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Robot Chicken

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Robot Chicken
GenreBlack comedy
Sketch comedy
Created bySeth Green
Matthew Senreich
Voices ofSeth Green
Various
Opening theme"Robot Chicken" by Les Claypool
Ending theme"The Gonk" by Herbert Chappell
ComposerMichael Suby
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes120 (and 5 specials) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersSeth Green
Matthew Senreich
Alex Bulkley
Corey Campodonico
John Harvatine IV
Eric Towner
Geoff Johns
Running time11-12 minutes
Production companiesShadowMachine Films (Season 1-5)
Stoopid Monkey[1]
Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Season 6-present)
Sony Pictures Digital
Williams Street
Original release
NetworkAdult Swim
ReleaseFebruary 20, 2005 (2005-02-20) –
present
Related
Titan Maximum

Robot Chicken is an American stop-motion animated comedy television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. In addition, Seth Green provides many voices for the show. Senreich, Goldstein, and Root were former writers for the popular action figure hobbyist magazine ToyFare.[citation needed] The show's reception is positive, with some calling it a cult classic.[according to whom?] It has won an Annie Award and three Emmy Awards.[2][3]

Series genre and creation

Robot Chicken is based on "Twisted ToyFare Theater," a humorous photo comic-strip appearing in ToyFare: The Toy Magazine.[citation needed] It is a sketch comedy that parodies a number of pop culture conventions using stop motion animation of toys, action figures, claymation and various other objects, such as tongue depressors, The Game of Life pegs and popsicle sticks during a joke about a loss of budget. The show's name was inspired by a dish on the menu at a West Hollywood Chinese restaurant, Kung Pao Bistro, where Green and Senreich had dined, although the series originally was intended to be called "Junk in the Trunk".[4]

The series first appeared as Sweet J Presents, produced for the Sony website Screenblast.com in 2001.[citation needed] The show was created, written, and produced by Green and Senreich. The show ended after 12 episodes and returned to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim in 2005 as Robot Chicken. In the first episode ("Conan's Big Fun"), Conan O'Brien was featured, but it was instead provided by Seth MacFarlane (2005-2013).[5]

The show premiered on Sunday, February 20, 2005, as a part of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. It is produced by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (ShadowMachine Films Seasons 1-5) in association with Stoop!d Monkey, Williams Street, and Sony Pictures Digital. It currently airs in the U.S. on Adult Swim, in the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of FX's Adult Swim block, in Canada on Teletoon's TELETOON at Night block, in Australia on The Comedy Channel's Adult Swim block, in Russia on 2x2's Adult Swim block, in Germany on TNT Series' Adult Swim block and in Latin America on the I.Sat Adult Swim block (after being cancelled from Latin Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in 2008 for unknown reasons). The show is rated TV-MA,[citation needed] and many of the sketches from Sweet J were redone for Robot Chicken.[citation needed]

The series was renewed for a 20-episode third season, which ran from August 1, 2007, to September 28, 2008. After an eight month hiatus during the 3rd season, the show returned on August 31, 2008, to air the remaining 5 episodes. The series was renewed for a fourth season which premiered on December 7, 2008, and ended September 20, 2009. In early 2010, the show was renewed for a 5th and 6th season (40 more episodes total).[6] Season 5 premiered on December 12, 2010. The second group of episodes began broadcasting on October 23, 2011. The 100th episode aired on January 15, 2012. In May, 2012, Adult Swim announced they were picking up a sixth season of Robot Chicken,[citation needed] which began airing in September 2012.

