You Should Really Be Watching: "Total Drama Island"

If any of you are like me, then you probably watch a lot of Cartoon Network.  Not just the extremely brilliant/offensive stuff on Adult Swim; I'm talking about regular, seemingly kid-friendly stuff like "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" and "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy."  If you've been watching the network recently, then you may have heard of a newer series called "Total Drama Island."  Well, I've seen it and I think it's the best show currently airing on the channel (once again, not counting Adult Swim material).

If you haven't seen it, "Total Drama Island" is an animated spoof of reality TV shows like "Survivor" and "Fear Factor."  In the series, 22 teenage competitors are sent to live and compete at Camp Wawanakwa, a fictional crappy campground based somewhere in the real-life Muskoka, Ontario Canada (the series is actually a Canadian import).  Over the first season they compete in various challenges inspired by real life reality TV (like eating disgusting food and performing dangerous stunts) in order to win the grand prize; $100,000 and "cheesy tabloid fame."  Each week the campers vote off a different cast member, "Survivor"-style.

I really enjoy this show because the makers of the series do an excellent job of making "Total Drama Island" feel like you actually are watching a real reality TV show.  Along with the challenges, the show also contains the friendships, hook-ups, backstabbing, and whatnot that drive people to watch RTV.  You also get a good feel for the characters; despite the large cast of characters (22 contestants, along with the host and the camp chef), each one is fleshed out with a real personality.  Each character is based off of a particular stereotype; the antisocial goth girl, the party-loving guy, the evil backstabber, etc.  One of the best aspects of the series is that, like real RTV, it's easy for each viewer to end up picking their own favorite character to root for (anybody who knows me should be able to watch the series and figure out who my favorite is pretty easily).

The first season is currently airing on Cartoon Network, but, like I said before, it's actually a Canadian series that originally aired in 2007.  Which means that, if you don't want to spend the time following it on TV, you can find and watch the whole series online in all its original Canadian glory (which I did, but I won't spoil who won the series... although I will tell you that there is indeed a winner).  But if you want to check it out on the small screen, "new" episodes air on Thursdays at 9:00pm.

As for the future of the series, I've heard unconfirmed rumors that a DVD release of season one is planned for sometime in December.  The second season, which is going to be called "Total Drama Action," is currently in development (bringing back 15 of the contestants from season one), and a third season called "Total Drama: The Musical" is planned as well.

Whatever way you choose to watch, you owe it to yourself to check out "Total Drama Island."  It's an excellent, very funny, well-made series that should appeal to just about everyone.  You should really be watching this.