Aqua Unit Patrol Squad – Season 1 + Robot Chicken – Season Five (Warner/Adult Swim DVDs)

 

Picture: B/B-     Sound: B     Extras: C/B+     Episodes: B+

 

 

What should/would be Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 8 is now released on DVD as Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1.  It may seem that the creators of the off center, creative, animated comedy have decided to take the series in a different direction (or spin-off), but in actuality all they did was throw fans off and lose people who already were tired of waiting for new episodes and consistent airing sequence.

 

My major gripe with Aqua Teen (now Aqua Unit) is the inconsistency of their seasons.  In the beginning the series aired each Sunday for a set season, then fans would anxiously await each following season and/or DVD box set.  Over time, however, the combination of popularity, a demanding production/writing schedule, and what can only be the creators’ pompousness lead to large gaps between seasons, odd airing times, and many lost fans.  There was even a period of time that I thought Aqua Teen was off the air; and if not for each subsequent DVD set release I would have never known the series was alive and well.

 

And that fact is true; Aqua Teen is alive and well, even under the new heading of Aqua Unit Patrol Squad.  The series remains fun, well animated, creative, and COMPLETELY insane.  The big part of the ‘joke’ is that with the exception of the name change, nothing else has in fact changed.  The boys (Frylock, Master Shake, and Meatwad) are all still together, they live in the ‘same’ house, and they still live next to Carl.  The only difference is that they are now in Seattle, instead of New Jersey; and perhaps now are back into crime/mystery solving (like the series originally boasted), though that part is still unclear.

 

 

This set includes the final 7 Aqua Teen Hunger Force episodes and 10 new Aqua Unit Patrol Squad episodes; all really one in the same, save a new opening sequence.  The series is very abstract (odd) and hard to explain to new viewers; so I suggest reading prior DVD set reviews.  And though little has changed for the series over the years the one thing you can always count on is utter insanity and chaos.

 

The episodes on this set include:

 

Allen: Parts I & II

Freedom Cobra

The Intervention

The Creditor

Vampirus

Last Dance for Napkin Lad

Wi-Tri

Jumpy George

Lasagna

A PE Christmas

Hands on a Hamburger

iAmaPod

Juggalo

Kangarilla and the Magic Tarantula

Larry Miller Hair System

One Hundred

 

There is no point in describing the episodes; each and everyone of them is amazing.  One would expect that over time Aqua Teen would have lost its charm, but it hasn’t yet and I expect more great things to come; even if I only see it on DVD.

 

Robot Chicken – Season Five continues on the same action figure filled, nostalgia boasting, slightly inappropriate humor path it has for years now; but it is just as great as ever. 

 

The unique brand of slap stick comedy (WITH ACTION FIGURES!!) continues to impressive old fans and new viewers alike.  The zany humor coupled with a brand of nostalgia that draws inspiration from films, TV, and pop culture creates a series like no other. 

 

Simply amazing.  More of the same, but better than ever.

 

Technical Features

 

The technical features on both of these sets are quite similar; both nice and appear to have slightly improved over previous seasons in terms of quality.  The picture on Robot Chicken and AUPS is presented in a bright, colorful, and incredibly crisp letter boxed 1.78 X 1 Widescreen image that is consistent throughout.  Robot Chicken is the more improved of the two, whereas AUPS generally stayed the same.  Granted most of the animation and stop-start is done exclusively on computers, nevertheless it looks amazing.  As always, the image transfers on the Adult Swim sets standout as incredibly well done with precise detail attention.  The sound again has been upgraded to a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround that is nice.  Whereas both series remain dialogue driven, there is also a fair bit of action in which the surrounds kick in.  The directionality is nice and ambient noises are used at appropriate times to heighten the already chaotic atmosphere.  It was nice to finally see the series get the treatment they deserved.

 

Extras for AUPS is horribly minimal as the only extra is Terror Phone III  a live action, odd sequence by Aqua Teen’s creators.

 

Robot Chicken has a variety of well done extras, including:

• Uncensored ‘Blue Rabbits’ MP3 Download
• 52 Deleted Animatics
• 7 Fully Animated Deleted Scenes
• 7 Behind the Scenes Featurettes
• On-Air Promos
• Commentary on all 20 Episodes (Really funny engaging tracks!)

 

 

-   Michael P. Dougherty II