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hirteen episodes from the second season of this Cartoon Network Adult Swim feature are accompanied here by some deleted scenes, a couple of mockumentaries relating to the origin of the show and an episode of Space Ghost that featured the ATHF characters, behind which the creators offer rambling commentary and some guitar feedback.
Three peculiar characters share a run-down New Jersey tract house: Master Shake, Meatwad and Frylock. Despite having a human neighbor named Carl—a sleazy bachelor—and despite moving in a human-dominated world, these residents of an unnamed city are far from average. In fact, Master Shake is a large milkshake cup, complete with lid and straw, his face integral with his surface, two stubby hands protruding; Meatwad is an ambulatory burger lump—eyes and buck-toothed mouth apparent—capable of producing handy extrusions; and Frylock is a red cardboard sleeve full of french fries whose front boasts a goateed face. And although the opening credits of their show present them as heroic crime fighters (behind a catchy hip-hop theme song by Schooly D), their actual adventures never take them very far from home.
Episode One, "Mail-Order Bride," finds Master Shake awaiting the delivery of his Russian sweetie. All he has in mind is for her to serve as his personal chef. But Carl want a more carnal relationship. "Super Birthday Snake" chronicles the tragedies that ensue when Meatwad's desired gift—a bunny—is replaced by an enormous snake. Frylock seeks to use the incident to teach a lesson, but much goes awry. Would aliens use a stargate—excuse me, a "fargate"—merely to steal cable TV service? Indeed they would, if "Universal Remonster" is any guide. Two tickets to the Super Bowl are the prize from Meatwad's overindulging in snacks. But who will he take with him? That's the question in episode four, "Super Bowl."
"The Drizzle" is not a promising name for a crime fighter. But such is Master Shake's code name in "Super Hero." Could he have picked a worse name and set of powers? Try "The Fume." Episode Six, "Super Squatter," reveals what happens when bills go unpaid: Master Shake is forced to move into Carl's house for such amenities as TV and snacks. In "Super Spore," a protoplasmic alien arrives in the ATHF yard with the simple intention of getting a good job in retail. Too bad he can communicate only by inserting a tendril into Shake's brain. Can radical plastic surgery improve Master Shake's lot in life, even allowing him to model for Jordache jeans? Well, not really, but that won't stop him from trying, as "Super Model" discloses.
The trio enjoy hanging out in a local bar that offers "bar dollars" for winning a trivia contest in "Super Trivia." But their archrival, Wayne "The Brain" McClain continually frustrates them—until Frylock forms a harsh plan. Episode 10, "Super Sir Loin," depicts Meatwad in the grip of a fixation on a rap star named Sir Loin. But when he finally tracks down the rapper, Meatwad's idolatry is shattered by the rapper's hellish secret. Frylock's constant tinkering has brought into being a supercomputer denominated with a harsh Klingon name in "Super Computer." Unpredicted time-travel capabilities of the machine soon threaten the world's harmony. In "Meat Zone," Meatwad acquires psychic powers in the genuine Stephen King manner. But they fail him when he needs them the most. Finally, "Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future" features an evil monkey Santa, the blood of enslaved Martian elves and other yuletide traditions.
Funny lines from fast food
ATHF is all about family. Yes, it's obvious. Frylock is the Father Knows Best figure, all stern demands, wise advice, outrage and disbelief. Master Shake, though nominally male, is 100 percent Lucille Ball, pure wild impulse, chicanery, klutziness, deceit and ego. Meatwad is the child figure, innocent, naive, eager to please. Toss in that sitcom fixture, a quirky neighbor as comic foil, and you've fulfilled the recipe that's brought us thousands of hours of viewing pleasure. Nothing radically different here.
Having said that, it remains for me to note that this trio is a particularly outrageous cast with its own distinctive flair. This is not exactly Three's Company. The level of anarchy and continuity-bashing that animation permits makes for a wild ride indeed. All the characters undergo traumatic meltdowns, only to return next episode intact and raring to go. This allows for wilder plotting than in a show populated with mere humans, and the writers keep us guessing as to what calamities might overtake these unfortunates in any given episode. (Mr. Bill never had it so bad.) Best of all, having established the personalities of the trio (and Carl) so vividly, the creators allow the action to flow organically from their signature attributes. Would Frylock perform Clockwork Orange-style behavior modification on his buddies just to win a trivia contest? Of course he would! Would Master Shake ignore a wounded, writhing Carl to watch a bass-fishing show he doesn't even like? Certainly! Would Meatwad politely inform Wayne "The Brain" McClain that his hair was good to eat? No doubt! It's this kind of character integrity that keeps the viewer coming back. These losers grow on you.
And of course a lot of this has to do with the excellent voice acting. Carey Means as Frylock offers the resonant R&B stylings of a lesser Barry White. Dana Snyder as Master Shake channels Jerry Lewis and Buddy Hackett. And Dave Willis as Meatwad produces the most uncanny gurgled, garbled, nasal whine imaginable, like all bad child actors put together. He does a great raunchy Carl as well.
There are not so many quotable lines here as in some shows—although I did like Master Shake telling Frylock in "Super Squatter" to go back to "the time before Christ, aka your house." But the banter among the three is always entertaining. As for the plots—let us say that they are unpredictably predictable: The road to disaster is never foreseen, but the ultimate destination is always chaos. With plenty of laughs along the way.
Do I detect unnamed inspiration for this show in the form of Evan Dorkin's comic book Milk & Cheese, featuring a misanthropic Milk Carton and Cheese Wedge? Pick up some of Dorkin's work and decide for yourself. — Paul
Also in this issue: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Resident Evil: Apocalypse DVD
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