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188 of 209 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Show, Based On An Even Better Comic Series, April 29, 2006
Before I start the review, I'd like to tell anyone who's a fan of this show to BUY THE COMIC COLLECTIONS. They're even better than the show (which I love), and if this show introduced you to the Boondocks, then you should definately explore the comics that the show is based on.
The Boondocks might just be the best show on TV. First of all, it has some great, memorable characters. Huey Freeman, the 10 year old revolutionary that listens to too much Public Enemy...His younger brother, Riley, who is fascinated by gangsta rap, guns, and bling...Grandad, the guardian of the two boys, who's slightly disconnected from the modern times, but has enough sense to be the occasional voice of reason...Tom Dubois (his name is a play on "uncle tom"), his (white) wife, and his confused daughter, Jasmine, who are the Freeman's neighbors...Uncle Ruckus, the self-hating, caucasian loving black man...Ed Wuncler, the owner of almost all of Woodcrest...His grandson, Ed III, and Gin Rummy; 2 crazy crime obsessed white characters played brilliantly by Charlie Murphy & Samuel L. Jackson...And more
Another reason the show is so great is because it touches on interesting and controversial subject matters. It's a show that can really make you think - about social issues, religion, race, relationships, business, war, politics, and just society in general. Episodes about the R. Kelly trial, Martin Luther King Jr. coming out of a coma, ect., all show that there is no place Aaron McGruder (creator of the Boondocks) isn't willing to go. But the key here is EXECUTION. All of the episodes are executed extremely well. A lot of the idea's they've used on The Boondocks could have turned out to be really stupid episodes, but they do a great job at executing ideas. And lastly, the show is just FUNNY. Every episode makes you laugh at one point of another. That, and the fact that the show is incredibly smart and witty, are what truly make this one of the best shows on TV.
Even with all of that going for it, the music is the x-factor that makes this show even more appealing to me. From the dope opening track, to the constant MF Doom and Dangerdoom tracks being played during the show/promos (I remember most of the promos having the instrumental of 'Bada Bing' from the Danger Doom album in the background), the music sets an incredible tone for the show. Even if you're not a huge fan of MF Doom & Danger Mouse like I am, you should still appreciate the music used here.
Episodes From Season 1:
1. Garden Party - 8/10 - The Freemans are invited to a party at Ed Wunclers house. This one really had me hungry for more. It wasn't the greatest episode, but parts of it indicated that this show had the potential to be great.
Quotable: Riley: Man, I really liked that house. Oh well. I shot a n****!
2. The Trial Of R. Kelly - 10/10 - Riley goes to R. Kelly's trial to defend one of his favorite artists. This is where the series really started to take off. Tons of great moments, and hysterical lines.
Quotable: Riley: If I started peeing on you right now, would you A: Smile and ask for more, or B: Move the hell out the way!
3. Guess Hoe's Coming To Dinner - 8.5/10 - Huey & Riley know Grandad's new girlfriend is a prostitute, but he won't believe them. Wasn't the best episode, but it had it's moments. Katt Williams ('Next Friday', 'Wild N Out') makes a very funny cameo here as 'A Pimp Named Slickback'
Quotable: Grandad: Hold on there, Slickback.
A Pimp Named Slickback: No, it's "A Pimp Named Slickback."
Grandad: That's what I said. "Slickback."
A Pimp Named Slickback: No, it's "A Pimp Named Slickback." Like "A Tribe Called Quest"; you say the whole thing: "A Pimp Named Slickback"!
Grandad: Can't I just call you "Slickback" for short?
A Pimp Named Slickback: No, n****! It's "A Pimp Named Slickback!"
4. Grandad's Fight - 8.5/10 - Grandad gets into a fight with a blind man. I didn't like this one as much as most people, but it's still a VERY funny episode. The whole "n**** moment" thing was hysterical.
Quotable: Tom: Nobody's gonna call you a "Fruity boy" or "Pansy Pants" if you don't do this.
Riley: I will.
Tom: Right, well, Riley will.
