Teen Titans Go! makes its debut Tuesday, and it might not be what fans expect. The new animated series is a straight up comedy that presents the characters and stories in a way no one has seen before. We caught up with producers and writers Michael Jelenic (The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Legion of Super Heroes) and Aaron Horvath (MAD) and voice actors Greg Cipes ("Beast Boy") and Khary Payton ("Cyborg") at WonderCon to discuss how this series is different and mostly how they intend it to be fun.
The series has evolved since they first teased it at San Diego Comic-Con last summer. Jelenic says it's weirder - in a good way. “We probably said the show was weird six months ago or however long ago that was, but it’s a lot weirder than we initially thought. We’re really taking characters who are meant for one thing – fighting crime – and putting them in situations they were never supposed to be in. I know that sounds terrible the way I just described it, but it’s actually working somehow. And I think it’s working because these are old characters. We’ve seen a ton of stories with them and lot of these stories are familiar, but putting them in unfamiliar situations, situations they weren’t necessarily meant for, is allowing us to tell new stories and bring out different aspects of these characters.”
He emphasized they're staying true to the characters, just doing different “weird” stuff with them.
Each episode will be comprised of two 11-minute stories. It's an ideal amount of time for them to tell the sort of stories they want to tell. Jelenic said, “You’re in and out pretty quickly. This is more just getting the character relationships and finding funny things to do and making the audience laugh – that’s the goal. Eleven minutes is perfect for that amount, anything longer would be terrible, anything shorter would be... well, maybe better.”
Horvath commented it won't just be random short form stuff either. That said, there won't be an overreaching arc for the season. “I want a viewer to come to the show and if the first show they see is in the middle of the season, I don’t want them to be confused. I always get really frustrated if I turn on a show and I don’t know who anyone is or why they’re doing what they’re doing.” Jelenic said that even though it wasn't their intention, they have been building a new universe where character relationships naturally develop. Viewers will see that over the first season.
Given that the show has weird stuff like a talking birdarang and is an extreme departure from the original Teen Titans series, Jelenic and Horvath are already feeling fan wrath. Jelenic isn't too bummed though. He said every single show he's worked on – especially The Batman – was met with serious hate but eventually people ended up loving them and he hopes it happens with this series. Horvath just wants people to be open-minded. “It’s my hope that people just give it a chance and not just completely write it off . I think it’s really funny. We really like the characters and we’re having a lot of fun playing with them and they’re having a lot of fun playing them as well [the voice actors]. They’re getting to reprise their roles in these new ways and it’s super fun.”
The whole cast from the original Teen Titans animated series is back, and Greg Cipes and Khary Payton couldn't be happier about it. Playing Beast Boy and Cyborg were their first roles in animation, and they've got to know the characters very well through the years. Cipes said the role has hugely impacted his life and he is amazed to see the characters grow in popularity. “I never would have expected the show to continue to go on. I think it’s totally a phenomenon. It really is confirmed when I travel around the world how popular this show is and how much people love these characters. There’s a character for every person.”
Cipes continued, “I feel like because of the team of characters and their diversity - that’s what attracts people, that’s why people and kids love the show. Whether you’re a computer nerd or an athlete or a goth girl or a pretty girl cheerleader or a class clown like me – whatever you may be – there’s a character in Teen Titans for you. Where as something like Batman, there’s just Batman. It’s cool, but this is a show with a wider reach.”
He says this series is definitely a new experience. “We’re having a lot of fun recording the show, and it comes through. You’ll feel it. You can’t really tell from the little clip or commercial at all but there’s never been a show like this show. There hasn’t been. Especially with such iconic characters twisting them the way they’ve twisted them into this new kind of fun weird goofy comedic realm.” He also said they're doing everything that every fan as ever wanted to see.
It's perfect for Cipes because Beast Boy is always funny. Payton said it was easy for the rest of them to adjust to the now constantly hilarious tone. “The beauty of the first Teen Titans was that the tone was all over – it went from here to there – that was one of the amazing things about it. People were really worried when that show came out because the Teen Titans comic was very dark and very gritty. It was a departure to do what they did with Teen Titans - the acting we all got to do went from zany and crazy to wild and wacky but then it got serious and it was about holding on to your friends. This group was going to hang together no matter what.”
The DC Nation block has gone through changes recently and no one can predict the future, but Jelenic thinks the show can reach a big audience. “There are so many factors that we can’t control. You just hope you make something and somehow it clicks with a wide audience. I’m nervous, but I do think this show has a broad appeal because it’s a comedy and comedy is doing better right now in the landscape.” He thinks viewers will be seeing more comedic takes on DC heroes in the future. If so, Teen Titans Go! is the first example of a new direction.
Teen Titans Go! premieres Tuesday, 4/23 at 7:30pm EST on Cartoon Network.
Amy Ratcliffe is a writer for IGN TV. You can follow her on on Twitter at @Amy_Geek and IGN at alratcliffe.
Source : ign[dot]com
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