Those cartoons my mom didn’t want me watching as a kid are going away this week. The disturbing ‘Ren & Stimpy’ and the surprisingly insightful ‘South Park’ are taking their leave from Netflix, and we get very little in return.

Leaving the Stream

1. ‘Ren & Stimpy’ (5/22): John Kricfalusi is one of the sickest, most demented individuals ever allowed to create – and he got to do it on Nickelodeon. ‘Ren & Stimpy‘ was a forerunner to demented and strange cartoons like ‘The Misadventures of Flapjack’, ‘Adventure Time’ and essentially the entire Adult Swim lineup. If you’ve somehow never gotten around to seeing it, now’s the time. If you’re a fan, it’s time to relive some of those wonderfully weird moments.
2. ‘South Park’ (5/22): When it first started, ‘South Park‘ seemed like nothing more than a good laugh. Four kids swearing a lot and making poop jokes is great entertainment, sure, but somehow the series transcended that and became an unexpected source of brilliant social and political commentary. It looks like we lose the entire series on Sunday, so enjoy it while you can.
3. ‘Upright Citizens Brigade’ (5/22): While not a cartoon, this bizarre sketch comedy show may as well have been. ‘Upright Citizens Brigade‘ is not only incredibly funny and original, it’s also the first place Amy Poehler really got to strut her stuff. It also stars Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts, and features appearances from great comedians like H. John Benjamin, Paul Scheer, Rob Riggle and more.

Entering the Stream

1. ‘The Darwin Awards’ (5/25): ‘The Darwin Awards‘ are a bit of a morbid celebration. They’re given out every year to those people who die in abnormally stupid ways and thus help the survival of the fittest. This movie takes several of the more notable awards and reenacts them to surprisingly great comedic effect. It’s a dark comedy, but it’s incredibly funny.
2. ‘Jack Goes Boating’ (5/19): I didn’t get a chance to see ‘Jack Goes Boating‘ in the theaters, but despite mixed reviews and the fact that it’s classified as a romantic comedy, I’m still looking forward to checking it out. There’s just no getting around it – Philip Seymour Hoffman is great.