Alright! Today I'm reviewing Infinity Train, a Cartoon Network anthology series about a titular Infinity Train that kidnaps people Polar Express-style, assigns them a number, and makes them overcome their various traumas by going from train car to train car, each containing new inhabitants and puzzles that help them shed their baggage before returning home as changed and bettered people.
I liked more or less everything about Infinity Train - the characters are all very likable and well-developed, the different train cars allow for experimental and high-concept episodes, and the various supporting players are all memorable and hilarious. My only true complaint is the standard Cartoon Network runtimes of 11 minutes, meaning some episodes feel rushed, or at the very least could have been longer. It makes the series easy to watch though, with the ten-episode seasons being about the length of a typical feature-length film.
Infinity Train, in the two seasons available on DVD, also boasts one of the most impressive soundtracks of any children's show. As soon as first-season protagonist Tulip gets on the train and the title card plays, you know you're in for a treat when the fantastic "Running Away" track plays and the synthwave takes over. It's creepy and foreboding, but also magical and inspiring, perfectly setting the tone for an infinite train to nowhere traveling across vast wastelands. With the premier setting the tone perfectly, the next nine episodes are an emotional breeze full of humor until Tulip finally faces and defeats the terrifying villain with kindness.
The second season primarily focuses on Tulip's mirror reflection, nicknamed "MT," trying to find an identity for herself outside of just being a reflection. Like the first season, this story could have really benefitted from longer episodes, although I'm fairly happy with what we got. Season two introduces several likable and unique characters such as Jesse, a passenger on the train trying to stand up to peer pressure, and Alan Dracula, a magical shapeshifting deer who has unlimited power and skill but never becomes a deus ex machina.
Season two matches and expands upon the first season perfectly, crafting a journey of equal if not even superior quality. MT's journey of self-discovery is inspiring, Jesse supporting both her and his own arcs was well written, and the finale, once again containing a fantastic musical track with "Cracked Reflection," gave a sense of bittersweet completion as we said goodbye to the characters and the show.
However, that should not be the end of the show - but in a stunning and unbelievable move, Warner Bros., led by the infallibly cruel David Zaslav, chose to remove Infinity Train from HBOMax... despite the fact that it was an HBOMax original. Luckily the first two seasons are available on DVD since they aired on Cartoon Network - seasons three and four, however, are lost media in a time of accessibility. While they are available to rent on Amazon and Apple, you're still at the mercy and giving money to those responsible for their removal in the first place. Additionally, canceling such a fantastic and beloved show before it could complete its intended arc of eight seasons is just disgusting and incomprehensible.
Infinity Train is one of the best television shows, animated or otherwise, of the decade. It's accessible, high concept, emotional, humorous, and always engaging and enjoyable to watch with a killer soundtrack to boot. If there was justice in the world, I'd be reviewing the sixth season by now - alas, all that is left after upsetting corporate maneuvering is a fourth of what we should have had.
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