''The Amazing World of Gumball'' is an

animated sitcom An animated sitcom is a subgenre of the sitcom that is animated instead of live action and is generally made or created for adult audiences in most cases. ''SpongeBob SquarePants'', ''The Simpsons'', ''South Park'', and ''Family Guy'' are four of ...

created by Ben Bocquelet for Cartoon Network. The series concerns the lives of 12-year-old

Gumball Watterson The ''Amazing World of Gumball'' characters appear in the British-American animated sitcom ''The Amazing World of Gumball''. The series revolves around the daily life of 12-year-old cat Gumball Watterson and his family—adoptive brother Darwi ...

, an anthropomorphic blue cat, and adoptive goldfish brother Darwin, who attend middle school in the fictional city of Elmore, California. They often find themselves in various shenanigans around the city, during which they interact with fellow family members—younger sister Anais, mother Nicole, and father Richard— and an extended supporting cast of characters. Bocquelet based several of the series' characters on rejected characters from his previous commercial work while making its premise a mixture of "family shows and school shows", which Cartoon Network was heavily interested in. After Bocquelet pitched ''The Amazing World of Gumball'' to the network,

Turner Broadcasting Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (alternatively known as Turner Entertainment Networks from 2019 until 2022) was an American television and media conglomerate. Founded by Ted Turner and based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner (lat ...

executive Daniel Lennard green-lit the production of the series. The show was produced by Cartoon Network Studios Europe, in association with

Boulder Media Boulder Media Limited is an Irish animation studio founded by filmmaker Robert Cullen in 2000. It is currently a subsidiary of Australian media company Princess Pictures. History Cullen founded Boulder Media in 2000. On 13 July 2016, it b ...

(Ireland; season 1) and Studio Soi (Germany; seasons 2–6). ''Gumball'' is noted for its intentional stylistic disunity, with characters designed, filmed, and animated using various styles and techniques, oftentimes within the same scene (stylized

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. Proc ...

, puppetry, CGI,

stop motion Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames i ...

Flash animation Adobe Flash animation or Adobe Flash cartoon (formerly Macromedia Flash animation, Macromedia Flash cartoon, FutureSplash animation, and FutureSplash cartoon) is an animation that is created with the Adobe Animate (formerly Flash Professional) p ...

live-action Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...

, etc.). The series has received critical acclaim and developed a cult following, with particular praises for its extensive references to

popular culture Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...

and

internet culture Internet culture is a culture based on the many way people have used computer networks and their use for communication, entertainment, business, and recreation. Some features of Internet culture include online communities, gaming, and social medi ...

sarcasm Sarcasm is the caustic use of words, often in a humorous way, to mock someone or something. Sarcasm may employ ambivalence, although it is not necessarily ironic. Most noticeable in spoken word, sarcasm is mainly distinguished by the inflection ...

, subtle

innuendo An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion ...

dark humor Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discu ...

, and metahumor. Although it is a children's series, ''Gumball'' comments on topics that are often considered serious or mature, including philosophy,

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

cyberbullying Cyberbullying or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers, as the digital ...

, political intolerance, mental illness, and the

human condition The human condition is all of the characteristics and key events of human life, including birth, learning, emotion, aspiration, morality, conflict, and death. This is a very broad topic that has been and continues to be pondered and analyzed f ...

. On September 6, 2016, Bocquelet announced the series would end after season 6; he reaffirmed his position on Twitter in October 2018. However, Turner Northern Europe was unable to confirm the sixth season to be the show's last, which could make way for future episodes. Following the series finale, two miniseries were released: the six-episode '' Darwin's Yearbook'' in November 2019 and ''The Gumball Chronicles'' in October 2020. On February 17, 2021, Cartoon Network revealed that a

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

based on the series was in development. On September 21, 2021, it was announced that a new spin-off series, to be a follow-up for both the show and the movie, had been greenlit for Cartoon Network and

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alongside the film. On August 22, 2022, it was reported that the film would no longer be heading to HBO Max, but would be shopped to other outlets instead.

Production

When Cartoon Network Studios Europe was created in 2007, Ben Bocquelet was hired to help people pitch their projects to the network. However, when the studio decided to have its employees all pitch their own ideas, he decided to take some rejected characters he had created for commercials and put them together in one series set inside of a school. Daniel Lennard, vice president of Original Series and Development at

Turner Broadcasting System Europe Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. The subsidiary is responsible for managing the collection of their cable and satellite networks around the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions. History WarnerMedia ...

