“Jesus is black, Ronald Reagan is the devil, and the government is lying to you about 9/11.”
The controversial, but funny, series that was a hit on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim makes it onto DVD in this uncut and uncensored set.
I’ll have to admit that I’ve never seen the Boondocks on Cartoon Network. So I’m not sure exactly how censored they are on there, but I can imagine that it’s quite a lot. I have a vague familiarity with the comic strip and know that it’s a controversial one.
Strip creator Aaron McGruder decided to bring his strip to television with all the controversy intact, no softening here. The shows is not afraid to use the “N” word, throw a chicken leg at Rosa Parks, or have one of its funniest characters be the black man who hates blacks. Granddad Robert Freeman (voiced by John Witherspoon) becomes legal guardians of his two grandsons, Huey and Riley (both voiced by Regina King).
Huey is a miniature leftist revolutionary and Riley is a mini-gangsta. Granddad decides to move from the tough south side of Chicago to the lily white, upscale suburb of Woodcrest. Tom Dubois (Cedric Yarbrough) is a their light skinned black District Attorney neighbor whose married to a white woman and has a half and half daughter Jazmine (Gabby Soleil). They’re also visited by the hilarious Uncle Ruckus (Gary Anthony Williams) who is a black man who wishes for the days of Jim Crow to return since he hates his own race.
Episode 1: The Garden Party: Granddad is invited to the garden party of the rich Ed Wuncler (Ed Asner). Granddad is sure that the boys will embarrass him and have them ostracized. Huey is planning to lay some “truth” on the wealthy whites, but it doesn’t work out has he plans.
Episode 2: The Trial of Robert Kelly: Rapper R. Kelly is accused of urinating on an underage girl. However, Riley believes that he’s innocent because he just wants the new R. Kelly album. Adam West guest voices as R. Kelly’s attorney.
Colonel Stinkmeaner itchin' to fight Granddad
Episode 3: Guess Hoe’s Coming to Dinner: Granddad gets a new buxom, beautiful girlfriend. The problem is that she’s a hoe! The boys try and convince him of this but he’s too much in love to see it.
Episode 4: Granddad’s Fight: Granddad is beaten up the blind Colonel Stinkmeaner and he wants revenge.
Episode 5: A Date with the Health Inspector: Tom is accused of being the X-Box Killer and is going to be sent to jail. Did I mention that Tom has a phobia of going to jail and being “anally raped?”
Episode 6: The Story of Gangstalicious: Riley’s favorite rapper is shot and hospitalized in Woodcrest. Riley sneaks out of the house to visit him and gets more involved when the thugs return to finish the job. Mos Def guest voices as Gangstalicious.
Episode 7: A Huey Freeman Christmas: A liberal teacher (Judge Reinhold) gives Huey full creative control over the Christmas pageant. So Huey decides to bring “The Adventures of Black Jesus” to the stage. Quincy Jones guest voices.
Episode 8: The Real: Riley convinces Granddad to pretend to be blind and running a homeless shelter to get free makeovers from “Pimp my Ride” and a home makeover show. Meanwhile Huey is being followed by a white CIA agent (John C. McGinley). Rapper Xzibit guest voices.
Episode 9: Return of the King: Martin Luther King, Jr. (Kevin Michael Richardson) was not killed but has been in a 32 year coma. He comes out of his coma but his “turn the other cheek” philosophy regarding 9/11 makes the nation think that he’s a terrorist sympathizer.
Episode 10: The It-is: Granddad opens a soul food restaurant in Woodcrest and his greasy concoctions become just as addicting as crack to the lily white residents.
Episode 11: Let’s Nab Oprah: Riley, white- rapper wanna-be Ed Wuncler III (Charles Q. Murphy), and the equally white Gin Rummy (Samuel L. Jackson) hatch a plot to kidnap Oprah – and control the world!
Episode 12: Riley Wuz Here: Riley is spray painting graffiti over the neighborhood so Granddad takes him to an art teacher to make sure his art is on paper and not on people’s houses. However, the art teacher (Rob Paulsen) is a psycho war vet who encourages Riley to spray paint people’s houses.
The Garden Party
Episode 13: Wingmen: Moe “Mo Gunz” Jackson (Mike Epps), an old war buddy and rival of Granddad’s, dies and wants Granddad to deliver his eulogy. They return to Chicago and both Granddad and Huey have to faces some past issues.
Episode 14: The Block is Hot: There’s a heat wave in Woodcrest and Jazmine opens a lemonade stand. That is until the villainous tycoon Ed Wuncler initiates a corporate takeover.
Episode 15: The Passion of Reverend Ruckus: Uncle Ruckus is dying of cancer but he has a vision of the white heaven and white Jesus and goes forth to preach the word that hating the black skin will get you into white heaven. Meanwhile, Huey is trying to get a black revolutionary off of death row.
Nothing is safe from the all seeing satirical eye of the Boondocks. No sacred cows here – hence the funning of black icons like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. The Boondocks makes its points with a heavy dose of humor, which makes them more palatable. I thought the show was hilarious. I especially liked the deranged character of Uncle Ruckus, who I might guess is the most popular creation from the show. However, if you’re easily offended you might want to stay away from the Boondocks.
The Boondocks is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) and enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include a video and audio commentary on “The Garden Party” and the “Trial of Robert Kelly” by McGruder and crew. The show is split screened with one screen showing the participants of the commentary.
There are also crew commentaries on “Granddad’s Fight”, “The Story of Gangstalicious”, and “Return of the King” - though these are just traditional audio commentaries. Uncle Ruckus also contributes commentaries to “Granddad’s Fight” and “Return of the King.”
No I won't get there with you, I'm going to Canada
There is also a 20 minute behind the scenes featurette that is a conversation with Aaron McGruder. However, you also get to see Regina King, John Witherspoon, Gary Anthony Williams, Cedric Yarbrough, and Gabby Soleil doing their vocal work. There are also three deleted scenes. “Rosa Parks and the Flying Chicken Leg (50 seconds)”, “Granddad’s Daydream (1 minute)”, and “Scare Nigg* (1 minute 50 seconds).”
Next are 9 minutes of Animatics (think moving storyboards) and 3 minutes of unaired promo commercials. Finally there are some printable storyboards and previews of other Sony DVDs.
I’m a honkey, but I found Boondocks quite funny. If you’re not easily offended then you might want to give it a try. If you are offended, then in the immortal words of Martin Luther King, Jr. “I’m going to Canada.”
The Boondocks - The Complete First Season is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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