An animated science fiction series for adults called “Clone High” chronicles the results of a covert government experiment that produced clones of significant historical personalities. The plot centres on these clones, which include Cleopatra, John F. Kennedy, Joan of Arc, Mahatma Gandhi, and Abraham Lincoln. Occasionally, individuals such as Catherine the Great, Genghis Khan, Marie Curie, and others join them.
In addition to Will Forte, Michael McDonald, Christa Miller, and Nicole Sullivan in recurring roles, the series, which was created by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Bill Lawrence, debuted on MTV in 2002 with a star cast that included Michael J. Fox, Marilyn Manson, Jack Black, and others. HBO Max announced a revival of “Clone High” because of its cult fanbase, but in the interim, we’ve got several alternatives to sate your appetites.
Camp Lazlo (2005-2008)
The adventures of Lazlo (Carlos Alazraqui), an anthropomorphic spider monkey, and his companions Clam (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui as well), an albino rhino, and Raj (Jeff Bennett), an elephant, are chronicled in the children’s animated comedy series. At Camp Kidney, a summer camp where they all stay together in the same cabin, Scoutmaster Lumpus (Tom Kenny) isn’t exactly thrilled that the kids are having a good time.
Like “Clone High,” Joe Murray’s “Camp Lazlo” is established in a setting intended solely for the children’s growth but also conceals deeper mysteries. As in “Camp Lazlo,” Scoutmaster Lumpus isn’t quite who he says he is and may be up to no good at all, much like Cinnamon J. Scudworth, the principal of Clone High, wants to use the clones for his own sinister goals.
Daria (1997-2002)
In this adult animated sitcom, Tracy Grandstaff’s character Daria Morgendorffer tries to make her way through high school, which seems to be full of all the personality types she detests: happy, goofy teens who care more about relationships and school drama than bigger concerns like how to file taxes.
Daria uses her poor self-esteem as a weapon in an attempt to get through high school and graduate. The show, which was produced by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn, takes a similar approach to “Clone High,” in that it uses the teenage experiences of historical individuals to explore the complicated politics of adolescent relationships from Daria’s more “mature” point of view.
Futurama (1999-)
The television series “Futurama,” which was co-created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, centres on the lives of pizza deliveryman Phillip J. Fry (Billy West), who awakens a millennium later after unintentionally being cryogenically preserved. Now that his only means of life are his freight transportation business and his lone surviving ancestor, Fry embarks on any and all adventures in a world that is far stranger than he could have ever dreamed. The “man out of time” cliché is used to great effect in the show, and Phillip’s uncertainty about the future in comparison to what he believes to be common sense in the past is reminiscent of the clones’ attempts to blend in at “Clone High.”
Inside Job (2021-2022)
The animated science fiction sitcom “Inside Job” centres on Reagan Ridley (Lizzy Caplan) and her group at Cognito, Inc., a covert organisation that maintains greater secrecy than intelligence services. In order to keep the world blissfully unaware of the enigmatic forces who rule them from the shadows, they suppress any conspiracy notion that emerges or reappears.
In the Shion Takeuchi-created series, Cognito, Inc. is governed by a covert shadow government, which is akin to the covert government organisation that aims to utilise the information it obtains by watching Clone High students for its own ends.
Rick and Morty (2013-)
“Rick and Morty” is an adult animated science fiction sitcom that was created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. It centres on Rick Sanchez, a brilliant but cynical scientist with Machiavellian tendencies, and his adventures with his sweet grandson, Morty Smith, who gets startled easily by almost everything. Both of them—voiced by Roiland himself—travel through time, space, and other dimensions, sometimes coming into contact with entities that are difficult to categorise.
The realism of meeting someone you know and then discovering they aren’t exactly you is masterfully handled in the sitcom. Rick and Morty also encounter into other versions of each other, who may not be clones. But in the case of “Clone High,” the audience experiences surrealism as they attempt to draw comparisons between the highly stylized caricatures of historical figures that they are familiar with.
Robot Chicken (2005-)
A number of characters, frequently in recurring roles, appear in the adult stop-motion animated comic sketch series “Robot Chicken” throughout each season. The show, which was created by Seth Rogen and Matthew Senreich, parodies everything in popular culture, including video games, toys, movies, television shows, and more. It is modelled after the way that ‘Clone High’ parodies teen dramas like ‘Dawson’s Creek, using historical figures to represent the characters. A recurrent ensemble of A-list actors, including Mark Hamill, Katee Sackhoff, and Zachary Levi, is another highlight of the show.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)
The viewers of this animated science fiction series are taken on an epic galactic adventure where the soldiers of the Republic and the Separatists engage in a conflict between good and evil. The formidable Jedi Knights, fighters sensitive to the universal energy that all people experience but can only sense and utilise in small amounts, command the Republic’s forces. Conversely, the Separatists are puppets operating under the covert control of the Sith.
Clone troopers are used by the Republic in its forces in the George Lucas television series. The clones aren’t exactly the same among their ranks either; instead, they are all quite well-developed, with unique personalities and quirks. In a similar vein, the clones in “Clone High” have adopted somewhat distinct identities rather than being perfect replicas of the historical persons on which they are based.
Young Justice (2010-2022)
The DC animated superhero television series “Young Justice” revolves around the exploits of several teenage superheroes who are fervently attempting to emerge from the shadows of their legendary mentors, including Robin (Jesse McCartney), Kid Flash (Jason Spisak), Aqualad (Khary Payton), Miss Martian (Danica McKellar), Artemis (Stephanie Lemelin), and Superboy (Nolan North).
Batman sends the squad on covert missions, and they end up playing a bigger role than anybody could have predicted in the conflict between the heroes and the villains. In “Young Justice,” which was created by Greg Weismann and Brandon Vietti, there is an underlying plot about superhero clones and their protégés who want to kill and replace the originals in order to rule the world, much like Principal Scudworth in “Clone High,” who wants to use the clones for his own evil purposes.