, was impressed by the premise and approved production of the series in 2009. The first series to be produced by Cartoon Network Studios Europe, making the show a British production, thirty-six episodes were produced for its first season in collaboration with Studio Soi, Dublin-based

Boulder Media Limited Boulder Media Limited is an Irish animation studio founded by filmmaker Robert Cullen in 2000. It is currently a subsidiary of Australian media company Princess Pictures. History Cullen founded Boulder Media in 2000. On 13 July 2016, it b ...

, and Dandelion Studios. On February 17, 2021, the Cartoon Network Twitter account confirmed that a film based on ''The Amazing World of Gumball'' is in development.

Premise

The series revolves around the life of a 12-year-old cat named Gumball Watterson and his frequent shenanigans in the fictional American city of Elmore, accompanied by his adopted goldfish brother and best friend Darwin. Gumball's other family members—his intellectual sister Anais and stay-at-home father Richard, both rabbits, and

workaholic A workaholic is a person who works compulsively. A workaholic experiences an inability to limit the amount of time they spend on work despite negative consequences such as damage to their relationships or health. There is no generally accepted ...

mother Nicole, a cat—often find themselves involved in Gumball's exploits. Gumball attends school with his siblings at Elmore Junior High, where throughout the series he interacts with his various middle school classmates, most prominently his love interest Penny Fitzgerald. One prominent feature of the series since its third season is "The Void", a dimension inside of Elmore where all the universe's mistakes reside. This includes references to aspects of reality as well as in-series elements. Rob is a background character from the first two seasons who became trapped in The Void after becoming "irrelevant". He later escapes in Season 3, after which he becomes Gumball's nemesis and main antagonist. He is shown to be aware of his fictional existence in the Season 4 episode "The Disaster", and his hatred towards Gumball is a result of his role as the protagonist.

Episodes

Crossovers

On September 17, 2015, series creator Ben Bocquelet announced on his Twitter page that a crossover episode with an unknown show would air as part of the fifth season. This turned out to be the episodes, "The Puppets", which features characters and settings from ''

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared ''Don't Hug Me I'm Scared'' (often abbreviated as ''DHMIS'') is a British web and television series created by Becky Sloan, Joe Pelling, and Baker Terry. The series is notable for its blending of surreal comedy and black comedy with psychologica ...

''. Additionally, "The Copycats" featured the characters interacting with ones similar to those from ''Miracle Star'', a Chinese clone of the show. "The Boredom" featured characters from ''

Clarence Clarence may refer to: Places Australia * Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division * Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow * Clarence River (New South Wales) * Clarence Strait (Northern Territory) * City of Clarence, a l ...

'', '' Regular Show'', and ''

Uncle Grandpa ''Uncle Grandpa'' is an American animated television series created by Peter Browngardt for Cartoon Network. It ran from September 2, 2013 to June 30, 2017. It is based on Browngardt's animated short of the same name from the unaired '' Cartoons ...

'' making cameo appearances. Gumball made a cameo appearance on the ''

'' episode "Pizza Eve", along with other Cartoon Network characters from currently running and ended cartoons. Gumball made a cameo appearance on the '' OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'' episode and Cartoon Network special "Crossover Nexus", along with other Cartoon Network characters from currently running and ended cartoons.

''Waiting for Gumball''

''Waiting for Gumball'' is a series of thirteen shorts based on ''The Amazing World of Gumball'', or more specifically, "The Puppets".

''Darwin's Yearbook''

A six-episode miniseries called '' Darwin's Yearbook'' aired on Cartoon Network from December 14 to December 28, 2019. The miniseries features Darwin attempting to complete Elmore Junior High's yearbook by examining who he thinks should fill up the best spot. The miniseries predominantly consists of recycled clips from previous episodes of the original series presented in a

clip show A clip show is an episode of a television series that consists primarily of excerpts from previous episodes. Most clip shows feature the format of a frame story in which cast members recall past events from past installments of the show, depicte ...

style.

''The Gumball Chronicles''

Another series of

episodes titled, The ''Gumball Chronicles'', premiered on October 5, 2020, with ''The Curse of Elmore''. On November 2, 2020, four more episodes (each beginning with ''Vote Gumball...and'') themed around the 2020 United States presidential election were aired back-to-back.

