Have you flipped for Flapjack?

The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack on Cartoon Network.
It's been on for a while now and, honestly, it took me almost forever to warm up to it.

It's not really that likable on the get-go.  First of all, it's got creepy artwork.

Then, it's got creepy characters.
Ranging from a selfish, wooden-limbed, butt-less maple syrup guzzler called Cap'n K'nuckles.

To a Doctor-Barber (the resident doctor AND barber) whose prime obsession is surgery and creating hairy animal abominations in his basement.

To a candy store owner named Peppermint Larry who's married to the very pretty, very inanimate Candy Wife (YES!  She literally IS made out of candy!).

To a mobile home named Bubbie --a whale whose tongue, teeth, and uvula provide shelter for Flapjack and K'nuckles.  Kinda like a Moby Dick tribute there.

And finally, to the lead character, Flapjack --who's just plain annoying.

It's a band of marine misfits whose ultimate goal in the show is to find the most coveted Candied Island.  Uh-huh, this whole harbor runs on candy.  Candy is their lifeblood.  Which, for the overly strict parent, does not throw positive signals to their healthy, little young'uns.  Me, I'm game with that.  It's just a show, for pete's sake.  I was more concerned about the cartoon being too weird. 

And then, it dawned on me.  Deep within all that weirdness is the wonderful story of ...wait for it... friendship.  It's how a dysfunctional pair of sailors, Cap'n K'nuckles and his cabin boy Flapjack, survive misadventure after misadventure with the power of trust and compassion for one another.
When I finally caught that premise, the cartoon became not half bad.  In fact, eventually --and I mean the longish eventually-- it became great.

The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.  It's an acquired taste.  Your kids will like it instantly, thanks to their love for the bizarre.  But you... you'll need to take it with an open mind and a little wasabi.