5. A Date With A Health Inspector - 10/10 - Huey & Riley need to catch the "xbox killer" to get Tom out of jail. Probably my favorite Boondocks episode. The whole dropping the soap thing, and all the scenes with Ed II and Rummy make this a classic episode.
Quotable: Rummy: Well no we ain't find none. But I always say the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.
Riley: What?
Rummy: Simply because you don't have evidence that something does exist does not mean you have evidence of something that doesn't exist.
Riley: What?
Rummy: What country are you from?
Riley: What?
Rummy: What ain't no country I ever heard of. They speak english in what?
Riley: What?
Rummy: English mother f***er! Do you speak it?
Riley: Yeah.
Rummy: So you understand the words I'm saying to you!
Riley: Yeah.
Rummy: Well what I'm saying is that there are known known and known unknown. But there are also unknown things that we don't know that we know.
Riley: What?
Rummy: Say what again! Say what again, mother f***er! I dare you! I double dare you! Say what one more time!
6. The Story Of Gangstalicious - 10/10 - Riley learns that his favorite gangsta rapper isn't really a 'gangsta'...Definately one of the best episodes, and we can all learn a little lesson from this about CERTAIN rappers
Quoatable: Grandad: What's Thuggin' love? Is that when you're makin' love to your woman and right before that "special moment", you beat her in the head, grab her by the throat, and throw her down the stairs?
7. A Huey Freeman Christmas - 9.5/10 - Riley tries to kill Santa, and Huey puts on the school christmas play, which he has titled 'The Adventures Of Black Jesus'. VERY Funny episode, featuring Quincy Jones as himself.
Quotable: Riley (writing a letter to Santa):
Dear Santa,
You are a b**** n****--no wait... (erases the line)
Dear Santa,
You are a b**** ass n****. I heard the mall is hiring extra Security to protect you. That's a b**** move, Santa. I'm coming for that ass again untill YOU PAY what you OWE!
Sincurly Yours,
The Santa Stalker
8. The Real - 9/10 - The whole episode is a spoof on reality shows (Pimp My Ride, The Real World, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, etc.), and Huey is paranoid that a government agent is following him. Another great episode, featuring Xzibit as himself.
Quoatable: Grandad: So you're saying that the car stops, but the rims keep spinning? That's amazing!
9. Return Of The King - 9.5/10 - Dr. Matin Luther King Jr. comes out of a coma to discover how much things have changed after 30 years. This episode really has a great message, and it's a shame to me that Al Sharpton was so against it. If you actually paid attention to the episode, it wasnt offensive to MLK in ANY way.
Quotable: Dr. King: Oh, snap. No, they didn't. A boneless rib sandwich. What will they think of next? I know I shouldn't eat these. But they're for a limited time only.
10. The Itis - 10/10 - Grandad gets his own soul food restaurant, but the customers get addicted. This is another one of my favorite episodes.
Quotable: Riley: Whoa. This is what crack must feel like.
11. Let's Nab Oprah - 9/10 - The return of Ed III and Gin Rummy. Not as good as 'A Date With The Health Inspector', but still great.
Quotable: Huey: (narrating) Ed and Rummy kidnapped Bill Cosby... But, he was really annoying. So they put him back 15 minutes later.
12. Riley Wuz Here - 9/10 - Great episode, about graffiti, art and expression, with Huey experimenting on the effect of black television. The art teacher character is more than a bit weird...but I loved the message, and the ending of the episode.
Quotable: Riley: Don't tell Grandad I left.
Huey: (blankly staring at BET) We got any grape soda?
Riley: ...N****, you stupid.
13. Wingmen - 9/10 - Has a great message about friendship, companionship, and love. Not to mention, its very funny.
Quotable: Grandad: Huey, say something deep.
Huey: Huh?
Grandad: I ain't got all day, boy. Be deep
14. The Block Is Hot - The only Boondocks episode I didnt get to see...I'll update the review with feedback on it when I get the DVD (or catch the episode on adult swim)
15. Passion Of The Ruckus - 9/10 - Ruckus becomes a reverend, spreading the word of white jesus. This was a great episode to end the season with, and had a great ending...Can't wait for season 2
Quotable: Grandad: "You aint a Jehova Witness now, are you? 'Cause I'm in the Jehova Witness Protection Program.
