Living With a Nerd

Too often, narratives are cut short.  It seems that shows and story lines that deserve to be told and expanded upon are wrecked, destroyed in their prime.  Such was the fate of Clone High.  I remember watching each episode as it aired back in 2003.  Having graduated high school in 2002, it appeared at the perfect time in life; a time in which I no longer experienced the situations portrayed, yet a time in which the situations portrayed were still fresh memories in my mind.  I hadn’t watched the measly 13 episodes that encompass the entirety of the series in quite a while.  Over the past couple of days, however, I have rewatched each episode.

While some of the middle episodes left a bit to be desired, taken as a whole, Clone High was a show that explored a genius not commonly found amongst the filth that currently occupies our televisions.  The idea was simple: a bunch of famous people throughout history are cloned with the intent of creating the perfect army.  The show takes place while these clones are attending high school.  Hijinks of the highest order ensue.  Expanding on the known personalities of historical figures, as well as providing a look into their brains as teenagers, Clone High provided something unique and intelligent, while at the same time hilarious and immature.

The characters are what made Clone High great, and they were limited only by the number of historical figures that the writers could envision as teenagers.  Blessed with a smattering of celebrity guests (including an amazing song about the food pyramid written and performed by Marilyn Manson) and a deep understanding of the high-schoolers psyche, it provided an outlet for many true-to-life situations and emotions played out in a stereotypical way that brought to mind after school specials after a low dose of magic mushrooms.

Limited to a DVD release in Canada and online piracy, there is no other way to view this achievement in entertainment.  Much like Daria, MTV is sitting on a gold mine by not releasing this series in the special edition that it deserves.  If you have never experienced Clone High, do yourself a favor and find a way to watch it.