Last week I reviewed a copy of the Steven Universe: Gem Glow DVD and mentioned that I also received a review copy of Clarence: Mystery Piñata. Now that we’re closer to the 12-episode compilation’s Feb. 10th release date, it’s the perfect time to talk about the show my daughter refers to as Flarence for reasons untold.

Like Steven Universe, Clarence is a series that comes from an Adventure Time alum, in this case Skyler Page. Unlike those other two shows, though, this one does not revolve around any kind of supernatural or sci-fi elements. Instead, Clarence focuses on the title character, a boy who lives with his mom and step-dad and hangs out with his friends Jeff and Sumo.

When I first saw the ads for Clarence, I wasn’t sure if I would like it because it seemed like the title characters was a bit too doofy for my liking. However, after going in on deep dive thanks to Mystery Piñata I’m glad to say that, while he’s not the smartest kid in the world — that’s where his buddy Jeff comes in — he’s got a huge heart and a lot of genuine enthusiasm. On either side of him you’ve got the complete craziness of Sumo and the overly intellectual Jeff which makes for a nice balance that I remember from my own childhood.

My three-year-old daughter loves the silly antics on this show, but I’m fond of it because I love the kid-based lifestyle it represents. These are kids who run around in the woods and play outside, going on adventures and whatnot. That’s the kind of life I had as a child — I grew up right across the street from a small city park — and I worry that it’s becoming extinct in a world that’s become overly paranoid and worried.

While I enjoyed all of the episodes on this DVD, I think “Pretty Great Day With A Girl,” “Clarence’s Millions” and “Jeff’s New Toy” are favorites right now. In the first Clarence realizes that girls are pretty cool and fun to hang out with. It deals with a lot of gender issues without smashing you over the head with them. The middle one finds Clarence developing a kind of currency that winds up taking the school by storm. In the last, Jeff gets a flying toy based on a robotic Supreme Court justice that he wants to just keep on a shelf. Clarence can’t handle not playing with a toy and gets into some shenanigans. Both episodes not only show off the characters well, but also remind me of situations my friends and I got into in grade school.

Here’s the episode list, along with the chronological order of appearance according to Wiki!

“Fun Dungeons Face Off” (Episode 1)
“Pretty Great Day With A Girl” (Episode 2)
“Lost In The Supermarket” (Episode 4)
“Clarence’s Millions” (Episode 5)
“Jeff’s New Toy” (Episode 7)
“Zoo” (Episode 11)
“Rise ‘n’ Shine” (Episode 12)
“Average Jeff” (Episode 18)
“Slumber Party” (Episode 16)
“Dream Boat” (Episode 15)
“Too Gross For Comfort” (Episode 23)
“Neighborhood Grill” (Episode 21)