Infinity Train
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''Infinity Train'' is an American
animated television series An animated series is a set of Animation, animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can ...
created by Owen Dennis, previously a writer and
storyboard artist A storyboard artist (sometimes called a story artist or visualizer) creates storyboards for advertising agencies and film productions. Work A storyboard artist visualizes stories and sketches frames of the story. Quick pencil drawings and marke ...
on ''
Regular Show ''Regular Show'' (known as ''Regular Show in Space'' during its eighth season) is an American animated sitcom created by J. G. Quintel for Cartoon Network. It ran from September 6, 2010, to January 16, 2017, over the course of eight seasons a ...
''. four seasons have aired, plus a series of short episodes. The
pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
for the series was released by
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
on November 1, 2016, before being picked-up for a full
miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...
due to positive reception, which premiered on Cartoon Network on August 5, 2019. After the conclusion of the first season, Cartoon Network announced that the series would continue as an
anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...
. The second season debuted on Cartoon Network on January 6, 2020. The third season began airing on
HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
on August 13, 2020, with ten episodes airing across three weeks, and the fourth season was released in its entirety on April 15, 2021. The series is set on a gigantic, mysterious and seemingly endless train traveling through a barren landscape, whose cars contain a variety of bizarre, unique fantastical and impossible environments. Passengers on the train proceed from car to car by completing challenges which help them resolve their psychological trauma and emotional issues. Every season of ''Infinity Train'' (referred to as a "Book", each with its own separate subtitle) follows its own storyline and set of characters, although some characters appear across multiple seasons. All four seasons of ''Infinity Train'' have received critical acclaim for their complex themes and characters, writing, uniqueness, visual animation style, and voice acting. In August 2020, Dennis stated that, although he wanted to continue the series for a total of eight seasons, most of the crew had been laid off and the series was at risk of not being renewed for a fifth season; Dennis suggested that HBO Max might be concerned that the series' stories and themes were too dark and unappealing to children. Promotional material for the fourth season refers to it as the final season of ''Infinity Train''. In August 2022, the series was removed from HBO Max with all references to the series removed from Cartoon Network's official social media posts, with series creator Owen Dennis then promoting
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as the only way to watch the series in the future.


Synopsis

The series is set on a seemingly infinite train traveling through a barren landscape; the cars of the train contain a variety of bizarre and fantastical environments. The passengers on the train are people it picks up who have unresolved emotional issues or trauma. As they travel through the train's cars, their adventures within give them the opportunity to confront and resolve their emotional problems, represented by a glowing number on their hand that goes down as they successfully confront these issues. Once they resolve their issues and their number reaches zero, a portal opens and they are able to leave the train and return home. The first season focuses on Tulip Olsen, a girl struggling with her parent's recent divorce. She is accompanied by a small, confused robot named "One-One", and Atticus, the ruler of a kingdom of talking
corgi The Welsh Corgi ( or Corgi, plural Corgis, or occasionally the etymologically consistent Corgwn; ) is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. The name ''corgi'' is derived from the Welsh words and (which is mutated to ), mean ...
s. She eventually uncovers many of the train's secrets and confronts Amelia, a passenger who, instead of resolving her trauma from her husband's death, has usurped the role of Conductor from One-One and tried to take control of the train. Before leaving the train, Tulip persuades Amelia to try to adapt to the changes in her life. In one first-season episode, Tulip frees her own reflection from the mirror world and the two part ways. The second season focuses on the
emancipated Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure economic and social rights, political rights or equality, often for a specifically disenfranchis ...
Mirror Tulip ("MT"), now on the run from enforcers attempting to execute her as punishment for abandoning her role as Tulip's reflection. She teams up with Jesse, a new train passenger, as well as Alan Dracula, a silent deer with a variety of powers. She helps Jesse leave the train by helping him learn to stand up for himself, and he returns to the train to help her escape to the outside world as well. The third season centers on Grace and Simon, the leaders of a cult of rogue passengers, known as 'The Apex', who vandalize the train and assault its denizens to keep their numbers high, believing that the true purpose of the train is to stay as long as possible as a reward. Their travels with a young girl named Hazel and her gorilla friend, Tuba, make Grace more sympathetic to the train's denizens. After Simon kills Tuba, it is revealed that Hazel herself is one of Amelia's creations, and Grace realizes what she thought she knew about the train is wrong. After fighting off Simon's attempt to usurp control, Grace begins facing up to and mending her mistakes. Set decades earlier, during the period while Amelia is establishing control over the train, the fourth season centers on Ryan and Min-Gi, two best friends who want to become famous musicians. Their relationship is strained due to Ryan's brashness and Min-Gi's fear of the future. While on the train, they meet a talking service bell named Kez who has trouble owning up to her mistakes. Ryan and Min-Gi come to realize that they need each other in order for them to move forward in life, while Kez finally apologizes to the train denizens she harmed.


