It`s more than just a cartoon. That thought surfaces with the opening chords of the signature songs kicking off the fifth season of `Phineas and Ferb` – our old friend, returning after a 10-year hiatus. It also serves as a fitting conclusion to this short, yet still warm and enjoyable story, just like it was back then.
Everyone had their favorite cartoons growing up; some due to timing, others because of different channels. Soviet didacticism, the fantastic madness of Jetix, the biting irony of Fox Kids, and the thrilling adventures of Nickelodeon – even amidst this vibrant landscape, Disney`s `Phineas and Ferb` always stood out as uniquely itself.
Its return after such a significant break seemed like fantasy – and to the skeptics` chagrin, fantasy it proved to be. Their doubts are understandable; time flies, kids grow up. It`s hard to view old childhood cartoons with the same eyes, accepting that much is left in the distant past, and some beloved shows have fizzled out. But here, it turns out these young geniuses are just as fresh, their flights of fancy breathtaking, and the narrative structure hasn`t lost a drop of its sophistication or multi-layered appeal. Now is the perfect time to tune in and witness a masterclass in an exemplary comeback.
Before immediately gushing about the quantity and quality of content in the new season, let`s recap (and for some, learn) the basics of the show. The animated series follows two young inventors who constantly build incredible contraptions with their friends. Their older sister, Candace, is always trying to bust them for this artistic mischief, hoping to show their mom the full scope of their secret antics, but the monstrous inventions always disappear right before a potential capture.
The reason for these marvels lies in the nefarious activities of Professor Doofenshmirtz, operating somewhere across town. His plans to wreak havoc on the residents are foiled by secret agent Perry the Platypus – who is also Phineas and Ferb`s pet, secretly hiding his job from them. The professor`s fights with the platypus constantly result in various mishaps that cause the brothers` creations to vanish (though they don`t seem to mind much).
Over time, the show acquired a host of secondary characters, deepening their personalities and interactions – remember the storyline with Vanessa and Ferb falling in love, or Stacy and Perry`s moments hinting at his secret work. The show began playing with its parallel narrative structure; the old template could shift, sometimes introducing a shared threat, sometimes having no threat at all, and occasionally the Fletchers and Doofenshmirtz family would cross paths in everyday situations.
Starting the new season reminds you just how good and well-thought-out it was for its time. In a way, the cartoon was even ahead of its time, which allows it to still feel fresh today – the original approaches and plot devices still fit perfectly into the established framework.
If I had a nickel for every time Candace wanted to show me something, I`d have $5.20 because that`s happened 104 times.
From the very first episodes, the show, just like in the good old days, hits you with a barrage of visual gags, absurd inventions, and delightfully silly conventions. The characters have long since shed any narrative constraints; their only task now is to put on a spectacular show for the viewer, ensuring constant surprises. Here, the Professor and the platypus might team up; there, an entire episode might be dedicated to a third-tier character; and elsewhere, they`ll even invent a new physical phenomenon (hello to the fifth dimension/season).
Wouldn`t it be cathartic to beat a bunch of carnivorous plants with a book until they submit?
The characters` near-philosophical remarks are on fire. It feels like the continuation was made for those same grown-up fans. It`s hard to imagine modern young viewers pausing their `reels` for a show using words like `ephemeral`, `cathartic`, or `forced perspective`. Even your humble servant with a higher education felt too dense to fully appreciate the postmodern triumph of the ninth episode. Of course, that`s also because I`ve largely forgotten the lore.
Yes, don`t be surprised – the creators clearly love their creation, constantly referencing events and characters from previous seasons. The references touch not only the show`s past but also current societal trends:
There are songs too, of course – they are, as always, to everyone`s taste. There are simple `hum-alongs` and extreme tracks for connoisseurs, like the guitar squeals in the sixth episode. When cozy, conflict-free Girl Scouts bake cupcakes one minute and are beating each other up to infernal rock screams the next, you realize that conventional modern conformist anime based on quick cuts cannot possibly approach the creative freedom of this cartoon, which changes colors so rapidly yet remains organic.
The nuance is that everything listed is definitely good on paper, but even better in practice. Believe it or not, throughout the entire fifth season, I kept thinking about how to convey the almost inexplicable feelings that arise while watching. After ten years, `Phineas and Ferb` returned not just to play on nostalgic feelings, but to truly surprise – even by modern standards. Such enviable originality is only possible because of its narrative structure.
Did something happen on one side of the story with Phineas and Ferb? You can bet there will be a reaction on Doofenshmirtz`s side. Along the way to the event, town eccentrics, random passersby, characters with affected heartstrings will join in, and based on all this, the writers will build the corresponding tension. How it usually looks:
In one episode, the writers even ironize about themselves, as the characters try to overcome the effect of plot barriers that repeatedly shape the course of the story. All this shows the extremely high level of thoughtfulness in the production of this series, setting it apart from other products on the shelf. If you`ve spent years building a narrative structure that allows you to do anything you want, it would be a shame not to take advantage of it. And believe me, in this season, the creators went all out.
It is with this quote from the season that I want to summarize the return of the beloved cartoon. Over the years, I`ve often sadly stared at the ceiling, realizing that shows like `What`s with Andy?` or `Jimmy Two Shoes` would never be made again, their stories forever buried under the sands of time. But it turns out, if buried, not all of them are – at any moment, a familiar star can shine again in the animation sky, and for that, above all, thanks go to the production team of the continuation, who did everything to ensure `Phineas and Ferb` returned in the best possible shape.
Moreover, the fifth season is so impressive in its freshness that it makes you wonder if not all is lost with old cartoons. Back then, they hit with originality head-on – remember `Quest World`, where toilet humor created such delicate and dramatic situations you couldn`t invent them intentionally. Now, the level of punchlines there seems a bit weak, but maybe such things can also gain new life if their return to the screen is approached with soul? Our subject is magnificent, if only because it helps us hope that other legends of yesteryear might someday return.