Crossing Swords

Crossing Swords is a refreshingly original animated series on Hulu with its first season airing in 2020 and second one in 2021. The series creator is John Harvatine IV and Tom Root, who are also the team behind the highly successful stop-motion sketch comedy Television series Robot Chicken. Crossing Swords is coproduced by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, the company founded by Harvatine IV and Root along with Seth Green and Matthew Senreich.

Set in a meticulously crafted stop-motion animated medieval fantasy world reminiscent of Playmobil toy sets, Crossing Swords turns the conventions of the genre upside down with its unique fusion of traditional fairy tale aesthetics and modern, audaciously adult-oriented humor. Its visual style is vibrantly engaging, with the unique character design adding to the hilarity and captivating storylines of the show.

The core narrative follows Patrick, an idealistic, good-hearted peasant who dreams of becoming a knight and serving the kingdom. But his aspirations are quickly thwarted when he becomes a squire at the royal palace, only to realize that his dream job is far from noble. Patrick’s unremitting sense of duty and unflinching loyalty increasingly seem to clash with the reality of the most corrupt, unscrupulous, and utterly hilarious royal court.

Patrick is voiced by Nicholas Hoult, bringing an innocent charm to the unlucky protagonist who often finds himself embroiled in comedic disasters resulting from the royal family's offbeat antics. The show boasts a remarkable ensemble cast, featuring voices from industry veterans such as Tony Hale, Adam Ray, Tara Strong, Adam Pally, and Seth Green, among others. Each brings their distinct tones to a roster of eccentric characters who add richness to this wacky world.

The loveable roster of characters encompasses a drunken and perverted monarch, his opportunistic and scheming queen, a pirate-turned-chamberlain, a pair of rambunctious princesses, Patrick's massively dysfunctional family, and more. The colorful array of characters fills out the show's world, ensuring that there's never a dull moment.

One of the standout features of Crossing Swords is its irreverence and sharp-witted humor. While the show introduces the audience to a traditional fantasy land populated by kings, queens, knights, and peasants, it skillfully subverts expectations by infusing the ambiance with adult-oriented humor and an irrepressible anarchic spirit. Blending elements of fantasy and eternally topical satire, the series features storylines that are not afraid to be risqué, engaging viewers with edgy jokes and off-the-wall story arcs.

However, Crossing Swords is not all about shallow laughs and gratuitous jokes. Amidst the chaos and hilarity, it subtly reflects the timeless human themes of morality, ambition, loyalty, and the disillusionment of ideals. The precise and detailed world-building, complex character arcs, and overarching narrative arcs ensure that the audience is invested in the show beyond its shock factor.

In terms of visual production, Crossing Swords distinctively stands out with its unique approach to animation techniques. The series beautifully exploits the possibilities of stop-motion animation, distinguished by its small-sculpted characters and the detailed diorama-like sets. Its visual appeal exists not just in the crafted characters shown on screen, but also the ambiance of each episode's location, conveying a sense of space, time, and lived history.

Despite being quite unconventional, Crossing Swords has managed to capture the attention of many with its innovative narrative storytelling, cheeky humor, marvellous voice acting, and technical excellence in stop-motion animation. Each episode offers a new, high-stakes adventure filled with the series' trademark mix of grim fairy tale drama and wildly inappropriate comedy.

Viewers who appreciate quirky animated shows with subversive humor, uncompromising originality, and a dash of adult themes will find Crossing Swords an enjoyable watch. While its unapologetic style may not catch the fancy of a broad audience, for fans of shows like Robot Chicken or those looking for a distinct break from traditional animation, Crossing Swords offers an animated medieval spectacle that's utterly unique.

In conclusion, Crossing Swords is a clever, audacious, and visually stunning series, taking audiences into a playfully bleak and comedic world where excess is the norm, and no subject is off the table for satire.