Digital Circus Alternatives List
Don't feel like a Digital Circus fan anymore? Or maybe you still have faith in the series & just want something to watch WITH the finale? Here are some Digital Circus alternatives for both those that lost interest & those that just want to "spread their wings" & experience something along the side. Originally posted on Instagram via stories & had some additions as time passed. List will have suggestions added on as both I remember some & suggestions are given:
• Raggedy Ann ('77 animated movie): One of Gooseworx's personal favorite animated movies that had a noticeable impact on the show with the Fudge Monster, the "No Girl's Toy" line Ragatha quoted in the fast food episode, & of course Ragatha's own design. The original tweet introducing Ragatha joked about her "totally not being based on a certain 70's movie she won't shut up about" & had the basis for Jax's voice be if Raggedy Andy was more of a jerky character.
• Rag Dolly/ Raggedy Ann ('80s Broadway play): It's probably the closest Raggedy Ann has ever gotten to a psychological thriller with colorful characters similar to Digital Circus, but with slightly better music. Although if the characterization of Jax was your biggest turn off from Digital Circus you may have some problems with General D &/or the stereotypical Chinese panda. Luckily fan group RARE (Raggedy Ann Revival Effort) did a modern remix on the original 80's run that smoothens some of the original plays sharper edges so maybe start there. In any case give RARE love where & when you can.
• Interface & Safe Mode: Made by UNAMI, these are truly psychedelic experiences akin to Digital Circus that have commentary on art, invention, & the price of progress with a funny clown protagonist. The main cast of characters acts more confident (& competent) than the main cast of Digital Circus at times & the second series Safe Mode literally takes place in a digital environment. Similarities are definitely present but both series are very much their own thing.
• Gumby Movie: Yes Gumby has his own movie. This stop motion adventure was made back in 1995 & served as a tribute to the toyland series that took pop culture by storm. If it's "toxic characters" you need a break from this one might help you a bit. The villains are mute little Blockheads obsessed with robots, machines, & computer learning. They're almost cutesy & they both get their comeuppance so actions are held accounted for. That & there's a part in the Gumby movie where his friends have to uncurl themselves from being fused in a clay ball similar to Digital Circus episode 8. It was that part in episode 8 that reminded me Gumby even had a movie.
• ENA: another YouTube classic & original series with coincidentally, Lizzie Freeman as a leading voice actress with surrealist vibes like a prototype Digital Circus. The tone is just a bit more light hearted & honestly surreal at times. Before TADC, this was the internet's obsession. It never saw mass controversies with voices or plots (that I remember) like Digital Circus had to endure so something over there worked.
• Flatland: A story of dimensions. LITERALLY. A 3D sphere visits a 2D universe & tries getting a literal square to understand 3D. There's also commentary & criticism on racial cast systems & how the higher ups only really prop themselves up & only really look after themselves while the masses are treated like an afterthought at best & an inconvenience at worst. There's a few different movies, tons of different shorts, & of the original literary classic by Edwin Abbott Abbott so you literally can't miss with this one. EDITOR'S NOTE: Some flatland adaptations were apparently made by problematic & openly bigoted people like Filmladd or Acrossdimension so be weary of that. If you can, run your interest by me & or @rjalker so one of us can point you to one of the good ones if problematic creators are something you rather not deal with. Not all the adaptations are made by a bigot thank goodness but it's strange to me how so many conservative types fall in love with a story openly critiquing conservatism & bigotry.
• The Point (1971): Similar to Flatland this movie has another group obsessed with their own shapes. A boy & his dog are cast out of town because he doesn't have a point on his head like the rest of the villagers, only to learn everyone & everything has a point in a different kind of way when he meets new faces in the larger world. It's even got Beetles member & Thomas narrator Ringo Starr voicing the dad that reads the story to his son so you know it's gonna be good.
• Paprika: For anime fans & movie fans alike this one hardly needs introducing. A true love letter to surrealism & a critique of what modern Japanese culture does to itself. It's got a plot with scanning peoples brains kinda like Digital Circus with a healthy dose of twists & turns to keep any attention span. The therapist device used to scan brains is referred to as the DC Mini & I thought "Digital Circus Mini?" Maybe coincidental but it's funny to me personally.
• Hylics 1 & 2: Not very many video games remind me of Digital Circus despite the series basically taking place in one. That & personally I haven't touched video games in years but the visuals of this one I can get down with. Fun world to explore, fun characters to use in battle, fun Earthbound feel, & super good music. Bolt Thrower is still one of my favorite songs from the whole series. The plot may not be for everyone but it's fun & entertaining for those looking for something more interactive.
• The Truman Show: It's obviously a movie not an actual show but the plot is about a guy's life & how it's been a TV show the entire time & how he didn't know until very suspicious things started to happen in his "hometown" of Seahaven. Notable things like a studio light falling out of the sky or a homeless man looking like Truman's dad when people have been telling him he's been deceased. Just like Digital Circus you find out things aren't what they seem or claim to be. Without going too deep into the plot, Cristof is to Truman what Caine is to the Digital Circus team if Caine was truly maniacal as opposed to just an aloof AI. Had to rewatch it before adding it. & If I don't add another here in the post edits; good afternoon, good evening, & good night.
