Nowadays, it’s hard to find a cartoon for children that doesn’t pander to their basest pleasures. Many cartoons have little substance beyond having a variety of color and sound to attract children’s attention. Though they stare in wonderment at the notion of bright moving pictures, they receive little stimulation. These cartoons would become nothing more than a screech-fest of neon noise if they were not also imitated by its impressionable audience who then choose to replicate these one-liners in shrill voices at the dinner table.

Still others often talk at children instead of engaging them on an intellectual level, preferring instead to blatantly teach morals and lessons rather than allow a story and moral to occur naturally. Even children can tell the difference between being spoken to and being spoken with, and they do not appreciate the condescension, which is why there is a vast difference between toddler and infant media and those for grade school and adolescent children. Children recognize this way of speaking in shows like Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues and often turn away from these as they grow older, craving entertainment with more substance, only to find some of the older children’s cartoons using the same kind of condescension.

Steven Universe, though, is one of the rare gems in today’s media that not only appeals to children (and even adults) withs its artstyle and music, but also engages its audience emotionally and intellectually in a truly immersive experience, crafting a story that invites the audience. Created by Rebecca Sugar, this is a show that centers around the adventures of a pubescent boy and his guardians as he discovers new powers and slowly takes up the mantle as one of the protectors of the Earth. Of course, it’s much more complex, but the magic is in going through Steven’s journey alongside him. Steven Universe is a clever and creative coming of age story rooted in genuine emotions. From understanding who the gems are to learning about Steven’s *deceased* mother, it is a show that brings the audience to tears time and time again.

Part of the reason the series is so emotional is the fact that Steven is not a typical Pollyanna. While he remains incredibly enthusiastic and optimistic, he's not blind to people’s cruelty and the tragedy that can ensue from such cruelty; instead, he looks beyond people's faults and vices, preferring instead to love them wholly and completely. Steven’s maternal unconditional love and acceptance is the underlying message for the entire series, pervading every episode with its hope and light.

Let’s take a look at their most recent episode and the conclusion of their 4-week introductory special to their third season, titled “Hit the Diamond.” *Spoiler Warning* In this episode, we continue to explore the introduction of reformed characters into the Crystal Gems, discovering new group dynamics, relationships, and interactions between the members of the Crystal Gems. At the same time, the gems also face a new threat from the distant and enigmatic antagonist. Though feeling more like a filler episode, “Hit the Diamond” still moved the plot along and gave crucial information about the activity of the primary antagonist while doing so.

But amidst the danger of the new threat, Sugar and her team, affectionately called the “Steven Crewniverse,” manage to inject even the most serious of situations with a certain lightness that alleviates the tightly wound tension they build. In this episode’s case, this levity comes in the form of the Gems’ response to the new problem: which is to their new foes to abandon their quest through a diplomatic game of baseball.

And the show has continually tackled tough issues both within society and throughout adolescence, like peer pressure and intimate relationships. The show has even been a spearhead in representing LGBT relationships in children’s media, granting visibility for the community. Though the gems are a genderless race, their use of female pronouns and the intimacy of their relationships creates a space for gender to be explored. Even the episode’s new antagonists, who are technically carbon copies of the same type of person, they display different expressions of gender and identity despite lacking much physical individuality.

Steven Universe is a show that encapsulates the best of television; it captivates audiences with its genuinity and emotion without having to condescend to its audience. It’s easy to see why children adore this cartoon, but Steven Universe is a show that I would definitely recommend to adults as its lightness and levity can cut through the cynicism of adulthood without disregarding it. This cartoon embodies a beautiful story that can relate to its audience at any level. It is truly a diamond in the rough.

Photo Credits: Google