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Aqua Teen Hunger Force

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Aqua Teen Hunger Force
File:AquateenHFlogo.jpg
The Aqua Teen logo
Created byMatt Maiellaro
Dave Willis
StarringCarey Means
Dana Snyder
Dave Willis
Country of originUSA
No. of episodes67
Production
Running time11 minutes approx.
Original release
NetworkCartoon Network
ReleaseDecember 30, 2000 –
present

Aqua Teen Hunger Force (also known as ATHF or simply Aqua Teen) is an American animated television series shown on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim late-night programming block. It premiered on December 30, 2000.

The show is about three anthropomorphic fast food items and their life together in New Jersey. The Aqua Teens were originally detectives; as the series progressed, however, the crime-solving aspect of the show was quickly abandoned. There is very little continuity between episodes; all but one of the recurring cast members have died at least once.

The focus is instead on character interaction and a pervasive form of brutal, sarcastic, and often surreal humor. ATHF is one of the four original Williams Street series that aired on Adult Swim in 2001 (Sealab 2021; The Brak Show; and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law being the other three) and is the longest running original series on the network alongside Harvey Birdman. Episodes in the first three seasons varied between TV-PG and TV-14 ratings; many season four episodes have been rated TV-MA.

Overview

Origins

The Aqua Teens were originally created for an episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast. The episode, "Baffler Meal" (a parody of McDonald's Happy Meal), featured a prototypical version of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force that resembled the future characters but differed in appearance, personality, and voice. "Baffler Meal" did not air for several years (it was not even animated or produced until after ATHF became popular); instead, the Space Ghost episode was re-written as "Kentucky Nightmare," while the Aqua Teens debuted in "Rabbot," the pilot episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

A full first season of ATHF was put into production shortly thereafter; its first regular episode was shown on September 16, 2001. According to the DVD commentary on the original pilot episode, Williams Street only picked up the show out of desperation for programming. Four seasons have been produced to date; the fourth season began on December 4, 2005 and finishes on January 7, 2007. A fifth season of 15 episodes is expected to air in the second half of 2007.

Cold openings

During the first three seasons, episodes cold opened with a glimpse into the laboratory of Dr. Weird (within the Belle Isle Asylum, located on the perpetually stormy South Jersey shore and taken from an episode of Johnny Quest). The criminally insane Dr. Weird and his baffled assistant Steve use the first several seconds of the show to create monsters, disasters, and random silliness, generally accompanied by the phrase "Gentlemen, behold!" as Dr. Weird unveils his latest accomplishment.

In earlier episodes of the first season, the monsters formed the basis for the plot. As the crime-fighting element of the program quickly became less prominent, the Dr. Weird segment became a non sequitur opening gag.

In the fourth season, Dr. Weird was dropped in favor of segments from a pilot episode of Spacecataz, an un-aired series made by the creators of Aqua Teen. These segments featured the Mooninites (Ignignokt and Err) and the Plutonians (Emory and Oglethorpe) clashing with each other; trading insults, gestures, and practical jokes. The full Spacecataz episode is on the Volume 4 DVD as a bonus feature.

Cold openings have been dropped altogether in the fifth season.

Production

Aqua Teen Hunger Force is written and directed by Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro. Much of the dialogue is supplemented with adlibs and improvisation by the voice talent.[1] The show is edited and animated to include this improvisation. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios. Noted 1980s rapper Schoolly D performs the theme song and provided periodic running commentaries on early episodes. Many, if not all, of the crew and cast members formerly worked on Space Ghost Coast to Coast. The show costs only around $60,000 per episode[citation needed].

A mobile game "Aqua Teen Destruct-o-Thon" was developed by Glu Mobile featuring characters from the series.

Title

The title of the show is largely a misnomer: the characters have no major affiliation with water (though many episodes involve their neighbor's pool), they are not teenagers per se,(Shake claims he's an adult) and they are rarely shown as any kind of a force. They do display ravenous hunger on occasion, however.

In early episodes (particularly the first season), the trio were identified by Master Shake as the "Aqua Teen Hunger Force," solving crimes for money. Shortly into its run, the premise and the use of the name by the characters was dropped. According to DVD commentary, the premise was originally added to appease Cartoon Network network heads, who "didn't want to air a show about food just going around and doing random stuff."

The title originally had more meaning, in the episode "Baffler Meal," which was made from the script for Space Ghost Coast to Coast in which the characters were originally to appear, Meatwad, Master Shake and Frylock supposedly battle hunger for teenagers whilst grotesquely promoting their fast food company, Burger Trench.

Characters

Main article: Aqua Teen Hunger Force Main Characters
See also: Minor characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Episodes

Main article: List of Aqua Teen Hunger Force episodes

Aqua Teen Hunger Force has run on Adult Swim for four seasons. The fourth season resumed on October 22, 2006.

