The third season of stop-motion sketch comedy “Robot Chicken” sees its release on DVD today in a two-disc set featuring 20 episodes of sidesplitting laughs and absurdity.
As with each season’s DVD box set, the episodes aren’t played in order of airdate, but that’s probably for the best. While each installment features at least one or two moments of exceptional – if often crude and deliciously offensive – humor, taken as a whole, some are certainly better than others. The rearrangement of episodes by order of production results in a case of the show’s creators putting their best foot forward for the most part.
Besides, if “Tubba-Bubba’s Now Hubba-Bubba” aired 15th instead of second, you’d have to wait until nearly the end to see Bob Barker of “The Price is Right” turn into a canine-neutering vigilante, bringing him into Hong Kong martial arts-inspired conflict with Snoop Dogg.
You’d also wait far too long to see the show’s writers simultaneously proving beyond question their geekiness and genius with a skit about the relationship problems of the host of the old kids game show, “Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?” In this ridiculous, yet hilarious – or should it be hilariously ridiculous? – skit, the show’s host asks the contestants such questions as “What year did that ----ing ----- ruin my life? Don’t know? Trick question! She ruined three ----ing years of my life!” (unlike this article, the DVD isn’t censored).
There’d also be an inordinate wait to see the lengthy assembly transformations Japanese super robot Voltron goes through lead to its logical end for once: He arrives too late to do anything but strike a cool pose, the people he was supposed to rescue already massacred by a Robeast.
In the first episode of the set, fans of the old “Transformers” cartoon will find an in-joke for them to enjoy as well. Disguising himself as a boombox while on a mission to steal a death ray for Megatron, Soundwave of the Decepticons draws more attention than he probably would have if he just turned into something like a chair. He soon finds himself up for sale on eBay and the Decepticons have to spend $500 to get him back.
Best of all is the third episode, “Rabbits on a Roller Coaster,” a random assortment of the most random skits in all of season 3. You’d need a Ph.D. in geekdom to get all the references, but even without it, you’ll have a hell of a time. Everything from “Turbo Teen” (look it up) and the “M.A.S.K.” cartoon of the mid-80s to “Dick Tracy” – proving he lives up to his name – and “Charlotte’s Web” are lampooned.
The first few episodes are probably where you’ll find the most laughs, though later features are not without their gems. Takes on “Zelda,” “He-Man,” “G.I. Joe” and “Beetlejuice” had me close to crying with mirth, and the epic “300” being relocated to colonial times as “1776” with an American Revolution setting is nothing short of brilliant.
Speaking of “300,” episode 11 – the best offering of disc two, and among the best episodes of the season – provides one of the more simple, yet most enjoyable parodies of all. King Leonidas, forever to be remembered in pop culture for shouting, “This ... is ... Sparta!” before kicking a man into a pit is reimagined as making the same sort of emphatic declaration about everything from a show on TV not being funny to introducing his wife (“This ... is ... Martha!”) at a formal social. In each case, some unfortunate object or individual receives the subsequent kick.
Overall, season three stands strong beside the previous two. The creativity and sense of humor displayed by the show’s writers has yet to show signs of waning. Offerings from these episodes promise good things to come in season four, scheduled to begin on Dec. 7. And if you can’t wait that long, “Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II” airs Nov. 16.
Extras added for the boxed release include the standard episode commentaries, storyboards for unused skits, a gag reel, deleted scenes, production vlogs, visual effects before-and-after comparisons, and a tour of the “Robot Chicken” studio hosted by co-creator Seth Green.
Some of these aren’t particularly interesting, truth be told. The gag reel and visual effects segments could have been lost without it feeling like a loss, and were probably just included as padding. Beyond satisfying basic curiosity, even the deleted scenes won’t do much for you beyond instilling an appreciation that the editing process exists for a reason.
The unused storyboards, however, are some great stuff, featuring entire skits that weren’t animated. You still get to see them played out one panel at a time with voice-overs though; and even unanimated, several of them are great. It’s very unfortunate that these were cut for time.
The studio tour and commentaries are also worth a look and a listen.
Whether you’re a fan of past seasons of “Robot Chicken” or just someone who enjoys parodies of pop culture, for comedy that’s guaranteed to make you laugh, this DVD set is worth your attention.
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