In the dark corner of YouTube lives a disturbing animation series you might have missed, but as of next week, it’s finally coming to Netflix.
There’s plenty of unsettling content on YouTube to get lost in – just look at the Schoolboy 9 documentary – but none quite scratch the itch for psychological torment as much as The Amazing Digital Circus.
Produced by Glitch, The Amazing Digital Circus first arrived on the platform in October 2023. The pilot episode was a 25-minute animated short that tapped into an unknown need for all those who crave unusual and frightening content. It’s Harlan Ellison meets Toy Story, with a bizarre, isolated twist.
The Amazing Digital Circus takes place in a surrealist animated circus environment, wherein a group of humans become trapped in the CGI world after putting on “headsets” in real-life.
Controlled by an AI entity named Caine, the distorted and disfigured figures attempt to work out where they are and how they can get out.
It’s a nightmare under the illusion of a childhood aesthetic, following the trend set by other YouTube hits of its kind, like Happy Tree Friends and Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.
If you haven’t yet dipped your toes into this Proustian fever dream style of videos, The Amazing Digital Circus is a great place to start. At the time of its release, Episode 1 went viral and ended up becoming one of the most-viewed animation pilots on the website, and currently boasts just under 350 million views.
Luckily, Episodes 1-3 will be joining Netflix on October 4, on the same day Episode 3 premieres on YouTube. Episodes 4-9 will also come to Netflix on the same day they make their YouTube debuts.
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While Netflix isn’t buying out or producing new episodes of the series, it is licensing the show for the streaming platform. As one Reddit user who claimed to be a Glitch employee said: “Glitch employee here, Netflix has 0% control over the show, creative control, or anything.
“We keep EVERYTHING and 1000% ours. Not a single Netflix employee will ever touch anything in production.”
But be warned: before you venture into the circus, you’ll find dark times ahead. While the show has earned a large and loyal fanbase just a year after its premiere, it’s clear it’s not for the faint of heart.
“So I was not ready to be so strangely emotionally moved by that Digital Circus thing,” said one one X comment. “I feel f**ked up right now.”
“The Amazing Digital Circus is so f**ked up I love it,” said another.
“I FINALLY watched The Amazing Digital Circus for the first time – the first episode. It’s PHENOMENAL. The animation is great, the voice acting is spot-on, the themes the series mentions are disturbing at times, and the music is awesome!” said a third.
For more unsettling watches, check out our list of the best horror movies. You can also take a look at the creepiest YouTube documentaries to watch after smartschoolboy9 and find out if the bizarre Eugene and Martha Grimes case is real.
