the character designs are just lackluster. Jeff has a cube head for some reason. Clarence and his mom have some pretty weird designs that make them look like circle with limbs sticking out. Sumo looks very skinny and his head looks odd. It's not a big turn off, but it looks a bit weird. I don't know what they were going for here. However, the animation makes up for it. The characters move smoothly without a choppy feeling and it looks good.
Clarence, overall, is a simplistic cartoon about kids doing stuff kids would do. It's simplistic premise and good characters make it a fun show to watch. It doesn't try to be over the top or extremely epic, but that's part of its charm. It's a funny and innocent cartoon about what kids do. It was a bit of a risk, but I think it payed off and I think this show has plenty of potential. And you know what? With Stuart "The Devil" Snyder gone from CN since he resigned and this show came out a little after he left, maybe CN can finally put the dark legacy of Snyder behind for good and we could see more good shows like Clarence in the future.
In Clarence, it centers around a boy of the same name, with his friends Sumo and Jeff. Usually, either Clarence or he and his friends get into some kind of adventure, with hijinks ensuring. Alright, the show's premise isn't the most original, but most shows can reuse an old premise and make it good. It's something the show does do a good job on.
You know how shows like Uncle Grandpa and Breadwinners don't follow any kind of plot line? Well this show actually does follow a plot. They aren't anything groundbreaking, but the stories themselves are pretty good. The one where Clarence goes to the grocery store, I have to admit I felt like I was watching that Rugrats episode where Tommy went to the store and caused destruction, which is something that also happened in this episode. It's a very nice callback. The other stories can range from Clarence making his own money, to him and Sumo having fun in a playpen. The show does try to be creative, which is something I really welcome since most shows these days seem to lack that.
=The character, surprisingly, are really good. I have no real issues with these characters at all. Clarence is a very good protagonist. He isn't stupid like Fanboy an Chum Chum, or Sanjay and Craig. Nor is he annoying like Uncle Grandpa or the "heroes" from Breadwinners. He's a good kid who's helpful and wants to just have fun. I really like this kid because of how kind he is and even though his methods are out there, his intentions are harmless.
His friends, Sumo and Jeff are pretty good too. Sumo's a nice kid too, but he's often the one causing trouble and chaos to others. To his favor, at least Sumo isn't like a Patrick Star ripoff, like how most shows these days seem to have the best friend be like him. Jeff, he's kind of like Squidward in a way, but they keep him unique too. He's pretty uptight, but at the end, he learns something about having fun. The mom reminds me of the one from Phineus and Ferb because of how oblivious she is to what her kid is doing. Again, nice to see there's some inspiration from other shows.
The jokes are another good thing. There are no fart jokes, or extreme randomness for the sake of randomness. It has some good jokes and antics like how Jeff goes nuts over his fries being stolen and those light up shoes Clarence was wearing. There are some laughs to be found in each episode and, the best part, no crude humor at all. Something that's a welcome breath of fresh air.
Where the show falters though is in two categories.
One, the voice acting is pretty bad. Clarence and Jeff sound pretty good, but everyone else? Not so much. Clarence's mom sounds like she's got something in her throat and very nasally. Sumo, has got to have the worst though. It sounds like he smoked a bunch of cigarettes from the moment he was born and this is the end result. It's not God awful like The Mighty B!'s acting, but it could've been a bit better.
The other problem goes to the artwork. The set designs are good, the coloring is very nice, and the locations are creative, but the character designs are just lackluster. Jeff has a cube head for some reason. Clarence and his mom have some pretty weird designs that make them look like circle with limbs sticking out. Sumo looks very skinny and his head looks odd. It's not a big turn off, but it looks a bit weird. I don't know what they were going for here. However, the animation makes up for it. The characters move smoothly without a choppy feeling and it looks good.
Clarence, overall, is a simplistic cartoon about kids doing stuff kids would do. It's simplistic premise and good characters make it a fun show to watch. It doesn't try to be over the top or extremely epic, but that's part of its charm. It's a funny and innocent cartoon about what kids do. It was a bit of a risk, but I think it payed off and I think this show has plenty of potential. And you know what? With Stuart "The Devil" Snyder gone from CN since he resigned and this show came out a little after he left, maybe CN can finally put the dark legacy of Snyder behind for good and we could see more good shows like Clarence in the future.
Chaotic good
conorsheehan-8911326 August 2020
what? 63 metascore?
ideactivemcpe11 January 2019
This is a great show!
