[Filling the Space is a flexible column where our writers can vent, deconstruct, and work their way around the emotions brought on by TV, films, books, music, and key moments in pop culture. This isn’t meant to be analytical, but instead, a way for us to explore our feelings.]
Since the news broke that the live-action adaptation wasn’t happening, I’ve been thinking about Disney’s Gargoyles series a lot. It’s hard not to when the original cartoon is one of the best things from our childhoods and also one of the rare gems that still holds up. It’s easily the kind of series I’ll have on repeat, but it’s especially fun to do during spooky season.
There’s a lot of nostalgia these days and countless shows to rewatch, but there’s also something about Gargoyles that hits for romance fans. I can’t pinpoint it, but I can almost confirm that every single person who wanted Goliath and Elisa together is currently really bummed about AO3 being down. The pipeline of fangirls with excellent taste in their current ships can very likely be traced back to this little animated feature that was always brimming with possibilities. (Seriously, it had absolutely no business being this hot.)
The themes are also deeply compelling in Gargoyles, which allows the series to stand as one that we can keep analyzing and pulling apart today in all the right ways. So much of our childhood is tarnished for a lot of reasons, but thankfully Gargoyles is solid, and I hope it continues to be.
With the live action no longer happening, it’s at least comforting to know that the original will continue to live on at Disney+. I, for one, also want to make sure it stays there, which is why I have it on rotation as one of my comfort watches. But there’s also something especially perfect about it in the fall and winter months when the nights grow longer, and everything’s darker. Equal parts smart, surprisingly funny, and full of enormous depth, Gargoyles should be on everyone’s rewatch list when present-day shows just aren’t doing the trick. You’ll be better for it. Trust me.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Disney+