Glitch Productions’ latest animated pilot has captivated nearly 12 million viewers since its release, offering a dystopian twist on classic fairy tale tropes with a visually striking aesthetic.
The Knights of Guinevere pilot, a new adult animated web series from Glitch Productions, plunges viewers into a world sharply divided between the glittering, fantastical theme park of Park Planet, floating in the clouds, and the gritty, industrial wasteland that sprawls beneath it. Created by The Owl House alumni Dana Terrace, John Bailey Owen, and Zach Marcus, the series blends sci-fi and psychological thriller elements to deliver a narrative that’s both enchanting and unsettling.
The story follows Andi, an engineer, and her friend Frankie, a scrap-scavenger, who live in the grimy shadow of the opulent Park Planet. The pilot opens with a haunting fairy tale narration before revealing the park’s origins as a grand gift from creator Orville Park to his daughter, Olivia. Years later, in the bleak industrial town of M7, Frankie‘s discovery of a damaged android resembling the park’s mascot, Princess Guinevere, sets the plot in motion. This discovery leads the two friends on a desperate and dangerous mission into the park’s hidden underbelly, where they confront dangers that hint at the dark secrets behind the manufactured fantasy.
The 2D animation is immediately arresting, establishing a stark visual contrast between the ethereal, pastel-coloured world of Park Planet and the muted, earthy tones of the industrial zone below. I suspect that this dichotomy is central to the visual storytelling, with the fluid character movements and distinctive designs enhancing the pilot’s psychological thriller atmosphere. The style effectively uses colour and light to reflect the emotional core of scenes, particularly as the narrative descends into its darker, more intense sequences.
The series, the first 2D animated venture from Glitch Productions, is described as being “much more adult-oriented” than previous works by Dana Terrace, featuring “adult themes,” including “animated blood and gore.” This is evident in the pilot’s more mature narrative and visual impact, which set it apart and attract significant attention, as evidenced by its substantial viewership.
Why did Dana do this? It’s behind a paywall ,but The Wrap has Why a Disney Showrunner Took Her Latest Project to YouTube.
There’s more to watch, different, yes but more. If you’re bold enough, you can play short film roulette by jumping on this teleport link to find another random video.