Overview

The show focuses on mocking pop culture, referencing toys, movies, television, and popular fads, as well as more obscure references like anime cartoons and older television programs, much in the same vein as comedy sketch shows like Saturday Night Live.[7] One particular motif involves the idea of fantastical characters being placed in a more realistic world or situation (such as Stretch Armstrong requiring a corn syrup transplant after losing his abilities because of aging, Optimus Prime performing a prostate cancer PSA, and Godzilla having problems in the bedroom). The program even had a 30-minute episode dedicated to Star Wars which premiered June 17, 2007, in the US featuring the voices of Star Wars notables George Lucas, Mark Hamill (from a previous episode), Billy Dee Williams, and Ahmed Best. The Star Wars episode was nominated for a 2008 Emmy Award as Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour). Another recurring segment is "Hilarious Bloopers", a parody of the Bob Saget era of America's Funniest Home Videos featuring the host constantly moving around in various exaggerated, disjointed motions. Unlike that show, this skit ends with the host using various household methods of suicide. Another recurring character is the "nerd" (whose name was mentioned as Gary in an early episode but was later revealed to be Arthur Kensington Jr.), a dorky middle school kid with broken glasses and a plaid shirt who talks with a lisp, spitting when he says the letter S. Every season finale to date except the 5th has ended with Mike Lazzo, the head of Adult Swim, saying that "Robot Chicken is canceled", although thus far it has still returned for an additional season following each joke proclamation.

Opening sequence

During a stormy night, a mute mad scientist finds a road-killed chicken, which he takes back to his laboratory to re-fashion into a cyborg. Midway through the opening sequence, the titular chicken turns his laser eye towards the camera (a la Locutus), and the title appears amidst the 'laser effects' as Les Claypool of Primus can be heard screaming "It's alive!" in typical Frankenstein fashion. Claypool also composed and performed the show's theme song. The mad scientist then straps the re-animated Robot Chicken into a chair, uses calipers to hold his eyes open, and forces him to watch a bank of television monitors (an allusion to A Clockwork Orange); this scene segues into the body of the show.

In the episode "1987", Michael Ian Black claims that this sequence tells the viewer that they (the audience) are the robot chicken(s), being forced to watch the skits. As a result, the show does not actually focus on the robot chicken until the 100th episode when he finally makes his escape and later kills the mad scientist when he kidnaps a hen who is the chicken's girlfriend. Beginning in the sixth season, the role of chicken and mad scientist are reversed in this opening sequence: The chicken turns the mad scientist into a cyborg and then subjects him to watch the television sets.

Voice cast

Main cast

Main and Major recurring actors / writers are:

Celebrity guest stars

Among those celebrities that have contributed to this show are:

Other voice actors

Besides the celebrities above, many famous voice actors work on this series including:

