What better way to take a study break than by kicking back and watching some TV? However, with all the movies and full series on Netflix, sometimes your break can go from 15 minutes to 4 hours without you even noticing. Here are 5 cartoons you can watch in short chunks that won’t be a huge time commitment – unless you decide to marathon them. No-one has to know!
1. Adventure Time
Adventure Time is a fantasy cartoon about a human boy, Finn, and his best friend Jake, a magical dog. Other characters include Princess Bubblegum, the Ice King, Marceline the Vampire Queen, and Lumpy Space Princess. If you’re thinking that the show sounds absurd, it definitely is, but that’s part of its charm. It doesn’t label itself as being specifically for one age group, so its humor and subject matter ranges from sophisticated to silly. Not only does it take place in an imaginary world to transport you away from studying, but each episode is only 11 minutes long. Perfect for a study break!
2. Gravity Falls
This is definitely a show worth watching from the beginning in order to catch all of the plot twists. The main characters, loveable twins Mabel and Dipper, are spending the summer in the enigmatic town of Gravity Falls with their great uncle Stan. Stan runs the Mystery Shack, a tourist trap which houses fake material related to urban myths and legends. When Dipper discovers a book explaining that some mythical creatures and objects are actually real, the twins start to investigate the unsolved mysteries of the town. The episodes are 22 minutes each, so you’ll have to invest a little more time, but it’s worth it for the laughs that you just won’t get from your textbook.
3. Over the Garden Wall
In a similar vein to Gravity Falls and its mystery-solving siblings, Over the Garden Wall is a mini-series that focuses on two brothers journeying through a strange forest called the Unknown. The show has a magical atmosphere that completely immerses you in the world of the Unknown, as well as a loveable bunch of characters to keep you tuning in. The episodes are 11 minutes, and since this mini-series only has a ten of them, you don’t have to watch as much to get the closure you would from finishing an entire show.
4. Phineas and Ferb
If you grew up watching Disney Channel (or Family Channel), chances are you’ve seen this charming cartoon about genius stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb. In case you haven’t, here’s the basic synopsis of each episode: Phineas and Ferb and their friends build a sophisticated invention far beyond the usual capabilities of kids, their sister Candace tries to “bust” them to their mom, and their platypus fights an evil scientist. Despite the formula, each episode of the show manages to be unique and entertaining. It may be for kids, but there are some jokes in there for the more mature viewers to catch. The best (or worst) thing about watching a double 22-minute episode is that you may be reminded of the days when you actually got a summer vacation. #tbt
5. Steven Universe
This is Cartoon Network’s first series to be created by a woman; it’s a relatively new show by Rebecca Sugar, one of the former writers for Adventure Time. It follows the adventures of Steven, a young boy who is half human and half “Gem”, a species of magical aliens. Along with three other gems, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, he goes on adventures from his hometown of Beach City all the way to far-off planets. This show combines the innocence of Phineas and Ferb with the fantasy elements of Adventure Time. It’s definitely worth checking out if you like either of those shows. There have been 2 seasons so far, and the episodes are only 11 minutes long!