The biggest problem I had with the show was that it didn't include maybe my favorite character from the comics, Caesar. Caesar becomes Huey's best friend when he moves to Woodcrest in the comics, and he's featured in most of the Boondocks comic strips. I figure (and hope) Caesar will be introduced next season, but thats pretty much the only beef I could find with this show. I'll be sure to pick this up the day it's released, and I would highly reccomend you do the same.
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48 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Greatest TV show?, April 12, 2006
This show BLEW me away when it came on earlier this year. I'd heard of, but not read, the comic strip...but I had no idea really how incindiary, topical, scathing, and brilliant this show was going to be. I thought "oh gee...another attempt to bring a little comic strip to TV." I should have detected brilliance when the show was knocked from BET to Adult Swim (Catoon Network...the only channel with BALLS big enough to air something like this).
Like the dearly departed "Chappelle Show," Boondocks is about racism and the culture wars in modern America. It attacks stereotypes (of both whites and blacks)...but evern better, the show also attacks reality. The best example of this would be the infamous "Dr. King" episode, in which in an alternate timeline, we see what would happen if the famous civil rights champion had not died but merely been placed into a coma. When King wakes up and speaks out against the War in the Middle East he's labeled a "traitor." Brilliant. Some people may miss the irony, and humor, of the show. If you take it at face value, the show is the most racist thing on TV today. However, if you examine the context, and the intent of the creators you'll find that this show speaks volumes on the problems of today's world. The people who work on this show obviously are supremely talented, and have a lot of important things to say. I'm eagerly awaiting the release of this DVD, and the second season.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Free Shabazz K. Milton Berle!, August 4, 2006
If you get this title-you've seen the DVD and KNOW what I'm talking about!
Aaron McGruder's THE BOONDOX has provoked a lot of thought and controversy in the newspaper cartoons-and the animated version is (amazingly) even better!
Huey and Riley & co. tackle some really important issues in Black America with raw, biting social commentary and humor. As was the case with Richard Pryor, I didn't like the repetitive use of the N-word and soem scenes get really graphic (such as the portrayal of the urination scene of the infamous R. Kelly video).
But I wouldn't throw out the baby with the bath on this one. In THE TRIAL OF R.KELLY, Huey and Riley take on the manner in which some Black celebrites (and their lawyers) brainwash the masses into thinking their crimes are really racist persecution rather than their own personal stupidity. Having seen this sickening scenario with Mike Tyson and Marion Barry in the 90s, I wanted to stand up and cheer when Huey told the court R. KELLY AIN'T NO NELSON MANDELA-LET'S HAVE SOME G-----N STANDARDS!" Three cheers and a pumped fist from me Aaron!
The same is true when MLK comes back from a coma and curses out some fools acting like a BET video come to life. "DID I GET KILLED FOR THIS!?" Bill Cosby would love it (I know I do)!
Black self-hatred is viciously lampooned with the Uncle Ruckus character, who longs for the return of slavery and worships Ronald Reagan and all things white. When the cops shoot him in one episode, he says, "I can't blame y'all for doing your job."
Ed Asner plays a corrupt (and racist) businessman who cheats little Jazmine out of her lemonade business (among other things). Any Black person who has had to endure patronizing conversation from White liberals will identify with THE GARDEN PARTY.
I would advise skipping the commentary. The creators laugh so much and tell so manyinside jokes that we get very little insight at all. But that can easily be skipped. The DELETED SCENES (especially the Rosa Parks-fried chicken gag) would give Al Sharpton a fit and I can see why that was never aired.
The humor and satire is rough and raw. It takes a lot of familiarity with African-American culture and pop culture in general to "get" a lot of this (such as the biz about a Black Panther named "Shabazz K. Milton Berle" that I mention in my title). I would not let the kiddies near this one. But even when I disagree with Aaron McGruder, I think that he is using this medium to say a lot of important things that need to be said.
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