There’s a lot of quality viewage on the TV these days, but the show I’m really enjoying more than most others (after The Wire, R.I.P.) is one of the Cartoon Network’s newest non-Adult Swim offerings, Chowder.

The basic premise of Chowder involves the main character, a chubby and always hungry cat-ish kid, working as a disaster-prone apprentice of Mung Daal, a caterer in the bustling psychedelic metropolis of Marzipan City (the food-name gimmick isn’t as precious as it sounds…promise…). A large and engaging cast of characters and intricate, unpredictable screwball plotlines are the show’s other, um, essential ingredients.

Admittedly, with its bright, happy colors, food fixation, stoner humor, and overall fuzzy amiability, it’s kind of a hippie show. But then again, I’m kind of a hippie. So, keep that in mind.

Clever, weird, inventive, and unpretentious, Chowder builds and improves on the greatness of Spongebob Squarepants’s first few seasons the same way that show streamlined the bizarre brilliance of Kricfalusi-era Ren and Stimpy. Sharp, charming characterization; a colorful, surprising, fully-realized world; an artistic style that combines Dr. Seuss and Richard Scarry with three generations of kids cartoon animation; a loopy, funky soundtrack that epitomizes the warm goofiness of the show; a welcome attention to detail; and knowing shout-outs to random counter-culture touchstones like Katamari Damacy make for the best show about food on television besides Top Chef.

Chowder airs on Thursdays, I believe. Also, the show’s creator, C.H. Greenblatt, has a nice little blog.

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