Are You an Adventure Time Purist?

[theredninja2003]

Have you guys ever heard certain Adventure Time fans refer to themselves as "purists"? Basically people who prefer the vibe of early Adventure Time before it became super serialized. I get where some fans are coming from because the first two seasons of the show have a very special and nostalgic place in our hearts. When I rewatch the show, I tend to mostly rewatch episodes from the first four seasons. I don't think it's because I don't like the rest of the show, it's the part of the series I have the most memories and familiarity with. I think I stopped watching consistently around 2015 after the Stakes mini-series premiered. That was pretty much the last year I was a consistent CN viewer. But I didn't stop watching because I didn't like the serialized plots, it was mostly because I could never figure out when it was airing. I ended up missing the back half of the series until I tuned in for the finale in September 2018.

I think season 3 and season 4 was probably when the show had the best mix of episodic stories and serialized stories. The exact moment when Adventure Time got really real was the Farm World timeline episode with the Litch. Those episodes terrified me as a kid and I think that's why I always stop my rewatch around those episodes. I haven't seen any of the specials, Idk if I would enjoy them all that much because I tend to prefer early Adventure Time overall. Anyone else feel that way towards the series?

 

[Spacething7474]

I do think the other seasons are good, but overall I prefer the pre-serialized period of Adventure Time.

 

[theredninja2003]

I do think the other seasons are good, but overall I prefer the pre-serialized period of Adventure Time.

It's just a lot easier to go back to. I guess I have to be in the mood to get back into the later seasons' overarching plots.

 

[EdCNPowerpuffDrama]

I guess? As a kid I adored Adventure Time, but after season 3 I lost my interest in the series. Tried getting back into it as an adult, now that CN CEE is rerunning the first 5 seasons so much and.. no my feelings didn't change one bit, I still really like the first 3 seasons, but after that the show just lost what made it so fun. And tbh I always felt the same way about Regular Show, but that one didn't become as bad. I really don't care that the show became more "deep", this cartoon started out as this wacky over the top funny cartoon and I much prefer it that way. It'd be like of Flapjack or Billy and Mandy started taking itself seriously, no thank you I don't want that.

 

[Surreal Kangaroo]

Kind of I guess. I watched AT in passing early on but I kind of got tied up with college and stuff. I went back to a few years later, on recommendation from my brother saying the later seasons are better. They aren’t bad but I still think I prefer the early seasons.

 

[theredninja2003]

I guess? As a kid I adored Adventure Time, but after season 3 I lost my interest in the series. Tried getting back into it as an adult, now that CN CEE is rerunning the first 5 seasons so much and.. no my feelings didn't change one bit, I still really like the first 3 seasons, but after that the show just lost what made it so fun. And tbh I always felt the same way about Regular Show, but that one didn't become as bad. I really don't care that the show became more "deep", this cartoon started out as this wacky over the top funny cartoon and I much prefer it that way. It'd be like of Flapjack or Billy and Mandy started taking itself seriously, no thank you I don't want that.

I mostly stick to first three seasons for rewatches as well. I only started learning more about the lore they introduced from YouTube video essays years later. I was like "damn what did I miss!" It's an awesome overarching story but kind of not Adventure Time anymore after season 5.

 

[theredninja2003]

I will say that I'm definitely a Regular Show purist. I have never seen Regular Show season 8. I know how the show ends but the whole going to space thing was kind of a jump the shark moment for me. But I mostly like to rewatch episodes from season 1 to around season 4. Nothing beats season 1 Regular Show's vibes Another reason why I believe 2010 to be a GOATED year for Cartoon Network.

 

[Neo Ultra Mike]

Kind of thought an "Adventure Time purist" these days were those who just watched the original series not Distant Lands or Fionna or Cake or Side Quests or upcoming spinoffs etc and just thought of the series from it's original CN though yeah there was always a divide between the later half and the earlier half of the show. And I guess even from the moment it started changing and expanding more of it's continuity compared to the "silly nonsense" era of just the first two seasons.

Quite honestly it did take me awhile to finally sit down and watch the final few seasons as though I did see up to the first 6 seasons, I did take a break for some of the later stuff and really only fully consumed it AFTER season one of Fionna and Cake. And I will say there are a few episodes in that later half where even I have to go "can't we just have some fun nonsense that doesn't tie into an overarching story like that stuff can be spaced out better." But I wouldn't say I'm a "purist" who feels the show was at it's best just in those first couple of seasons. I guess those are just the easiest to pick up and watch without needing to care about continuity and character but AT really builds such a good world with good characters honestly I think it picks up more when it's focused on that as there's a lot in the later half or even seasons 3-4 I would easily say clear anything the first two seasons have which BTW weren't always at 100% either. I guess some of the relationship drama or lore wait outs or dump can be exhausting but at least it shows my investment in the material and I would easily return to it far more then say the absolute worst of the original seasons.

 

[theredninja2003]

That's a good way to look at it! Ooo is still one of the best fictional worlds in animation, I'm glad we got the lore dumps over time. It's honestly kind of fun to skip around to different eras of AT to see how everything evolved over time. I think one of the best things to come out of later AT were the miniseries, especially my favorite one Stakes!