The fourth season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force adds 13 more episodes to the canon, and all is well with Frylock, Master Shake, Meatwad, and their reluctant neighbor, Carl. The writers have a firm grasp of their characters’ personalities, and can turn even the most mundane of situations into a comic episode that will thrill avid fans, and hook a chuckle or two from the casual viewer. They’ve also amped up the gore and profanity that were emphasized in the third season, morphing the comedy of the series into something equal parts outrageous, and grotesque.
Picking favorites from amongst the first four seasons is tough, especially since old favorites (“Revenge of the Mooninites”; “Superhero”) demand continual replaying. Still, ATHFv4 has some serious contenders for solid gold Aqua Teen Goodness - which translates as episodes par excellence. The first disc, in particular, will immediately capture fans, as episode after episode strikes all the right notes, delivering a dizzying amount of quotable phrases and moments so fast, you have to re-watch them all to retain even a handful.
Faithful watchers of ATHF will immediately notice that the series has undergone a few changes, some of them subtle, others less so. An instance of the latter can be drawn from the show’s new beginning. Gone are the nonsensical hi-jinks of Dr. Weird and Steve, whose connection to the Aqua Teens went from tenuous, to downright questionable! In their stead, the creators decided to offer something completely different: a sequence of short-short cartoons, which tie together into a greater narrative.
Called “Spacecataz,” and announced by a vaguely Spanish voice against a vaguely Spanish music sample, these short-shorts chronicle a random feud between the Mooninites, and their not-so-bright space-faring neighbors, the Plutonians. The first few shorts introduce this story in typically random fashion, and within seconds, both parties are working their hardest to out-insult one another. Naturally, Ooglethorp’s inability to understand when he’s being insulted by the coarse Mooninites is a key element of the ensuing comedy.
Admittedly, it is unfortunate that Dr. Weird and Steve do not make a single appearance in this latest round of episodes. Spacecataz, however, is a worthy substitute, and gives the creators a chance to really run with some of the more popular secondary characters. Any scene that involves either the Mooninites, or the Plutonians, makes for worthy viewing, but an entire cartoon that features them both? Brilliant, I say! Especially since the Plutonians are powerless to curb the mighty insults of the Mooninites, who, when given the chance, can really dish it out.
Speaking of chances, it is impressive that the writers of ATHF recognized that it might be time to alter the format of the show a little bit, and opted to replace the opening sequence with something different. Removing Dr. Weird and Steve was a risky move, yet they pull it off with an alternative that is backed by the competent writing that is the series’ hallmark. It’s good to see that the show’s creators are still open to experimentation, even if it means tampering with the audience-winning formula that’s made them successful.
As for the subtle changes in season four, the most notable lie in the relationship between the Aqua Teens. Fans will immediately catch on to the fact that Meatwad has, for lack of a better term, matured somewhat, and no longer takes abuse from either Master Shake, or Frylock, without answering in kind. Whether it’s a single jibe (“Where’s the dip, or am I looking at one?” to Frylock), or a blistering string of profanity (which cannot be faithfully reproduced here; just watch “Gee Whiz”, and weep!) that stuns even his room mates, Meatwad stands up for himself like never before. His naivety remains intact, and still invites the scorn of Master Shake, but he is no longer reduced to a quivering lump of tearful meat through mere insult. Unexpectedly, some of the best insults of the season come from the Innocent Himself, Meatwad.
Meanwhile, Master Shake and Frylock have also matured by a few degrees. Master Shake is still selfish, indulgent, inclined to rant on any topic, and the funniest Aqua Teen character in the series. He no longer dominates the house as he did in seasons two and three, however, and doesn’t seem as hell-bent on terrorizing his room mates. Overall, there is less of Shake in this series than the two previous, though what is there does not disappoint. In particular, his behavior in “Robositter” (where he gets a job at the mall!), an “Mooninites 3: Remooned” (where he lays into a convenience store clerk) is vintage Master Shake.
Frylock, too, has changed, exchanging his exasperated father-figure personality for one that is more laid back, and willing to just let the sh*t hit the fan. In fact, in “T-shirt of the Dead,” he actually leaves the house when the weirdness begins to peak, telling Meatwad and Shake that they can “hit him on the cell” if something goes wrong. This step away from the authoritarian personality offers a chance for a fresh appreciation of AHTF’s “Straight Man,” which can be the hardest role to keep interesting.
Surprisingly, change has also occurred in Carl’s personality. By season three, the Aqua Teens’ reactionary neighbor had already demonstrated a growing acceptance of the weirdness that reigned in their neighborhood. In season four, Carl is not only acclimated to the teens, but dependent on them as well! Not only is he much more apt to take part in their schemes (“Mooninites 4: The Final Mooning”), he also can’t stand to be away from them for long (“Spacegate World”). Despite this surprising new patience, Carl is still the most frequent casualty of the series, and suffers such torments as being flayed alive; blown to bits; crushed; and eaten from the inside by gigantic parasites. He does, however, get to “enhance himself” at one point, and experiences a rare, unencumbered (though not literally!) happiness.
Ahh . . .
As sentimental as that last line might have been, it’s hard not to experience such emotions after spending four seasons with characters that continue to grow, and continually elicit laughter - sometimes to the point of tears! Since that first, strange episode, the writers of ATHF have fearlessly plunged into the world of the Aqua Teens, throwing them into bizarre situations, while exploring their personalities with earnest, artistic intent. Their discoveries make it into each episode, and the resulting comedy is that rare combination of character drama and situational absurdity.
In season four, this combination is honed into a fine instrument, and wielded with surgical precision upon the funny bone. The episodes range from the mundane (“Robositter”); to the topical (“Diet”); to the absurd (“T-shirt of the Dead”). The characters have matured to the point where even the intermediate scenes are a high point in an episode. References are made to cult films, political correctness, and even past ATHF episodes. End-to-end, this season of Aqua Teen is anchored by savvy writing that connects to the essential natures of the characters, and draws out humor with a remarkable sense of timing, grace, and wit.
I’ve always been attracted to the little moments in Aqua Teen Hunger Force, where the characters exchange a few lines, and everything just clicks. Fans of the series will know what I’m talking about, and immediately think of episodes where this applies. Without a doubt, season four contains dozens of these moments, and overall, adds a quality set of episodes to the series. Furthermore, the DVD comes with a lot of hilarious and insightful extras, including a full recording session for one of the episodes.
With season four, the Aqua Teen world continues to grow. There are new characters; new adventures; and some refreshing changes in that crazy trio, and the strange world that is their every day. This is the kind of show that leads one to think that its creators probably have more fun making it, than the viewers do watching it. Considering how much I laughed, it’s amazing they find time to breath, let alone write!
