The Boondocks - General Discussion

[Lantern7]

"Minor Ruckus" works for me, even though I can't stand the character. Have you ever wanted to beat up a tuba player just for his entrance music? I'm not there, but I'm close.

Quick heads up . . . last night, while watching the Toonami block, I saw a commercial with clips from the fourth season. I'm pumped, mostly because of the music, fistfights, and heavy-handed storytelling. Also, Stinkmeaner seems to be back from the dead, and his stories are always funny. Remember the Hateocracy from the third season, with Bushido Brown getting beheaded? And the Freemans doing a collective "OH, SHIT!"? Good times . . . unless you're Bushido, of course.

[Lantern7]

. . .  and here's the trailer for S4.

[Lantern7]

I figured that I'd start a thread devoted to any and all articles on The Boondocks. Also, I feel it's a good place to showcase this trailer of the new season, which debuts in less than three weeks. While I'm unsure as to if I'd like to direction of the show, I feel that it should be one helluva ride either way.

Also, here's an article on Aaron McGruder confirming his non-involvement in the fourth season. Is Black Jesus worth it? Only time will tell.

[Lantern7]

This is a thread for discussion of The Boondocks comic strip, the biggest casualty of the TV series. You can reminisce about Jolly Jenkins, Huey and Caesar looking for a mate for Condolezza Rice,  Robert and Tom watching Brokeback Mountain in horror, and other stuff that will never make the show. Oh, and remember when Riley smacked Jazmine and Cindy upside the head with a toy lightsaber, and he was pissed that it didn't actually cut? That, too. Good times.

[Kaboom 2.0]

Hi ya'll, TWoP'er here. My boyfriend and I have been eagerly awaiting the return of Boondocks, he'll be happy to hear we only need to wait a couple more weeks for it. He likes Tom and whenever we pass a Red Lobster he immediately says "don't buy her the cheddar biscuits, Grandad! not the cheddar biscuits!"

ITA with Lantern re: Ruckus. (waves at Lantern)

[halgia]

Pretty Boy Flizzy is arrested for armed robbery while in town, and Tom agrees to be his lawyer.

[Lantern7]

Season opener . . . disappointing. Very disappointing. Why start a season with the questioning of Tom's manhood? This felt like a rehash of "Tom, Sarah & Usher," with a Chris Brown/Justin Bieber type standing in for Usher. And Sarah comes off as an awful person as well . . . which sucks, since she's supposed to be one of the saner members of the cast. Aside from finding out that Michael B. Jordan can sing, this was a sucky episode.

Next week: the start of the status quo change, with Granddad being millions in the hole, and Ruckus rubbing salt in the wound.

BTW, I counted eight instances of a certain word. Also, they bleep out "shit," but "asshole" is fair game.

[CletusMusashi]

I've seen mediocre episodes before, and Tom usually isn't very funny anyway. Hopefully next week when they get back to the core character's it'll be better. If not, I'll forget it exists in about a month. Nothing else in that Monday night block still interests me much.

[Happytobehere]

I will watch for the time being, but unless substantial improvement is seen, I think we have the answer to the question of whether one person (Aaron McGruder) can alter the course of a show.

[Lantern7]

Good Times was supposed to be an ironic title, wasn't it?

 

God, this was a suck-filled episode. Could it be that McGruder was needed to keep things in check? Do I blame him for movie onto Black Jesus? Do I blame the writers for trying to do what they think AMc would do? I'm okay with changes in status quo, but Robert signing himself and his grandsons into glorified slavery is not something I want to see every week.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Didn't Dave Chapelle already cover some of this territory with the Clayton Bigsby character?

 

Do I blame the writers for trying to do what they think AMc would do?

I don't think the writers are trying to do that. Aaron Mcgruder's stuff--for the most part--seemed to have an underlying intelligent message. What's being shown now, IMO, is base sitcom drivel which simply goes for cheap laughs. This Boondocks looks on the surface like the original show but as best as I can tell it's no more than a poorly re-constructed imitation which has the minor advantage of being able to wear some of the original's clothing.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Joimiaroxeu

[Happytobehere]

Just saw the episode. All I can say is wow! I thing Cartoon Network should have left The Boondocks dead and burried. It has become the minstrel show McGruder used to mock.

[Lantern7]

I'm willing to give the show a chance . . . but now I got this image in my head of Ruckus tap-dancing while wearing blackface. With this show the way it seems to be going now? That could actually happen.

[Lisin]

Granddad is hired by pimps to escort lonely women at a nursing home.