Episodes


Shorts

From October 18, 2019, a series of ten shorts titled "The Train Documentaries" was uploaded onto the Cartoon Network app and YouTube channel. Each short focuses on One-One showcasing a different car on the train, including "The Green Car", "The Tiny Wizard Car", and "The Kaiju Car".


Cast and characters


Overview


Main characters


Book 1 – ''The Perennial Child''

* Tulip Olsen ( Ashley Johnson) – A 13-year-old girl struggling with her parents' divorce who finds herself trapped on the train when trying to get to a game-design camp. She is analytical, down-to-earth, and determined to get off the train. ** Naomi Hansen and Lily Sanfelippo voice younger versions of Tulip, respectively at age 5 and from age 6 to 8. * One-One – A spherical robot consisting of two separate hemisphere-shaped robots, formerly collectively known simply as One. In ''Book 1'', One-One accompanies Tulip on her journey, and eventually learns that it is the rightful Conductor of the train. At the end of ''Book 1'', One-One resumes its duties as Conductor, overseeing the operations of the train and passengers. Throughout the background of ''Book 4'', set in 1986, One bonds with Amelia, loosening restrictions on the passengers, before she usurps his position as the Conductor. ** Glad-One (Jeremy Crutchley) – The exuberant and optimistic part of One-One. ** Sad-One (Owen Dennis) – The morose and pessimistic part of One-One. * Atticus (
Ernie Hudson Earnest Lee Hudson (born December 17, 1945) is an American actor. His roles include Winston Zeddemore in the ''Ghostbusters'' film series, Sergeant Darryl Albrecht in ''The Crow'' (1994), and Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's '' Oz'' (1997–2003). Hu ...
) – A talking
Corgi The Welsh Corgi ( or Corgi, plural Corgis, or occasionally the etymologically consistent Corgwn; ) is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. The name ''corgi'' is derived from the Welsh words and (which is mutated to ), mean ...
and the king of Corginia, one of the train cars. He accompanies Tulip on her journey. Guest voices for Book One include
Matthew Rhys Matthew Rhys Evans ( ; born 8 November 1974) is a Welsh actor. He is known for playing Kevin Walker in '' Brothers & Sisters'' (2006–2011) and Philip Jennings in ''The Americans'' (2013–2018), for which he received two Golden Globe Awar ...
and
Ron Funches Ronald Kyle Funches (born March 12, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. Born in California, Funches spent his early life in Chicago before relocating to Salem, Oregon, as a teenager. He began his comedy career in Portland, Oregon, at ...
.


Book 2 – ''Cracked Reflection''

* "MT" (Ashley Johnson) – Tulip's
reflection Reflection or reflexion may refer to: Science and technology * Reflection (physics), a common wave phenomenon ** Specular reflection, reflection from a smooth surface *** Mirror image, a reflection in a mirror or in water ** Signal reflection, in ...
, freed from the mirror world by Tulip in episode 7 of ''Book 1''. At the start of ''Book 2'', she has been living on the train as a fugitive from the reflection police. She accompanies Jesse on his journey through the train while struggling with her sense of identity as an independent person, rather than Tulip's reflection or a construct of the train. Upon leaving the train at the end of Book 2, she names herself Lake. * Jesse Cosay (
Robbie Daymond Robert Daymond Howard (né Niles; born March 11, 1982) is an American voice actor who is mostly known for his roles in audiobooks, video games, and animation, best known for voicing Jesse Cosay in the second season of '' Infinity Train'', Spider ...
) – A passenger who becomes MT's friend and helps her escape the train. He is easygoing and friendly, but has a hard time resisting
peer pressure Peer pressure is the direct or indirect influence on peers, i.e., members of social groups with similar interests, experiences, or social statuses. Members of a peer group are more likely to influence a person's beliefs, values, and behavior. A g ...
; his experience on the train teaches him how to stand up for his friends and his younger brother. Upon initially leaving the train in the middle of Book 2, he returns in order to help MT leave too. * Alan Dracula – A magical
shapeshifting In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, Magic (paranormal), sorcery, Incantation, ...
white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...
, a denizen of the train who accompanies MT and Jesse. Guest voices for Book Two include
Wayne Knight Wayne Elliot Knight (born August 7, 1955) is an American actor. In television, he played Newman on '' Seinfeld'' (1992–1998) and Officer Don Orville on '' 3rd Rock from the Sun'' (1996–2001). He also voiced Igor on ''Toonsylvania'' (199 ...
,
Laraine Newman Laraine Newman (born March 2, 1952) is an American actress, writer and comedian. She was part of the original cast of NBC's ''Saturday Night Live''. She took an interest at improv in high school. After graduating, she studied mime with Marcel M ...
, Nea Marshall Kudi,
Bill Corbett William Daniel Corbett (born March 30, 1960) is an American writer and performer for television, film and theatre. He was a writer and performer on the cult television show ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (''MST3K''), for which he voiced the r ...
, and Rhys Darby.


