Customer Reviews

Robot Chicken, Season 1

5 star:		(94)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The topics and humor in this show come fast and in a highly random manner, which may not appeal to everyone, but if you like the old 1-minute "blackout" type of sketches done years ago on many variety shows, then Robot Chicken will appeal to you. If a gag misses the mark for you it will be over fast and the next one will be rolling by moments later, a gag that may be very different and a lot funnier to you. There's something for everyone, as pop-culture, politics and more are skewered using action figures and other models in a rapid parade of stop-motion comedy sketches. My personal favorites are those that use action figures from some popular cartoon, comic book or movie, placing them in character in situations where they are forced to deal with everyday frustrations and problems. It's bust-a-gutt funny when you see Lex Luthor and Skeletor stuck in traffic, Transformers suffering from severe chronic illnesses, and more. There's also a hilarious bit where a stop-motion Mark Hamill (who voices himself) walks off the set of Star Wars after Darth Vader spouts a string of the most improbable explanations of how things work in Star Wars mythology. Many other actors and well-known personalities provide guest voices on the show, often poking fun at themselves or work they have done in the past.

Robot Chicken Vol. 1 is funny enough to warrant repeated viewing and I'm looking forward both to buying this DVD set and to seeing the second season of the show which begins in April 2006.

I just wanted to write this review because the only review of this show is actually wrong. The show isn't claymation, it's stop motion action figures. The orgins of this show actually stem from two things: the mad scientist scenario is an homage to MST3K and the actual programs are an extension of a feature titled "Twisted Toyfare Theater" in a magazine entitled Toyfare. Okay, now that I have clarified these miscrepancies, on to an actual review. The shows aren't exactly peabody award winners, but if you're like me and grew up in the 70's and 80's you'll get a good chuckle out of seeing your favorite action figures in hilarious and sometimes compromising positions. My main problem with the show was that the episodes are only 13 minutes long. Something like this definitely needs to be upgraded to a half hour at least. If you're a fan of Family Guy and it's ilk, give this show a good look, but if you are easily offended, steer clear. It's definitely not a kid's show.

About 3 minutes is missing from "Vegetable Funfest" - there's a "Teen Titans" sketch which featured Beavis & Butt-head, and apparently MTV/Viacom took issue with this, so the piece was cut from the DVD.

Keep your broadcast recordings to see it uncut!

ROBOT CHICKEN - VOL I
-
Twisted - Check!
Demented - Check!
Funny - Check!
Highly Entertaining - Check!

THE PREMISE, a mad scientist makes a robot chicken, brainwashes the chicken and forces it to watch non-stop, countless hours of TV, the sketches that we see, are apparently a conglomeration of what the Chicken's Brain has registered.

-Sound odd? Indeed it does....

Seriously, Robot Chicken, is fantastically, well thought out, sketch comedy using cartoons, toys and references which any child of the 80's (like myself) will enjoy. It is done in Start/Stop animation and hysterically funny... poking fun at such characters as Scooby Doo, Transformers, He-Man, Volton and then some more modern characters like the Olson Twins and Hilary Duff.

Overall there is just too much going on to really attempt to describe it, Just watch this, reminisce, laugh and enjoy.

-5 Stars

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A few years back while at film school, I was trapped at a boring party where the host decided to drag out an old videotape that featured his version of Star Wars using his old action figures. It was so painful and boring that I swore Congress should enact laws banning such forms of entertainment.

When I heard about Robot Chicken, I braced myself for the worse. Thankfully I didn't write my senator. Seth and his gang have created a fun spoof of things from the last 30 years using action figures and in many cases - real celeb voices. I've been glue to the show since it first hit Adult Swim. Hey that really is Joey Fatone trying to avenge his former boybanders' murders. It really is Scarlett Johansen dating the geek.

They keep the jokes coming in the 11 minute episodes so it doesn't get as boring as an episode of SNL. Sure not everthing clicks, but you don't have too long to wait for the next piece. Some may call this "MTV" style, but it's from Martin and Rowan's Laugh In even a bit of Dave Allen at Large.

I do have a lot of favorite moments, but the Shatner's wig saving the world is a medal winner.

Created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, Robot Chicken is a blast of pop culture irreverance. Comprised of skits starring action figures and toys, Robot Chicken is often inspired, and frequently tear inducing hilarious, sheer comic bliss that is the highlight of the Adult Swim lineup. Those who grew up in the 80's in particular will find much to laugh about here, as the Transformers, Voltron, He-Man, the Thundercats, the Dukes of Hazzard, Star Trek, Star Wars, and many more are spoofed in ways you'll never forget; especially Autobot leader Optimus Prime and his battle with prostate cancer. There's also skits spoofing more recent pop culture, such as the Kill Bill-spoofing Kill Bunny in which Jesus Christ slices his way through Santa Claus and a roomful of sword wielding Jews in an effort to take revenge on the Easter Bunny. There's also Mark Hamil voicing Luke Skywalker and walking off the set of Empire Strikes Back as Darth Vader reveals all the twists to come in the Star Wars universe. There's more standouts, including the pop-sicle stick production of Debbie Does Dallas, a Blooper show in which the host frequently commits suicide, and a look at what the eighth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer would have been. The cast of the theatrical version of Scooby Doo meet their demise when they investigate Camp Crystal Lake and meet hockey mask killer Jason Voorhees, and there's also a very funny and lengthy skit where the members of N*Sync are killed, leaving Joey Fatone (who voices himself) alive and seeking revenge under the training of the late Pat Morita. There's a host of guest voices throughout the first season of Robot Chicken, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mila Kunis, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, Scarlet Johansson, Erika Christensen, Amy Smart, Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher, Wilmer Valderamma, Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachel Leigh Cook, Dax Shepard, and Breckin Meyer; all of which help make the show something special. All in all, if you are one of the many who loved Robot Chicken in it's inaugural season, consider this DVD set a must own.

This set is not uncensored (and in fact bleeps the word "ass" out of the commentary). Only 3 of the 12 episodes of Sweet J are on the DVD, and the entire Teen Titans segment from Vegetable Funfest and the Christmas episode were cut.

Robot Chicken is very clever, and perfect for anyone with ADD. Short sketches involving popculture refferences of the last 20 years, it's like a more extreme and sped up SNL on drugs.

I really enjoy this show. Its very short and you could probably watch the first season in less then a few hours. I dont understand why this show was censored. Still, really funny and well worth watching.

I have always said it takes absolute genius to create utter stupidity. 'Robot Chicken' proves that I am right. This is a show that has everything a avid television fan could ever want. It captures the essence of everything television is about, from channel surfing to reality tv and it is shown through stop motion camera. Yep, you don't need extremely expensive effects to creat good television. All you need is a ton of clay and a bunch of old action figures and barbie dolls. Then have them all do things from going on space adventures, have them lured by satan to do nothing but watch TIVO, and yes go at it on the dinning room table in their trailer park home. What could be any better?

What is so great about this show is that it wanted to capture the very essance of television in modern society. Yes, that is extremly far fetched but if you think about it its true. Each episode only lasts about 10 minutes and is basically the day in the life of someone flipping through channels. The show says whatever it wants to say and everything you never had the guts to say. This is a must have for all those with a sick sence of humor and love for anything pop culture. But please don't try any of the things you see on this show at home. In other words....DON'T PUT THE BABY IN THE BULDOZER!