[Lantern7]

Good episode, though it did follow the formula of slowly blowing up in the second act. And Ruckus managed to ruin Robert's life, which . . .  damn, can't he get killed off? It gets to a point where you start wondering if you'd be willing to beat up a tuba player out of association.

 

Anybody got an ETA s to when Stinkmeaner comes back from the dead? He always brings the funny.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Lantern7

[Guest]

A place to discuss particular episodes (that do not have specific episode threads), arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[Lantern7]

I know that I'm the one that usually kicks off these threads, but I didn't see the episode "live" because I found American Ninja Warrior more compelling. And I gave up watching last night because I hated the story. I finished it tonight . . . you would think that seeing Huey beat people up would bring a smile to my face. Sadly, it didn't.

 

Seriously, whomever thought up the "Freemans as slaves" storyline should be beaten. And "Freedomland" cast them as actual slaves in a 19th Century amusement park set up by Ed Jr., who uses people whose debt he owns as unpaid labor. Seeing kids shoot water cannons at a clown-faced Huey is pretty jarring . . . and it's exceeded in obnoxiousness only by fucking Ruckus, who fucking lives for this shit. Of course, the "slaves" revolt, there's a huge fight scene, and Eddy gets off scot-free, even though he was gonna take one of Huey's feet off. All in all, it's a tone-deaf mess.

 

Next Week: Another fucking Robert-based episode. As much as I can like John Witherspoon, enough is enough.

 

ETA: Did I mention that Tom volunteered for this gig? And he left the Freemans in the lurch after Sarah "bought his freedom"? Man, the shit you can read into that . . .

Edited June 5, 2014 by Lantern7

[yeswedo]

 

Grandpa's personal assistant program on his phone becomes obsessed with him.

 

[Lantern7]

Marginally better episode, though -- duh -- that's not saying much. AI going wild is a time-honored trope, and it was decent to see Siri go into destructive fits at Robert. And we got minimal Ruckus, which was nice after "Freedomland" . . .  though the part where he was describing how sex would work was a little too much to take.

 

Next week: Stinkmeaner! Let's see how the new writers fuck that up.

[Kaboom 2.0]

My boyfriend likes ANW too, Lantern. :-)

 

I'm finding it more and more difficult to actually sit down and watch recorded Boondocks episodes, this season is just ugh and Freedomland was just plain awful, you know it's bad when you find yourself cringing and the cringing was BEFORE Ruckus made his entrance.

[Race Birch]

Wasn't my favorite, but it was all right.  Though I don't know how long this arc of the Freemans being in debt is gonna go on.

[Lantern7]

So . . . how bad did writer Angela Nissel fuck up a Stinkmeaner episode? Well, the guy at the AV Club gave it a D-minus. I merely see it as the Rocky V of what should have been a trilogy. Stinkmeaner himself broke the fourth wall in calling it a reboot, adding that the show doesn't respect the audience's intelligence. At least things are upfront now, right?

 

Anyway, Stinkmeaner gets cloned, and the double starts some you-know-what moments with Robert. "Hilarity" ensues, with Robert trying to follow Huey's lead to squash the beef (thanks to an Empire Strikes Back  dream), fail, then more or less becomes Stinkmeaner himself. You know . . . a you-know-what. I'd say the word, but Nissel decided to follow AMc's lead, using it like punctuation, so it would be redundant. Ed Asner returns as Robert Wunclear in a role designed for Ed Jr., pushing the Robert/Stinkmeaner fight forward. Actually, hearing that gruff voice makes me nostalgic for episodes like "The Itis" and "The Red Ball." Then I start missing Charlie Murphy as Ed III. And Samuel L. Jackson as Gin Rummy. I guess slumming on Agents of SHIELD took him away from this show. Oh, and Ruckus only gets one scene. That makes the episode a C-minus at worse.

 

Next week: A RIley episode! And it's the finale! All we need are all evidence that this season exists, a 20-foot hole, and a shitload of concrete. And maybe all of the writers for penning a shitty, shitty season and not bothering to give us Michael Caesar to appease the fans.

[Donny Ketchum]

And to think I thought Caesar was supposed to appear this season, unless they're saving him for the fifth (should there be one).

 

But yeah, for a Stinkmeaner episode, this was not good.  The one about the Hateocracy should've been the conclusion of his saga.  There was just no point to this one at all.

 

And I can't believe Ed would do that to Robert.  I thought they were old friends from the war.  Like, Korea or Vietnam?

