So many chicken puns…

I recently watched and reviewed the second season of Robot Chicken. As I was looking for a link to my review of the first season, I found that I hadn’t written one. I immediately decided to rectify the situation. (Ok, so it’s taken me a while. I’m a procrastinator.) So, here I am reviewing the first season of Robot Chicken.

For those that have never had the honor of seeing the show, it’s a skit-comedy show that uses stop animation and toys instead of live actors, relying instead on voice talent. Occasionally, the show can get the actors from the original to voice various parodies. Much of the stuff is not appropriate for kids, even though some of it may seem like it’s aimed at them . Much of the humor involves adult language or situations that kids won’t understand.

To give you an idea of what happened in the first season, there was a skit with the Transformers where they do a PSA. The premise is that Optimus Prime gets colon cancer to illustrate what happens when you don’t get regular screenings. Another uses the Smurfs to act out a parody of the movie Seven. One of the ones I remember is the dueling carpools where heroes and their enemies are in different carpools. There’s very little continuity in the show except for a recurring skit spoofing America’s Funniest Home Videos.

It’s kind of hard to write a detailed review of a show like this because it’s so offbeat and tends to lampoon so many things from my childhood. It’s one of those things that you have to be aware of the pop culture that they’re parodying. For instance, if you’ve seen the Smurfs, but never got around to seeing Seven, you’re only going to get part of it. That doesn’t mean it won’t be funny, but you’ll be missing out a little. There were a lot of things that I didn’t see or don’t remember that well. I’m sure someone that was watching it with me would be able to point stuff out.

The first and second season don’t differ that much in format. I could actually use large chunks of my review of the second season, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You could catch a current episode and get a good idea if the show is for you. Each episode is about ten minutes in length, not unlike Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The show is extremely funny. Not only would I recommend it, I actually bought it as a gift for my brother.