Puppets can be cute, funny, inspiring, and educational. Yet, they can be creepy from time to time, with their googly eyes and apparently simple life lessons. Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling, two college friends from England, felt that Sesame Street, though compelling, may not always hit the right spot when teaching kids about love, friendship, healthy food, and other core values. Their response was a brilliant dark comedy titled Don’t Hug Me, I’m Scared, a YouTube sensation launched on 29 July 2011 and consisting of six short episodes.
Eleven years later, after millions of views and critical acclaim, the series was brought to the streaming world by Channel 4 into a fully-fledged 22-minute series of six chapters. Fans were delighted to see their favorite characters back and reloaded with traumatizing life lessons. Here are some key takeaways of what made the show an instant hit and a promising series for the future.
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The show revolves around three main characters: a yellow guy, a red guy, and a duck. The trio lives in a child-like puppet world, where everyday objects have faces and can spontaneously burst into songs. Each episode is centered on the characters meeting a new teacher, such as a briefcase that tells them about jobs or a train that explains how means of transport work. What starts as a jolly sing-along session always makes a turn for the worst, finding the irony within each topic and pushing everything to the limit.
As the tv series progresses, the characters’ environment becomes more abstract and obscure. Think of The Matrix’s philosophy colliding with Sesame Street. Sloan and Pelling not only comment satirically on the baffling methods used to teach kids but also creates a complex universe of characters (a Marvel Puppet World, if you will) open to interpretation, something those who adore theories can relate to.
Yellow, Red, and Duck learn to deal with daily situations in the most ridiculous ways. For instance, the second episode starts when Duck learns from the newspapers he is now dead, and a talking coffin is in charge of explaining to the trio how death works. Far from understanding how to cope with it, the cute characters end up more confused than before. The protagonists face uncomfortable situations constantly, hearing bewildering phrases that are supposed to teach kids about each subject. There is always a climax for each chapter, where things go absolutely off the rails, and the puppets either freak out or solve the situation in the most absurd way possible.
Don’t Hug Me, I’m Scared’s style is quite unique. Its sardonic humor bears some resemblance to the funniest side of Jordan Peele’s bizarre humor. Their use of props and sets reminds viewers of supposedly ’80s horror movies that provoke more laughs than screams. Yet again, the setting is clearly children’s TV gone wrong, something not that visited until now.
Don’t Hug Me, I’m Scared Is a Puppet Creep Show
Speaking of setting, a big part of the show’s success is its impressive visuals. Every chapter is a lesson on high-quality animation. Puppets lead most of the segments, but other situations involve all kinds of animation: 2D, 3D, and claymation, among others. The creators of Don’t Hug Me, I’m Scared are happy to include other experienced animators for each episode, showcasing beautifully creepy imagery.
The characters have gorgeous textures and multidimensional angles. Each of them can turn from merry to gory in a matter of seconds. Songs are thrown into the mix to potentiate these nightmare-fueling transitions. They stick into your head, singing their puzzling lyrics, reminding you how weird some scenes from your childhood shows were.
Don’t Hug me, I’m Scared marries horror with comedy in a whole new approach. Its satires dig deep into everyday affairs, with powerful social commentary disguised in children’s TV. The protagonists are ridiculous, yet relatable, and each new “teacher” character becomes part of the series’ creepy lore that feeds thousands of hours in YouTube fan theories.
In that sense, it has a very specific audience. Whereas many will discover a completely original take on this curious merger of horror and comedy, others may find its sinister tone awfully disturbing. While the series is not as violent as you’d expect from South Park’s controversial episodes or even The Boys’ most cringe-worthy moments, Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling’s creation knows how to play over the fine line between tasteful and disgusting. Its witty vision, combined with its surface ingenuity, makes for a fresh take on horror comedy — with puppets!
It’s clear that Don’t Hug me, I’m Scared scratches a very particular itch in today’s viewers, so many might think twice before binging it. One thing is for certain, though: those who have seen it will never watch Sesame Street with the same eyes ever again.