randomemail-10-15175425 May 2014
I am really impressed with this show!The characters are realistic,just like a real kid would act!I'm looking forward to more episodes! I'l finish my minimum 10 lines with afterglow AFDC Delhi fact miffed vexed Trev Herb farted Goff Taffy regards Fred's Raviv Palm Jun beget critic Essex unify wort yep acidify hajji's xcvi gnomic typo paused hajji's gazebo nm fact miffed vexed Trev Herb farted Goff Taffy regards Fred's Raviv PalmAFDC Delhi fact miffed vexed Trev Herb farted Goff Taffy regards Fred's Raviv Palm Jun beget critic Essex unify wort yep acidify hajji's xcvi gnomic typo paused hajji's gazebo nm fact miffed vexed Trev Herb farted Goff Taffy regards Fred's Raviv Palm
Not funny in any way
comickid-356077 March 2015
The main character does a bunch of things he thinks is helpful, but everything he does just makes you feel sorry for all those who have to be involved in his life. I've seen two episodes of this show, and both times I was stuck on three things: 1) "Wow this kid is stupid and annoying," 2) "I actually feel sorry for the people he's "helping" (this came from the one where I assume the "bully" got hurt and hospitalized (haha, hospitalizing pain, so funny) and this kid wouldn't take the hint and go away. This lead to his bed getting folded on him, nearly falling out a window, not being able to eat, having vital equipment shoved out of the room to "make room for the party" and when the bully kid said what he tried to do, Clarence then PUSHED HIM DOWN SOME STAIRS to prank him back, although he was attempting to get him outside to a water fountain to...I dunno, get him wet? And what did this bully do that was so evil it deserved the torment he got? Tried to change Clarence's TV channel so he'd miss the end of a show. That's a good reason to torment the bully, right?) and finally 3) "Who thought this was a good idea? Fire the CN creative team and start over, they suck right now." Oh, and don't even get me started on the excess gross-out humor they do. In that same episode, he had this over-sized sandwich he dragged around, which got its contents all over the place, and a bunch of obviously sick people were in the hospital to torment the germaphobe kid.
First Uncle Grandpa, now this. Is "Possibly mentally challenged main character" the new thing now? If so, I'm done watching this channel, as this concept isn't funny here, it wasn't funny in UG, and the next 5 shows they make to attempt wont be good either.
First Uncle Grandpa, now this. Is "Possibly mentally challenged main character" the new thing now? If so, I'm done watching this channel, as this concept isn't funny here, it wasn't funny in UG, and the next 5 shows they make to attempt wont be good either.
Just kids enjoying themselves.
callmekite24 April 2014
Clarence is a delightfully charming show about kids being kids, that illustrates the silliness that we all experienced, pretending, making the best of a bad situation, and reminding the audience that at such a young age, we didn't understand what made the world work, it just did. Skyler Page created a masterful series by using the three main kids you would see when you were young, giving nostalgia to those who miss playing outside and not having fear of the world around them. It may seem like it's meant to numb your brain, but instead it gives true humor and accurate representations of childhood. I watched it with an open mind and loved it, feeling revitalized to enjoy the day instead of staying inside on a computer.
This should have better reviews
bbwu-074004 April 2020
Terrible, terrible show.
thundercloud34723 July 2014
Geez, you people have no taste. This show makes me lose brain cells, just like Uncle Grandpa and those "funny" random adult swim shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Superjail. This show tries to be quirky and cute but fails horribly. Clarence not only speaks like an idiot, he acts like one too. The only character I actually like is Jeff, and I'm pondering how a nice, sweet kid like him is hanging out with a total weirdo. He's like the only character in this show who isn't some braindead idiot.
Hey, Steven Universe is quirky too, but at least it does it where IT'S NOT ANNOYING and where it's actually pretty cute. I actually like that show. Great characters, character development, and adventure.
I also like Adventure Time, sure it seems like a weird drug trip sometimes, but yeah, it's an OK show. I like the deep episodes like Simon and Marcy.
This show is just about the retarded drug trip adventures of some annoying kiddie pests.
Hey, Steven Universe is quirky too, but at least it does it where IT'S NOT ANNOYING and where it's actually pretty cute. I actually like that show. Great characters, character development, and adventure.
I also like Adventure Time, sure it seems like a weird drug trip sometimes, but yeah, it's an OK show. I like the deep episodes like Simon and Marcy.
This show is just about the retarded drug trip adventures of some annoying kiddie pests.
Such a charming show about a creative and fun loving kid.
BustedBlock21 November 2020
Clarence is such a fun to watch cartoon that has great animation and lively characters that constantly keep you entertained. The episode plots are usually pretty simple but this show executes those plots in the most creative ways possible. Most of the characters are pretty great and Clarence himself is such a lovable character that just wants to have fun and help out the people around him. I definitely recommend this cartoon, as watching it will take you back to your childhood days
Good show, for a good reason.
Ninlego12 April 2014
I have an eerie feeling that I know these characters. Clarence kind of reminds me of myself when I was little, fat and optimistic about everything. Jeff is the neat freak that has to do everything in a specific way, and has certain pet peeves that grind his gears. He reminds me of the neat freaks that I have met during my childhood. Every single quip that he haves remind me of them. Sumo is hyperactive albeit supportive friend of Clarence, who likes the activities that Clarence conjures up or participates in. Basically the series is a Slice of Life comedy, much like Hey Arnold was. It's very character driven, but the creator, Skyler Page says that he might diverge from that type of storytelling every once in a while. I can tell that I am going to enjoy this series a lot, like I do with Adventure Time and Regular Show, and I am glad that Cartoon Network picked up this show, although I am a bit sore that they didn't pick up Lakewood Plaza Turbo. Oh well, I should let bygones be bygones.
Its NOT Worth It...
azrex27 August 2014
OK This show Starts of with 3 Annoying Pests That Goes On Weird Adventures To the Arcade, school, and Every where. Heres Why this show is dumb. Clarence: A Annoying Idiot That Says Its worth it, He Never Gets sanitizer if his Hands Get dirty, He never wipes his mouth, He eats Left Over pizza and drinks From a little girl's Birthday, And acts like a complete Moron! Jeff: A brainacOf course, Always smart, could pass Collage. Sumo: Same as Clarence, Lives in a pigpen, Dirty, Why is he bald?, Very gross Sumo and Clarence. So Before I end this review, WHY CANT THESE 2 KIDS CANT BE SICK?? So stay out of this Show, Do not watch it, Its Dumb!