Book 3 – ''Cult of the Conductor''

* Grace Monroe (
Kirby Howell-Baptiste Kirby Howell-Baptiste (born 7 February 1987) is a British actress. She has appeared as a series regular on ''Downward Dog'' (2017), '' Killing Eve'' (2018), '' Why Women Kill'' (2019), and '' The Sandman'' (2022). Her television appearances also ...
) – The young adult leader of the Apex, a gang of passengers who aim to raise their numbers to remain on the train indefinitely, and believe One-One to be an impostor who usurped the role of Conductor. After appearing as a secondary antagonist in ''Book 2'', Grace returns as one of the main protagonists of ''Book 3'', in which she gradually begins to see the error of her ways and decides to try to fix her mistakes. ** Brooke Singleton voices Grace as a child * Simon Laurent (
Kyle McCarley Kyle McCarley (born December 5Birthday tweets: * ) is an American voice actor known for his work in video games and anime. In anime, he is known as the voice of Shigeo Kageyama from ''Mob Psycho 100'', Mikazuki Augus from '' Mobile Suit Gundam: ...
) – Grace's second-in-command and best friend, who first appears alongside her in ''Book 2''. He is a clinical narcissist who has a murderous hatred of denizens and believes that his actions are justified, due to his past experiences in the train along with Grace enabling his negative impulses. Returning as one of the main protagonists of ''Book 3'', Simon begins to double down on his behavior due to his unwillingness to acknowledge his mistakes and learn from them, resulting in his relationship with Grace slowly deteriorating. ** Samuel Faraci voices Simon as a child * Hazel (Isabella Abiera) – A 6-year-old girl who travels the train. Although she has a number on her hand, it doesn’t glow; unknown to her, she is actually a human-turtle hybrid of the train created by Amelia's experiments. Initially cheerful, joyous, and optimistic, she later becomes disillusioned with both Grace and Simon after the latter kills Tuba and the former turns her back on her, leading to her lose trust of her former friends and leave with Amelia. * Tuba (
Diane Delano Diane Delano (born January 29, 1957) is an American character actress. She is known for her numerous roles in films and television, such as Sergeant Barbara Semanski on the CBS television series ''Northern Exposure'' and Roberta "Bobbi" Glass ...
) – Hazel's gorilla friend, adoptive mother and protector, a denizen of the train. She distrusts both Grace and Simon due to their differing agendas, albeit begrudgingly assists them on their journey along with Hazel. Guest voices for Book Three include Rhys Darby,
Edi Patterson Edi Christine Patterson is an American actress and writer. She has primarily acted in comedies. She is best known for portraying Fran in the film '' Knives Out'' (2019), Veronica in the series '' Partners'' (2014), Jen Abbott in the series '' Vi ...
,
Phil LaMarr Phillip LaMarr (born January 24, 1967) is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter. LaMarr was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV''. His voice acting roles in animated series include J ...
, and
Alfred Molina Alfred Molina (born Alfredo Molina; 24 May 1953) is a British-American actor known for his work on the stage and screen. He first rose to prominence in the West End, earning a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Pla ...
.


Book 4 – ''Duet''

* Min-Gi Park (Johnny Young) – A young man who is hesitant to pursue his dreams of being a musician and feels pressured to live a conventional life instead. * Ryan Akagi (Sekai Murashige) – Min-Gi's best friend, who aspires to become a famous musician and tends to make rash decisions. * Kez (Minty Lewis) – A sentient concierge bell who accompanies Ryan and Min; her thoughtless behavior has made her many enemies among the train's other denizens. Guest voices for Book Four include
Steve Park Stephen Park (born August 23, 1967) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He won races in NASCAR's two top Northeast touring series ( Modified and K&N East) and all three national divisions (Truck, Busch, Cup Series). Park ...
,
Thomas Lennon Thomas Patrick Lennon (born August 9, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, director, and novelist. He plays Lieutenant Jim Dangle on the series ''Reno 911!'' Lennon is an accomplished screenwriter of several major st ...
, and
Donald Faison Donald Adeosun Faison (; born June 22, 1974) is an American actor and comedian, best known for his leading role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC/ NBC comedy-drama '' Scrubs'' (2001–2010), and a supporting role as Murray in both the film '' Cluele ...
.


