MSCR: The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

How to best describe the wonder that is The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy? It's like .... Ren and Stimpy meets Faust. Two children win a limbo contest against the Grim Reaper and force him to be their friend. Wacky hi-jinks ensue.

Billy, Mandy, and Grim are totally BFF!

What makes the show for me is not Billy's fart jokes or Grim's Jamaican accent. I am a HUGE fan of Mandy. With her cute little dress, blonde hair, and lack of a nose you might mistake her for the fourth Powerpuff Girl.

It would be the last mistake you ever made.

Mandy is always angry, sometimes violent, and frequently cruel. She rules her gang with an iron fist, and never hesitates to put someone in their place (to wit, cowering at her feet). And because this particular show never worries overmuch about morals or happy endings, this tiny tyrant's uppence will never come. I love that.

In children's television, a girl is almost never the leader (unless the entire group is girls and their mission is to be the best, most sparkly fairy princesses they can be). When the leader is female, she is often the nurturing, motherly type. At the very least, it's made clear that the girl's gruff exterior is just an act she puts on to protect her tender heart. And while I'm not trying to paint Mandy as a role model, she does stand out as a singular character: female, but with nothing "soft" about her. She's completely unapologetic - something few little girls learn to be.

"If you are what you eat, I could be you in the morning."

So if you like questionable humor, quirky characters and quietly subversive television, you will enjoy The Grim Adventures. Be sure to check out the game and the official website, where you can watch full episodes online.