Watch Napoleon Dynamite

Napoleon Dynamite, a television series that originally aired on Fox in 2012, is a delightful blend of humor and eccentricity that perfectly captures the essence of the cult classic film on which it is based. The series is an innovative 2D animated sitcom, created by Jared and Jerusha Hess, the original brains behind the iconic 2004 movie, and developed by Mike Scully, the veteran comedy writer known for his work on The Simpsons.

The animated series is set in the peculiar and quirky rural town of Preston, Idaho, where it follows the clumsy, socially awkward, and lovably eccentric titular character Napoleon Dynamite, voiced by Jon Heder. Heder infuses the same unique nuances into the character as he did in the film counterpart, making Napoleon's rebelliously mundane and endearing oddball personality shine.

The show circles around the bizarre and mundane life happenings of Napoleon, a red-afro 16-year-old high school student and his unusual family and friends. His troubled older brother, Kip (Aaron Ruell), is a 32-year-old lethargic internet addict who spends an absurd amount of his time engaged in online chat rooms. Napoleon shares his home with his Grandma (Sandy Martin), a fun-loving offbeat lady with a fondness for pet lamas and dune-buggy trips.

Rounding out the Dynamite family is Uncle Rico (Jon Gries), a man stuck in his glory days, heavily reminiscing about his missed shot at football stardom and always scheming to make it big. Napoleon's friends include the gentle giant, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), his sweet but overly serious Mexican best friend, and Deb (Tina Majorino), a female friend who's as quirky as she is artsy, all reprising their original movie roles.

Just like the film Napoleon Dynamite, this series thrills with its subtle humor and reliance on the unique eccentricities of its characters rather than overblown punch lines. It unfolds slowly, unhurriedly, capturing the underplayed comedy. At first sight, Napoleon and his world may seem overly ordinary, bordering on boring, but the series uncovers a whimsical charm inherent in its characters' eccentricities, their interactions, and their day-to-day life.

The series offers a hefty dose of unforgettable moments, whether it's Napoleon battling a cybernetic future version of himself, Kip dating a questionable local, Deb running a secret underground cosmetics enterprise, or the entire town being tricked into believing that a prehistoric creature is on the loose. These are just typical days in the oddly anecdotal life of this unique town and its residents, and the series thrives on this perfect marriage of normalcy with bizarre comedy.

The animation truly comes to life due to the perfect voice casting, with Heder and the original cast members of the movie playing their characters with an authenticity that breathes life and charisma into the characters and the series. The character designs and visuals are colorful, vibrant, and catchy, a perfect aid to the subtle humor and slow-paced storytelling.

Napoleon Dynamite as a series is a seamless extension of the film's universe. Although it didn't have a very long run and was canceled after just one season on Fox, it offered fans of the original movie a unique return trip to the eccentric town of Preston to relish the delights of Napoleon's world all over again.

Beautifully illustrated, well-crafted, and delightfully offbeat, the series Napoleon Dynamite might not be one of mainstream television's splashy sitcoms. Still, it delivers an honest brand of humor and heart, capturing the charm of the original movie while providing a fresh, inviting format for the viewers to enjoy the delightful quirks of the characters they have come to know and love.

Napoleon Dynamite is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (6 episodes). The series first aired on January 15, 2012.