Recurring characters

* The Cat (
Kate Mulgrew Katherine Kiernan Maria Mulgrew (born April 29, 1955) is an American actress and author. She is best known for her roles as Captain Kathryn Janeway on '' Star Trek: Voyager'' and Red on ''Orange Is the New Black''. She first came to attention ...
) – A talking cat who is a collector and con artist, and runs a variety of businesses on the train. In Book 1, she is an unwilling agent for Amelia who attempts to capture the heroes before being betrayed and later assisting them in reaching her. Book 3 reveals that her name is Samantha, and she was Simon's companion when he first boarded the train. (Recurring in ''Book 1'' and ''Book 3''; guest in ''Book 2'' and ''Book 4'') * Randall (
Rhys Darby Rhys Montague Darby (born 21 March 1974) is a New Zealand actor and comedian, known for his energetic physical comedy routines, telling stories accompanied with mime and sound effects of things such as machinery and animals. He was nominated for ...
) - A liquid person who creates duplicates of himself at will. (recurring in ''Book 1''; guest in ''Book 2'' and ''Book 3'') * Amelia Hughes (
Lena Headey Lena Kathren Headey ( ; born 3 October 1973) is a British actress. She gained international recognition and acclaim for her portrayal of Cersei Lannister on the HBO epic fantasy drama series '' Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019), for which she re ...
) – A passenger who overthrew One-One and usurped his position as the Conductor, hoping to use the train to recreate her dead husband Alrick Timmens (
Matthew Rhys Matthew Rhys Evans ( ; born 8 November 1974) is a Welsh actor. He is known for playing Kevin Walker in '' Brothers & Sisters'' (2006–2011) and Philip Jennings in ''The Americans'' (2013–2018), for which he received two Golden Globe Awar ...
). In Book 3, Amelia works with One-One to make amends and undo the mistakes she made on the train. (recurring in ''Book 1'', ''Book 3'' and ''Book 4'') * The Steward (Ashley Johnson) – A menacing robot that assists the Conductor. ''(Recurring ''Book 1'', ''Book 4''; Cameos ''Books 2–3'') * Ghoms (
Dee Bradley Baker Dee Bradley Baker (born August 31, 1962) is an American voice actor. Much of Baker's work features vocalizations of animals and monsters. Baker's roles include animated series such as ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'', ''Codename: Kids Next Door'', ...
) – Dog/cockroach-like creatures that inhabit the Wasteland outside the train and attempt to suck the life-force out of the living. (recurring in ''Book 1'' and ''Book 3''; makes a cameo in ''Book 2'') * Megan Olsen ( Audrey Wasilewski) – Tulip's struggling mother and Andy's ex-wife who works as a nurse. (recurring in ''Book 1'') * Andy Olsen (
Mark Fite Mark Elliott Fite is an American actor and comedian. Career Fite is a founding member of the comedy group 2 Headed Dog with comedians Jim Turner, Dave Allen, and Craig Anton. He is known for creating roles and performing in comedy shows i ...
) – Tulip's depressed father and Megan's ex-husband. (recurring in ''Book 1'') * Mikayla ( Reagan Gomez-Preston) — Tulip's best friend before she gets on the train. (recurring in ''Book 1'') * The Reflection Police, or "Flecs" – A pair of officers pursuing MT in order to destroy her for abandoning her responsibility as Tulip's reflection. (guest in ''Book 1''; recurring in ''Book 2'') ** Agent Mace (
Ben Mendelsohn Paul Benjamin Mendelsohn (born 3 April 1969) is an Australian actor. He first rose to prominence in Australia for his breakout role in ''The Year My Voice Broke'' (1987) and since then he has had roles in films such as '' Animal Kingdom'' (2010) ...
) – The gruff senior partner of the team. ** Agent Sieve (
Bradley Whitford Bradley Whitford (born October 10, 1959) is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman in the NBC television political drama ''The West Wing'' (1999–2006), for which he w ...
) – The more upbeat junior partner to Mace. * Toad / Terrance (Owen Dennis) – A toad whom passengers must kick in order to exit the Toad Car. (recurring in ''Book 2'') * Nathan "Nate" Cosay (Justin Felbinger) – Jesse's younger brother. (recurring in ''Book 2'') * Lucy (Jenna Davis) – A young girl and member of the Apex. She lost an eye because of a harpoon pack. (appears as a cameo in ''Book 2''; recurring in ''Book 3'') * Todd (Antonio Raul Corbo) - A young boy and member of the Apex. (guest in ''Book 2''; recurring in ''Book 3'') * One (Jeremy Crutchley) - The conductor of the train and the previous combined form of One-One. (recurring in ''Book 4'') * Parka Denizens (
Kari Wahlgren Kari Wahlgren (born July 13, 1977) is an American actress who has provided English-language voices for animated movies, TV series, and video games. She got her start in anime voice-overs as Haruko Haruhara in '' FLCL'', and would later land ma ...
and Keith Ferguson) – A trio of
parka A parka or anorak is a type of coat with a hood, often lined with fur or faux fur. This kind of garment is a staple of Inuit clothing, traditionally made from caribou or seal skin, for hunting and kayaking in the frigid Arctic. Some Inuit ...
-wearing train denizens, who seek retribution against Kez for unintentionally transforming them. (recurring in ''Book 4'') * Cow Creamer ( Audrey Wasilewski) – A French porcelain cow raising a giant sentient piglet, who pursues Kez for making her ward cry. (recurring in ''Book 4'') * Pig Baby/Toddler (
J. K. Simmons Jonathan Kimble Simmons (born January 9, 1955) is an American actor, considered one of the most prolific and well-established character actors of his generation. He has appeared in over 200 films and television roles since his debut in 1986. He i ...
) – A giant sentient piglet raised by Cow Creamer. (recurring in ''Book 4'') * Judge Morpho (
Margo Martindale Margo Martindale (born July 18, 1951) is an American character actress who has appeared on television, film, and stage. In 2011, she won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award for her recurring role as Mags Bennett on '' ...
) – A caterpillar sheriff of an
Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
town who metamorphoses into a butterfly judge, who seeks to punish Kez for leaving a tea stain on their town charter. (recurring in ''Book 4'') * Nigel - a silent astronaut bouncer who guards the entrance to a space-themed nightclub, who also pursues Kez for getting him fired from his job. (recurring in ''Book 4'') * Morgan (
Margaret Cho Margaret Moran Cho (born December 5, 1968) is an American comedian, actress, LGBT social activist, and musician. She is known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially regarding race and se ...
) – A sentient castle whom Kez used to reside in. (recurring in ''Book 4'')