37 Year Old STILL streaming reruns
latoyatbouldin6 August 2021
My kids and I LOVE Clarence. I think this show is hilarious and there are so many Easter eggs with in the episodes. I'm still finding things after all these years of streaming reruns. I hate that the show was canceled I wished another network would have picked it up. Clarence is the most adorable kid ever. He looks out for everyone. Sumo is my favorite! If this cartoon was around when I was a kid.. it would still be running.
It's Worth It!
andrew59951 May 2014
When I first saw the commercials for "Clarence", I rolled my eyes. It looked to be your average mindless kiddie gross-out fare with no effort put into it whatsoever. However, once I gave it a shot, I was immediately hooked.
Clarence is a show about the everyday adventures that an optimistic young boy and his two best friends go through together. There's Jeff, a square-headed boy obsessed with neatness and Sumo, a messy, rowdy, and hyperactive kid with good intentions. It's very nice to see how Jeff and Sumo's conflicting personalities don't get in the way of their friendship, thanks to Clarence himself. All of the characters in the show feel human and relatable, to the extent where you'll swear you've met some of them before.
The attention to detail present is astounding, with plot lines following the little things you remember as a kid, like getting lost in the grocery store, hiding in clothes racks, and going to arcades. These locations themselves are so accurate to real life and my memories that it instilled a sense of deja vu in me. Places Food Lion, Adventure Island, and McDonalds have been recreated with perfect accuracy. I remember standing in the exact same places Clarence and friends did, and they look exactly like I remember them! This show will make anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s giddy with nostalgia. On top of accurately recreating places I remember, the artwork is just gorgeous. Places as plain and ordinary as the outside of a trailer look amazing in their vibrant and colorful realization. The show also has a heart to it as well, and pulls off some genuinely emotional moments (which I won't spoil here).
Overall, Clarence is a brilliant, down-to-earth, and refreshing new show for Cartoon Network. Please don't judge it by its advertising, and give it a go. It's worth it!
Clarence is a show about the everyday adventures that an optimistic young boy and his two best friends go through together. There's Jeff, a square-headed boy obsessed with neatness and Sumo, a messy, rowdy, and hyperactive kid with good intentions. It's very nice to see how Jeff and Sumo's conflicting personalities don't get in the way of their friendship, thanks to Clarence himself. All of the characters in the show feel human and relatable, to the extent where you'll swear you've met some of them before.
The attention to detail present is astounding, with plot lines following the little things you remember as a kid, like getting lost in the grocery store, hiding in clothes racks, and going to arcades. These locations themselves are so accurate to real life and my memories that it instilled a sense of deja vu in me. Places Food Lion, Adventure Island, and McDonalds have been recreated with perfect accuracy. I remember standing in the exact same places Clarence and friends did, and they look exactly like I remember them! This show will make anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s giddy with nostalgia. On top of accurately recreating places I remember, the artwork is just gorgeous. Places as plain and ordinary as the outside of a trailer look amazing in their vibrant and colorful realization. The show also has a heart to it as well, and pulls off some genuinely emotional moments (which I won't spoil here).
Overall, Clarence is a brilliant, down-to-earth, and refreshing new show for Cartoon Network. Please don't judge it by its advertising, and give it a go. It's worth it!
Saintbeacon Clarence Review
saintbeacon17 September 2014
Clarence is a cartoon that succeeds with an element that many other fail at employing: Childhood Satire.
Not only does this show recapture the feeling of being a child in middle-class America or Canada extremely well, but it has additional benefits. Whereas most shows would make fun of children for their stereotypes and specific "modern" habits, this show gets more into the psychology of it. The humor is a mixture of the laidback style seen in shows like "Adventure Time" with the more delivery-driven gags seen in shows like "Gravity Falls" or "Early Spongebob", and I love it dearly. It's more proof that Cartoon Network is developing its own unique personality and growing as a channel.
Visuals: The animation style in Clarence is pretty simple. The characters come in all shapes and sizes, but they have the more reserved style of motion that characterizes most modern Cartoon Network shows. It's actually pretty similar to the animation in Steven Universe, just without all of the pretty, detailed backgrounds. The characters all have unique designs that capture their personalities very well.
Characters: By far the best the about the show. These characters are all either relatable to childhood, or relatable to people you KNEW during childhood. They can be annoying and immature, but there's more to them than just non-stop hyper wackiness. They have enough character that, when they act up, it honestly just feels like a child being a child. They each have a clearly defined personality. They basically act like real kids, but with a more screwball-ish style of comedy sprinkled in. Sumo and Clarence have great comedic delivery, but my favorite character is Jeff. He's probably one of the most identifiable and likable child characters I have ever seen. They aren't as deep or interesting as the child characters in say, "Peanuts", but they're a lot better than what most cartoons would give you.
Storytelling: The stories in some episodes are really satisfying. This is a slice-of-life show that mostly just humorizes the day-to- day live of these characters, and the situations they get into are mostly ones that we can all feel for. I don't care for some of the episodes where the writers mess up and get a bit too annoying, but some like "Clarence gets a Girlfriend" are really funny and enjoyable.
