Grantblings

It’s so good, I want to hate it.

Do you watch Bob’s Burgers on FOX?  I got to the show late, probably third season, but it really is a fun show and it really makes me laugh.

One of my favorite moments is when 9 year old Louise goes to a concert with her older sister Tina to see the boy band/One Direction rip off Boyz 4 Now.  The entire trip to the concert Louise is ragging on the band and even through the first part of the concert, she’s giving her sister grief about it.  But then the Boyz 4 Now member Boo Boo takes the stage and Louise is instantly smitten which leads to this hilarious line…

Besides being hilariously funny, I think we have all felt this feeling or something like it.  She’s so in love with Boo Boo but she knows it goes against everything she’s said up to that moment to love him because, in her mind, she’s supposed to hate Boo Boo.  So, she combines the two feelings (love/hate) into one.  “…he’s so gorgeous.  I just wanna slap it, I wanna slap it, I just wanna slap his hideous beautiful face.”

I found myself in a similar situation this week when I stumbled upon the web series Paint By Monster.  It’s a web series hosted by a monster puppet monster named Easel Monster and he teachers art and art principles to kids (and adults).

I had seen mention of it on Twitter and checked out and, honestly was not expecting much.  From the opening song, though…I was hooked.  I loved everything about it.  The style, the puppet, the character, the way it is for kids but has an adult edge to it.  It really captivated me.  There are four episodes of the show out and I’ve watched them several times each.  I want to know how every shot was accomplished.  Is it a miniature set, if so, how?  It’s just really fascinating to me.  I would not be surprised at all if we hear about Paint By Monster being picked up and produced as an actual TV show.  It’s that good.

It’s so good.  It’s so good, I just want to slap it!

Making a web series is not a competition, theres enough bandwidth for us all.  But this show was so good, I instantly loved and hated it.  Hated it only because, in my opinion, my productions (Uncle Interloper, etc) are nowhere as good as Paint By Monster.  Do I want it to fail, no.  In fact I’ve promoted it heavily on my Twitter accounts.  Do I wish the creator harm?  Absolutely not!  It’s just one of those things where I know my limitations and, watching this, I know that I can’t do it as good.

The show has a style and I think that’s something my creations lack.  A sense of visual style.  That’s because while I feel I do come up with good scripts and characters, I lack a sense of visual style. For example, where were putting together Stanley & JAX for Nerd-ament, Russ hit on them both having the same basic colors.  That would have never occurred to me.  Paint By Monster has such a great visual style and it frustrates me that I couldn’t do something that great.

The thing is though, the show inspires me.  It shows me what a good, engaging web series can be and it gives me a goal to strive for.  And I will.

So, please go watch Paint By Monster.  He deserves your time.  You will enjoy it.

And Easel, if I ever meet you, I promise not to slap you.

I love all the episodes released so far of Paint By Monster, but if the opening song in this one doesn’t make you smile, you’re taking life way too seriously.