Production history


Conception and influences

Prior to creating ''Infinity Train'', Owen Dennis worked as a storyboard artist on ''
Regular Show ''Regular Show'' (known as ''Regular Show in Space'' during its eighth season) is an American animated sitcom created by J. G. Quintel for Cartoon Network. It ran from September 6, 2010, to January 16, 2017, over the course of eight seasons a ...
.'' Dennis conceived ''Infinity Train'' in 2010, originally as a film. He was inspired by "the feeling of waking up in an unsettling space" which he felt while on a return flight to the U.S. from China. Claiming when he had "woken up. I looked around, and there were a bunch of people staring into screens in the dark in this quiet room. I thought this was kind of creepy. And it sort of started from there." Like protagonist Tulip, Dennis created video games as an amateur in his teens, including
point-and-click adventure game An adventure game is a video game genre in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and/or puzzle-solving. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based me ...
s and
mod Mod, MOD or mods may refer to: Places * Modesto City–County Airport, Stanislaus County, California, US Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Mods (band), a Norwegian rock band * M.O.D. (Method of Destruction), a band from New York City, US ...
s for titles such as ''
Half-Life 2 ''Half-Life 2'' is a 2004 first-person shooter game developed by Valve. It was published by Valve through its distribution service Steam. Like the original ''Half-Life'' (1998), ''Half-Life 2'' combines shooting, puzzles, and storytelling, and ...
'' and ''
Unreal Tournament 2004 ''Unreal Tournament 2004'' is a first-person arena shooter video game developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. Part of the ''Unreal'' franchise, it is the third game in the ''Unreal Tournament'' series and the sequel to ''Unreal Tournament ...
''. He has stated that ''
Myst ''Myst'' is a graphic adventure/puzzle video game designed by the Miller brothers, Robyn and Rand. It was developed by Cyan, Inc., published by Broderbund, and initially released for the Macintosh in 1993. In the game, the player's character t ...
'' has been one of his primary influences since he was 13, and its influence continued in ''Infinity Train''. He also cites ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'',
Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
, ''
The NeverEnding Story ''The Neverending Story'' (german: Die unendliche Geschichte) is a fantasy novel by German writer Michael Ende, published in 1979. The first English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was published in 1983. The novel was later adapted into several f ...
'', ''
The Matrix ''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...
'', Philip K. Dick, '' Star Trek: Voyager'', ''
Sliders Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series * ...
'', and "
The Mysterious Stranger ''The Mysterious Stranger'' is a novel attempted by the American author Mark Twain. He worked on it intermittently from 1897 through 1908. Twain wrote multiple versions of the story; each involves a supernatural character called "Satan" or "No. ...
" segment from '' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' as influences, along with novels such as ''
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'' and ''
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase ''The Wolves of Willoughby Chase'' is a children's novel by Joan Aiken, first published in 1962. Set in an alternative history of England, it tells of the adventures of cousins Bonnie and Sylvia and their friend Simon the goose-boy as they thw ...
''. Dennis has also described ''Infinity Train'' as "''
Saw A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mo ...
'' for kids," in that each season is essentially a morality play based around machinery designed to help one overcome personal issues and appreciate life.


