As I reflect on the digital landscape, it’s astonishing to acknowledge that it’s now a full two decades since David Firth’s surreal masterpiece first appeared, forever changing the tone and tenor of online humor. The first episode of the web-based series debuted on Newgrounds on July 1, 2004. To commemorate this landmark birthday, Firth has released a new episode that revisits the formative years of Salad Fingers, transporting fans back in time to the earliest moments that indelibly etched the phrase “I like rusty spoons” into the cultural psyche of an entire generation of online enthusiasts.
Issues will not be exactly as you recall them, though. Here’s how everything unfolded in line with Salad Fingers’ tone, so can we really count on Salad Fingers as a trustworthy narrator? In this 7-minute video, the lore is expanded upon, revisiting familiar characters including the enigmatic “younger baby” – whose identity remains shrouded in mystery – as well as the unsettling finger puppet trio comprising Hubert Cumberdale, Marjory Stewart-Baxter, and Jeremy Fisher. When you’ve cultivated a familiarity with the series over time and brought it up to date for 2023, you may also confront the unsettling figure of Melvin Wishcake, whom Salad Fingers now ominously dubs “Manky Melvin, the fetid outcast.”
I’ve developed a soft spot for this offbeat cartoon, just like many of you likely have, and this episode truly delivered on its promise. I’d simply have to dive back in and rewatch the entire series, including the newest installment. Thank you for the nostalgic reminisces, Salad Gregory Stuart Fingers.