DVD releases

DVD Name Release Date Ep # Discs
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
Season One March 28, 2006 September 29, 2008 April 4, 2007 1–20 3
This two disc boxset includes all 20 episodes from Season 1 in production order. While it contains many sketches that were edited from the TV airings, several of the original Sony Screenblast webtoons, and the words "Jesus" and "Christ" as an oath unbleeped (though "fuck" and "shit" are still censored out), the episodes are not all uncut. One particular segment that featured the Teen Titans meeting Beavis and Butt-head was omitted from the DVD because of legal problems. The Voltron/"You Got Served" sketch shown on the DVD has a replacement song because of legal issues over the song that was used on the TV version. At a performance of Family Guy Live in Chicago, during the Q&A session that ends each performance, Seth Green was asked how they came up with the name Robot Chicken. He explained that the title of each episode was a name Adult Swim rejected for the name of the show. A Region 2 version of the set was released in the UK on September 29, 2008.[8] Three edited shorts from Sweet J Presents were included on the Robot Chicken Season 1 DVD boxset.[5]
Season Two: Uncensored September 4, 2007 September 28, 2009 November 11, 2007 21–40 3
This two disc boxset includes all 20 episodes from Season 2 in production order and uncensored, with the words "fuck" and "shit" uncensored (except for one instance in the episode "Easter Basket" in the Lego sketch). It is currently available for download on iTunes (though the episode "Veggies for Sloth" is absent because of copyright issues involving the "Archie's Final Destination" segment.)[9] Seth Green stated at Comic-Con 2006 that the second DVD set will contain the "Beavis and Butt-head Meet the Teen Titans" sketch, which had been removed from the first DVD set because of copyright issues. However, the sketch is absent from the DVD (although it is available on iTunes). Bonus features include the Christmas special. A secret Nerf gun fight can be found on the disc 1 extras menu and pushing "up" over the extras and set-up items on the menu reveals more special features.
Season Three: Uncensored October 7, 2008 January 25, 2010 December 3, 2008 41–60 3
This two disc boxset includes all 20 episodes from Season 3 in production order. This DVD is uncensored, except for the "Cat in the Hat" sketch from episode 7 on Disc 1. It also intentionally censored in episode 5 in the "Law and Order" KFC sketch. This DVD has special features such as deleted scenes and animatics. It also includes commentary for all of the episodes and has "Chicken Nuggets" commentary for episodes 1 and 3-5. The bonus features also include a gag reel and audio takes.
Star Wars Special July 22, 2008 TBA August 6, 2008 1 1
This single DVD features the Star Wars special in its TV-edited version (i.e. with bleeps in place of profane words) and several extras about the crew and their work on the special, including a photo gallery, alternate audio, and an easter egg demonstrating the crew's difficulty in composing a proper musical score for the sketch "Empire on Ice". It also features various audio commentaries, featuring members of the cast and crew.
Star Wars Episode II July 21, 2009 TBA August 5, 2009 1 1
This single DVD features the main Star Wars special extras, including normal Robot Chicken episodes and common DVD extras; "The Making Of"; and deleted scenes.
Season Four: Uncensored December 15, 2009 August 30, 2010 December 2, 2009 61–80 3
This two disc boxset includes all 20 episodes from Season 4 in production order. The special features include "Chicken Nuggets", San Diego Comic-Con '08 Panel, "Day in the Life", New York Comic-Con '09 Panel, video blogs, an Australia Visit, Alternate Audio, deleted scenes and deleted animations, and commentary on all 20 episodes.
Season Five: Uncensored October 25, 2011 November 30, 2011 81-100 3
This two disc boxset includes all 20 episodes from Season 5 in production order. Nine of the episodes were previously unaired before DVD release. The set includes commentary on all episodes, "Chicken Nuggets" on a few episodes, a featurette on Episode 100. Deleted scenes and deleted animations are also included. Among the deleted scenes are the sketches "Beavis and Butthead Meet the Teen Titans" (deleted from Season One due to copyright issues) and the "Riverdale: Final Destination" sketch (deleted from Season 2 sets).

Revolver Entertainment have released the first four seasons and all three Star Wars specials in the United Kingdom.[10] A box set including the first 3 seasons has also been released.[11]

Madman Entertainment has released up to date all Robot Chicken releases in Australia and New Zealand.

International

  • Robot Chicken premiered in Australia on The Comedy Channel on March 11, 2008, after the Group Programming Director Darren Chau secured The Comedy Channel as the Australian home of Adult Swim. The Comedy Channel brought both Seth Green and Matt Senreich to Australia to conduct a promotional tour to support the launch.[12]
  • Robot Chicken premiered in Portugal on the channel MOV since February 2013.

See also

References

  1. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (December 2, 2011). "'Robot Chicken' Duo Launch Animation Studio: Seth Green and Matthew Senreich pact with Buddy Systems to create Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and will produce tribute episode to DC Comics universe". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  2. ^ "Emmys – Robot Chicken". Emmys - Official website. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  3. ^ "Annie Awards Winners 2013". Deadline. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  4. ^ "G4 - The Screen Savers - Robot Chicken, Constantine, Dark Tip". G4tv.com. 2005-02-16. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
  5. ^ a b Robot Chicken: Sweet J Presents (Summary)
  6. ^ "Robot Chicken Gets Unprecedented Two-Season, 40 Episode Pick-Up - TV Ratings, Nielsen Ratings, Television Show Ratings". TVbytheNumbers.com. 2010-01-21. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  7. ^ "Seth Green Interview". askmen.com. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  8. ^ "Robot Chicken - Season 1 Box Set (Region 2) (Pal): DVD". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
  9. ^ "Robot Chicken - Season 2 Review". TVShowsOnDVD.com. 2007-08-31. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
  10. ^ "sitcomsondvd.co.uk". sitcomsondvd.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  11. ^ "sitcomsondvd.co.uk". sitcomsondvd.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  12. ^ "It's lights, camera, action figures". The Age. Melbourne. March 6, 2008.
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