"The Boondocks" (2005) TV series 2005-????

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Creator:

Aaron McGruder

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

6 November 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy

Plot:

Based on the comic strip, Huey and Riley move away from the city and out to the suburbs with their irascible grandfather. Biting socio-political commentary ensues.

Plot Keywords:

Adult Humor | Radicalism | Interracial Relationship | Racial Stereotype | Racism

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 11	11:30 PM	TOON	Riley Wuz Here	#1.12
Sat. July 18	11:30 PM	TOON	The Block Is Hot	#1.14

Cast

Regina King	...	Huey Freeman / ... (31 episodes, 2005-2008)
John Witherspoon	...	Robert 'Granddad' Freeman / ... (29 episodes, 2005-2008)
Gary Anthony Williams	...	Uncle Ruckus / ... (29 episodes, 2005-2008)
Cedric Yarbrough	...	Tom Dubois / ... (28 episodes, 2005-2008)
Jill Talley	...	Sarah Dubois / ... (28 episodes, 2005-2008)
Gabby Soleil	...	Jazmine Dubois (28 episodes, 2005-2008)

Runtime:

20 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Canada:18+ (tv rating) | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (DVD rating) | UK:18 | Argentina:18

Company:

Adelaide Productions

Trivia:

Although Reginald Hudlin helped develop the series, his involvement with the show ended in July 2005 (four months before its premiere) when he was named President of Entertainment for the B.E.T (Black Entertainment Television) network (the very channel that he and McGruder have often lampooned). 'RZA', Ja Rule and Brandy Norwood are among the actors who auditioned for the show.

Quotes:

Huey Freeman: [while shooting at each other with BB guns] Why does it always have to end up like this?
Riley Freeman: Cause you's a bitch.

Soundtrack:

The Boondocks Theme

A biting, Leftist commentary on society

Aaron McGruder is an admitted militant liberal, and his comic strip has provided quite an insight into his world view on politics and the lack of political tactfulness. But the television show has effectively upped up the ante, making even starker commentary on society and the racist ills that have fallen on it.

Some may attack McGruder for attacking African American culture by using the profane language and in his depiction of Riley, but what he has effectively provided is a sensible argument toward the ills of all cultural settings. He's effectively illustrating what people EXPECT from black culture.

McGruder has always been very critical of the "hip-hop" culture, calling it feminine and useless. In my opinion, McGruder's commentary is almost as powerful as Spike Lee's "Bamboozled," where he basically states hip-hop culture is just another form of black-face to entertain suburban white people. While the television seems to border more along the lines of cultural inequities and absurdities as opposed to the full-on political commentary of the strip, he still hammers home a lot of good points. Years from now, people will look at this show as a daring look at junk cultural paradigms and laugh at the absurdity of it all.