The cartoon Steven Universe has taken over my life within the last week.
After my family finally jumped onto the Hulu bandwagon, I spent some of my free time combing through Hulu’s programming to compile the best “watchlist” ever—at least, best in my opinion. I stumbled upon "Steven Universe" fairly quickly, as its popularity across a wide demographic has placed it among Cartoon Network’s modern big titles like "Adventure Time."
I’ve known of "Steven Universe"’s existence since it first came out a few years ago. I’ve been an active user of the blogging website Tumblr since 2012, so I witnessed "Steven Universe"’s rise to fame after its release. On top of that, I had friends showering it in praise, so I’ve always had a basic understanding of the premise of the show.
Simply put, the story follows a boy named Steven Universe (hence the title) who is half-human and half-alien. He is learning how to use and understand his extraterrestrial abilities, which have been passed down from his alien mother (who had to “give up her physical form” when Steven was born, so she’s not there to help him) under the guidance of his mother’s three teammates and his human father. The concept is genius, and for a cartoon, the show is a healthy mixture of lighthearted and dark moments, all still appropriate for its children demographic.
After years of somewhat knowing the show’s plot, I’ve finally jumped on the hype train, which isn’t very surprising. For one thing, I’ve followed entertainment “for kids” throughout my whole life. I still play Pokemon. I keep up with the current "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" cartoon. I sometimes wish the Marvel Cinematic Universe would take a page from the fun "Avengers Assemble" on Disney XD.
On the other hand, I know myself. One of the ways I cope with change or stress is by filling my mind with something else to “obsess” over. When it wasn’t Pokemon, it was the aforementioned "My Little Pony," or "Once Upon a Time," or "Criminal Minds," or the Marvel Cinematic Universe, to name a few from recent years. It’s easy to look at this and think, “Wow! You must mindlessly watch TV all day!” but I can assure you that’s not what fills my time.
It’s a lot of thoughts like, “I bet Natasha Romanoff will sit up with the other Avengers after bad missions to ward off nightmares, even though the movies don’t show us a lot of her sensitive side,” or, “Whenever Emily Prentiss thinks about faking her death for the safety of her teammates, she probably wants to regret it, but doesn’t, because they’re safe.” It’s writing my own stories about the characters to explore the uncharted waters of their offscreen lives.
Mindlessly consuming media is the reason I’m pursuing professional creativity in the form of screenwriting. I don’t just binge-watch; I binge-expose myself to fictional universes and their characters and plots so I can better understand them and get into their heads. When I’m not watching "Steven Universe," I’m thinking of quiet moments Steven spends sitting in Garnet’s lap, or looking guiltily at the sash tied around Pearl’s waist that symbolizes her latest regeneration.
Instead of viewing media consumption as a bad thing, I wish more people would realize the chance for creativity it provides. After watching a movie or a new episode, think about the characters and how they feel after the story ends, or what they might do in their free time. The Internet has been tremendous in bringing “fandom”s together, providing a platform for people to exchange fan theories and create their own versions of the story.
"Steven Universe" has given me new ideas to consider when I write my next story, things I wouldn’t have thought about if I hadn’t engrossed myself in the show.
To any parents reading this, I hope I provided you with some new insight into how my generation is “glued to (insert media form here). “ Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to tell you how to parent, but maybe you can find a cool way to take advantage of your child’s interest in a show or game. Ask them about the characters and the story. What do they think the characters do in their free time? What other adventures would they like to see the characters go on? Suggest they draw a picture or write a story about it.
Trust me, it may prove to be beneficial later on.