Audio: This show has a really nice theme song. Most of the in- episode music doesn't really stand out, though. The voice performances are very memorable. Clarence and Sumo have cartoony voices, but Jeff and some of the others sound more like real children. They get big laughs when they want to. There's something hilarious about the way Sumo chimes in and says things in his weird, alien-like voice. Definitely the funniest performance I've heard out of Tom Kenny in a while.
All in all, this is another welcome addition to the cartoon network lineup. Recommended for fans of "Ed Edd N Eddy", "Early Spongebob", "Steven Universe", "Rugrats", "Peanuts", and people who generally like kids. You can tell that this show wasn't made to mock children and pander to them. It was made by adults who know what childhood is like. That being said, if you don't like kids, or don't like to remember your own childhood, you probably won't like this show and will find it irritating. That is all I have to say on the subject.
Not only does this show recapture the feeling of being a child in middle-class America or Canada extremely well, but it has additional benefits. Whereas most shows would make fun of children for their stereotypes and specific "modern" habits, this show gets more into the psychology of it. The humor is a mixture of the laidback style seen in shows like "Adventure Time" with the more delivery-driven gags seen in shows like "Gravity Falls" or "Early Spongebob", and I love it dearly. It's more proof that Cartoon Network is developing its own unique personality and growing as a channel.
Visuals: The animation style in Clarence is pretty simple. The characters come in all shapes and sizes, but they have the more reserved style of motion that characterizes most modern Cartoon Network shows. It's actually pretty similar to the animation in Steven Universe, just without all of the pretty, detailed backgrounds. The characters all have unique designs that capture their personalities very well.
Characters: By far the best the about the show. These characters are all either relatable to childhood, or relatable to people you KNEW during childhood. They can be annoying and immature, but there's more to them than just non-stop hyper wackiness. They have enough character that, when they act up, it honestly just feels like a child being a child. They each have a clearly defined personality. They basically act like real kids, but with a more screwball-ish style of comedy sprinkled in. Sumo and Clarence have great comedic delivery, but my favorite character is Jeff. He's probably one of the most identifiable and likable child characters I have ever seen. They aren't as deep or interesting as the child characters in say, "Peanuts", but they're a lot better than what most cartoons would give you.
Storytelling: The stories in some episodes are really satisfying. This is a slice-of-life show that mostly just humorizes the day-to- day live of these characters, and the situations they get into are mostly ones that we can all feel for. I don't care for some of the episodes where the writers mess up and get a bit too annoying, but some like "Clarence gets a Girlfriend" are really funny and enjoyable.
Audio: This show has a really nice theme song. Most of the in- episode music doesn't really stand out, though. The voice performances are very memorable. Clarence and Sumo have cartoony voices, but Jeff and some of the others sound more like real children. They get big laughs when they want to. There's something hilarious about the way Sumo chimes in and says things in his weird, alien-like voice. Definitely the funniest performance I've heard out of Tom Kenny in a while.
All in all, this is another welcome addition to the cartoon network lineup. Recommended for fans of "Ed Edd N Eddy", "Early Spongebob", "Steven Universe", "Rugrats", "Peanuts", and people who generally like kids. You can tell that this show wasn't made to mock children and pander to them. It was made by adults who know what childhood is like. That being said, if you don't like kids, or don't like to remember your own childhood, you probably won't like this show and will find it irritating. That is all I have to say on the subject.
Mediocre, but MILES above Uncle Grandpa, Teen Titans Go, and Breadwinners.
toondude-rozier84426 March 2015
I honestly don't know how to feel about this show. I mean, it's not crap like Breadwinners, Uncle Grandpa, or Teen Titans Go, but it's definitely not up to par with Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe, or Gumball. I do like the whole idea of the show though, it reminds me of the times before kids got obsessed with computers and phones. I also like the voice acting (with the exception of Clarence's voice). Sumo's voice in particular is especially appealing. However, there's my biggest problem with the show: Clarence acts WAY TOO MUCH like pre-movie SpongeBob. This is a problem I have with a lot of shows, such as Wander Over Yonder and Camp Lazlo. These optimistic happy go lucky idiot characters are way too omnipresent these days. I feel like they're going by the logic "SpongeBob is successful, so if we makes characters who act just like him, we can be successful too." Clarence needs to have a much more original personality. And another problem I have with this show is the character designs. They're very bland and unattractive. Jeff's design is probably the worst in the bland category, with his square head and boring personality. Clarence's design is probably the worst in the unattractive category, as it literally pains me to look at him sometimes. Also, the characters don't really seem to have much life to them, with the exception of Sumo. They're just mostly there and give off an awkward vibe. So overall, I'd give this show a 6.5/10.
Snoring.....while watching CN's new Clarence cartoon
kittybytes041319 June 2014
I want to start out by saying that I am thoroughly addicted to watching Cartoon Network as a whole. When Clarence premiered I was very open-minded to something new and original. Unfortunately, after watching the first five episodes I find Clarence to be extremely boring and unfunny. I haven't laughed out loud once while watching this program. I don't know if people related to promoting programming go on some of these review sites to pump up positive reviews or what? Clarence is an innocent and optimistic enough main character, but it just doesn't have enough substance to it. On a brighter note, I do find Clarence's friends Sumo and Jeff mildly charming. I like Sumo's voice and Jeff's OCD personality. Perhaps Clarence is more geared toward younger viewers, like post- teletubbies age? I have to wonder if Clarence is going for wholesome, animated programming why oftentimes does the premise of Clarence's heroism revolve around cheating, stealing and overeating? If these instances are being used for comedic relief, it doesn't hit the mark. So far Clarence has failed to either amuse or entertain.
