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. 

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 way likend to watching after-school specials while on a low dose of magic mushrooms.

The animation style in Clone High was also fairly unique.  While the “blocky fingers/round head” style of animation has since become more commonplace, back in 2002 it seemed fresh and interesting.  Despite the simple colour palette, there was a large amount of detail.  During wider shots, the number of things that could be seen going on in the background was quite impressive; people having their own conversations, the town moving along outside the windows during interior shots, etc.  During close-up shots, even though the drawing style remained simple, a large range of emotion was able to be displayed on the character’s faces.  It was a damn near perfect balance of simplicity and detail that, strange as it may be, is only matched by The Powerpuff Girls.

My main frustration with cutting the Clone High narrative short is that there was still so much that could be explored.  There is the summer after high school, college, and then there are still storylines taking place after the clones are used for their intended purpose: as an army.  You could even keep the “Clone High” name, if the storyline moved along quickly enough…they wouldn’t be in high school anymore, but they would still be young enough to have the high schooler mentality.  Alas, we will never see these potential storylines explored.  If anyone knows of some Clone High fanfic, I would greatly appreciate you leaving a comment.

Limited to a DVD release in Canada and online piracy, there is no longer any 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 United States as the special edition that it deserves.  If you have never experienced Clone High, do yourself a favor and find a way to watch it.