what's your favorite idea? mine is being creative

ah. don't hug me i'm scared. an internet phenomenon, at least for my 11 year old self.
i was so entirely amazed by this surreal comedy horror puppet web series that i learned every
lyric, analyzed every frame, watched theory videos, and got so excited everytime a new episode
came out.

and then, in 2018, after not getting a new episode in 2 years, i was excited to see a mysterious
pilot for a... *checks note* TV SHOW?? what a wild day that was lmao. in 2022, the 6 episode
series was released. i'll admit, i haven't anazlyed the tv series as much as i did the original
6 episodes, but i still loved it.

dhmis was an entry into my favorite type of horror: mascot horror. it's the reason i love fnaf and other
games like amanda the adventurer. there is something so genuinely addicting about seeing nostalgic things
turn creepy and unsettling. and dhmis is the master of this formula. i was obsessed with seeing
real adult themes mixed with the visuals of a children show.

so! lets talk episodes, theories, fanart, everything. welcome to my dhmis shrine! ♪⁠～⁠(⁠´⁠ε⁠｀⁠ ⁠)

episode 1: creativity.

released july 29, 2011.

woah there friend, you might need to slow down.
click here to watch.

synopsis:
the first episode of dhmis starts with the 3 main characters: red guy, yellow guy, and duck, sitting
at their kitchen table when a notepad suddenly starts singing a song about creativity. the episode
starts off relatively innocent, as the notepad teaches them about imagining things in different ways.
however, we start to see a sinister side as yellow guy's ideas keep getting shut down, and slowly it
becomes... deranged. they're suddenly baking an organ cake and covering a heart in glitter, all in the
name of creativity. the song's speed increases and the visuals become more twisted until they're
back at their kitchen table, as if nothing has happened. the episode ends with the notepad saying now
lets all agree, to never be creative again.

theories:
while the premise of the episode might seem to be about creativity, the real focus is how the notepad
is teaching and reacting to the group as the song goes on. it sings about how creativity entails "thinking
creatively," but yellow guy's responses are all shut down: no, you can't paint a picture of a clown. no, green
can't be your favorite color because it's not creative. creativity seems full of rules according to this notepad.
according to the creators themselves, they wanted to "make light of how creativity and self-expression is basically
something very difficult to teach." the latter half of the video, where they seem to be manically creating using
odd mediums, shows them creating art against the status quo.

gantsrants points out a cool detail about the color coded brain that is shown in the video and,
whether or not it was the intention of the creator, is neat to think about:
"But the lobe in green is the temporal lobe. It’s the lobe that processes sensory input, recognizes language, and
forms long-term memories. If green is a forbidden color, and the temporal lobe is green, then the Sketchbook is
cautioning against accurately processing the evidence of the senses, against comprehending language, and against
remembering events of the past – all of which could be used to refute or disbelieve authority."

something worth mentioning as you watch this episode and the others following is to take note of the character's
reactions as they start to realize something is... off. we'll talk about that later.

sources:
inside a mind
gantsrants
filmtheory

[more coming soon!]