Development

''Infinity Train'' has three staff writers, who make up the main story team in addition to showrunner Dennis and supervising producer/director Maddie Queripel.
Cole Sanchez Cole Phillip Sanchez (born March 1, 1985) is an American artist, voice actor, writer, storyboard artist, director, and producer who is best known for being a writer, storyboard artist and director on the animated television series ''Adventure Time ...
served on the story team for Book 1's development but departed to work as supervising producer on ''
Summer Camp Island ''Summer Camp Island'' is an American animated television series created by Julia Pott for Cartoon Network. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, it premiered on July 7, 2018. The series depicts the episodic adventures of Oscar and Hedgehog, both ...
''. The process on each episode was that a writer would make an outline, an expansion of the outline, a script, and then would send it to a team of two board artists. The 'boarders' would have 5 weeks to make thumbnails, then the full boards, and then clean them up, before it would be sent away for animation. The animation is done by Sunmin Image Pictures in Seoul, South Korea using
traditional animation Traditional animation (or classical animation, cel animation, or hand-drawn animation) is an animation technique in which each frame is drawn by hand. The technique was the dominant form of animation in cinema until computer animation. Proce ...
methods.


2016 pilot

The pilot was first released on the Cartoon Network App and VOD on November 1, 2016, and released the following day on the official Cartoon Network
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel. The short garnered a million views within its first month of availability and has since gained 5.2 million views as of July 2020, making it the most viewed pilot on the channel while two other originals, ''
Welcome to My Life "Welcome to My Life" is a song by Canadian rock band Simple Plan. "Welcome to My Life" was released to radio on September 14, 2004, as the lead single from their second studio album, '' Still Not Getting Any...'' (2004). It peaked at number 40 ...
'' is the second most viewed pilot, and '' Twelve Forever'' (later moved to
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
) being the third most viewed pilot. A petition to greenlight ''Infinity Train'' was made shortly after the pilot was released and garnered over 57,000 signatures. On March 11, 2018, Cartoon Network's official website launched a teaser for ''Infinity Train'' that confirmed the pilot had been greenlit as a full series and would premiere in 2019.


Full production

In July 2018, a sneak peek of the first season was revealed on the Cartoon Network panel at the 2018
San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
. It was released a couple of hours later on Cartoon Network's social media platforms. A full trailer for ''Infinity Train'' was released in June 2019 which was unlocked by playing the show theme on the ''Infinity Train'' website. It was later uploaded to Cartoon Network's YouTube channel. On July 11, 2019, the show was confirmed to premiere on August 5, 2019. On July 20, 2019, the first episode was shown during the ''Infinity Train'' panel at San Diego Comic-Con. It was then released on the Cartoon Network app and website later that same day. The first season would be 10 episodes long, with two episodes airing each night from August 5 to August 9, 2019. From October 18, 2019, Cartoon Network started uploading a series of ''Infinity Train'' shorts onto their app and YouTube channel called "The Train Documentaries", which focused on One-One showing off a number of cars in the train, including "The Green Car", "Tiny Wizard Car", "The Kaiju Car" and "The Tech Support Car". A promo after the final episode of the first season confirmed the series would return. On November 22, 2019, the ''Infinity Train'' website was updated with a new claw machine puzzle. Completing the puzzle leads to a trailer for Book 2. The trailer was then released officially the next day. Book Two debuted on January 6, 2020. On July 6, 2020, Book 3 was officially announced with a release date of August 13, 2020. Unlike its predecessors, it aired on
HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
instead of
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
. Dennis revealed in a reply to a tweet that ''Infinity Train'' was originally planned to air on HBO Max from the beginning, but due to the streaming service's delay from its original 2019 launch date, the first two seasons were aired on Cartoon Network instead. It was later revealed at San Diego Comic-Con that the book would be titled ''Cult of the Conductor''. Book 3 was released in three batches, with the first five episodes debuting on August 13, the next three on August 20, and the final two on August 27. On February 17, 2021, Book 4 was officially announced with a teaser trailer containing distorted audio.


