Image: cartoon network / hbo max
Sure, the world is in turmoil, existence is futile, and democracy could soon cease to exist as we know it.
But I’ll be damned if I’m not spending my afternoon watching these one-eyed, cartoon, mushroom children push a gigantic snowball up a mountain in the name of adventure.
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Still, the dialogue’s execution is heightened such that it provides pockets of mature humor — think a Brontosaurus(?) named Pam staring into the distance and sighing, “I’m lonely a lot” — that are surprising and rewarding enough that you’ll have little trouble getting invested in the overall journey.
Across Season 1, we watch Seth learn lessons about honesty, friendship, values, and more as the animation style takes dozens of unexpected turns in an intricately crafted world that feels both transporting and lived-in. Seth and his pals are more complex than you’d think, and Fungietown shifts in appearance to accommodate that range. Sure, it’s not profound, but it’s very effective.
Image: cartoone network / hbo max
The Fungies! is an infectious watch, the kind I wouldn’t be recommending if I hadn’t already fallen deep, deep under its spell during the first 24 hours of the show’s streaming availability. From the inescapably catchy theme song (“We are the Fungies, prehistoric fungi in a mushroom town!!“) to the adorable kicker before the credits roll, each episode of The Fungies! scratches the itch adult cartoon fans known all too well.
It’s a perfect balance between the soft, safe world of children’s programming and the deadpan absurdism of emotional exhaustion — y’know, but with mushrooms. And dinosaurs. And, oh yeah, that talking stump.
The Fungies! Season 1 is now streaming on HBO Max.