DVD boxsets

Cover Title Release date Episodes
File:Aquateenhungerforcevolume1DVDscan.jpg "Volume One" November 18, 2003 16

This two disc boxset includes the first 16 episodes ("Rabbot" through "PDA") in production order, rather than by episode number. It also features deleted scenes and the original cut of "Rabbot." The original cut of "Rabbot," "Mayhem of the Mooninites," and "Space Conflict From Beyond Pluto" contain commentary.

File:Aquateenhungerforcevolume2DVDscan.jpg "Volume Two" July 20, 2004 13

This two disc boxset includes 13 episodes ("Mail Order Bride" through "Universal Remonster," as well as the "Baffler Meal" episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast) with a seemingly random order. It has deleted scenes for "Super Model," "Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future," "Super Birthday Snake," and "Baffler Meal." It also contains commentary for "Super Trivia," "Meat Zone," "Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future," and "Baffler Meal." Other bonus features include a "Baffler Meal" music video, a gallery of ATHF drawings, and a documentary on the making of the show. Glen Danzig is a specal guest on "Ghost of Christmas Past."

File:Aquateenhungerforcevolume3DVDscan.jpg "Volume Three" November 16, 2004 13

This two disc boxset includes 13 episodes ("Total Re-Carl" to the end of Season 2) with a seemingly random order. It contains commentary for "Spirit Journey Formation Anniversary," "The Shaving," "The Clowning," and "The Last One" and deleted scenes for "Broodwich," Dr. Weird's Ice Cream Social, and Dr. Weird's "Clowning" ending. A gallery of production sketches, promotional spots, a very long documentary on the making of "The Cloning," answering machine messages from the characters, and music videos / karaoke of "Spirit Journey Formation Anniversary" are also included.

File:Aquateenhungerforcevolume4DVDscan.jpg "Volume Four" December 6, 2005 13

This two disc boxset includes 13 episodes ("Video Ouija" to "Carl") in their original order, unlike previous sets. Some episodes have different titles (Remooned - "Mooninites 3: Remooned"; Moon Master - "Mooninites 4: The Final Mooning"; Carl - "Spacegate World"). Bonus features include commentaries on "Video Ouija," "Unremarkable Voyage," "Gee Whiz," "EDork," "Little Brittle," "Mooninites 4: The Final Mooning," "Dusty Gozongas," "Hypno-Germ" and "Spacegate World," alternate audio tracks on "Mooninites 3: Remooned," "Robositter," "Diet" and "T-Shirt of the Living Dead," featurettes: "Funny Pete Stuff," "San Diego Must Be Destroyed 2004," "Spacecataz," "Raydon," "F-ART', "The Faces in Front of The Throats that Make the Voices the Speak into the Microphone," and "Send us money for this."

By way of an internal gag, selecting 'Play All' on the menu screen literally causes all of the episodes contained on the disc to play on the screen simultaneously. The opposite of the 'Play All' gag (on the first disk) is the 'Play None' gag (on the second disk). Selecting this option causes the screen to go black for an indefinite amount of time.

This volume is also available on UMD Video for the PlayStation Portable. The UMD does not contain any special features. It is also available for purchase on iTunes.

Music

The Aqua Teen Hunger Force theme song (for the opening credits) was written and performed by Schoolly_D, it is said that he wrote this song in his limousine on the way to the recording studio to perform it. The theme song for the ending credits is just a sample of Dana Snyder aka Master Shake saying "Dancing is forbidden," (which also sounds like "Dancing is stupid" or "Finger Puppet") which he said on the pilot episode. If you listen closely, it can be heard in the background during the opening theme music.

The Mooninites have their own theme music which recurs on the closing credits of several episodes that feature them. Performed by the rapper Schoolly D (who also raps the regular opening theme), each of the three individual verses is featured on the credits of three different episodes.

On The Mouse and The Mask in 2005, MF DOOM and Danger Mouse expanded on the theme of ATHF characters in the track "ATHF." The song begins with Meatwad parodying the braggadocio of gangster rappers, then having a discussion with Carl over good music - "Where's the keyboard, the tambourine, the guitars, the stuff that white people like? I don't know, something badass...." After a rap describing Meatwad, Frylock, and Master Shake, the song ends with Master Shake attempting to collaborate with the producers of the album. Another track from the record, "Vats of Urine," features a cameo with the Mooninites and their normal, egotistical banter. A hidden track at the end of the CD contains Meatwad rapping a verse from MF DOOM's "Beef Rapp".

The Movie

Main article: Aqua Teen Hunger Force: The Movie

See also

References

  1. ^ "Flak Magazine". Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Interview, 09-22-03. Retrieved 2006-11-31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
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