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How to watch Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse in release and chronological order

Want to get started on Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse? Here’s how to do it!

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Image credit: Miramax Films
Joshua Lapin-Bertone avatar
Guide by Joshua Lapin-Bertone Contributing writer
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Step inside the View Askewniverse. Kevin Smith’s cinematic universe is a tapestry of humor, heart, and tons of pop culture references. From convenience stores to Hollywood backlots, the View Askewniverse tackles everything from nerdy pop culture debates to the meaning of religion. All that, and Jay and Silent Bob, everyone’s favorite stoner dynamic duo. Are you looking to get into these irreverent comedies? Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a curious newcomer, Popverse is here to guide you through the View Askewniverse.

What is the View Askewniverse?

Mallrats still
Image credit: Gramercy Pictures

The View Askewniverse is Kevin Smith’s cinematic universe. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the MonsterVerse, the View Askewniverse doesn’t have a driving storyline. In fact, most of the films focus on different protagonists. The films are mostly irreverent comedies, laden with pop culture references.

The continuity between the View Askewniverse projects are very loose, and a majority of the characters never cross over. The exception is Jay and Silent Bob, who serve as the connective tissue for the cinematic universe. The two characters find themselves in most of the View Askewniverse adventures, regardless of where in the country they take place.

What makes a film a View Askewniverse movie? If it’s directed and written by Kevin Smith, then it’s most likely a View Askewniverse project. If it’s made by Smith’s production company View Askew, it’s likely a View Askewniverse project (with rare exceptions). If Jay and Silent Bob have an extended role that goes beyond cameo, then it’s most likely a View Askewniverse project. If you see Nails Cigarettes, then you’re watching a View Askewniverse project.

How to watch the View Askewniverse in release order

Clerks II still
Image credit: The Weinstein Company

Now that you know what the View Askewniverse is, here is how to start watching it. If you want to watch Kevin Smith’s cinematic universe in release order, here is the core continuity. Films and television shows that are continuity-adjacent will be broken down later in this guide.

How to watch the View Askewniverse in chronological order

Jay and Silent Bob Reboot still
Image credit: Miramax

If you prefer watching the View Askewniverse in chronological order, here is how to do it. All you need to do is swap Mallrats with Clerks, include Clerks: The Lost Scene earlier, and move Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie to another list. Simply follow this watch list..

Main continuity
  • Mallrats (1995 film)
  • Clerks (1994 film)/ Clerks: The Lost Scene (2004 short film)
  • Clerks: The Animated Series (2000 animated series)
  • Chasing Amy (1997 film)
  • Dogma (1999 film)
  • Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001 film)
  • Clerks II (2006 film)
  • Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019 film)
  • Clerks III (2022 film)
  • Twilight of the Mallrats (TBA film)

Bluntman and Chronic

Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie exists on a separate plane from the rest of the View Askewniverse. The animated film follows Jay and Silent Bob as they become the superheroes Bluntman and Chronic. The film is a parody of superhero films, with a bit of Kevin Smith flair. Bluntman and Chronic exist as comic book characters in the live-action View Askewniverse films, which means this movie takes place in a universe within another cinematic universe.

In other words, this movie could exist in the world of Clerks. Dante and Randal could potentially buy a DVD and watch it.

  • Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! (2013 film)

Is Clerks: The Animated Series canon?

Clerks: The Animated Series
Image credit: Miramax Television

Clerks: The Animated Series was an adult animated comedy that aired on ABC in 2000. The network was hoping to capitalize on the success of other primetime animated comedies such as Simpsons and King of the Hill, but quickly lost faith in the series. Of the 6 episodes that were produced, only 2 of them aired on ABC. The rest of the episodes aired on Comedy Central, and the complete series is currently available on DVD.

The animated series continues the misadventures of the Quick Stop gang from the live-action Clerks film. The sensibilities were a bit more cartoony, making this an unusual chapter of the View Askewniverse.

A few meta references to the series were included in deleted scenes for Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Clerks III cast Marc Bernardin as Lando, a character who was introduced in Clerks: The Animated Series. This is enough evidence to assume that the series is canon (or semi-canon) to the View Askewniverse. One popular theory is that Clerks: The Animated Series is just Jay and Silent Bob on a drug trip. This would explain some of the more cartoony antics in the show..

Is Zack and Miri Make a Porno part of the View Askewniverse?

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Image credit: The Weinstein Company

It depends on who you ask, and when you ask them. Zack and Miri Make a Porno is a comedy written and directed by Kevin Smith. During the film’s promotional rollout, Smith repeatedly stated that it wasn’t part of the View Askewniverse.

Then he changed his mind.

Justin Long would go on to play a lawyer in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. This lawyer was meant to be Brandon St. Randy, Long’s character from Zach and Miri. However, Smith didn’t have the full rights to Zach and Miri Make a Porno, so Long’s character was unnamed. A deleted scene from Clerks III had Jay mention his cousin Lester (which makes sense since both characters are played by Jason Mewes).

