The Midnight Gospel

The Midnight Gospel is a unique offering on the Netflix platform, streaming since April 2020. This isn’t your standard cartoon series; instead, it’s an ambitious, kaleidoscopic trip through animated worlds and profound philosophical conversations. The series is the brainchild of two inventive creators: Pendleton Ward, known for the popular adventure-filled series Adventure Time, and Duncan Trussell, a comedian and podcaster known for his experimental approach to humor and introspection. The result is an intense visual spectacle, infused with an exploration of existential themes, forming a mesmerising blend of animation and intellectual exploration.

In the simplest terms, The Midnight Gospel follows a space-caster named Clancy, voiced by Trussell himself, who uses a forbidden multiverse simulator to engage in cryowalking, venturing into the cosmos to visit dying worlds. Through these enlightening journeys, Clancy interviews beings (often in humanoid forms) about their experiences, thoughts, and perspectives.

The Midnight Gospel is a seamless fusion of a podcast and animation. To create each episode, snippets from Trussell's own podcast, Duncan Trussell Family Hour, are taken and interwoven with the fantastical, vibrant animation. This results in multi-layered episodes where profound philosophical conversations unfold against the backdrop of random, visually arresting, and often surreal animation sequences. Subjects discussed range from life and death, spirituality, forgiveness, and the complexities of the human condition - all packaged into eight 20-30 minute-long episodes that pack an immersive punch.

One distinctive feature of The Midnight Gospel is its poignant approach to presenting deep, existential ruminations. It doesn't shy away from addressing heavy themes such as mortality, consciousness, existence, and the nature of reality. These topics are skillfully woven into conversations between Clancy and his inter-dimensional guests throughout the series. It’s not just theoretical philosophy either; the show dabbles in sciences, metaphysics, spirituality, even touches on aspects of Buddhism and magic.

Narratively, The Midnight Gospel can be described as eccentric. It's comprised of standalone stories, or episodes, each a self-contained exploration. But overtime, a deeper storyline unfolds about Clancy's own life, his isolation, and the vague tension between him and his simulator. The show cleverly balances the individual narrative of each episode with the overarching storyline, allowing for episodic indulgence while subtly building on the continuity.

Visually, The Midnight Gospel is an experiment in the possibilities of animation, drawing from a palette of the psychedelic and extraordinary. The backgrounds are richly detailed, the characters bizarrely inventive, and the visuals have a hallucinatory feel to them, often thrusting the viewer into a whirlpool of colors, patterns, and dream-like scenarios. The non-linear visuals are arguably as thought-provoking as the dialogue itself, adding an extra layer of complexity and introspection.

In its peculiar fusion of thought-provoking dialogue and psychedelic visuals, The Midnight Gospel strikes a rare balance between adventure and philosophy, ensuring that viewers are not only entertained but also intellectually stimulated. Its audio-visual composition resists exact categorization, making it a unique concoction of multiple genres and art forms - a science fiction-fantasy-adventure combined with deep philosophical musings molded in sophisticated, trippy animation. The result is an unpredictable and unforgettable viewing experience, where one is as likely to be pondering about consciousness as they are to be captivated by eccentric animation.

The Midnight Gospel makes for a show that demands one’s full attention. It’s not designed for casual viewing or for background noise. Instead, it encourages absorption, contemplation, and introspection. It’s not necessarily a comfortable or easy watch either, as it challenges viewers with its heavy, existential musings wrapped in fast-paced, electrifying animation, but therein lies its value - it’s an experience, mesmerising, beautiful, and quite unlike anything else.

In conclusion, The Midnight Gospel is a groundbreaking amalgamation of audio and visual storytelling, a psychedelic journey into the maze of existence and consciousness. Its imaginative presentation and philosophical conversations make it a distinctive and thought-provoking viewing experience that appeals to an audience who appreciate a mental workout along with their animation. Undeniably reflective, visually vivid, and surreal, The Midnight Gospel is an innovative gem in Netflix's trove of animated series.