Out There is an American adult animated television series created by Ryan Quincy. It aired on IFC for one season from February 22 to April 19, 2013, and was not renewed for a second. Out There was IFC's second animated project following 2005's Hopeless Pictures, which also lasted one season.
Contents
Plot
Set in a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, the show chronicles the coming-of-age misadventures of socially awkward Chad, his little brother Jay, and his best friend Chris. Living in the small town of Holford (based on the real-life city of Holdrege, Nebraska), the boys wander its surreal, bleak landscape waiting out their last few years of adolescence. Other characters include Chad's parents, Wayne and Rose, as well as Chris's single mother, Joanie, and her disastrous boyfriend, Terry, and Sharla, the object of Chad's affection.
Cast and characters
Ryan Quincy as Chad Stevens - The main protagonist
Justin Roiland as Chris Novak - Chad's best friend
Kate Micucci as:
Jay Stevens - Chad's little brother
Kelly
John DiMaggio as Wayne Stevens - Chad's dad
Megan Mullally as Rose Stevens - Chad's mom
Pamela Adlon as:
Joanie Novak - Chris's mom
Henrietta Miller - Chris' love interest
Fred Armisen as Terry Rosachristas - Joanie's boyfriend
Linda Cardellini as Sharla Lemoyne - Chad's love interest
Guest stars
Guest voices for Out There include:
Selma Blair as:
Destiny - Chad's crush
Larry
Jemaine Clement as:
Tenebres - Jay's bully/Destiny's little brother
Babel - Destiny and Tenebres' father
Nick Offerman as Doug Lemoyne - Sharla's dad
Stephen Root as Mr. Shooty - Frosty King owner
Jason Schwartzman as:
Benjamin Brent - Frosty King employee/Chad's enemy
Cedric
Christian Slater as Johnny Slade - most feared kid in Holford
Sarah Silverman as Amy Corn - leader of the yearbook club
Elliot Page as Amber
Reception
The show received mixed reviews. Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times gave it a positive review. He compared the animation favorably to Bob's Burgers and said that the series has "a gentler, more delicate, behind-the-beat groove". New York Times calls it "dreamy, charming, deeply personal." Mixed reviews included Boston Globe's, Matthew Gilbert's, who called it "just fine", continuing, "the sincerity is refreshing in an animated context, but the characters and the stories are old hat." A review by PopMatters stated "It is often funny, but it could be funnier if it were wed to more coherent storytelling." A review from Slant Magazine declared "Out There presents an array of by-the-numbers boyhood scenarios that frequently feel stale, having an indistinct, been-there-done-that vibe."