'Unsupervised'

Unsupervised is an animated comedy about optimistic best friends Gary and Joel navigating the harsh landscape of teenage life and trying to do what's right without any parental guidance whatsoever. Gary's father took off years ago and left him with his absentee stepmom, while Joel's elderly parents remain unseen and uninvolved. The adults that are actually present in Gary and Joel's lives are anything but role models. At first glance, Gary and Joel's world may be bleak, but their worldview is bright as they guide themselves through life with each other to depend on.

The series was created by and it is executive produced by Rob Rosell, Scott Marder and David Hornsby, all who currently serve as writer/producers on FX's hit comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Other executive producers include Rob McElhenney (creator of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Charlie Day (Horrible Bosses), Glenn Howerton (executive producer on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Adam Reed (creator of Archer) and Matt Thompson (executive producer on Archer).

Unsupervised premiered January 19, 2012, after Archer on FX.

Unsupervised features a talented cast, many are ubiquitous, popping up everywhere without you necessarily knowing their names.

• Justin Long (New Girl, Drag Me to Hell) as Gary
  
• David Hornsby (Co-Creator and Executive Producer, How to Be a Gentleman) as Joel
  
• Kristen Bell (House of Lies, Veronica Mars) as Megan
  
• Romany Malco (The 40 Year Old Virgin) as Darius
  
• Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live) as Martin
  
• Alexa Vega (Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World) as Christina
  
• Kaitlin Olson (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Carol and Danielle
  
• Rob Rosell (Co-Creator and Executive Producer) as Russ

The "Pilot" episode of Unsupervised nearly led me astray. The story focuses on common teen themes, like puberty and partying. I was rolling my eyes early on, thinking how many times this sort of cartoon had been done before. But the end of this story was different than the usual teen fare. The boys learned to stay true to themselves, even if it meant having more fun building a lightning rod from junk rather than getting laid.

Then I watched the second episode, "Rich Girl," and became fonder of the main characters, Gary and Joel. Beavis and Butt-Head they are not. Refreshingly, these two teenage boys have the optimistic attitude of SpongeBob, even when faced with drugged-out guardians and poverty. Whether they're giving Gary's pothead mom a pep talk or damming a creek in hope of catching lobster, Gary and Joel see the bright side of life.

The other characters are also refreshing because they have real problems, like trying to find friends and avoiding too much junk food. But rather than turning to typical vices, they, too, choose to think their way out of a mess. In one scene, Gary, Joel and Darius decide to keep a clear head in order to "hatch a scheme" rather than smoke weed. Refreshing!

Another refreshing aspect of the story is the couple of adults who give good, mature advice. Martin, widower and father to a hot-headed daughter, is trying his best to rear Christina with rules and lessons, even removing the door to her bedroom to teach her a lesson. Sure, so far he's failing, but he's actually trying. Gary's Australian neighbor advises them to stay true to themselves, to stand up to peer pressure.

I'm not saying a cartoon, especially one that airs after 10:00 p.m., needs to have a moral. However, the messages of these episodes, and the endearing plights of the boys, speaks to me as an adult and a parent, something most late-night cartoons don't even attempt.

Viewers hoping for a laugh a minute will be confused. With a lead-in like Archer, I expected everything to be a joke. Though every situation is funny, in a depressing sort of way, not every line is meant to garner a laugh. The stories are thought provoking, with big dollops of humor mixed in.

Don't get me wrong. The unexpected turns the stories take are really funny. Darius and Martin, especially, have some hilarious lines. Moreover, there are enough jokes about body parts and getting high to appease the coveted young male audience. Unsupervised is a win-win for audiences.

My only criticism is about the look of the show and the animation. The bleak and drained colors leave me just as depressed as the show's landscape. Limited locations gave me a slight feeling of claustrophobia, as well. However, Gary and Joel's sunny outlook will be enough for me to keep watching.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.