Bring it back
donpoyoyo10 October 2021
A mixed bag
Rectangular_businessman18 September 2020
This show is such a mixed bag.
At times it can be fun and clever, even endearing in a couple of episodes.
Other times, well...The show can be not very good (Mostly when the show indulges itself in grossout humor, with quite awful results)
And there are a couple of times when the show is just plain weird: Sometimes the weirdness works (Such as in episodes as "Average Jeff") and sometimes it doesn't .
That being said, I'm glad this show had a decent run, because I enjoyed watching it from time to time.
The ending song was nice.
At times it can be fun and clever, even endearing in a couple of episodes.
Other times, well...The show can be not very good (Mostly when the show indulges itself in grossout humor, with quite awful results)
And there are a couple of times when the show is just plain weird: Sometimes the weirdness works (Such as in episodes as "Average Jeff") and sometimes it doesn't .
That being said, I'm glad this show had a decent run, because I enjoyed watching it from time to time.
The ending song was nice.
Holy sh*t this sucks
Mattmansouri19 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
OK where do I start. ITS HORRIBLE! For one is one of the episodes he hears pizza crusts that God knows where its been, he eats one and he goes on a LSD trip (LSD is a drug, don't do drugs people) and he's like 9 or 10 maybe 8 he should know better. His "Dad" is a f*cking moron, and one of his friends looks like he IS actually on drugs and he does live in a crappy mobile home. For God's sake if your going to make a kids show don't have one character eat food off someone's plate. My time is better spent out side or watching paint dry. I'd rather be bored out of my mind than watch this crap. Your time is better spent doing anything ANYTHING than watching this. Oh and that episode that I mentioned earlier his mom lets them go to an arcade by them selves, what mother does that with out giving there child a phone?!?! A pedophile could have been there! God why do you people like it WHY it's an abomination of T.V. it's not funny at all! A game series on YouTube is more original than this, AND IM TALKING ABOUT "MINECRAFT" ONE OF THE MOST THINGS I'VE SEEN ON YOUTUBE!
The Nostalgia Is Strong With This One
brand-onjames7827 April 2014
Now, just to be honest, I'd actually rank this show about an 8.75 out of 10, but I feel like a 6.7 rating is drastically too low, so I feel the need to supplement with my ranking as a 10.
This show reminds me so much of my childhood, with moments that we'd all remember. Whether it's going in the McDonald's playground, Chuck E Cheese, The Grocery Store, our out with friends, you can see yourself in all of these episodes. The animation turned out to look a lot better than I thought it would, and the voice acting is amazing. Sometimes things that aren't funny at all end up cracking me up just based off of delivery.
At first I was concerned that this show would overdue the gross-out humor like some shows have done on both Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon (Sanjay and Craig, Super Mountain Fort Awesome), but it turns out that Clarence is relatively subtle about it for the most part.
I love that Sumo and Jeff serve as foils to each other, but are never really in conflict on the show. They have a mutual and unlikely friendship that has blossomed because of their open minds.
And now Clarence specifically. THANK THE HEAVENS that Clarence isn't annoying. Seems like shows are finally realizing that main characters can be silly and jovial without being overly annoying buffoons.
Going on to Clarence's mom and her boyfriend: I do love it. And I also love the fact that while the boyfriend isn't the "parenting type" he's not a deadbeat, and actually does care enough to emotionally support Clarence, while not coming off as someone trying to be his dad either.
The show handles concepts like divorce as well, something that I find a breath of fresh air.
I do hope that they choose to do plot development on this show like they have done with Adventure Time, because otherwise the show might get old soon (There's only so many you can do with a "slice of life" cartoon).
This show seems like a sillier version of As Told By Ginger with a lot of potential for greatness in the future. You've got me hooked on Clarence.
This show reminds me so much of my childhood, with moments that we'd all remember. Whether it's going in the McDonald's playground, Chuck E Cheese, The Grocery Store, our out with friends, you can see yourself in all of these episodes. The animation turned out to look a lot better than I thought it would, and the voice acting is amazing. Sometimes things that aren't funny at all end up cracking me up just based off of delivery.
At first I was concerned that this show would overdue the gross-out humor like some shows have done on both Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon (Sanjay and Craig, Super Mountain Fort Awesome), but it turns out that Clarence is relatively subtle about it for the most part.
I love that Sumo and Jeff serve as foils to each other, but are never really in conflict on the show. They have a mutual and unlikely friendship that has blossomed because of their open minds.
And now Clarence specifically. THANK THE HEAVENS that Clarence isn't annoying. Seems like shows are finally realizing that main characters can be silly and jovial without being overly annoying buffoons.
Going on to Clarence's mom and her boyfriend: I do love it. And I also love the fact that while the boyfriend isn't the "parenting type" he's not a deadbeat, and actually does care enough to emotionally support Clarence, while not coming off as someone trying to be his dad either.
The show handles concepts like divorce as well, something that I find a breath of fresh air.
I do hope that they choose to do plot development on this show like they have done with Adventure Time, because otherwise the show might get old soon (There's only so many you can do with a "slice of life" cartoon).
This show seems like a sillier version of As Told By Ginger with a lot of potential for greatness in the future. You've got me hooked on Clarence.