So is it canon or not? Smith said no, but then said yes. However, the lawyers say no. The film is as close to the View Askewniverse as it could be, but legally they can’t acknowledge it. Due to the film’s ambiguous canon status, we’ve left it off our main watch order. However, no guide to the View Askewniverse would be complete without referencing it.

The outskirts of the View Askewniverse

The Flying Car still
Image credit: View Askew Productions

If you want to fully explore the View Askewniverse, you will have to venture beyond television and film. There are also a few movies and television projects that aren’t part of the View Askewniverse, but contain some of the characters. Let’s break it down…

Comics

  • Clerks – A comic book series detailing the further adventures of Randal and Dante.
  • Clerks: Holiday Special – Jay and Silent Bob help Santa, and Dante finds out his ex is being transferred to a new mental health facility.
  • Clerks: The Lost Scene – A comic book version of a deleted scene from the original Clerks film.
  • Chasing Dogma – A 4-issue series bridging the gap between Chasing Amy and Dogma.
  • Bluntman and Chronic – Comics depicting the adventures of Bluntman and Chronic. These are supposedly the comics that the characters Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards were making in the film Chasing Amy.
  • Oni Double Feature #1 – This comic contains a Jay and Silent Bob story titled ‘Walt Flanagan’s Dog.’ It is set before Mallrats, making it the earliest chronological story in the View Askewniverse.
  • Where’s the Beef? – A 20-page comic book story that expands on the events of Clerks II.
  • Quick Stops – A 4-issue series focusing on various characters in the View Askewniverse.

In addition, Jay and Silent Bob have cameoed in numerous comics, such as Angel: After the Fall #5 and Green Arrow #6 (2001). These are meant to be fun background Easter eggs and aren’t considered official parts of the View Askewniverse.

Video games
  • Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl – An 8-bit sidescroller starring Jay and Silent Bob.
  • Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch – An upcoming beat ‘em up game starring Jay and Silent Bob. It will be playable on Google Stadia and is set to be released sometime in 2024.

Other television appearances

  • The Flying Car – A short film where Randal and Dante debate how far they would go to obtain the marketing rights to the Jetsons’ flying car. It was commissioned (then rejected) by the Ford Motor Company and would end up airing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. It is currently available on the Clerks DVD.
  • Jay and Silent Bob Shorts – Various shorts that aired on MTV in 1998. They are currently available on the Internet Archive and YouTube.
  • I Love the ‘90s – A VH1 series where celebrities reflected on life in the ‘90s. Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes appeared in-character as Jay and Silent Bob for various segments. These appearances should not be considered canon to the View Askewniverse.
  • Degrassi: The New Generation – The series had a brief arc where Kevin Smith shows up to Degrassi Community School to film a Jay and Silent Bob film.
  • The Flash “Null and Annoyed” – Jay and Silent Bob appear as security guards. This makes more sense when you realize that Kevin Smith directed this episode. However, this shouldn’t be considered an official part of the View Askewniverse. If it was, then that would mean the Arrowverse and the View Askewniverse take place in the same continuity…and that’s just too wild to ponder.

Other films

  • Drawing Files – This film features many of the Mallrats actors in different roles. Kevin Smith’s silent character is called “John” in the film itself, but the credits refer to him as Silent Bob.
  • Scream 3 – Jay and Silent Bob cameo. This isn’t meant to be canon to the View Askewniverse.
  • Fanboys – This film features a brief cameo appearance from Jay and Silent Bob.
  • Zack and Miri Make a Porno – Characters from this film are alluded to in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and Clerks III. For more on this film’s status within the View Askewniverse, please refer to the Zack and Miri section of this guide.
  • Madness in the Method – This film features a fictionalized version of Jason Mewes trying to revive his floundering acting career. Kevin Smith also appears as a fictionalized version of himself. The duo do in-universe performances as Jay and Silent Bob.

Jay and Silent Bob have grown larger than the View Askewniverse, making appearances in comics, television shows, movies, and various other media properties. Unless otherwise noted, these shouldn’t be considered part of the View Askewniverse.

Should I watch Clerks or Mallrats first?

Clerks
Image credit: Miramax

It depends on your preference. While Clerks was the first film released, Mallrats is the first film chronologically. Mallrats is set one day before Clerks, but the films tell separate stories. There are recurring characters that appear in both films, but each movie has their own protagonist. Both movies serve as perfect jumping on points for the View Askewniverse, so it all comes down to how you want to start. If you want to go in release order, start with Clerks. If you want to go in chronological order, start with Mallrats.

Where can I watch the View Askewniverse?

Now that you know how to watch Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse, here is where you can watch it. Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and the Clerks trilogy are available to stream on Paramount+. Amazon Prime Video is the streaming home for Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot is currently available to stream on MovieSphere, which you can get through Amazon Prime Video. Dogma is currently not available on any streaming service. According to Kevin Smith, this is due to complications regarding the film’s rights. Keep in mind, some of these films may wind up on streaming services as their licenses expire.

Now you have everything you need to enjoy Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse!

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