Mordecai, Rigby, Benson, Skips, Muscle Man, and the other park employees for one of Cartoon Network’s biggest franchises are back. Regular Show: The Lost Tapes has debuted on Cartoon Network, acting as something of a prequel and a sequel to the original Regular Show series. Despite the original outing releasing its final episode in 2017, it appears as though the series from creator J.G. Quintel hasn’t lost any steam. Since debuting on the Warner Bros cable network earlier this month, The Lost Tapes has roared back to life and become a success not just for Cartoon Network, but HBO Max as well.
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Regular Show: The Lost Tapes saw its debut installment pulling in around 203,000 viewers on Cartoon Network, and while subsequent episodes didn’t hit the same heights, it still was a big premiere. While the spin-off hasn’t yet hit HBO Max in North America, Mordecai and Rigby’s comeback has arrived on the streaming service internationally. With its debut, The Lost Tapes arrived as the number two series for HBO Max, proving that there is a definite market for those waiting to witness the show’s return. Considering Quintel’s return, along with numerous creators and cast members who helped make the original, the spin-off feels like a true return for Regular Show.
How Do The Lost Tapes Work?
For those who have yet to dive into Regular Show’s new spin-off, The Lost Tapes works as both a prequel and a sequel to the original series. As a sequel, the series is presented as stories that the deceased character Pops is viewing from the afterlife. The pink-headed character initially had one VHS tape to recall his life at the park, before dying, thanks to sacrificing his life to stop his evil brother, but following an unfortunate accident, he needed to find new tapes to do the same. Luckily, Pops achieved his goal, though it seems as though his storyline might be building into something big.
As for how The Lost Tapes is a prequel, it doesn’t just take place during the events of the original series; it seems to point to the idea that the tapes show adventures that took place before its premiere. During one episode, Mordecai and Rigby are seen as the “new guys” at the park, meaning that there are elements of the spin-off that can travel far into the past. As of the writing of this article, the side story has been confirmed for dozens of episodes, meaning we won’t be saying goodbye to J.G. Quintel’s spin-off anytime soon.
This year isn’t just seeing Quintel working on Regular Show’s return, as the animator is working on a brand new series, SuperMutant Magic Academy. While Mordecai and Rigby’s tale is a totally original one, the Magic Academy is based on a webcomic from creator Jillian Tamaki. This new animated series has yet to confirm its release date, though reports are hinting at a 2025 arrival.
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