Really good, give it a chance!
soroielijah20 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This show is really different. It takes place on Earth: The real one. It has flaws, it's very imperfect, with real life problems. The characters have consequences for their actions, and often times it's the basis for the episode. Not only that, but the show, like other good modern shows, isn't afraid to say that love is love with pro- LGBT messages. But the best part about the imperfect setting is how the characters take it.
Clarence, the main character, is an optimistic boy who is oblivious to the world around him. He and his friends, primarily Jeff and Sumo, do very typical kid stuff, but often leading to silly misadventures. The humor in the show is sometimes intentionally lowbrow (one episode is centered around completely gross-out humor), but often the show actually has decent jokes.
The character design, admittedly, is not supposed to be the most artistic and perfect looking. The characters look very strange, and this is often made fun of in the show (example, Jeff has a square head, which obviously leads to some jokes about his appearance).
In conclusion, Clarence is a lighthearted, silly, sometimes gross, but charming show about kids being kids.
Clarence, the main character, is an optimistic boy who is oblivious to the world around him. He and his friends, primarily Jeff and Sumo, do very typical kid stuff, but often leading to silly misadventures. The humor in the show is sometimes intentionally lowbrow (one episode is centered around completely gross-out humor), but often the show actually has decent jokes.
The character design, admittedly, is not supposed to be the most artistic and perfect looking. The characters look very strange, and this is often made fun of in the show (example, Jeff has a square head, which obviously leads to some jokes about his appearance).
In conclusion, Clarence is a lighthearted, silly, sometimes gross, but charming show about kids being kids.
From Yay to Yawn
a34trgv13 November 2021
You ever start watching a show and at first you were like, "Dude, this is actually pretty good" but the longer you watch the more bored you become? That's essentially my experience with Cartoon Network's Clarence. Despite getting off to a strong start, midway through the first season onward the show became more of a bad example of how to make a cartoon painfully boring.
Pitched by Skyler Page as a fictionalized account of his childhood, Clarence follows the misadventures of a young boy and his friends as they reside in the small Arizona town of Aberdale. Each episode sees Clarence trying to find the fun in everyday living while also helping others with their problems. The first 30ish episode set the show up wonderfully as this funny, very well paced slice of life show that finds beauty in the mundane. Episodes like Fun House Face-Off, Dream Boat, Rise and Shine, and Lizard Day Afternoon best showcase the show's sense of fun and adventure from the perspective of these boys living in a small town. The best episode of the show, though, is easily Pretty Great Day With A Girl as it encompasses all the show's strengths; strong humor, a great adventure for these kids and lovable characters to boot. Unfortunately, the show did not keep this momentum going after a change in showrunners and midway through the first season, the show became about as boring and as forgettable as Craig of the Creek. Episodes like Waterpark, Hurricane Dillis, Clarence Wendell And the Eye of Coogan, and Tree of Life just meander with very basic plots and lack any clever jokes or even engaging climaxes to make them the least bit entertaining. One episode that particularly got under my skin was Pizza Hero, in which the characters all reminisce about a very minor character as if he's some superhero. I fail to see why I should care about a pizza guy who's only been in one other episode, let alone empathizes with the characters who think he's so great. It was around this time I longed for episodes like Money Broom Wizard where the characters go on an adventure in an arcade.
Speaking of characters, they went from being really fun to be around to just being boring at best and really grating at worst. Starting with our titular hero, Clarence is a naive but fun child who's willing to lend a hand to whomever needs it. That is, until he's mid-season 1 onward where he becomes more of an annoying twerp who butts in on everyone's business and his methods of helping only make things worse. Basically, Clarence became Mimi from What About Mimi and I hate it. Jeff is a smart, helpful and funny kid who likes to keep things organized. Occasionally he'll step out of his comfort zone, but generally he likes things done a certain way. As the show would go on, he'd become less likable (especially in episodes like The Big Petey Pizza Problem and Birthday) and would more often be a stick in the mud. Sumo is a wild child who's always getting into trouble but usually means well and has his moments of genuine character growth. That said, he becomes less wild as the show would go on and as such he would become less interesting.
The supporting players are hit and miss at first, but they all become mindless sheep in most episodes so that's already a knock against them. Starting with Clarence's Mom, Mary's pretty alright as far as cartoon mothers go. She's fun, firm, caring and funny and she and Clarence get along as well as a mother and son should. My only problem with her is she let's Clarence off too easily whenever he does something wrong. Look, I'm no parent, but if my child kept bugs in the closet, you'd better believe they'd be grounded. Chad is a decent enough step-dad who can be funny and caring for Clarence. Like Mary though, he has no assertive bone in his body and at times he even encourages Clarence's behavior. Jeff's parents weren't given enough time to fully develop as characters beyond their assigned archetypes. Sumo's Dad, Mel, is surprisingly a pretty good Dad. Despite his limited appearances, he's caring, smart and can be very demanding to his son when he needs to be. The rest of Sumo's family though, which include his Mom, Tiona, and his 12 brothers and sister are all one dimensional characters that only exist to fill in space. The children and staff at Aberdale Elementary are...not good at all to be honest. At first they were okay but given their lack of development as the show goes on, it's very hard for me to care. Melanie Baker (like Ms. Keane before her) is a basic at best teacher that cares more about finding a date than actually doing her job. Jim Reese is an idiot vice-principal who has the hots for Melanie, Brenda Shoop is Mrs. Finster from Recess (no seriously, they're the same character save for the names and overall character design), and the actual principal is just a pair of realistic lips shrouded in darkness (lame). The students aren't much better and some only just exist to be background characters. Percy's a whiny kid who's voice get's grating after a while, Chelsea is all bark but not much bite, Nathan's the big dumb kid, Breehn is always under his parent's thumb, Kimby brushes her hair when she's nervous (which is ALL the time), Malessica has a crush on Jeff, Mavis just makes noises, Brady is Charlie Brown (at first it was a nod, then it became his character), and Gilben might as well be a statue. Josh is another bland supporting character who's running gag of him getting seriously hurt gets old very fast.
