Adventure Time: Distant Lands

Adventure Time: Distant Lands is the collective name for four hour-long web television specials based on the American animated television series Adventure Time, which was created by Pendleton Ward and originally aired on Cartoon Network from 2010 to 2018. The specials are produced by Cartoon Network Studios and Frederator Studios; the first special was released on HBO Max on June 25, 2020.[1] The series at large follows the adventures of Finn (a human boy) and his best friend and adoptive brother Jake, a dog with magical powers to change shape and size at will. Finn and Jake live in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo, where they interact with the series' other main characters, including Princess Bubblegum, Marceline the Vampire Queen, and BMO.

Adventure Time: Distant Lands
Promotional poster
Country of originUnited States
Release
Original networkHBO Max
Original releaseJune 25, 2020 –
present
chronology

Cast

Recurring Main Cast

Supporting

Production

Concept

The series follows the adventures of Finn the Human (a boy), and his best friend Jake, a dog with magical powers to change shape and size at will. Finn and Jake live in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo, where they interact with the other major characters, such as Princess Bubblegum, Marceline the Vampire Queen, and BMO. Common storylines revolve around Finn and Jake going on the titular adventures, discovering strange creatures, and battling monsters to help others.[3]

Background

On September 29, 2016, Cartoon Network officially announced that Adventure Time would end.[4] Storyline writing for the initial series ended in mid-November 2016,[5] and the show's final script was pitched to storyboarders on November 28.[6][7][8] Voice recording for the initial series ended on January 31, 2017.[9][10][11] Several of the show's crew members were then hired for Cartoon Network's Summer Camp Island, created by Adventure Time storyline writer Julia Pott.[12] The Adventure Time finale, "Come Along with Me", aired on September 3, 2018 to a largely positive reception.[13][14][15][16]

Development

The Adventure Time: Distant Lands specials were produced by Cartoon Network Studios and Frederator, but unlike the previous seasons, debuted on HBO Max, the video on demand service from WarnerMedia Entertainment.[17]

Longtime Adventure Time executive producer Adam Muto oversaw the production of the specials, with Jack Pendarvis, Christina Catucci, Charley Feldman, and Kate Tsang serving as part of the writing staff.[18][19][20] Storyboard artists who worked on these specials include (but are not limited to): Ashlyn Anstee,[21] Iggy Craig,[22] Megan Fisher,[23] Hanna K. Nyström,[24] Maya Petersen,[25] and Serena Wu.[26] From June to September 2019, Jenny Goldberg served as art director for the specials.[27]

Episodes
See also: List of Adventure Time episodes
Adventure Time: Distant Lands episodes
No.TitleSupervising
direction by		Written and storyboarded byOriginal release dateProd.
code
1"BMO"Miki BrewsterHanna K Nyström, Iggy Craig, Laura Knetzger,
Anna Syvertsson, & Adam Muto		June 25, 2020 (2020-06-25)TBA
BMO is traveling through space on a mission to terraform Mars when they meet a small eyeball like robot, whom BMO dubs Olive. The mysterious robot suddenly transports BMO's ship into a distant part of space, which contains an ailing space station called The Drift. BMO encounters a young rabbit girl named Y5 (voiced by Glory Curda), who is a scavenger. Y5 plans to take BMO and have them sold for parts so as to impress her disapproving parents (voiced by Tom Kenny and Michelle Wong). Hugo (voiced by Randall Park), the leader of The Drift, cannot find anything useful from BMO, but needs a crystal from one of the jungle pods on The Drift so as to power a ship that will allow the Drift's residents to escape the station. BMO is hurt when they learn what Y5's plan was and ventures into the jungle pod by themself. However, BMO is betrayed by Hugo's assistant Mr. M (voiced by Stephen Root) and is left to die in the pod. Y5 overcomes her parents' disapproval and rescues BMO, with the help of a robot named CGO (voiced by Simone Giertz). CGO reveals that Hugo came from Earth to escape from a war and, after arriving at the Drift, stole the natives' technology for himself; he has no plans to bring his followers with him. Y5 and BMO rush to stop Hugo. Hugo is outed, but escapes onto his ship. At BMO's suggestion, everyone works together to remove all the power to save the Drift, but Hugo still escapes. Y5's parents apologize for not listening to her as the Drift natives decide to rebuild together. As Hugo laments his loneliness, Olive is revealed to have joined him. BMO takes a space lard and flies back out into space where they land on earth. BMO crash lands near the tree house where they spot a much younger Finn and Jake playing out front; revealing that the episode is a prequel to the initial series.
2"Obsidian"[1]TBATBA2020 (2020)[1]TBA
Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen meditate on their relationship while out on a mission to the Glass Kingdom.[1]
3"Wizard City"[1]TBATBATBATBA
Peppermint Butler starts as an inexperienced student at Wizard School to attempt to relearn magic. When events on the school's campus lead to suspicion of Pep, due to his past, the question remains whether he can master the magic soon enough to show that he is innocent.[1]
4"Together Again"[1]TBATBATBATBA
Finn the Human and Jake the Dog are brought together again, where they attempt to rediscover their brotherly bond as they embark on the most important quest of their lives.[1]