[Lantern7]

I haven't seen "The New Black" yet. AVClub gave it an "F," and says that it spits in the face of what the show used to be about. I'm curious . . . what's your fave season finale? Here's what we got:

 

"The Passion of Reverend Ruckus" You probably know how I feel about Ruckus by now . . . hate his ass. And watching him spew about how being black is sinful in order to join Ronald Reagan in White Heaven is painful to watch. Add that to Huey's failed attempts to save a man unjustly sent to Death Row, and it's melodrama city.

 

"The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2" More melodrama, with Mos Def playing our fave ambigiously gay rapper, and playing the "will Riley think Gangstalicious is gay?" game. Bright side: only one Ruckus scene, and no n-words from him. Lethal Interjection crew being in there is a bonus.

 

"Its Goin Down" Jack Bauer expy tries to save Woodcrest from a terrorist plot orchestrated by Ed Sr. Pretty fun if you like seeing people stomped in the nuts. Lots of 24-based humor, and Huey holds Ruckus hostage at swordpoint. What's not to like? Down side: it's the last time we see/hear Charlie Murphy and Samuel L. Jackson on this show.

Edited June 24, 2014 by Lantern7

[Lantern7]

. . .  aaaaaaaannnnd the abortion of a season is now over. Even with minimal Ruckus, we still get a muddled plot, shots at the LGBT and special needs communities, and everybody's least favorite Al Sharpton expy in Rollo Goodlove. Basically, it's a warped version of "The S-Word," which was a lot better than this shit. Not even a belligerent Riley taking two shots upside the head from Huey and nearly getting stomped into paste doesn't make this episode better.

 

So . . . whose fault is this season? The writers? The directors? The voice actors who put two and two together and didn't show up for the shitshow? Or does the blame go solely to Aaron MacGruder, who decided that Black Jesus was better than showing up for the fourth season? Or was he not invited? Except for the voice actors that did show up, I can't not blame everybody for this miserable excuse of a season . . . which is now out on DVD, along with the complete series. Trust me . . . get the first three seasons even if they cost more than the collection. You'll be saving yourself a world of agita.

 

ETA: Dammit, I meant S04, not S040. Can you imagine 40 seasons of this show like the fourth? Ugggggh.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Lantern7

[Dariendude17]

Ah, good times. I discovered this strip in my local paper a couple of years before the first season. Pretty much when the strip ended. I can't believe it was so long ago, makes me feel old. More importantly, it makes me miss when The Boondocks was actually good. When The Boondocks about Huey Freeman and about commentary on black culture. I can't stand where the show went from season 2 onward. A real shame considering season 2 is when the animation really got good. Anybody else feel the same way?

[Dariendude17]

Seems I'm not alone in hating what Boondocks has become. I'd go a step further and say that only season 1 is worth getting on dvd. At least that season remembered that Huey Freeman and actual commentary on modern black culture is the whole point of the fucking show to begin with. Season 2 onward it was "The Riley and Grandpa Show! What deez Niggaz up to Now!?" I mean come on, the only episode of season 2 that was an actual commentary on black culture "Hunger Strike" was on of the 2 of that season that were barred from being aired. A quick glance on Wikipedia says that a 5th season is possible. I can only pray that the powers that be get their heads out their collective asses and put some balls back on this show for a 5th season. But of course that won't happen. It's just be waiting 2 or 3 more years for more bullshit.

 

So . . . whose fault is this season? The writers? The directors? The voice actors who put two and two together and didn't show up for the shitshow?

 

Wait, which voice actors didn't show for this season? Far as I can tell (Wikipedia) everyone but Jasmines original voice are present and accounted for.

[After7Only]

Of all the episodes this season, this one had the most potential... unfortately the execution was terrible.   It touched on so many hot button issues that need to be properly skewered.   The anti-bullying movement in general, the newfound senstivity to the use of the word 'gay' (espeically given the athlete who got in trouble for using the term 'no homo'), the special interest shake downs.   All the elements were there for a really biting commentary.  instead they went for the obvious, and didn't dig deep at all. 

[Lantern7]

Black Jesus extended trailer.

Black Jesus official trailer.

 

Both look interesting . . . though I'm still a little butthurt by AMc's non-involvement in S4.

[Lantern7]

For anybody who's reading this now: "Return of the King" airs at 10:30 p.m. It's the fantasy that starts with Martin Luther King Jr. waking from a decades-long coma, and ends with him dropping the "n-bomb." it's a heavy-handed story, but an amusing one.

