Cobb

� The African American Problem with Democracy | Main | Candidates �

November 14, 2005

Boondocks: Here's to the Old School

The first two episodes of the Boondocks are about as funny as I could have hoped. The whole palette of McGruder's oevre is in full effect, well 80% full effect because evidently you can say 'nigger' on Adult Swim, but not 'shit'. Ain't that some shit? And so as with Dave Chappelle, we're going to have to wait for the DVD. In the meantime, though I haven't read The Boondocks on the regular in a couple of years, I'm pleased to see that he hasn't missed a step. It all comes rushing back.

McGruder has done some excellent casting in all this. The look and feel is nothing more or less than American Manga. The animation is absolutely perfect. Casting Adam West as the voice of DuBois was beautiful. Granddad is done up just right in voice and tone, a little sweeter than I recall from the 'toon, but nicely done. As for Huey himself, he seems to be a bit out of center. This may have something to do with the way the strip has run since I last saw it, I'm not certain. Still, Riley's about right.

I think that the series is going to have to take Huey and Riley as in the second episode, through a wide variety of adventures. Snark in place is not going to work here, and the opportunity to see them all over is just too tempting to ignore. It's going to have to be Huey's world, and he's going to have to see a lot of it. Doing that will give the series legs.

I find the show a bit to niggafied, which is to say the word is used too much. If he doesn't tone that down, not that I mind salty language but there are limits, McGruder is going to lose my thumbs up pretty soon. If there's a point to be made, it only takes an ep or two, but it's already more signature than it needs to be. There's only so much juice you can get out of that, especially in consideration of the rest of the bleeping. So, something has got to be done about that.

So I'm pleasantly surprised. I'd say that putting Cornel West into an anime brawl with R Kelly supporters is a mark of genius, and funny as all get out. But the perfect touch, (I know you read my blog, boyee) is the toast to the Old School at the end of the first ep. Nice going McGruder.

Now make us laugh again and you can retire in three years to South Africa.

Posted by mbowen at November 14, 2005 11:06 PM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.visioncircle.org/mt/mt-tb.cgi/4631

Comments

Posted by: matt at November 15, 2005 08:10 AM