Down The Rabbit Hole

Episode 1.3: Guess Hoe’s Coming to Dinner

Really this is one of the season’s lesser episodes, and it really doesn’t offer any serious commentary aside from “Ho’s will take all of you’re money one way or another.” Something like that, I guess-and not very obvious, subtitle or insightful. Yet there are some truly funny moments in “Dinner,” and its not all completely a waste of time nor is it really bad. Just sort of meh, although I enjoyed aspects of it.

For instance, the scene where Grandpa is beating Riley for calling Crystal, the ho of the title, a “bitch” while driving and swerving all over the road is fairly humorous, and has a bit of madcap slapstick to it that’s rather notable and great. One of the reasons why the show is so great is because of the many small moments that add to the humor, and this is a prime example of that. Also the pimp character “A Pimp Named Slickback,” a spoof of “A Tribe Called Quest” is hilarious, and is the best thing about it all, period. He adds a sense of inspired absurdity that simply rocks, and without him the episode wouldn’t have been half as entertaining or watchable.

Sure every show has its share of weaker episodes, and this is one of those. After the great 1-2 punch that started the season I’m not really surprised that the show took a slight dip. It thankfully recovered however.

Episode 1.2: The Trial of Robert Kelly

Immediately after the first episode, the show kicked things into high gear with this hilarious and sharp viewpoint on the R. Kelly trial, using the high profile event to discuss ignorance. Tackling the case itself with a funny, reckless abandon the show doesn’t even stop to take a breath. Many funny one liners aside, R. Kelly is used as a metaphor for what is wrong with the African American community. Rappers are celebrated and admired, while those who fight and strive for intellect and the truth are brushed aside and even branded as “acting white.” This is a hard lesson that not only Huley and the District Attorney learn, but also Grandad as he deals with Ruckus’s continuing attacks upon his very own race.

Furthermore, ignorance sadly wins. There is no happy ending-R. Kelly actually walks thanks to a race baiting white lawyer played by the legendary Adam West-and thus the point of blantant disreguard for the law and human decency is displayed, along with the fact that a celebrity is more likely to be found innocent in this country. Yet it is that message, and the fact that the creators are willing not only to point the finger at the white man, but also at their very own race, that is refreshing and an example of true intelligence and objectivity.

Episode 1.1: The Garden Party

Since this actually is the opening to the show’s first run I must admit I was willing to give it a pass. While many first episodes grab the viewer, television history is littered with terrible pilots that are instantly forgettable. Its what the show does after the pilot that counts anyways. However the first installment in a 15 episode long season proved to be a pleasent surprise, and funny as well.

Clearly a major thematic element present here is that the idea of the “Old School”-retired grandpa Robert Freeman and Ed Wuncler, local tycoon-banding together against what they view as the younger, dumber generation represented by the kids under their care. While hardcore leftist radical Huey is intelligent and determined to spark a black revolution, faux African American wannabe Ed Wuncler III and Riley, a product of too much hip hop and gangasta rap practically underline the fears of their older superiors.

Although the humor isn’t the funniest or extremely witty, it does display the racial undertones that run rampant throughout the show’s first run. Since I am not easily offended nor all that politically correct, I don’t find the show to be at all racist but rather an elequent and sharp take on the issues of race and society. Garden Party only touches upon that in small detail, mainly through Huey’s hilarious dream of causing the white people to riot after he tells them the truth about Sept. 11 among other things; plus Robert’s extreme desire to fit in since he’s the only black man in the neighborhood besides Uncle Rucus, a strange African American who acts like a racist ignorant white man.

For the most part this is a good episode, one that displays the promise the show truly had to offer audiences. While its quite ordinary for the most part, it sets up the show’s main characters and displays hints at its underlying brilliance.

During the next couple of weeks I plan on discussing Season 1 of a great show: The Boondocks, which aired on Cartoon Network’s famous Adult Swim. The DVD boxset contained three discs with five episodes on each, so I’ll just go down the line and post thoughts about them and such. I plan on starting tomorrow when I’m actually awake.

So I got with the program and created one of these things. Wahoo :up: