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EspañolAQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE
'''Aqua Teen Hunger Force''' (also known as '''ATHF''') is an American animated television series shown on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim late-night programming block, as well as Teletoon in Canada. It premiered on December 30, 2000. A would-be spinoff of ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'', "''ATHF''" is one of the four original Williams Street series that premiered on the first Adult Swim in 2000 (the others are ''Sealab 2021'', ''The Brak Show'', and ''Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law''), and the longest running original series on the network.[1] In 2007, an ''ATHF'' movie, ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters'', was released at selected theaters.
The show is about three anthropomorphic fast food items and their life together in South Jersey. The Aqua Teens were originally billed as a detective crime fighting unit. However, the crime-solving aspect of the show was quickly abandoned. There is very little continuity between episodes; almost all recurring cast members have died at least once. The focus is instead on character interaction and a pervasive form of sarcastic and surreal humor. Gross out, brutal, and morbid humor were added as the series progressed.
History
''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' is written and directed by Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro, and produced by Williams Street. Much of the dialog is supplemented with adlibs and improvisation by the voice talent.[2] The show is fully scripted but adlibs are included in the final episodes and the shows are animated to include this improvisation. Noted 1980s rapper Schoolly D performs the theme song (which he wrote in his limousine on the way to the recording studio [3]) 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''. A new season of 10 episodes has been announced to air in January 2008.[4]
Origins
The Aqua Teens were originally created for an episode of ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' called "Baffler Meal" as the mascots for a fictional fast-food chain called Burger Trench. It featured a prototypical version of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force that resembled the future characters, but differed in appearance, personality, and voice.[5] "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.'' Although originally Adult Swim did not feel that the show would do very well, they allowed the show to be produced (because of a need for original programming). A full season, consisting of six episodes (counting "Rabbot") of ''ATHF'' was put into production shortly thereafter. It is now one of Adult Swim's most popular shows.
Title
The title of the show is largely a misnomer: the characters have no major affiliation with water aside from frequent occurrences involving their neighbor's pool. They are not teenagers per se, and have somewhat frequently issued conflicting statements regarding their ages. They are food (hence the reference to hunger), but rarely, if ever actually do anything about hunger, and are rarely shown acting as any kind of a force.
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, although 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."[6] In the show itself Frylock mentions they stopped because "that wasn't making us a whole lot of money".[7]
Cold openings
The exterior art for Dr. Weird's lab was taken from "Escape to Questworld", an episode of ''The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest''[3]
During the first two seasons, episodes cold opened with a glimpse into the laboratory of Dr. Weird. He and his 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, but as the crime-fighting element of the program disappeared, the Dr. Weird segment became a non sequitur opening gag.
In the third season, Dr. Weird was dropped in favor of segments from the pilot episode of ''Spacecataz'', an unaired spin-off created by Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro.[9] 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'' pilot is available as a special feature on the Volume Four DVD box-set.
Characters
Main characters
| Character | Description | |
|---|---|---|
 | 'Master Shake' | Commonly "Shake," is a lazy, stingy, simple-minded, mean-spirited, sadistic, and self-centered milkshake in the form of a white cup with a pink straw and two yellow chicken gloves. He often gets enjoyment out of tormenting Meatwad, swimming in Carl's pool, and watching TV. His special power is that he is able to shoot pistachio[10] milkshake onto the ground, suck liquids (up to 85 gallons) using his straw, and is very proficient with firearms and bows. Also, almost everything he throws to the ground after picking up (with the principal exception of tennis rackets) tends to explode, although none of the team seem to notice most of the time. |
 | 'Frylock' | A floating red box of french fries sporting a van dyke, dental braces, and a blue mystic jewel embedded in his back. In the movie, it is revealed that there is a VCR behind the jewel. He uses his fries to grip things and occasionally as a fry radar or 'Frydar.' He is also able to shoot all of his fries at a target simultaneously (referred to once as "The Defense of Idahocules" in commentary). Frylock is scientifically-minded and conducts experiments in his room, which contains his library, supercomputer (which Shake purchased, but avoided actually paying for), cloner, and various other lab equipment. He is the most intellectual of the ATHF characters, and also attempts to provide the others with some sense of morality. His jewel gives him various powers, such as the ability to fly, and shoot lasers, fireballs, lightning, and even fire-extinguisher foam from his eyes. Shake often annoys Frylock, who acts as a parent to Meatwad. |
 | 'Meatwad' | A mostly peaceful, childishly simple-minded mass of compressed meat that was not approved for human consumption. Meatwad rolls and hops to get from one place to another, often picking up whatever dirt or debris happens to be in his way. He has also displayed shapeshifting abilities, and can morph into a hot dog, an igloo, a bridge, a "Samurai Lincoln," a potted flower, a hand displaying the middle finger, and various other objects. He can also extend meaty appendages in order to manipulate objects. He is often the victim of Shake's abuse and practical jokes. He usually sleeps on a grill or brushed nickel colander, but occasionally sleeps on a bed of sand. He is also known to make "dolls" out of household items, such as Dewey the paper towel roll, Vanessa the apple, Jeffy the garden hose, and Boxy Brown, a cardboard box decorated with the face of a generic blaxploitation protagonist. One episode reveals he is mentally disabled and in another claims he is addicted to "hardcore crack", although another reveals he has the capacity for genius. In episode 44, he claims that he doesn't defecate, saying "It's like the Thunderdome in here, only two men enter, no man leaves."Meatwads favorite breakfast meal is sand. |
 | 'Carl Brutananadilewski' | The sarcastic next door neighbor of the Aqua Teens. Carl has a love for classic rock (as seen in an episode featuring Ted Nugent as well as the "Foreigner Belt" episode and believes "More Than a Feeling" is the worlds greatest song.), he also loves to order tons of hot wings, jalapeños, and beer, as well as the occasional ordering of Chinese Takeout. Carl has a strong passion for the New York Giants and has dozens of pornographic magazines in his room. He generally dislikes the Aqua Teens and sees them as freaks. He is disgusted especially by Meatwad and annoyed by Shake, but still tolerates them even when they get on his nerves. He typically gets involved in scams concerning Meatwad or Shake, as in the episode Moon Master, and sometimes depends on Frylock for help. Carl has a false sense of pride in his decently cut lawn, car, and pool, all of which are often used by the trespassing Aqua Teens. He is visited by misfortune in almost every episode, and is occasionally seen completely dead. He is usually seen suffering horribly; i.e. having bug eggs hatching in his stomach, having his skin ripped off, having his fingers chopped off, shooting himself in the foot and bleeding for hours in his living room next to an apathetic Master Shake, being raped by the artificial dog Handbanana or being shot in the shoulder with a flaming arrow by Ted Nugent. According to the episode Unremarkable Voyage, Carl has a small penis. Carl is apparently impotent, given the August 2007 implication in a highly-run commercial featuring him and the Force, but his impotence is, like many other aspects of the gang's history, merely a gag. |
Secondary characters
| Character | Description | |
|---|---|---|
 | 'Dr. Weird' | A mad scientist who lives in an abandoned mental asylum on the perpetually rainy Jersey Shore. Dressed in a colorful outfit reminiscent of 1960s cartoon villains, replete with a glass space helmet that heats his hair (which Dr. Weird calls his "Hair-arium"), he starts many shows by presenting his latest creation with his catch phrase "Gentlemen, behold!" to his lone lab assistant Steve (and occasionally his Hispanic janitor Javier, and once even a swamp creature). His first nonsensical inventions shown include a giant rabbit robot called the "Rabbot" and a rainbow-making machine that functions as a powerful tractor beam (which he introduced only as "this thing"). Although in early episodes Dr. Weird's inventions provided a point of focus for the episode, this ended midway through the first season, and after that point were simply comic non sequiturs. In Frylock's room, a photo of a younger Dr. Weird with brown hair and Frylock can be seen in the background; the reveals several possible connections between these two characters. The movie reveals that Frylock is Dr. Weird's mother. |
 | 'Steve' (C. Martin Croker) | Dr. Weird's assistant. Red haired, wearing a lab coat, and always pictured holding a test tube, Steve becomes aware of Dr. Weird's insanity over the course of the first two seasons of the series, but remains his assistant nonetheless. Over the course of the series, Steve has had his brain and spine removed, has been assaulted twice by animated corn, and has walked out on Dr. Weird's experiments numerous times. Since the Dr. Weird openings are no longer used, Steve's plot development did not continue, until the movie was released. The film also marks his most recent appearance. |
Villains
Most episodes have an antagonist, in the form of a monster, alien, or even inanimate objects. Their interactions with the main characters serve as a basis for the comedy on the series.
