For me it’s Home Movies

  • wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    91·
    8 days ago

    Not sure it’s underrated so much as not well known, because I’m not sure I’ve heard of anyone who knows it but doesn’t like it: Venture Bros

    It’s kind of hard to describe. It starts with a simple goofy premise: What if a boy adventurer like Johnny Quest grew up and was stuck living in his dead father’s shadow for the rest of his life? He’s a failure, a single father coasting on dad’s legacy, his two sons are so dumb they buy the whole “cartoon boy adventurer” schtick 100%, and his bodyguard is a frustrated black ops guy just itching for any excuse to spill blood.

    Just… anything I say couldn’t do it justice. Here’s some choice scenes that stand pretty well on their own.

    The dreaded candiru! This one really covers a lot of the tone of the series in about two minutes.

    No Hank, like this.

    Why there’s a system - covers some world building and some of the legacy of the main character’s dad.

    Getting the gang back together. Covers some more of THE MIGHTY MONARCH and two of his henchmen. 21 (Gary) has a character arc throughout the show like you wouldn’t believe.

    And it dives in further than the core concept: What kind of PTSD would growing up like that leave? How would the world’s idea of his dad differ from reality? What kind of father could put his son through that sort of shit? What would a world with ridiculously campy superscience be like with real people in it?

    That makes it sound more serious than it is. It’s irreverant, ridiculous, nonsensical, referential to some real deep cuts pop culture wise, campy as all hell… and also heartwarming, touching, and messily human. So, so fucking much of the plot is shaped by the trauma and lingering aftereffects of the MC’s dad.

    So many things that would be a throwaway gag on another show are followed up on, and build up episode to episode, season to season. That’s not super rare now, but when they started the show in 2003 it was. It also deconstructs a lot of comic book and TV tropes, which was also far more novel at the time.

    And it’s earnest. So many characters that would be just the butt of a joke are treated like actual fucking people instead of only just their stereotype. They’re totally that fucking stereotype, 100%, but they’re also people and have more too them than only that.

    It’s very much an auteur work, and it often went multiple fucking years between seasons as the two show runners figured out what they wanted to do, but the result is probably one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.

    I have to give some strong, strong warnings though. The show started in 2003 and holy shit does it show. Stereotypically flamboyant gay men, incredibly insensitive word choices and portrayals, weird side plot about a special forces general getting mtf top surgery to escape the military but its actually a deep cover op but maybe they’re actually trans but maybe not… and in the later seasons they try distressingly hard to make a (not offending, medicated) pedophile into a likeable character. They… kinda do in the end too?

    All I can say is stick with it, it’s worth the burning sensation and the doctor can totally get you something to clear that right up. I think.

    And watch the movie, Crimson is the Blood of the Baboon Heart, at the end. The show was cancelled suddenly, and the creators regretted ending what became the final season the way they did. Baboon Heart isn’t amazing, it doesn’t wrap up every plot point, but it hits the big ones and is a good send off.

    • Fluffy_Ruffs@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      8 days ago

      As much love as VB gets, the writing, the subtlety of the jokes, the depth of the characters, and the world building within is just so unique. It’s all so wonderfully crafted. I enjoy it very much and think it’s an absolute standout as far as A:S shows go.

  • Instigate@aussie.zone
    6·
    8 days ago

    I’m surprised no one has mentioned The Brak Show! That was definitely one of my favourites back in the day.

    • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      1·
      8 days ago

      C. Martin Croker, voice of Zorak, died too young. Losing him was a big punch in the guy to early Adult Swim lovers of Space Ghost Coast to Coast and the Brak Show.

  • SmokeyDope@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    8 days ago

    I can name you many. Superjail, Squidbillies, Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law, robot chicken, aqua team hunger force, home movies, moral orel, the ooblongs, the boondocks, space ghost coast to coast. Thats not mentioning all the fox stuff like american dad or the anime toonami stuff like inuyasha

    • LunatiQue Goddess @lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      8 days ago

      Well underrated is what I was looking for. Robot chicken and boondocks are extremely well known, same for American Dad and Aqua team

    • TheDoozer@lemmy.world
      1·
      7 days ago

      MASTER CYLINDER!!

      Also, whenever my wife and I are really sleepy during the day, one of us will pull out "People let me tell you 'bout my NEW BEST FRIEND! Barnaby Jones…

      …NAP."

    • notgivingmynametoamachine@lemmy.world
      1·
      8 days ago

      I’m literally standing here going “it wasn’t called murder face, what the hell was the name of that show?l”

      Thank you! My wife and I still to this day say “Ok buddy” thanks to Frisky Dingo.

  • HalfBakedChef@lemmy.zip
    3·
    8 days ago

    The other day one of my coworkers asked me if I knew who the professor brothers were and I could not have been happier. China IL is deeply missed by some

  • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    3·
    8 days ago

    Oh there’s some gems:

    • Hot Streets

    • Lucy, Daughter of the Devil

    • 12oz. Mouse

    • Frisky Dingo

    • Xavier: Renegade Angel

    • Final Space

    • Saul of the Molemen

    • Eagleheart

    • You’re Whole

    • Joe Pera Talks With You

    • Space Dandy

    I’m hyped for Haha, You Clowns but I suspect it won’t be as well received as I hope it will be. Joe Cappa’s YouTube channel has been a staple for me for a long time.

    Also, just a note but Home Movies wasn’t actually Adult Swim original programming, it was originally on UPN which quickly cancelled it and then Cartoon Network picked it up. I love Home Movies because I love hearing Sam Seder of The Majority Report voicing Fenton Mewly.

    Also if you enjoyed Home Movies, you should check out it’s spiritual predecessor from Comedy Central: Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. First season of Home Movies even used the same “Squigglevision” animation style as Dr. Katz.

      • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        1·
        8 days ago

        I have all three seasons soundtracks, because they’re all so good.

        Joe Pera is my favorite out of all of them, honestly. I wanted to get him to sign my copy of his bathroom book “A Bathroom Book Not For People Pooping pr Peeing But Using the Bathroom as an Escape” when I saw his standup show but the crowd was too big and I gave up.

        Joe Bennett, the creator of Scavenger’s Reign on HBO and Common Side Effects on Adult Swim did the art for Joe Pera’s bathroom book, which is how I first found his art.

    • Barbecue Cowboy@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      0·
      8 days ago

      Man, early Final Space had some rough points, but there’s not a lot of shows out there that have hit me harder.

      Olan Rogers (Final Space Creator) has never really felt like a guy who I would expect to hit a deadline… but the Graphic Novel he got going to finish out the series is supposed to finally drop pretty soon. Was supposed to drop awhile back (Summer 2024?), but it does look mostly complete now judging from progress reports. Like, we’re waiting on them to finish the soundtrack for the graphic novel? Olan is doing something weird, but man I’m willing to give it a shot.

  • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 🇮 @pawb.socialEnglish
    3·
    8 days ago

    Perfect Hair Forever

    Frisky Dingo

    Xander: Renegade Angel

    Saul of the Molemen

    Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place

    Actually, I feel like all or most of the live action shows from AS are criminally underrated. Especially the really early ones. The most popular is probably Tim & Eric: Awesome Show Great Job.