1. Continuity And Acknowledgment
I remember when I first heard LR was pregnant and I couldn't wait to see how Jake handled being a father. It was a long wait, but it came nevertheless, with is humor and wackiness almost every episode delivers. But the fact that the episode aired at all is what makes Adventure Time a model for all cartoons. See, most cartoons lack a sense of acknowledgement and continuity to them and suffer for it. While not all cartoons need it-'Tom and Jerry' is one-many do but and for one reason or another, the creators choose to go without it. Maybe they think the audience can't keep up or the creators are just forgetful and lazy. Maybe even a little bit of both. Regardless the reason, it is unacceptable to lack these two essential factors and it is unforgivable when they are misused. Here is an example when both are ignored. 'Back At The Barnyard' is a cartoon that spawned from the movie 'Barnyard:The Original Party Animals'. This cartoon took the idea of continuity and acknowledge and threw it out the window. It then went to retrieve it, only to put it in the raging fireplace. That is the scale of disservice the cartoon did to the movie. In the movie, Otis The Cow, is the son of the leader of the barnyard. Otis's dad is killed by coyotes and Otis inherits his father's position wile also gaining a love interest, who he has a baby with. Now the cartoon didn't
completely ignore the movie. It kept Otis as the leader of the barnyard. What about his dad, you say? Who knows. What about his mate and child? Oh, they're gone, but don't worry. Otis got another love interest now. This is the conversation that would take place if you asked the creators this question. When these two are misused it looks like one of two things. There is one where they set up something similar to LR being pregnant, but only makes an episode continuing it to rake in views('The Fairly Oddparents'). The other one is when the cartoon decides to acknowledge that it is a cartoon instead of an universe and each ending says, "You'll be lucky if we acknowledge this at all". While there are some cartoons that is good at character development('Young Justice') and others at continuity and using its universe to its potential('Regular Show'), many cartoons need guidance. 'Adventure Time' provides this guidance.