MaddyGTV which has been known for its racy late night cablesque programming since its channel debuted on Roku has been working on something altogether different. The new project Maddymation is a more kid friendly channel packed with curated cartoons pulled from a library of independently produced animation material from a diverse set of artists and styles as well as some classic fare from legends in the entertainment field like Ray Harryhausen who produced cartoons before he rose to fame as a special effects master specializing in stop-motion photography. We had a chance to talk to Paul Gorman, an executive from the MaddyGTV (See feature article) and see the channel in action ahead of time recently. Gorman feels that the channel has great potential and we agree. This is not the first foray into animation on the part of MaddyGTV. The company produced a cartoon called Maddy Burger for release on its other properties but due to it’s more mature themes the show will not appear on the new channel. The company does plan though to produce new original content aimed at a younger audience.

A Journey through Storytelling Styles
The selections on Maddymation give viewers a great perspective on animation by providing a range from the

earliest days of animation all the way to to the modern Pixar styled fare. I found it interesting to revisit certain conventions that were used extensively in the 40s and 50′s like a character making a decision based on a debate between the little angel and devil version of themselves. The channel can serve almost as a time capsule for storytelling through animated shorts.

Don’t let the animated features fool you into thinking that all of the stories are fun and games.

Some of the content while not too mature is educational in a heartbreaking way, such as the story of Sintel a dragon raised by a girl, who accidentally kills it while attempting to rescue it. I know my daughter would cry herself to sleep over that one. This channel offers both a depth of content and depth of emotion.

Finding something truly original has gotten more difficult as the platform has matured. For all of the channels available many are nothing more than cash grabs built on YouTube clips and recycled content. If you are looking for something quite different to explore on Roku the Maddymation channel is definitely worth a look. It is by far the only place on Roku that offers such a beautiful and eclectic mix of modern animation and styles throughout the 20th century. The Maddymation channel will be available soon through links in the MaddyGTV channel and later in the public channel store.