Episodes
Main articles: List of Aqua Teen Hunger Force episodes
There have been 68 episodes of ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' produced over four seasons. All episodes run for about 11 minutes, with the exception of "Deleted Scenes", which is approximately 22 minutes. When reruns for "Deleted Scenes" are broadcast, it is split into two separate episodes to fit with its 15 minute timeslot.
''Movie Film for Theaters''
Main articles: Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters
A feature film based on the show, ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters'', was released on April 13, 2007. The movie follows the origins of the Aqua Teens, which includes an exercise machine, Neil Peart of the band Rush, and a watermelon slice. The film also introduces a fourth Aqua Teen, a chicken nugget named "Chicken Bittle" (voiced by Bruce Campbell). The Plutonians and the Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past, recurring characters, both make appearances in the movie, as well as the Mooninites and MC Pee Pants.[11]
Boston bomb scare
Main articles: 2007 Boston Mooninite Scare
On January 31 2007, LED displays depicting the Mooninites were installed throughout the Boston area by Peter Berdovsky, 27, and Sean Stevens, 28 as part of an elaborate national guerrilla marketing campaign. The LEDs were taken to be suspicious, prompting authorities in Boston, Massachusetts to close down major road and waterways to investigate. Turner Broadcasting System later admitted placing the LEDs in ten major cities (including Boston), and apologized for the misunderstanding. Despite the uproar, Berdovsky and Stevens mocked the critics and the media in interviews despite being charged with "placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct".[12] Turner Broadcasting has paid one million dollars to the Boston Police Department to cover the cost of their investigation and another million in good will funding. These actions were made to settle any criminal and civil claims, and the general manager of Cartoon Network has stepped down as a result of the incident. Boston was the only city out of 10 in which the LED displays (which resembled Lite-Brites) were seen as any matter of concern. They had also been up for weeks before the panic.[13]
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 he said on the pilot episode; it can also be heard in the background during the opening theme music, and is sometimes closed captioned as "dancing is stupid" or "make finger puppets". Schoolly D's son performs the music for the end credits for most episodes.
The Mooninites have their own theme music which recurs on the closing credits of several episodes that feature them. Also performed by Schoolly D, 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 (collectively called DANGERDOOM) expanded on the theme of ATHF characters in the track "ATHF." 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 rapper mc chris plays the voice of MC Pee Pants, Sir Loin, and Little Brittle, and wrote a few songs under these aliases for the show.
Video games
'''Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am''' is a PlayStation 2 game published by Midway Games and will be released Q3 of 2007.[14] In an interview for ''The Feed'' on G4, ATHF creator Dave Willis confirmed that there is an Aqua Teen video game in production. The game will be an "extreme combat golf" where you can play golf while battling villains that have appeared on the show, including Carl's gigantic crabs, the Brownie Monsters and the Mooninites.[15]
'''Aqua Teen Hunger Force Destruct-O-Thon''' is a mobile game released on December 7 2004 by Glu. The object was to hit an object from the show across a course resembling the street the Aqua Teens live on, hitting other objects along the way (such as hitting a stick of dynamite into Carl's car), creating momentum and choosing an angle using only the ''5'' key.[16]
Cameos and appearances
The characters in ''ATHF'' have made cameo appearances in a number of other television shows, and the show itself has appeared on televisions within other shows as well.