[ketose]

I caught the last part of the episode. According to IMDB it is the top rated Boondocks of the series. It was kind of heavy-handed, but I did like the fact that Huey was scolded by King for resorting to violence.

[bunnywithanaxe]

The guy at the Apple store must have just got his job. Siri comes installed on iPad. Weenie.

I get a kick out of George Lucas's public persona, so I loved the commercial-- especially his little snipe about his charity commitments. ( The guy funded a public housing project just to flip Marin County the bird. He's alright.)

[Queena]

Oh how I miss The Boondocks. I really don't like Black Jesus, and wish that McGruber would go back to The Boondocks.

Season 4 was so bad that I didn't even watch it.

[Lantern7]

Heads up for anybody interested . .  . "A Huey Freeman Christmas" will be running at 12:30 on Sunday night. "Don't look at Quincy Jones! Quincy Jones ain't gonna help you!!"

[Lantern7]

Darn . . . "Return Of The King" is not being shown this weekend. Probably for the best, since nobody asked for a situation when Dr. King loses his mind and drops n-bomb after n-bomb, kickstarting The Revolution. "Black Entertainment Television . . . IS THE WORST THING I HAVE SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!"

[PatternRec]

I may be late to the party but I just learned today that this scene was scripted word for word. I'd always thought it was exaggerated for parody. 

[Sandman87]

In another thread Lantern7 warned not to watch any of season 4. He was right. I watched part of tonight's rerun, and now I have the urge to replace my television with a new, untainted one.

[Lantern7]

Sorry, man. I kept expecting something substantial, and I was severely disappointed. Don't watch for the sake of hating. If you watch, Uncle Ruckus wins. That is what you gotta tell yourself.

[Lantern7]

Poked around the schedule some more. The Boondocks will still be running next week, but it will start with the third season on Monday. That is much more bearable. Wernor Herzog in "It's A Black President, Huey Freeman." Good stuff.

[Queena]

What's Aaron doing these days? I would love to have the show back. 

[scrb]

On 6/17/2017 at 10:36 AM, Queena said:

What's Aaron doing these days? I would love to have the show back. 

My Tivo is set to record two eps. On Friday.  But it appears these won't be new eps.

MacGruder wasn't involved with season 4 in 2014.

Supposedly developing a new show with Amazon now.

Trump era cries out for new Boondocks ...

[Lantern7]

Adult Swim is running their old shows in the 1 a.m. slot, and they will air "Stinkmeaner 3: The Hateocracy." "I'M BAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!! And this time, I'm rollin' deep!!!!!!!"

ETA to clarify: The episode airs Thursday night/Friday morning.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Binging with Babish made the Luther burger and the sausage, waffle, and fried chicken breakfast lasagna from the Boondocks!

[Pukka]

really it's my favorite series but it starts slowly to annoy me! there can not be a moment when LUCIOUS has no problem, already with that of DIANA DUBOIS and then the one where he learns that he was almost killed by his son and his wife and now that there is the psychopath who is still stuck! Sincerely it makes the series repetitive and a bit boring

[Lantern7]

Hey, somebody saw Oprah at the Golden Globes and remembered this final image from "Return of the King"!! Bad news: Adult Swim isn't airing it. Does anybody think they've gotten flak/protests from groups? To be honest, having a civil rights leader dropping loud n-bombs at a belligerent crowd probably shouldn't be shown that often, even once a year.

[Lantern7]

There's a guy that does parodies of Dragon Ball Z. This . . . this is beautiful. Just watch.

[Lantern7]

Okay . . . so The Boondocks is coming back. With Aaron McGruder. I did not see this coming at all.

Given the sheer awfulness of the final season (Adult Swim doesn't even air it), I think a peace offering would be acceptable. I vote Uncle Ruckus getting killed in the very first scene. Given that the series prided itself on being current, I'd say he's downright redundant.

ETA: No word if the series will go back to Adult Swim. I'm hoping it doesn't go streaming, even if McGruder could go way the fuck farther with stories if that were true.

Edited June 12, 2019 by Lantern7

[Lantern7]

TWO seasons ordered by HBO Max; scheduled to start airing in Fall 2020.

I'm guessing Aaron REALLY wants to make up for THAT season. He could also be more inspired by current events, but it's would basically be shooting fish in a barrel.

[Lantern7]

John Witherspoon has passed away.

[Lantern7]

Heads up . . . five-hour marathon on Monday night starting at 11 p.m. Pretty choice episodes to boot. “The Return of the King” will air at midnight.