Early Frontrunner for Short Form Dramatic Presentation Hugo

[womzilla]

The ninth episode of The Boondocks, entitled "The Return of the King", is a stunning alternate-history comedy. It was first aired on January 15, and will be rebroadcast twice this coming weekend on Cartoon Network (once on Saturday evening and again early Sunday morning). Best episode of the series so far, by far.

Comments

[drelmo.livejournal.com]

It certainly had some sharp writing. The end line, in particular, sewed it all up in a bow. I could probably generate some quibbles; I am a Curmudgeon after all, but it was a fine episode.

I have a vague inkling that I like the R. Kelly episode better. It was certainly more clumsily written, but I think there's probably more room for that kind of episode to say something. Contrasting Golden Age to modern age is not uncommon; in fact, swap JFK for MLK and I'm pretty sure I've read the story before plus a couple of variations. But there's less contemporary minority criticism that can communicate with the majority.

To clarify, because I suspect that I'm leaving a lot of thought out, what I mean is that at its heart, the MLK episode had little to do with "contemporary black culture" beyond saying that it sucks, but the R. Kelly episode had everything to do with "contemporary black culture".

But, y'know, I'm arguing whether Lincoln or Washington was a better leader. McGruder's show has been uneven, but he's hitting the peaks.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

I thought the episode was amazing. Particularly a) the Rosa Parks scene, that was just silly and amusing, b) how MLK got branded a terrorist-lover in the alternate 9/11, and c) the ending.

Rock on, McGruder.

[shelleybear.livejournal.com]

Well, I really need to see this.
The way people are talking it might even surpass the late great Ossie Davis performance as John F. "Jack" Kennedy in Bubba Ho-tep.

[barondave.livejournal.com]

I think it just missed the kind of hilarious political satire proffered by the Smothers Brothers, Dinosaurs and others... but it didn't miss by much. Having to wedge it in as an episode of The Boondocks helped (in that few of the characters were re-introduced so it went faster) and hurt (in that it wasn't really about any of the regular characters and some of those sequences felt forced).

Still, a brave and brilliant episode. Bill Cosby's curmudgeon rants failed to shame black culture into self-examination; Aaron McGruder just might accomplish Dr. C's goal with laughter. Which I find amusing in it's own right.