 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
- Cartoon Network
- Genre: Comedy
Common Sense Media says
Oddball humor is OK for teens ... but is it funny?
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the members of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force don't really have much contact with water (except for their neighbor's pool), aren't really teens, and are occasionally hungry but rarely exhibit much force. Mostly, they're shown hanging around their house, which looks more like a bombed-out crack den, and getting involved in side schemes that never turn out well. They sling insults at each other, don't hold steady jobs, and apparently live off welfare. And to top it all off, they're junk food personified.
What's the story?
AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE, the longest-running original series in Cartoon Network's late-night block, flies in the face of conventional comedy, Who would've thought that a milkshake, a meatball, and a container of fries could become rulers of their own cult domain? The show follows this trio of edible friends, who are supposed to be detectives but really aren't: Master Shake, a megalomaniacal milkshake (voiced by Dana Snyder); Frylock, a cerebral box of French fries (Carey Means); and Meatwad, a mild-mannered ball of ground beef (Dave Willis). The story lines are as absurd as the characters; for example, there's the time that Frylock decided to join a mountain biking club, never mind that as a levitating box of fries, Frylock has no legs and can't really ride a bike.
Is it any good?
Some parents might wonder why this show is funny at all, since it really doesn't make any sense. But maybe the randomness is part of its charm. As a programming choice for kids, ATHF isn't the best. After all, the language is loose, the story lines nonsensical, and the Aqua Teens' next-door neighbor, Carl (also voiced by Willis), is probably one of the worst role models on TV. That said, Frylock serves as an oddly comforting father figure whose passion for science and technology sets a positive example for younger viewers. Meatwad, too, usually displays some sense of moral outrage, though it rarely shields him from Master Shake's schemes.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether a cartoon really needs a plot to be funny. (Based on Aqua Teen Hunger Force's popularity, apparently not.) The show also prompts questions about group dynamics among friends with distinct personalities. Why do some people become leaders who get to tell everyone else what to do -- and why do others become followers who get mercilessly pushed around? How many bad decisions does a person have to make before being ousted by disgruntled friends?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Hilarious show is completely over the top
Great show. Hilarious. But this review needs to be changed. In its early seasons, this show was fine for 10+ year olds. Now it has turned into a racist, sexist, cussing, drug filled show that at times rivals or even surpasses the likes of South Park in terms of inappropriate content.
One episode involves a dog named Hand Banana repeatedly raping a character on screen. It is very funny the way it is portrayed, but that is the problem. It portrays rape as a funny thing.
Another episode called "D*ckesode" uses the word d*ck 53 times in 10 minutes, shows millions of (poorly censored) severed penises, a large amount of blood, and a character who looks like a giant penis.
Yet another disturbingly nasty episode involves a character microwaving cats to the point where they explode, with guts and blood everywhere. Also, a character eats feces on screen, and everybody dies at the end of the episode.
The last episode I will write about is the most disgusting and inappropriate episode of ANY cartoon I have ever seen. This episode is called "Rubberman". In this episode, a duck is made out of used condoms and syringes, and brought to life. Rubberman (as he is called) is a horrible role model, and encourages Meatwad to smoke crack and kill homeless people for money. A character has his genitals bitten off on screen by a killer whale, crack is bought and smoked multiple times, Meatwad eats the contents of a used condom, a drug dealer is executed, a policeman is maimed and killed brutally, and a character has his arms cut off with a hacksaw. All this in a 10 minute show that is supposedly fine for young teens.
Please change this review CommonSense, because this show is becoming the new South Park.
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AGE
The best, but not for little kids.
The best show by far. It's not for little kids though. There's quite a bit of bloody violence. Frylock and Meatwad are good role models, but it's safe to say Carl and Shake are pretty evil (but funny).
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Kid, 11 years old
October 4, 2010
AGE
Iffy for my age and up. Show is very good, but watch out for seasons 4+. Seasons 1-2 are possibly 9+, season 3 for 10+, seasons 5-7, 14+.
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AGE
Not Much Redeeming Value, But Amusing
I pretty much grew up watching this show. It was obviously inspired by a cannabis-fueled attack of the munchies and is a big hit with the stoner crowd. However, unlike certain Adult Swim shows ("Tim and Eric", for example), you don't HAVE to be under the influence of anything to enjoy it. But, once again, Common Sense clearly only watched the first few episodes for their review. The show starts off pretty tame in the first season, but progressively gets more and more violent and crass. I really don't understand why the creators felt it was necessary, as it feels like they're just being vulgar for the sake of being vulgar. There's really no point to it. Aqua Teen Hunger Force used to be a funny and enjoyable show, but it's gone way downhill recently. Episodes have shown a dog violently raping a man (this is the focus of the entire episode), limbs chopped off in graphic detail, various forms of mutilation with copious gore, very crude sex references, and so forth. Two episodes ("Reedickyoulus" and "Rubberman") are rated TV-MA-V, and the plots of these episodes are so over-the-top and obscene that I could not possibly describe them here without getting banned. Be warned. Some episodes are very tame, while others are extreme.
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AGE
Depends on season.
OK, the first couple of seasons are definately OK for tweens and teens. These next seasons are not ok for tweens, and not early teens. They got very mature and more surreal during the later seasons. Don't let your younger kids watch new seasons just old ones.
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Kid, 12 years old
December 20, 2010
AGE
great show, but anything but perfect
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AGE
It's so inappropriate, its for teens of ages 13 and older only!!
Okay, I would not recommend that children under 12 are not allow to see this show at all, it may show several sexual situations that these characters are doing something that they shouldn't be doing on television somewhat. There are alot of bad language, lots of violence in the show, cause these guys couldn't even control their anger managements, or don't know how to use their good emotions for some reason. And wow, so many terrible role models in this bad show... weh, I think thats what I saw in this show I guess.
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Kid, 12 years old
May 20, 2010
AGE
Language: Calling like food a "H*" is used
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | Cartoon Network |
| Cast: | Carey Means, Dana Snyder, Dave Willis |
| Genre: | Comedy |
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