Llamas with Hats
Entry updated 7 October 2024. Tagged: TV.
US online animated series (2009-2015). FilmCow. Directed and written by Jason Steele. Voice cast Chris Alex and Jason Steele. Twelve 1-2 minute episodes. Colour.
Carl and Paul are talking llamas [for Talking Animals see The Encyclopedia of Fantasy under links below] and can be distinguished by their hats: Carl's is green; Paul's is red and has a flower, the latter leading Carl to assume Paul was female (see Gender). Carl can apparently dislocate his jaw like a snake, but otherwise the pair look like typical members of their species, though Carl is a violent sociopath who is no longer a herbivore and Paul whines a lot – given the circumstances, not without justification. The first episode has him finding a dead, handless human in their home and asking Carl what happened: initially denying any knowledge, Carl eventually admits to stabbing the victim 37 times then cooking and eating their hands. In another episode Carl sinks an ocean liner and when the other rebukes him for "headbutting children off the side of the ship", responds, "That must have been horrifying to watch." "Then you started making out with the ice sculpture." "Thank god that the children weren't on board to see it."
With the fourth episode the show steps from the Fantasy of talking animals into sf territory when Carl brings muddy hoof prints into the house and sets off a nuclear explosion (see Nuclear Energy) in the City – this by way of celebrating Paul's birthday; the decorations are peoples' faces attached to balloons. Subsequently Carl creates a crack in space/time (see Dimensions) from which baby hands pour out: "Carl, why are there only hands from white babies?" "Well, you know, Whitey's gotta pay. And the payment is baby hands." In episode six Paul finally moves out, this even before seeing Carl's latest surprise, a "meat dragon" – a living dragon made from human meat (we can infer orphans).
Carl does not respond well to Paul's departure, and tries to replace him with a mask (initially worn by a sheep). The mask, either possessed or – more likely – through Carl's deluded mind (see Psychology), urges him to greater excess: including creating a "blood vortex" in Paris and the "orb thing with all the nerves [that] would shock people then eat their skin". At last we see him disillusioned and standing in a ruined, Post-Holocaust landscape. Finally accepting the mask is not Paul, Carl searches for him, only to find his skeleton. Sad music plays. A weeping Carl leaps from a bridge (see Suicide).
Given his ability to create nuclear weapons, space/time cracks, life, blood vortexes and the orb thing, Carl may be considered a Mad Scientist. The animation is very limited, but does not detract from the Humour. Needless to say, Llamas with Hats is in bad taste (see Taboos), but funny. As of October 2024 the first episode on YouTube had 44 million views and the compilation of episodes 1-12, 40 million. Episodes 1-4 were released 2009-2010 and 5-12 2014-2015, the gap in production being due to fans correctly guessing the planned ending of the fifth, intended to be the series finale, when Carl blows up the world – causing Steele, embarrassed at being so predictable, to change tack.
In September 2024 the 20-minute Llamas with Hats: Epilogue was released. Now dead (see Eschatology), Carl reviews his life and his relationship with Paul, eventually, accepting he was responsible for their death, concluding "You've still got a chance, as long as you stay away from me," and then the realization: "Or, I stay away from you," upon which he is Reincarnated as an acorn. The Epilogue is adequate, but unnecessary. [SP]
links
previous versions of this entry