Future

On August 16, 2020, while ''Infinity Train'' Book 3 was releasing on HBO Max, Dennis reported that though the team had plans for more seasons, the whole crew and most of the production staff had been laid off, and the possibility of a series renewal depended on the series' viewership on HBO Max. When asked how many more seasons of ''Infinity Train'' were planned, Dennis stated "We have rough ideas for themes and which characters we'd like to follow for five more seasons, up to season eight. Feels like '8' is a good place to stop because it looks like an infinity symbol." When asked what he would like to do with the series in the future, Dennis expressed interest in exploring other time periods of the train, as well as a movie following Amelia's story. Dennis also stated that a season with an older Tulip was considered. Dennis expressed interest in doing ''Infinity Train'' comic books that "are in canon and could be written by or starring non-Americans." Dennis said that there were plans to make an ''Infinity Train'' video game, and there was an ''Infinity Train'' VR experience "where you hung out and solved puzzles in Corginia." Dennis also stated that a choose-your-own-adventure novel was considered. However, all of these projects were shelved when company priorities shifted. On March 11, 2021, it was announced that ''Infinity Train'' would end with its fourth season. Dennis clarified on Twitter that he did not intend for it to be the final season, and remains open to continuing the show in the future if given the opportunity. In a
Reddit AMA r/IAmA is a subreddit for question-and-answer interactive interviews termed "AMA" (short for "Ask Me Anything"). AMA interviewees have ranged from various celebrities to everyday people in several lines of work. Founded in May 2009, the subredd ...
on April 16, 2021, the day after Book 4's release, Dennis confirmed that Book 5 would have been the aforementioned Amelia-focused movie, and although a full script had been written, Cartoon Network Studios passed it on because they didn't think it had a "child entry point." Dennis also claimed that books 5, 6, 7, and 8 would have covered the themes of grief, guilt, revenge, and acceptance, respectively, and Book 8 would have touched on
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. Dennis and series writer Lindsay Katai stated that there were also plans for an ''Infinity Train'' Christmas special. On May 8, 2021, Dennis released a mockup frame from the unproduced Book 5 in response to a fan movement to renew the show trending #1 worldwide and in multiple regions on
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. Gallery Nucleus in
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held an official ''Infinity Train''
art show An art exhibition is traditionally the space in which art objects (in the most general sense) meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhib ...
from September 25 to October 3, 2021. The exhibition featured a collection of ''Infinity Train'' art by the crew of the show, exclusive ''Infinity Train'' merchandise, and a panel featuring the show's creator, Owen Dennis.


Removal from HBO Max

On August 17, 2022, it was announced that ''Infinity Train'' was among 37 series being removed from HBO Max. Two days later, the series was removed from the streaming service. In addition, all references to the show were removed across Cartoon Network's
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
and
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profiles, with Dennis subsequently stating on his Twitter bio that fans would have to resort to
online piracy Online piracy or software piracy is the practice of downloading and distributing copyrighted works digitally without permission, such as music or software. The principle behind piracy has predated the creation of the Internet, but its online popul ...
in order to watch the series. The show's soundtrack was later removed from online platforms, though it has since been reinstated. Episodes of the show can still be purchased digitally on
Google TV Google TV may refer to: * Google TV (interface), an updated interface of Android TV launched in 2020 * Google TV (service), a video-on-demand service formerly known as Google Play Movies & TV * Google TV (operating system), a discontinued operating ...
,
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, and
Apple TV An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
. Following its removal from HBO Max, ''Infinity Train'' trended on Twitter as fans expressed their frustration and disappointment. Meanwhile, all four seasons of ''Infinity Train'' topped the kids and family sale chart on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
on August 20, 2022. Additionally, the DVDs for ''Infinity Train'' sold out on websites such as
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,
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, and
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, while the prices of the DVDs on
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skyrocketed.