★ In Adult Swim's "5 Minutes To Kill Yourself" there is a trophy in the shape of Master Shake.
★ At the end of the ''Sealab 2021'' episode "Murphy Murph and the Feng Shui Bunch", it is revealed that the episode was actually a video game being played by Master Shake and Meatwad. A scene from "Rabbot" is also played on a television in the episode "Predator".
★ In the ''Minoriteam'' episode "Tremendous Class", Non-Stop is awakened by an alarm clock that looks and sounds like Master Shake.
★ ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' can be seen on televisions in the crime scenes of the '' episodes "Formalities" and "Spark of Life".
★ In the ''Thief'' episode "I Ain't Goin' to Jail for Anyone", a picture of Master Shake can be seen on a locker about 12 minutes into the episode.
★ ESPN's SportsCenter anchors Scott Van Pelt and Stuart Scott have repeated lines from the show during various commentary on sporting highlights.
★ A deleted scene in the film ''The Ring'' shows Aidan watching the episode "Rabbot".
★ In "Johnny Cakes", an episode of ''The Sopranos'', A.J. Soprano is seen watching an episode of the show.[17]
★ Carl and Meatwad appeared on VH1's ''Best Week Ever'' and congratulated them on their 100th episode.[18]
★ A short clip was shown on Adult Swim indicating about how Master Shake became the unofficial "leader." A ballot was taken between the 3 characters, with them to list names except themself. Meatwad voted for Shake, Frylock voted for Meatwad, and Shake, ignorantly, voted for himself.
★ In "Brakstreet: Men in the Band", an episode of ''The Brak Show'', Meatwad can be seen riding by on a scooter twice while Brak is walking down the road rapping.
★ Meatwad makes an appearance in a Dodge commercial, in which he is coughed up by a passenger in the vehicle who is choking, splatters against the windshield, and says "Sweet!"[19]
★ The Aqua Teens appear in a ''1-800-Call-ATT'' commercial, in which Shake is wearing a red wig to make people think that he is Carrot Top, the spokesman for the service.[20]
★ Oglethorpe and Emery (clearly a reference to Emory) can be found in the popular MMORPG Everquest 2 in a Gnome house within the Steamfont Mountains zone. [21]
See also
★ ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' DVDs
★ List of ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' actors
★ List of ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' episodes
★ Cult television
References
1. Welcome to Williams Street
2. Flak Magazine
3. IMDb Trivia for Aqua Teen Hunger Force
4. Aqua Teen Central
5.
6.
7. Spoken dialog in Kidney Car
8. IMDb Trivia for Aqua Teen Hunger Force
9.
10. A.T.H.F. Lyrics Dangerdoom
11. Ain't It Cool News
12. Probe into Boston ad stunt chaos
13. Cartoon Network Head Resigns After Scare
14. Aqua Teen Hunger Force to PS2
15. 'Aqua Teen' Creator Dave Willis Tells All
16. Gamespot review for Aqua Teen Hunger Force Destruct-O-Thon
17. "It's A Movie" Sopranos: Ep. 8 Tim Goodman
18. BWE 100: Everyone’s Excited!
19. Dodge commercial with Meatwad
20. AT&T Aqua Teen
21. Oglethorpe
External links
;Official sites
★ Official site
★ Official UK website
★ Official site of the ''ATHF'' movie
;Unofficial sites
★ Aqua Teen Central
★ Aqua Teen Adventures
;Interviews
★ The Sound of Young America - interview with Dave Willis April 24, 2007
★ The Kittenpants News - interview with Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro, December 5, 2004
★ The Onion A.V. Club - interview with Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis, 2005-06-14
★ A Typical Web - interview with Dana Snyder, 2005-07-20
★ Master Shake on New Movie - interview with Master Shake, Dana Snyder, 2007-04-20
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