ARTSETC.
Gross-out tactics fail with season 5
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by Justin Voss
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The fifth season of “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” makes its way to DVD today complete with three hours of content that left me stunned — but not necessarily in a pleasing manner. Frylock, Master Shake, Carl and Meatwad come together for 14 episodes, which fail to produce more than mild to extreme disgust.
Episodes of seasons past are a real mixed bag, and the throw-any-joke-that-might-stick approach is in full force here. But this time the hits, on episodes like “Dirtfoot,” almost immediately dissolve from memory. This leaves only the lingering stench of the clunkers, which range from tasteless jokes revolving around gay stereotypes and women’s blouses magically disappearing.
Possibly worse is the gross-out tactic, exemplified by the episode is the aptly named “Dickesode.” Carl inadvertently enters a contract to “get his dick ripped off” by playing an instant win game. The villain, Wong Burger, plans to construct a rocket using his “advanced degree in dick-nology” to return home to Planet Dick — no, I am not making this up. Ultimately, this 10-minute animated abomination presents viewers with more crudely drawn penises than an anime porno.
When all else fails, “Aqua Teen” resorts to annoying you
into submission. “Boost
Amid this mediocre collection of episodes is one truly memorable character who is disturbingly hilarious — Meatwad’s dog, Hand Banana. Created using filthy pool water, Master Shake’s DNA and a Fisher-Price-looking laptop, the cuddly canine proceeds to terrorize Carl mercilessly throughout the episode.
Among his talents of being a pastry chef and being certified in CPR, Hand Banana is also a rapist. His most memorable quote, “See, all I know is ball and good… and rape!” is made all the more disturbing by the fact that the “loving” pooch always says it in a voice eerily worthy of the pedophiles uncovered on “How to Catch a Predator.” This is a rare successful moment when “Aqua Teen” shocks the viewer into laughter.
It’s no surprise, however, the special features are nothing to boast about in this collection. Sadly, quite a few segments are devoted to promotional material for a failed “Aqua Teen” film. At times, watching the special features was even more painful than sitting through the actual episodes. Notably obnoxious was a music video entitled “I Like Your Booty But I’m Not Gay” in which the song’s title is the only lyric.
One overall note on the DVD’s display features is that the menus talk too much. Every selection reads itself back: episode titles, special feature names, the works all presented in melodic singing or screechy chatter highly unpleasing to the ear. Are “Aqua Teen” fans really this masochistic?
It’s truly a sad release when the highlights of a DVD are the theme song and end credits. Enough is enough, and it’s time to push that eject button. It is clear that I have forever lost my appetite for “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” and I doubt I will be going for seconds any time soon.
1 out of 5 stars
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