Number One In The Hood

Of all the things I like, in terms of music, film and games, very few seem to divide opinion than Aqua Teen Hunger Force, an animated cartoon series about (and bear with me here, for those not in the know) a box of fries, a milkshake and a lump of meat who live together in New Jersey.

Part of this may be it's completely absurd humour. Frylock, Master Shake and Meatwad engage in a series of non-adventures that bear little resemblance to reality of each other - characters are often killed or mutilated in a series of ways, only to be restored to full health by the next episode. Principal themes seem to revolve around Shake's desire to inflict pain and misery on the naive and helpless Meatwad, and also to get laid, though he doesn't know what the latter involves. All the while, the intelligent though slightly aloof Frylock tries to hold a semblance of order and help Meatwad attain some kind of intelligence, despite the latter having a brain that turns out to be a squeaky toy.

Distractions and chaos often arrive in the form of aliens from the Moon, who exist only in two dimensions, or Pluto, who tend to be stoned beyond the ability to follow through any world conquest plans they might have. All the while, the Aqua Teen's human next door neighbour, Carl, despairs and is often the target for brutal injury through little fault of his own.

It's slapstick humour to a degree, yes, but balanced out with a very healthy sense of never knowing what might come next. An episode may see Shake insist that "Highlander was a documentary, and the events happened in real time" as he throws a depressive doll off the edge of a cliff, or Ted Nugent appear, armed with a bow that shoots flaming arrows.

The genius of the first four series that I've seen so far is that the idea of a bunch of anthropomorphic fast food bumming around doesn't wear thin as the writers always seem to have a stupidly brilliant idea. By setting the tone from the early episodes, after ditching the vague idea of the ATHF being detectives, they allow themselves to play with any idea they get. Why not have Meatwad get pregnant, or have a sandwich that sends the consumer to hell voiced by the son of Isaac Hayes?

Doubtless I do it no justice at all. Go find out for yourself.