rectangle It’s an interesting idea for a show launch. It’s not common to turn the term “nuclear family” into a plot point, except as a villain or a piece of satire. It originally aired on the WB and was later picked up by Adult Swim because it was too controversial.
The comedy is fair throughout, with funny man Will Ferrell voicing the main character, Bob, and other family members, voiced by talented voice-over artists. Like many shows launched in the early to mid-2000s, it pushed the boundaries of comedy. There are some genuinely funny moments and also moments that make this show unwatchable.
dwarves throw
In the first episode, Bob and Pickles, driven by the need for a second job, vent their concerns at a local bar. After trying to escape a fight, Bob is actually thrown into a new game called “Dwarf Toss”. The object is to get rid of as many villains as possible to win money.
The obvious problem is that the idea of throwing people based on their height is a major no-no. The issue is compounded when the episode’s minor characters do the talking. The voice they use, all the same voice, with a mocking tone.To add even more insults, they did a weird rendition of the song from Munchkin The Wizard of Oz.
Maori warrior waiter
Bob and his family go out to dinner and meet a man with tattoos, which is like dad talking loudly at dinner. Bob, illogically, saw the man and whispered to Pickles that the waiter was a Maori warrior. In case you didn’t know, Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand.
Then he went on to do the slow talk that ignorant people do to people they don’t think speak English, even mooing to describe a cow. While Biff and Chip are taken aback, the scene lasts too long.
Lesbian Jokes: Straight People
one of the biggest mistakes rectangle is its use of queer characters. In the episode “Pickles and the Baby Amazons,” we are introduced to the nest mother of the baby Amazons. She’s a gay character, and the first thing that comes out of her mouth is a comment about Pickles. Although Pickles declined the offer, the character did much more throughout the episode.
The worst joke is that after Pickles takes charge of the group, Den Mom says, “Oh yeah, boss, I’m Butch.” Plus this overly queer character is added as Den Mom itself A sarcastic joke, her language is neither comic nor clever. It was forced beyond the shock value for no reason.
fat girl walking
Not necessarily a joke, but the collection of jokes about Helga being fat is tasteless and boring in a way. It’s hard to find a TV show that hasn’t told a fat joke, and fat jokes are more accepted in the cultural zeitgeist than most other bias jokes. However, the way these jokes are used does make them in bad taste.
While Helga’s weight was the butt of many jokes, one episode throughout the season was “Flush, Flush, Sweet Helga.” They say a comedy threesome, but take it too far and it’s a joke. This would explain why repeated use of the phrase “poor fat little girl” results in a poor script. If half the dialogue in an episode is the repetition of a phrase, it stops being a joke and becomes jarring.
third world
In the episode “My Name Is Robbie”, the Holland family takes a vacation to the factory’s playground. All the rides are based on company jokes, such as the dripping log ride. One of the rides is “It’s the Third World,” a parody of “It’s a Small World.”
The parody version includes several child labor parts and is considered animatronic. It was later learned that they were the real behind-the-scenes children. Additionally, above each section is a country name corresponding to an Asian country, including China, Vietnam, and Thailand. Add to that the song, which is done with a fake accent, and the whole thing wouldn’t go on without some type of welcome drag.
Intertemporal
As mentioned, the representation of the queer characters leaves a lot to be desired. One of the recurring characters is Anita Bidet, a trans woman. While she also has some stark character moments, most of them are about how unfeminine she is.
Starting with the character design, she’s the hairiest character on the show, and it’s done for no other reason than to poke fun at the idea of men dressing up as men. She also stuffs her bra with oranges, which is a weird cutaway gag in the episode. From her introduction to the end, she’s a visual gag, and it’s pretty bad.
foul language mayor
While not exactly a slur, the language used by the mayor is highly offensive, especially in the episode “Get Off My Back”. The mayor makes some offhand remarks when announcing Chip, Biff, and Milo for the triathlon.
The first thing he screams is that the contestants are a bunch of “sugar-ass Nancy boys” who simply can’t fight him. This screams toxic masculinity, but in this episode he also screams “move it, pussy,” which was censored on TV if it was any indication of how bad things were already at the time.
german slur
A character is introduced earlier in town who owns a store called A to Zed. The British character has some really funny moments, like the time he tells himself he’ll never get used to life here and then drives the wrong way. It’s a simple, comedic, and effective body joke.
However, in the episode “The Golden Boy”, there is a joke told to him that is no longer funny humor, but rather mean. As the British man explained his energy drink to Milo and friends, another customer walked up and said: “Go back to France, you stupid pickle.” The obvious problem with using racial slurs is bad enough, But when expressed as harshly as this character, there’s no laughing matter.
heart obedience motivation opportunity
As if the normality of queer characters wasn’t bad enough, the show also coded Chip Oblong as gay. A lot of the time, that’s going to happen, but he’s turned out to be extremely aggressive, mirroring the toxic version of the cabinet.
Many of the moments often include school athletic coaches as well. In a scene that has no bearing on any plot details other than Chip’s homosexuality, Milo reads from his journal. It said he wanted to stare at the coach’s ass all day, hoping to see it. Even the title is one of those moments where Chip yells at Beth as she writes down the spelling.
Creep coefficient at 1000
rectangle Truly a product of its time, nothing is clearer than several inappropriate touches and hints of sexual assault. While it doesn’t happen as often as some other shows, there’s still a lot to see.
In one scene, when the family’s house is expropriated by the government, the sheriff claims the land soon, then grabs Pickles’ ass to claim it again. Towards the end of the first episode, Pickles is attacked at a bar she frequents because a man won’t take rejection. There’s also a one-off joke in which one of Milo’s friends, Mickey, is knocked out and taken away by a homeless man.