Like the movie that inspired it, the reaction surrounding the Napoleon Dynamite animated series has been very polarized. Some fans of the original are ecstatic the principal cast is back to voice their favorite characters, while others are of the opinion the film should have been left a strange cult relic of the past. I never really got what all the fuss was about with Napoleon Dynamite, but oddly, star Jon Heder did win me over later in The Benchwarmers. Now he’s set to curry my favor once again with a new children’s pilot that actually sounds really funny.
Entitled Gulliver Quinn, the Disney XD original follows the title twenty-eight year old seventh grade who picks up where he left off with school after his parents’ fifteen year research journey studying tortoises comes to an end. Much to Gulliver’s surprise, the girl he had a crush on now works as the school nurse and a few of the kids are impressed with his ability to see in the dark. Unfortunately, it’s not all rosy. Some of the other kids resent the attention he brings, and the family home is in serious need of a few updates. I really hope their automobiles are outfitted with The Club, but I can’t confirm that at press time.
According to Deadline, Disney XD is very sweet on Gulliver Quinn and is hoping to turn around the pilot for a possible public premiere on the 2012 schedule. Obviously, all that is contingent on the initial effort going well, but anytime someone of Jon Heder’s name recognition agrees to do a show on a cable network like Disney XD, it’s a good bet the show will end up with a series order.
