by Gregor Arkady

Created on: February 02, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

Have you ever secretly wished to hear Marilyn Manson sing about the food pyramid? Do you have an inner passion for evil scientists that wear yellow rubber gloves that looks suspiciously like dish gloves? Have you ever wanted to see a pie fight between teenagers in drag and high-society ladies and gentlemen? Do you just plain old need to find a new TV show? Then look no further than Clone High! While it may have been canceled a few years ago, you can still buy the first (and only) season on DVD.

A little background on the show. Imagine, if you will, what would happen if a secret board of shadowy figures (called, appropriately enough, the Secret Board of Shadowy Figures) dug up the most famous figures from history. Then, using cutting-edge cloning technology, clones were made of these figures. Eventually, these clones reach their teen years, and enter high school. This is the set up for "Clone High".
There are many characters in this show, with a steady core of roughly ten and more cameos than you can shake a stick at. The main cast includes Abe Lincoln (the tall, gangly, awkward and slightly stupid one), Mahatma Gandhi (the hyperactive goofball character), Cleopatra (the slutty popular cheerleader), Joan of Arc (the angst-ridden goth girl), J.F.K. (the womanizing jock) and Principal Scudworth (the not-so-evil principal who seems to always get himself within inches of being killed by the Secret Board of Shadowy Figures). Guest cameos include Tom Green, Sigmund Freud, Thomas Edison, Julius Caesar, Catherin the Great (JFK says: Or should I say, Catherine the So-so), Vincent van Gogh and Napoleon Bonaparte.
The humour appeals to a wide range of people. I can watch this with my parents, and they think it's hilarious. I can watch it with my moron friends and they think it's hilarious. I can watch it with just about anyone, and... well, you get the idea. There is a fantastic mix of basic cartoon humour, teenage humour and historical puns. As an example of the first, Abe, while walking down the street talking about how his height doesn't feel that awkward, hits his head on a low-hanging tree branch. Ok, so maybe it's funnier when you see it. Second, in order to secure an invitation to JFK's exclusive party, Abe promises to buy a keg of beer. Since he is not of age, he must buy non-alcoholic beer, and realizes everyone will find out it's non-alcoholic. No one does, and everyone gets drunk off non-alcoholic beer. Finally, as JFK nears the finish line for a race, he proclaims "Nothing bad ever happens to the Kennedys!", and his car promptly flips over.
Everything about this show is fantastic. It is a well-done show, with relatively clean humour. Anyone tired of Family Guy-like stupidity or Jackass vulgarity will enjoy this program. It is well-written and very intelligent, but can still appeal to those who don't know the full background of various historical characters. Those who do will find even more enjoyment in the show. Please, if you do nothing else, at least watch this show.

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