Reception

"BMO"

Reception to "BMO" has been mostly positive. Rollin Bishop of Comic Book wrote that the special's biggest strength is that BMO is "the most innocent and also the most prone to misadventure" compared to the other Adventure Time characters, which made the special itself a "solid watch from start to finish."[28] Others called "BMO" a "blend of dream logic, comedy, and surreal heroism".[29] Other reviewers praised the show for recapturing the magic of the original show,[30] with Petrana Radulovic of Polygon arguing that it shared the same "melancholy feeling" as its parent series.[31] Other reviews were not as positive. Grace Z. Li of Vulture called the special "disappointing" even while praising the performance of BMO.[32] Dave Trumbore of Collider singled out the pacing for critique, writing that the special seemed rushed "when it comes to story beats and character development."[33] These reviews contrasted with the viewpoint of

A number of reviewers commented on the episode's social commentary. Alexander Sowa of CBR argued that Hugo is a futurist akin to Elon Musk or Steve Jobs, whose characterization is "a clear satire of modern-day corporations and capitalists."[34] Sowa also argued that contra Hugo—a capitalist and colonist who "destroys the world around him"—Y5 can be seen as a fighter for equity who pushes for a new form of social organization that is fairer to the inhabitants of the Drift. Joe Mater of Den of Geek noted similar themes, saying that the story is about those living in Drift realizing that "their Elon Musk-esque tech capitalist overlord [Hugo] is destroying their world," which forces them to come together and rely on one another.[35] Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times likewise noted that that the special hints at social commentary toward the end, referring to the destruction of Earth, the nature of resource management, the importance of cooperation, and "the way that certain human billionaires look at space as an escape pod."[36]

