The pilot for “The Amazing Digital Circus” passed 100 million views on Monday, becoming the most viewed indie animation pilot on YouTube within just a month of its premier.
The previous title-holder was the pilot for “Hazbin Hotel,” which has since moved on to become an A24/Amazon production.
Posted to the Glitch Productions YouTube channel on Oct. 13, “Digital Circus” was created by independent animator Gooseworx, who also serves as writer, director and composer. Set in a virtual reality run by an unsettling AI ringmaster, it features a cast of trapped human minds rendered in bright toon 3D models, attempting to stave off insanity and find a way out.
It’s a twisted psychological comedy, evocative of some earlier viral YouTube projects such as “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.” Its flexes a well-paced, surreal and mature humor without being overly profane (as the virtual setting automatically censors any swear words), almost like a grown-up version of the randomness comedy found in shows like “Invader Zim.”
Gooseworx has also cited the short story “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream” as inspiration for the series.
“Glitch approached me,” Gooseworx recalled in a Cartoon Brew interview. “I was in the middle of making a sequel to one of my personal toons, The Darly Boxman Show, and they were like, ‘Hey, you wanna make a pilot for us?’ and I was like, ‘Hell yeah I do!’”
The show was initially pitched as having an “early 1990s computer render” aesthetic, with nods to old toys (such as the Milton Bradley Barrel of Monkeys cameo in the pilot) and the “kitschy vibe” of computer animation from the time period. Given much of Gooseworx’s previous work is 2D animation, Glitch’s own animation team provided much of the 3D work, adapting Gooseworx’s style from concept art.
“Digital Circus” is currently expected to run for a single eight-episode season, with no plans to go to a platform besides YouTube. It stars the voices of Lizzie Freeman, Michael Kovach, Amanda Hufford and Alex Rochon. Incidentally, Kovach was also cast in the “Hazbin Hotel” pilot, but was replaced for the main series.