Then there's Belson, my least favorite character in the entire show. You'd think he'd be this twerp who gets bested by Clarence and his friends in each episode he's in, but no he's Aberdale's designated spoiled brat. He's rude, selfish, lazy, obnoxious, narcissistic and disrespectful to everyone, especially his mother. I was hoping they'd make an episode about Belson's downfall where his lavish lifestyle is taken away when his father is arrested and he and his Mom have to live in an apartment. But alas, no such episode came.
The one supporting character that trumps all the others though is Amy Gillis from Pretty Great Day With A Girl. Amy is every bit as fun and adventurous as a girl like her ought to be. Her and Clarence had great chemistry and they could've been such good friends. The problem? She only had 1 major appearance and was relegated to silent cameos thereafter. I have always hated this decision to never utilize her again. It's not only unfair to us the audience, but it makes the supporting cast weaker than it already is.
The voice acting is pretty good, though some actors do a better job than others. While I normally don't agree with full grown men playing boys, I thought Skyler Page did a good job voicing Clarence and made him sound like a naive but fun little character. When Spencer Rothbell took over as the voice of Clarence, it was seamless and I never would've guessed. That said though, he does lack the same amount of energy as Page in later episodes. Sean Giambrone was great as Jeff, bringing out that smart and quirky boyish tone that Jeff needed. Once Giambrone hit puberty though, it just felt awkward listening to Jeff not sound like himself. Tom Kenny once again shines as Sumo as he makes him sound so frantic and wild. Katie Crown brilliantly makes her voices of Mary, Melanie and Brenda very distinct from one another with Mary having a strong Brooklyn accent, Melanie sounding like a reasonable teacher and Brenda sounding old and gruff. Roger Craig Smith gives Belson a very amusing depend voice and whenever he whines it is enjoyable (though I would've asked him to dial back on Percy's high pitched voice). Eric Edlestein makes Chad sound like a caring and fun guy who's at the very least trying. All the other actors from Grace Kaufman, Joshua Rush, Daniel DiMaggio and more all give fine performances, though none of them stand out too much. Except of course Ava Acres as Amy Gillis, who I still think should've been a mainstay in the show.
Visually the show looks really good and is the best part of the show's most boring episodes. The character designs are more inline with abstract, with the characters having different shapes for not just their heads but their entire bodies. The character animation flows gracefully and they walk and run in a very believable manner. The backgrounds are very well detailed with Aberdale looking like a small yet very lived in town. The show also has a very sweet color palette, relying on cool colors to emmet a sense of calm and beauty.
Clarence started off with a bang but eventually it became a bore. What could've been a fun show with likable characters, clever humor and a great sense of adventure in everyday living is now just a boring show with flat characters, nonexistent humor and ironically mundane writing. Sure the animation is really good and some of the voice acting is not too shabby, but this is still an overall disappointingly average show with not much else to offer. I say give the first 30 or so episodes a watch if you're interested, but don't expect the show to reach the highs of those episodes.
Pitched by Skyler Page as a fictionalized account of his childhood, Clarence follows the misadventures of a young boy and his friends as they reside in the small Arizona town of Aberdale. Each episode sees Clarence trying to find the fun in everyday living while also helping others with their problems. The first 30ish episode set the show up wonderfully as this funny, very well paced slice of life show that finds beauty in the mundane. Episodes like Fun House Face-Off, Dream Boat, Rise and Shine, and Lizard Day Afternoon best showcase the show's sense of fun and adventure from the perspective of these boys living in a small town. The best episode of the show, though, is easily Pretty Great Day With A Girl as it encompasses all the show's strengths; strong humor, a great adventure for these kids and lovable characters to boot. Unfortunately, the show did not keep this momentum going after a change in showrunners and midway through the first season, the show became about as boring and as forgettable as Craig of the Creek. Episodes like Waterpark, Hurricane Dillis, Clarence Wendell And the Eye of Coogan, and Tree of Life just meander with very basic plots and lack any clever jokes or even engaging climaxes to make them the least bit entertaining. One episode that particularly got under my skin was Pizza Hero, in which the characters all reminisce about a very minor character as if he's some superhero. I fail to see why I should care about a pizza guy who's only been in one other episode, let alone empathizes with the characters who think he's so great. It was around this time I longed for episodes like Money Broom Wizard where the characters go on an adventure in an arcade.
