With all of the major studios focused on making animated films that appeal to the widest audience possible, it’s nice to know you can retreat to a few cozy little corners where cartoons cater to your own twisted, absurd sense of humor, love for non-sequiters and appreciation for irreverent social satire. One such refuge is Cartoon Network’s late-night Adult Swim block, home to such cult favorite originals as Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law and Robot Chicken. The newest additions to this appointment TV lineup include the hilarious Squidbillies and 12 oz. Mouse from Williams Street Studios and Aaron McGruder’s smart and bitingly funny The Boondocks, which debuts this Sunday.
Squidbillies, which first aired on Oct. 16, is one of the funniest shows on television, animated or otherwise. Created by Aqua Teen co-creator Dave Willis and The Brak Show co-creator Jim Fortier, the series centers on Earlie Kyler and his family of redneck squids who wreak havoc on rural Gerogia. They’re not exactly the kind of people you necessarily want to have for neighbors, but they sure are a lot of fun to hang with for 15 minutes each week.
Don’t come to Squidbillies expecting to see cutting-edge animation. The show is appropriately low-rent as far as visuals go. Characters look like they were drawn by a six-year-old and the backgrounds (by Ben Prisk) are simple, folk art-inspired renderings with visible brush strokes and distressed texturing. Not exactly early Disney, but beautiful in their own way. In keeping with the Adult Swim motif, the Flash animation is also minimal, adding to the show’s tobacco-spitting charm.
In Earlie’s world, a pickup truck on blocks is still operational as long as somebody is behind to bounce it up and down, and bludgeoning a guy to death on the job is not cause for immediate termination. You don’t tune in to watch Squidbillies so much for the storylines as you do to see what the trucker hat-sporting Earlie is going to say or do next.
If the characters in Squidbillies resemble the product of an elementary school art project, then the denizens of 12 oz. Mouse must have come form the neighboring preschool. Creator Matt Maiellaro, who created Aqua Teen Hunger Force with Willis, all but dares you to like this super quirky and absurd entry that employs stick-figure drawing to chronicle the misadventures of an alcoholic mouse who leaves a path of death and destruction in his misguided efforts to make a living. One particularly hilarious scene has the title character being interviewed for a job by a shark who is propped up on a desk. When the shark slips off the desk, 12 oz. Mouse offers to help him up. “No, I got it,” the shark replies, and spends the next 30 seconds flopping about on the floor.
With its low-key tone and plenty of “that’s just wrong” moments, 12 oz. Mouse isn’t for everyone, but it’s a breath of fresh air in an arena dominated by sitcom-style shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy and King of the Hill. You may have to be stoned to fully appreciate it, but this reviewer found it intoxicating enough on its own.
Translating a popular newspaper comic strip for the screen is always a tricky proposition, but Aaron McGruder knocks it out of the park with The Boondocks, a politically-charged comedy marked by witty writing, pretty, anime-style animation and the vocal talents of John Witherspoon, best known as the dad in the Ice Cube comedy, Friday. Witherspoon steals the show as the voice of Granddad, who has opened his suburban home to his street-wise grandsons, Huey and Riley (both voiced by Regina King, also from Friday). In the pilot episode, Granddad is invited to a garden party at the posh home of rich banker voiced by Ed Asner. Tagging along, one of the boys takes the opportunity to preach to white socialites, telling them how Jesus was black, Ronald Regan was the devil and the government is lying about 9/11. To his dismay, his efforts only draw polite applause and compliments such as, “Young man, you speak so well.”
The Boondocks has already attracted the bulk of its attention for its liberal use of the “N” word, but this shouldn’t eclipse the value of the show’s strong writing by McGruder and Reginald Hudlin (The Bernie Mac Show, Everybody Hates Chris). In another episode, Granddad fails to realize that his new girlfriend is a prostitute, even though all the signs are obvious. During a romantic dinner, the waiter asks, “Doggie bag?” and she replies, “Adoggie bag is $90 bucks, a tea bag is $50.” That’s gold, folks.
The Boondocks premieres Sunday, November 6 at 11 p.m. You can catch Squidbillies at 12 a.m., followed by 12 oz Mouse at 12:30 a.m.
Legendary Disney animator Ollie Johnston was among the names announced yesterday as President George W. Bush unveiled the recipients of the 2005 National Medal of Art. The first animator to ever receive the honor, Johnston is traveling to Washington D.C. with his family and Roy Disney to attend Thursday’s ceremony at the White House.
