Last weekend’s “special” live action finale of Aqua Teen Hunger Force revealed that our anti-heroes are in fact characters in a story by Don Shake, a talentless writer played by H. Jon Benjamin.
Desperate to finish & sell his story before his roommate Frylock (T-Pain) throws him out, Shake lets Meatwad (who is now a red exercise ball) ghostwrite for him before ultimately taking advice from Carl (look-alike contest winner David Long Jr.) to add some “boobs & lesbos.” The story ends with trio moving out and Shake telling Carl, “goodbye… forever.”
While the animated portions were funny, the only thing watchable about the live action scenes was David Long’s spot on portrayal of Carl. Even the inanimate exercise ball gave a better performance than the supposed pros Benjamin & T-Pain, whose sedate acting was the polar opposite of their characters. Perhaps that’s why Benjamin is appropriately credited under the pseudonym Capt Turd Mahoy. Even the shows creators were disappointed, saying they “were very close to posting the whole thing on YouTube… We did seriously consider it as the last ATHF ever.”
Despite the lackluster finish Adult Swim has renewed the show. Thank god because I’d hate to see it go out like that. Still the question remains will Carl be in the next season? Now granted ATHF is rarely sequitur. Characters often die in one episode only to reappear in the next with no explanation. But instead why not pick up the next season right where they left. As Carl waves goodbye (with his middle finger), Shake hits the the brakes and proceeds to move into the house to the left of Carl’s. I can hear Carl cursing already, or at least the fart sounds that will cover it up.
