Over the Garden Wall is an animated miniseries that was created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. It made its debut in November 2014 and was the network's very first miniseries.
The series is a continuation of McHale's earlier animation short Tome of the Unknown, from which he developed his ideas and concepts even further and turned them into something quite gigantic and ambitious. The series consisted of ten episodes, which were all released one per day over a week. Viewers were in for an experience of a bizarre, surreal world that drew nostalgia, a melting mixture of 19th- and 20th-century American cultural elements.
Over the Garden Wall has a very striking visual aspect with its almost hand-painted backgrounds that, while they are reminiscent of the old brunaille art, are digitally enhanced, thus giving the work an extraordinarily unique and timeless quality. Several studios worked on the animation, one of which is Digital eMation in South Korea, whose effort helped create the very dreamlike setting.
The plot of Over the Garden Wall revolves around two step-brothers, Wirt and Greg, who somehow manage to get completely lost in the very strange and amazing 'The Unknown' forest. Their first encounter in the forest is Beatrice, the talking bluebird who, with her quick wit and ambiguous intentions, elevates their journey to a different level.
They are also immediately warned by an ambiguous and gruff Woodsman about the hidden dangers of the forest, the most frightening one being The Beast, an evil and legendary creature whose power seems to stretch into the darkest areas of The Unknown. Wirt, the elder, is always anxious, full of self-doubt, and is often caught in his own mind, while Greg’s unending curiosity and happy innocence very often take them into the danger zone.
The narrative of Over the Garden Wall unfolds through their adventure and deals with themes of joy and sadness, the weight and release of fear, and the necessity to fight your own bad spirit.
So if you are also drawn to the miniseries every now and then, and want to explore more along the same lines, you are at the right place. Below, we delve into five shows similar to Over the Garden Wall.
5 shows similar to Over the Garden Wall
Gravity Falls

During their summer vacation, Dipper and Mabel Pines are sent away to the quirky town of Gravity Falls in Oregon, where their eccentric great-uncle Stan will supervise them. Stan manages the Mystery Shack, a shabby tourist trap that is home to oddities, swindles, and just enough of a show to keep the visitors coming.
But the twins soon find out that the town is stranger than any of the Shack’s fake curiosities, and there is truly weirdness lurking underneath, just as we saw in Over the Garden Wall. Dipper’s finding of a mysterious journal that reveals cryptic notes and warnings among its contents lets him into a hidden world full of supernatural secrets.
With the journal as their weapon, the twins get involved with the most peculiar events. Just like Over the Garden Wall, Gravity Falls revolves around the battle against the unknown and unveiling mysteries.
Hilda

Hilda, a daring and blue-haired girl, has been through the toughest battles. The wild, Scandinavian-inspired nature around her has made her a person who always looks for discovery and expresses awe. She is accustomed to living with magical little creatures: fussy little elves, grouchy trolls, and the rare forest dweller, but everything gets a new twist when she and her mother relocate to the busy Trolberg city.
Hilda's new journey is punctuated with new and more magical creatures than the forest had. She is thus rekt into a cycle of magic and wonder: a bird that is captured by her turns out to be the Great Raven of the myths, she seeks out the city’s hidden treasures, and works her way through the intricate power struggles between the city’s human and magical inhabitants.
The series skilfully portrays the struggle between staying true to oneself and opening up to new things. It asserts that the two best means of connecting worlds, be they magical or not, are kindness and understanding. If you enjoyed watching Over the Garden Wall, Hilda should be on your list, too.
The Owl House

Luz Noceda is a very imaginative, oddball teenage girl who always strived to live up to the standards of the ordinary world but never succeeded. One day, she accidentally walks into a portal that takes her to the surface of the boiling Isles, which is an odd and unpredictable place inhabited by all sorts of unusual characters, such as witches, demons, and even magic itself.
She seizes the opportunity to live her dream of having adventures. Luz turns Eda, the outlaw Owl Lady, into her instructor, whose rebellious nature and enigmatic history make her both a teacher and a friend at once. With King, a small but noisy fellow who fancies himself a mighty monarch, Luz is caught in one of those worlds where nothing is as it appears.
Luz's adventure is one of discovering her importance, accepting life's messy parts, and finally realizing that home is not a location but rather the people around you. If Over the Garden Wall is your kind of show, The Owl House belongs on your list.
Amphibia

In an instant, Anne Boonchuy’s universe is completely changed. At one point, she is first having a blast at her birthday party with her friends, and then she is whisked away to Amphibia, a lush and swampy land full of talking frogs, huge insects, and dangers lurking everywhere. After getting separated from her friends, Sasha and Marcy, Anne is adopted by the Plantars, a strange frog family living in Wartwood, a countryside town.
It is the Plantars' differences that make them her surrogate family, leading her through the odd customs and wild dangers of Amphibia. As Anne goes on with her unpredictable new existence, she has to deal with everything from scary monsters to plotting toads and strange things about the land’s ancient magic come to light.
Amphibia is a vast adventure that tells the story of bravery, forgiveness, and the concept of family, making it evident that sometimes the journey to find your way back home actually leads to discovering who you are and what you are ready to go to battle for. Those who loved Over the Garden Wall will find Amphibia just as delightful.
Summer Camp Island

Oscar and Hedgehog, signing up for what they believe to be a usual summer camp, are disillusioned by their very first moment at the new place. The little island where the summer camp is held has come up with its own reality. The whole island is enchanting, time either slips or stretches, monsters are wandering about in the woods, and the campers have the chance to learn how to cast spells and brew potions as quickly and easily as mastering tie-dye or making lanyards.
Just like Over the Garden Wall, the oddity is not confined to one day, but it is rather a continuous happening: floating cabins, moon creatures that can talk, and witches who have their own secret rules running the camp. While exploring the endless surprises on the island, Oscar and Hedgehog's friendship is often tested, sometimes by the effects of magic gone wrong and sometimes by the normal process of learning who one is.
Summer Camp Island is a reminder that a little bit of magic can be found in everyday life and also that the right company can render even the oddest of places homely. If Over the Garden Wall caught your heart, Summer Camp Island will too.