TV-MA, 2014
WISE Score
The dark, hallucinogenic alleyway of animation—definitely not the place to park the stroller.
Look, TripTank isn't trying to be your friend or teach anyone a lesson. It’s a chaotic, often gross, and intentionally offensive anthology that lives for the 'shock' factor.
It’s the kind of show you find at 2 AM and immediately check if the volume is too high so the neighbors don't hear the madness. For a kid? Absolutely not. For an adult who wants something weird and doesn't mind a bit of filth? Maybe. But even then, the quality is hit-or-miss. It’s the definition of 'not for everyone.'
This is strictly for adults. It’s Comedy Central at its most 'Adult Swim' and unfiltered. If your kid is watching this, they’ve definitely bypassed a few digital deadbolts.
This show is the antithesis of wholesome. It thrives on being abrasive, mean-spirited, and intentionally offensive. There is zero effort to model kindness or emotional health.
The anthology format allows for a massive variety of animation styles—from claymation to crude 2D—and the surrealist, 'anything goes' writing is undeniably creative, even if it's often gross.
Hard cap due to graphic violence, explicit sexual themes, and heavy drug references. This is strictly adult content that would be highly inappropriate for a child to stumble upon.
Aside from being a showcase for various independent animators, there's no real takeaway here. It's shock-value entertainment designed for late-night viewing, not personal growth.
If you’ve seen the high-speed, stop-motion chaos of other late-night animation, you know the vibe ShadowMachine brings to the table. With TripTank, executive producers Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico essentially opened the floor to every animator with a fever dream and a dark sense of humor. The result is a visual smorgasbord that changes every two minutes.
This isn't a show you watch for the plot; there isn't one. It’s an anthology that functions like a randomized playlist. You might get a sketch about a prank gone horribly wrong—like the "Gary" segment where a character is humiliated to the point of a public "accident"—followed immediately by a high-concept sci-fi bit. This format is the show's greatest strength and its biggest weakness. If a joke isn't landing, you only have to wait sixty seconds for the next one, but the lack of any narrative glue makes it feel hollow if you try to binge-watch it.
There is a strange cognitive dissonance at play here. Some of the segments feature genuinely impressive technical work, utilizing varied styles that range from traditional 2D to claymation and CGI. It’s clear that the creators involved are talented. However, that talent is almost exclusively channeled into "shock" territory.
While critics have called it a mixed bag, the show leans heavily into a specific brand of 2010-era "edgelord" comedy. It’s abrasive, foul, and often mean-spirited. For fans on Reddit and late-night TV forums, this is the appeal—it feels like the "wild west" of the internet translated for Comedy Central. But for anyone looking for the satirical depth of South Park or the character-driven absurdity of other modern hits, TripTank will likely feel shallow. It’s looking for a reaction, usually a cringe or a gasp, rather than a thoughtful laugh.
Parents often see "animated" and "Comedy Central" and think of something like Futurama—edgy but ultimately structured. TripTank is much closer to the most experimental, low-budget blocks of late-night programming. If your older teen is into the "random" humor found in short-form video apps or enjoys the frantic energy of sketch comedy, they will naturally be drawn to this.
The friction isn't just the gore or the nudity; it’s the nihilism. Most shows have a "hero," even an anti-hero. TripTank has victims. The humor frequently relies on someone having the worst day of their life for our amusement. If your kid is already consuming content in this vein, this show is the "pro" version of those internet tropes. It’s better produced, louder, and much more graphic. It’s the kind of media that functions best as background noise for a specific crowd, rather than a show you sit down to "appreciate" as a family. If you’re deciding whether to let an older teen dive in, consider if they’re the type to appreciate the craft of animation or if they’re just looking for the next thing to post a "WTF" reaction to.
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