Title:
Cartoon Network Adult Swim Original Fall Series Premieres
New
Series: “Squidbillies”, “12 oz. Mouse”, “Perfect Hair Forever”
Respective
Writers: Dave Willis and Jim Fortier, Matt Maiellaro, Matt Harrigan
Respective
Producers and or Creators: Dave Willis and Jim Fortier, Matt Maiellaro and Jon
Brestan, and Matt Harrigan
Running
Time: 35 minutes without commercials
Media:
Cartoon Network Adult Swim Original Fall Series Premieres (NTSC VHS Screener)
“Squidbillies”
Series Premiere: Sunday, October 16, 2005, at 12am (ET/PT)
“12 oz.
Mouse” Series Premiere: Sunday, October 16, 2005, at 12:30am (ET/PT)
“Perfect
Hair Forever” Series Premiere: Sunday, November 20, 2005, at 12:45am (ET/PT)
Network:
Cartoon Network (Check your local cable/satellite listings for channel)
TV
Rating: Not Available At The Time Of Review.
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Cartoon
Network is adding three new animated series to their Adult Swim lineup. The
three new series were created at Williams St., Adult Swim’s production
facilities. The first show entitled “Squidbillies” is the latest from
“Aqua Teen Hunger Force” co-creator David Willis and “The Brak Show”
co-creator Jim Fortier. “Squidbillies” follows a family of sentient inbred
squids trying to make a go of it in modern society. Of the three this was the
one I thought was the best. It was mildly funny and it didn’t get too
sophomoric for it’s own good.
Matt
Maiellaro, who also was a co-creator “Aqua Teen Hunger Force”, created “12
oz. Mouse”. This series is a little trippy and at times I sincerely felt that
I was probably not in the age demographic the show might be aimed at. Either
that or perhaps if I was a bit buzzed the series would have grabbed me more. As
is I just didn’t care much for it.
Both
“Squidbillies” and “12 oz. Mouse” are so purposely crudely drawn that
they make “South Park” look like the classic animation of Walt Disney. They
seem to employ a bit of computer animation techniques mixed in with the
drawings. Honestly these characters made me feel like I could animate my own
cartoon series and try to sell it to Cartoon Network and who knows? I’m not
even an animator, but while I’m sure these guys are talented, I prefer to
watch cartoons that look better than anything I could draw on a pad.
The last
new show in the lineup will premiere on Sunday, November 20, 2005, at 12:45am
(ET/PT) before assuming a normal timeslot on Sundays at 12:30am (ET/PT).
“Perfect Hair Forever” looks better than the previous shows mentioned above,
but the episode I saw was a little too tasteless at times. I am no prude, but
how many jokes involving an anime style character looking up another anime
styled character’s skirt does anyone have to sit through? The series seemed
kind of lame to me as well, but again, I felt that I’m probably not the target
audience this is intended for. My guess is these shows are intended for the
college crowd. I mean when I was in college and grad school I used to check out
“Liquid Television”, “Beavis & Butthead”, and “Ren & Stimpy”
and none of these shows were exactly high brow animated entertainment, but they
were funny and in the case of “Liquid Television,” sometimes exciting.
Cartoon
Network has given the opportunity for a generation of new and gifted animators
to display their talents and it is refreshing to see something that is slightly
avant-garde, but watching “12 oz. Mouse” and “Perfect Hair Forever”
reminded me of how much animation has changed in the last 30 years. I grew up on
“Battle Of The Planets” and “Star Blazers,” which were fairly
straightforward anime space operas. Some of the new anime I’ve seen today is
so out there that I can honestly say I didn’t know what the hell was going on
and to some extent these new Cartoon Network Adult Swim shows made me feel the
same way. Yet I am going to recommend viewers see for themselves and decide if
they think these are funny additions to Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim lineup
because I strongly feel that just because at least two of these shows did not
appeal to me personally, I think it would be unfair to judge them harshly and I
trust that if they are going to air on Cartoon Network, then they must have
merit. Perhaps I’m just too uncool to see it.
©
Copyright 2005 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.