Quick Take: Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story reveals the layers of brilliance that were responsible for making one of the most artistically accomplished, and yet shockingly grotesque animated shows of all time, which makes for a fascinating watch–until its creator’s demons that fueled it are revealed. 

One of the most disgusting, vile, and demented shows–excuse me, children’s shows–of all time, Ren & Stimpy also stands as one of the most singularly influential artistic achievements of the ’90s. Beloved by the cult following who took to it, a new documentary (funded by Kickstarter) chronicles the creation of Ren & Stimpy and the team behind it, including its brilliant yet tyrannical creator John Kricfalusi. It’s a time capsule that shows the brilliant animators who put the cartoon on paper at a time when animation was at a low point. Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story, directed by Ron Cicero and Kimo Easterwood, captures interviews from all of the people involved, including John Kricfalusi, who speaks to the infamous end when he was fired from the show’s second season. As the doc continues to show with John’s substantiation, we learn of a very problematic history with fans and aspiring animators, which makes the whole thing even more disturbing. It’s fitting that, like John, it’s Ren & Stimpy‘s avant-garde hideousness that makes the show unforgettable.

Distributed by Gravitas Ventures, ‘Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story’ is available on VOD this Friday.