Soundtrack

On December 6, 2019, ''Infinity Train: Book 1 (Original Soundtrack)'' was released with 27 songs from the first season, including extended versions of "Running Away" and "Boogie Bash (The Monster Party Car)". On April 15, 2021, the song "Train to Nowhere" from Book 4 was released as a single.


Home media

''Infinity Train: Book One'' was released on DVD on April 21, 2020. It includes animatics, commentary tracks, and ''The Train Documentaries'' shorts. ''Infinity Train: Book Two'' was released on DVD on May 25, 2021.


Reception


Critical reception

''Infinity Train'' received critical acclaim upon its debut. On ''
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
'', each season has an approval rating of 100%, with season 1 based on reviews from 8 critics and the other three from 6 each. Caroline Cao of ''
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'' declared it a "wild triumph", while ''
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'''s Andrea Towers declared it "one of the best animated programs of the year." Reuben Baron of '' CBR'' favorably compared it to
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
's animated miniseries ''
Over the Garden Wall ''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel across a mysterious forest to find their way home, encountering a variet ...
'' in its perfection, hailing it as "a beautifully handled piece of self-contained, character-driven storytelling." Skyler Johnson from ''Comic Watch'' called it "excellent", with "emotional depth that is rarely seen in children's television", "witty, clever humor", and "stellar voice action." Emily Ashby of ''
Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.
'' gave the series 5 out of 5 stars. In her review Ashby praised the positive messages about friendship and self-reflection. Ashby also praised the character of Tulip and the show's emotional moments. The third season of ''Infinity Train'' particularly received critical acclaim. William Hughes of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' praised season 3 for its darker themes and messages, hailing it as "the best, most challenging season yet." Petrana Radulovic from ''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
'' praised the series' complex character arcs and noted the third season is a testament to the infinite potential of the premise. Andrew Kolondra Jr. from ''
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'' called season 3 "genre-defying" and said "thanks to shows like ''Infinity Train'', the modern animation world is finally approaching a point at which it may break free of the notion that animation is 'just for kids.'" ''
Observer Media Observer Media is an American online media company. The company was formed through several acquisitions, including acquisition of ''The New York Observer'' in 2007. Observer Media is based in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and was owned by busi ...
'' said the show has grown into its own, developing a compelling world and internal mysteries "that will draw you in with a masterclass in character development to fuel your drive to keep going." Beth Elderkin of ''
io9 ''io9'' is part of Gizmodo media since 2015, and it began as blog launched in 2008 by Gawker Media. The site initially focused on the subjects of science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and related areas but over the years has ...
'' praised season 3 for "enhancing the show's dedication to avoiding black-and-white views of morality". Elderkin particularly praised episode 5 of season 3 for its "stunning revelations" saying "it's worth watching for those alone." The fourth and final season of ''Infinity Train'' also received positive notice, though reception was considerably subdued compared to Book 3. The bulk of criticism was directed towards its lighthearted tone after the darker themes of the previous season, as well as its lack of finality, though many critics acknowledged in their reviews that Book 4 was not intended to be the final season. Darren Franich of ''Entertainment Weekly'' still hailed it as "a solid season of television." James Poniewozik of ''The New York Times'' agreed that the ending was bittersweet with the knowledge that the series was ending before the creative team had planned, but praised its humor and characters.


Ratings

As the show first entered production, the pilot for ''Infinity Train'' was first aired on Cartoon Network on Saturday February 11, 2017 at 6:00 AM without any advertisements for it. Despite this, the pilot pulled in approximately 703,000 views amongst the 18–49 year old demographic and ranked as the 33rd of the top 50 original cable telecasts for February 11, 2017. In September 2020, ''Parrot Analytics'' found that the audience demand for ''Infinity Train'' was 21.3 times the demand of the average TV series in the United States within 30 days of its release. In December 2020, ''
Observer Media Observer Media is an American online media company. The company was formed through several acquisitions, including acquisition of ''The New York Observer'' in 2007. Observer Media is based in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and was owned by busi ...
'' reported that ''Infinity Train'' was the fourth most-watched original series on HBO Max since its launch in May.


Awards and nominations

''Infinity Train: The Perennial Child'' was nominated in 2020 at the 47th Annie Awards in the category ''Best Special Production''.


Notes


References


Further reading

*


External links

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