• Don't Hug Me I'm Scared: For me to not bring up this show on a list like this would be criminal. Chances are very high you're already familiar with this show. 3 colorful puppets characters live together & learn about a new topic from the mascot of the day in a proudly chaotic manner. The first run of the series was definitely going for more of a horror angle but later attempts weren't afraid to sprinkle some intentional humor in every now & then. Roy says "Hi" by the way.
• Popee the Performer: A direct inspiration for Digital Circus & did official merch crossovers as a Japanese exclusive promotion. Similar to Don't Hug Me I'm Scared this show too can get real bloody real fast & that might put some people off. Imagine the looks & feel of Xavier Renegade Angel with the proud craziness in a cute world like Happy Tree Friends. But if you made it this far in Digital Circus with all the mutilations & psychological tormenting, this performer might just entertain you.
• Hobo Funnie Show: I know I called ENA a prototype Digital Circus but Hobo Funnie Show's plot literally was prototype Digital Circus. Straight up. Someone being stuck in a weird digital body in weird digital environments with weird digital NPC's. It parodies the predatory nature of early 2000's ringtone companies, advertising history, & some formerly famous memes. The humor can get raunchy at moments so IT'S NOT RECOMMEND FOR THE YOUNGIN'S.
• Welcome Home: Yet another obsession the Internet had back in the pre-TADC times. It's partially an ARG about a retro kids show originally thought to be lost media but things get maybe a little crazy as things are uncovered. The show within the ARG feels like classic style Sesame Street back when they had a more psychedelic flower child vibe with a rotating cast while paying homage to the lost media community & all the resources they pour into recovering their Macguffins. Updates are slow but still carry the weight of a psychological thriller with a colorful exterior. Lost media fans from Sesame Street to Raggedy Ann will have fun here.
• I Spy: It was a stop motion series based on those iconic kids books that ran on HBO Family back when it was called that & back when it had a kids show TV block called "HBO Jam". Spyler is a mishmash of different items Frankensteined together & CeCe is his wooden block doggie. They live in an immersive toy world discovering things to help with the daily mission. It's a heavy inspiration for one of my original projects about a whole toy planet run by fairy magic but that's a story for another day; & if you like I Spy I further recommend A Little Curious & Crashbox too.
• Big Top Burger: Not exactly digital but very much circus. A food truck becomes popular by having the employees dress up like clowns but things heat up when a rival food truck themed like zombies that makes bad food on purpose starts going for their customers. Steve's their boss but nobody's ever seen him without his clown makeup off. That & he seems to have unexplainable magical powers that pop up at surprisingly convenient times. "To be back on Broadway yet again..."
• Gooseworx's other previous works: & of course what better way to end the list than with the other things Goose herself made. The other things that brought her the fame to begin with. I was always a fan of Gooseworx since the long past days of Goose's first ever series "Weather" & honesty that's just one of many works of her's I'd recommend. Some more iconic projects you may or may not have seen yet include Elian the Bounty Hunter, Darly Boxman, Ghost of the Year, & Little Runmo. She made some nice comics & one time offshoots but this list is trying to name things you can more or less watch on a screen. I know there's been some weird stuff both happening to her & being exposed about her but a lot of creative works I like have worse people attached to them so I can only hope Gooseworx gets the help she needs, whatever she needs help with.
Honorary Mentions:
• Kami Quest: A new video game about an energetic dalmatian named Sabbath who explores the Imaginasyum; an ever changing living castle full of quirky spirits, surreal worlds, & hidden secrets. Definitely has been compared to Digital Circus tons of times but it feels more like an open world experience rather than the psychological thriller TADC definitely tried being. The main reason why it's here is because at the time this was posted it's just not out yet. Support their Kickstarter if you can.
• Poppy Playtime: To some this one might be a no-brainer but there's a few reasons why it's down here. Another video game with a colorful feel. This one takes place in a Willy Wonka style toy factory where the toys actually come to life. The reason why toys come to life is undeniably creepy but somewhat obvious. This one goes for an unapologetic horror angle & Poppy Playtime is like Digital Circus, no stranger to controversy. For anyone who kinda likes Micheal Kovack he voices Doughy, a clay toy made of 3 souls clay slabs. It was real big just a few years ago so it might not be that unfamiliar for some of you.
• Yellow Submarine: An iconic movie that feels like what Digital Circus would probably be if it were made before the digital age. Four famous musicians from the real world are whisked away to a fantastical land to liberate the masses from the Blue Meanies; sarcastic smug grinners that loathe fun & self expression. Almost like a certain purple rabbit I know but if he really gave into impulsive crass thoughts. Not sure how close it is to Digital Circus aesthetic wise & maybe it's more of just a film I like personally. But if I'm just gonna put films I personally like here then I have no guilt recommending this next one:
• Fantastic Planet/ La Planete Sauvage: Sci-fi movie based on a book brave enough to speak out against European colonialism, mainly what the French was doing to the African continent. Not exactly Digital Circus like but a similar question of what kind of escape the protagonist should really be looking for is asked. Giant aliens own people like little hamster pets & treat wild humans as pests or vermin while ironically having votes & democracy amongst themselves. The aliens doubt if humans should be considered intelligent like themselves & if humans were ever intelligent while twisting their reality into a surrealscape of aliens big & small. This is a comparison to Digital Circus but it's a very loose one so it's here instead of up there.