Future

In an interview with ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

'' newspaper, series creator Ben Bocquelet mentioned plans for a feature film based on the series. However, after Bocquelet announced his departure from the show following the sixth season, he stated that he doubted a film would be made. In March 2018, Bocquelet's interest in a ''Gumball'' film was seemingly revitalized as he stated that he "might have a good idea" for a film. He later added that he had two ideas, one for a potential theatrical film and one for a potential direct-to-video film. On September 29, 2018, during a Q&A with the series director Mic Graves at Cartoon Network UK's 25th-anniversary screening, he confirmed that a script for ''The Amazing World of Gumball'' film is in the works. He also said that he hopes for the film to happen. Bocquelet retweeted a tweet which states that the script for a film based on ''The Amazing World of Gumball'' is being written, however, it was then unknown if the film would actually be made. After the season six finale "The Inquisition", was met with mixed reviews from fans of the series due to its

cliffhanger A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode or a film of serialized fiction. A cliffhang ...

ending, Bocquelet stated it was not his choice to conclude the episode that way, adding that it would be resolved if a film based on the series were produced. On February 17, 2021,

WarnerMedia Warner Media, LLC ( traded as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States. It was originally established in 1972 by ...

announced that a

was in development under the working title ''The Amazing World of Gumball Movie''. On September 21, 2021, Cartoon Network announced that the upcoming film had been greenlit under the title ''The Amazing World of Gumball: The Movie!'', with original series creator Ben Bocquelet serving as director and executive producer. The film would focus on Gumball's biggest fan finding a missing episode from the television show and accidentally opening a portal that connects Gumball's cartoon world to his own. After meeting the characters, they'll join Gumball, Darwin, Anais, Richard, and Nicole in saving Elmore from a nefarious menace looking to overtake the town. It would act as the "epic conclusion" to the original series and establish the world for a new accompanying show with the working title ''The Amazing World of Gumball: The Series''. On August 22, 2022, the film was announced as one of six projects that will no longer be debuting on the streamer

, but will instead be shopped at a different outlet. Bocquelet later said in a September 1, 2022 tweet, that the film's fate is "a bit of a

Schrödinger's cat In quantum mechanics, Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment that illustrates a paradox of quantum superposition. In the thought experiment, a hypothetical cat may be considered simultaneously both alive and dead, while it is unobserved in ...

question". He still expressed hope that the film will continue at some point. On December 13, 2022, the

LinkedIn LinkedIn () is an American business and employment-oriented online service that operates via websites and mobile apps. Launched on May 5, 2003, the platform is primarily used for professional networking and career development, and allows job se ...

page of '' The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe'' series producer Emma Fernando confirmed that she will be the series producer of ''The Amazing World of Gumball''s seventh season.

Broadcast

The first two seasons were released on Cartoon Network channels in over 126 countries, with the third season rolling out through 2014. The series debuted on

Cartoon Network UK Cartoon Network (commonly abbreviated as CN) is a British pay television channel aimed at children which airs animated programming targeting children and young aged 6 to 12.

on May 2, 2011, one day before the US premiere. The show aired on

Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...

from December 1, 2014, to October 23, 2015, its second run from February 1, 2016, to April 2, 2017, and its third run since May 2, 2022.

Reception

Critical reception

''The Amazing World of Gumball'' received critical acclaim. In a favorable review, Brian Lowry of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' described the series as "mostly a really clever spin on domestic chaos" and "first-rate silliness." Ken Tucker of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

'' was also positive, writing: "There are few examples of mainstream children's programming as wildly imaginative, as visually and narratively daring, as ''The Amazing World of Gumball''." ''

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 ...

''s Noel Murray graded the DVD release of the series' first 12 episodes a B+, writing that "what sets 'The Amazing World of Gumball''apart from the many other super-silly, semi-anarchic cartoons on cable these days is that it features such a well-developed world, where even with the eclectic character designs, there are recognisable traits and tendencies." ''

Wired ''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San ...

'' writer Z noted that the series "manages to have genuine heart even as the plots themselves transition from well-worn TV tropes to all out madness."

Ratings

On May 3, 2011, the series premiere of ''The Amazing World of Gumball'' was watched by 2.120 million viewers in the United States. "The Goons" is currently the highest viewed episode of the series, with 2.72 million viewers. "The Potion" is the lowest viewed episode with only 0.42 million viewers, approximately 15% of its series high.

Awards and nominations

Comic books

On June 18, 2014,

Boom! Studios Boom! Studios (styled BOOM! Studios) is an American comic book and graphic novel publisher, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. History Origins In the early 2000s, Ross Richie and Andrew Cosby had been working in Ho ...

began publishing ''The Amazing World of Gumball''

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

series, which would end in 2015 after 8 issues. The series was written by Frank Gibson and illustrated by Tyson Hesse.

Home media

Notes

References

External links