Speaking of characters, they went from being really fun to be around to just being boring at best and really grating at worst. Starting with our titular hero, Clarence is a naive but fun child who's willing to lend a hand to whomever needs it. That is, until he's mid-season 1 onward where he becomes more of an annoying twerp who butts in on everyone's business and his methods of helping only make things worse. Basically, Clarence became Mimi from What About Mimi and I hate it. Jeff is a smart, helpful and funny kid who likes to keep things organized. Occasionally he'll step out of his comfort zone, but generally he likes things done a certain way. As the show would go on, he'd become less likable (especially in episodes like The Big Petey Pizza Problem and Birthday) and would more often be a stick in the mud. Sumo is a wild child who's always getting into trouble but usually means well and has his moments of genuine character growth. That said, he becomes less wild as the show would go on and as such he would become less interesting.
The supporting players are hit and miss at first, but they all become mindless sheep in most episodes so that's already a knock against them. Starting with Clarence's Mom, Mary's pretty alright as far as cartoon mothers go. She's fun, firm, caring and funny and she and Clarence get along as well as a mother and son should. My only problem with her is she let's Clarence off too easily whenever he does something wrong. Look, I'm no parent, but if my child kept bugs in the closet, you'd better believe they'd be grounded. Chad is a decent enough step-dad who can be funny and caring for Clarence. Like Mary though, he has no assertive bone in his body and at times he even encourages Clarence's behavior. Jeff's parents weren't given enough time to fully develop as characters beyond their assigned archetypes. Sumo's Dad, Mel, is surprisingly a pretty good Dad. Despite his limited appearances, he's caring, smart and can be very demanding to his son when he needs to be. The rest of Sumo's family though, which include his Mom, Tiona, and his 12 brothers and sister are all one dimensional characters that only exist to fill in space. The children and staff at Aberdale Elementary are...not good at all to be honest. At first they were okay but given their lack of development as the show goes on, it's very hard for me to care. Melanie Baker (like Ms. Keane before her) is a basic at best teacher that cares more about finding a date than actually doing her job. Jim Reese is an idiot vice-principal who has the hots for Melanie, Brenda Shoop is Mrs. Finster from Recess (no seriously, they're the same character save for the names and overall character design), and the actual principal is just a pair of realistic lips shrouded in darkness (lame). The students aren't much better and some only just exist to be background characters. Percy's a whiny kid who's voice get's grating after a while, Chelsea is all bark but not much bite, Nathan's the big dumb kid, Breehn is always under his parent's thumb, Kimby brushes her hair when she's nervous (which is ALL the time), Malessica has a crush on Jeff, Mavis just makes noises, Brady is Charlie Brown (at first it was a nod, then it became his character), and Gilben might as well be a statue. Josh is another bland supporting character who's running gag of him getting seriously hurt gets old very fast.
Then there's Belson, my least favorite character in the entire show. You'd think he'd be this twerp who gets bested by Clarence and his friends in each episode he's in, but no he's Aberdale's designated spoiled brat. He's rude, selfish, lazy, obnoxious, narcissistic and disrespectful to everyone, especially his mother. I was hoping they'd make an episode about Belson's downfall where his lavish lifestyle is taken away when his father is arrested and he and his Mom have to live in an apartment. But alas, no such episode came.
The one supporting character that trumps all the others though is Amy Gillis from Pretty Great Day With A Girl. Amy is every bit as fun and adventurous as a girl like her ought to be. Her and Clarence had great chemistry and they could've been such good friends. The problem? She only had 1 major appearance and was relegated to silent cameos thereafter. I have always hated this decision to never utilize her again. It's not only unfair to us the audience, but it makes the supporting cast weaker than it already is.
The voice acting is pretty good, though some actors do a better job than others. While I normally don't agree with full grown men playing boys, I thought Skyler Page did a good job voicing Clarence and made him sound like a naive but fun little character. When Spencer Rothbell took over as the voice of Clarence, it was seamless and I never would've guessed. That said though, he does lack the same amount of energy as Page in later episodes. Sean Giambrone was great as Jeff, bringing out that smart and quirky boyish tone that Jeff needed. Once Giambrone hit puberty though, it just felt awkward listening to Jeff not sound like himself. Tom Kenny once again shines as Sumo as he makes him sound so frantic and wild. Katie Crown brilliantly makes her voices of Mary, Melanie and Brenda very distinct from one another with Mary having a strong Brooklyn accent, Melanie sounding like a reasonable teacher and Brenda sounding old and gruff. Roger Craig Smith gives Belson a very amusing depend voice and whenever he whines it is enjoyable (though I would've asked him to dial back on Percy's high pitched voice). Eric Edlestein makes Chad sound like a caring and fun guy who's at the very least trying. All the other actors from Grace Kaufman, Joshua Rush, Daniel DiMaggio and more all give fine performances, though none of them stand out too much. Except of course Ava Acres as Amy Gillis, who I still think should've been a mainstay in the show.
Visually the show looks really good and is the best part of the show's most boring episodes. The character designs are more inline with abstract, with the characters having different shapes for not just their heads but their entire bodies. The character animation flows gracefully and they walk and run in a very believable manner. The backgrounds are very well detailed with Aberdale looking like a small yet very lived in town. The show also has a very sweet color palette, relying on cool colors to emmet a sense of calm and beauty.
Clarence started off with a bang but eventually it became a bore. What could've been a fun show with likable characters, clever humor and a great sense of adventure in everyday living is now just a boring show with flat characters, nonexistent humor and ironically mundane writing. Sure the animation is really good and some of the voice acting is not too shabby, but this is still an overall disappointingly average show with not much else to offer. I say give the first 30 or so episodes a watch if you're interested, but don't expect the show to reach the highs of those episodes.
See also
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