References
  1. Hayes, Britt (October 23, 2019). "Adventure Time is returning with four new hour-long specials on HBO Max". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  2. Shada, Jeremy [@jeremyshada] (October 23, 2019). "Soooooooo we're back" (Tweet). Retrieved January 18, 2020 – via Twitter.
  3. Clark, Noelene (November 14, 2012). "'Adventure Time': Post-Apocalyptic 'Candyland' Attracts Adult Fans". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  4. Dutton, Sophie (November 4, 2016). "Interview with 'Adventure Time' Head Writer Kent Osborne". Skwigly. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  5. Germain, Siomara (November 1, 2016). "Brockport Welcomes Adventure Time Writer Jack Pendarvis". The Stylus. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  6. Osborne, Kent [@kentisawesome] (November 28, 2016). "Last Adventure Time handout meeting :(" (Tweet). Retrieved November 29, 2016 – via Twitter.
  7. Alden, Sam [@samalden] (December 8, 2016). "@HannaKtweet @kikutowne my board however is going to be hot garbage, ruin the show, etc" (Tweet). Retrieved December 12, 2016 – via Twitter.
  8. Nyström, Hanna K [@HannaKtweet] (December 7, 2016). "hold me tight and tell me this board will be good. rock me to sleep" (Tweet). Retrieved December 12, 2016 – via Twitter.
  9. Bamford, Maria [@mariabamfoo] (January 31, 2017). "Last day of Adventuretime! #8yearsofgoodgoof thanks Pendleton and @kentisawesome for a wonderful time!" (Tweet). Retrieved February 1, 2017 – via Twitter.
  10. Bamford, Maria [@mariabamfoo] (January 31, 2017). "@kentisawesome pumped for last record!" (Tweet). Retrieved February 1, 2017 – via Twitter.
  11. Milonakis, Andy (January 31, 2017). "Adventure Time Cake". Instagram. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  12. "Summer Camp Island". Frederator. July 4, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  13. Franich, Darren (September 4, 2018). "Adventure Time Finale Review: One of the Greatest TV Shows Ever Had a Soulful, Mind-Expanding Conclusion". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  14. Schindel, Daniel (September 4, 2018). "Adventure Time Finale Review: 'Come Along with Me'". IGN. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  15. Hysen, Dylan (August 27, 2018). "'Come Along With Me' is a Fantastic Conclusion and Perfect Encapsulation of Adventure Time". Overly Animated. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  16. Sava, Oliver (September 3, 2018). "Adventure Time Concludes with a Celebration of What Makes It So Special". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  17. Porter, Rick (October 23, 2019). "'Adventure Time' Revived for Series of HBO Max Specials". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  18. Pendarvis, Jack [@JackPendarvis] (October 23, 2019). "Looks like I can finally tell you about the secret project I've secretly been working on in secret. Here's a hint, just another day at the office, photo by coconspirator @katetsang" (Tweet). Retrieved November 21, 2019 – via Twitter.
  19. Catucci, Christina [@Catuchee] (December 2, 2019). "hello! i am looking for an in-studio staff writing gig. i've written for: -Craig of the Creek -Adventure Time: Distant Lands -Story on Trolls World Tour -Toca Life Stories -Sundance Feature Finalist 2018 here I am as a child equally talented" (Tweet). Retrieved February 23, 2020 – via Twitter.
  20. Feldman, Charley [@charley_feldman] (October 25, 2019). "Come on, grab your friends! A secret thing I've been writing on just got a lot less secret. And believe me, I can barely believe I get to be doing this either! Adventure Time: Distant Lands!" (Tweet). Retrieved February 23, 2020 – via Twitter.
  21. Anstee, Ashlyn [@ashlynanstee] (October 23, 2019). "I was so lucky to get to storyboard on this!! Can't wait for you all to see it!" (Tweet). Retrieved October 25, 2019 – via Twitter.
  22. Craig, Iggy. "About". iggy.zone. Retrieved October 25, 2019. Note: "Rumble Jaw" was the secretive name used during the production of these specials.
  23. Fisher, Megan [@mfisherdraws] (October 23, 2019). "The show I've been helping out on at CN!!!! This crew is incredible and I'm so grateful I was able to be a part of it" (Tweet). Retrieved October 25, 2019 – via Twitter.
  24. Nyström, Hanna K. "Hanna K. (@HannaKtweet)". Twitter. Retrieved October 25, 2019. storyboard artist/writer. Adventure Time // Summer Camp Island // Rumble Jaw Note: "Rumble Jaw" was the secretive name used during the production of these specials.
  25. Petersen, Maya [@rnn_tweet] (October 23, 2019). "It's finally out in the world! Been storyboarding on this lovely production with this growing, lovely crew since June" (Tweet). Retrieved October 25, 2019 – via Twitter.
  26. Wu, Serena [@artofserenawu] (October 23, 2019). "I'M SO HAPPY I get to finally talk about what I've been boarding on since August! I'm crazy fortunate to be a part of this crew, these specials are wonderful and I think everyone's gonna really, really like what's in store" (Tweet). Retrieved October 25, 2019 – via Twitter.
  27. Goldberg, Jennifer. "Jennifer Goldberg". LinkedIn. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  28. Bishop, Rollin (June 24, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands - BMO Review: Dream of Grand Adventure". Comic Book. Pop Culture Media. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  29. Hughes, William (June 24, 2020). "Distant Lands or no, BMO and Adventure Time are as wonderful as ever". The A.V. Club. G/O Media. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  30. Kohn, Eric (June 25, 2020). "'Adventure Time: Distant Lands' Review: Delightful HBO Max Special Turns BMO Into the Star". IndieWire. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  31. Radulovic, Petrana (June 25, 2020). "HBO Max's BMO special is a powerful reminder of Adventure Time's big emotions". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  32. Z Li, Grace (June 25, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands Recap: BMO the Hero". Vulture. Vox Media. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  33. Trumbore, Dave (June 25, 2020). "'Adventure Time: Distant Lands – BMO' Review: Come Along on a Far-Out New Story". Collider. Collider Cryptomedia, Inc. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  34. Sowa, Alexander (June 26, 2020). "The Anti-Capitalist Message of Adventure Time: Distant Lands - BMO". CBR. Valent, Inc. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  35. Matar, Joe (June 25, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands Episode 1 Review – BMO". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  36. Lloyd, Robert (June 25, 2020). "'Adventure Time: Distant Lands' keeps the beloved cartoon's magic intact". Los Angeles Times. Nant Capital. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
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