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  • ‘Smiling Friends’ just gave us the perfect ‘The Simpsons’ parody | The Mary Sue

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    The Simpsons is nothing short of a cultural institution. The animated series has been entertaining people, contributing to the cultural lexicon, and accidentally predicting the future for decades. Hell, the current season of Fortnite illustrates just how much lore can be found in Springfield.

    And yet, you don’t have to look far to find valid criticisms of the show and its more recent seasons. With members of the voice cast retiring or passing away, and certain pop culture references being a bit too on the nose, some fans have argued that the show is well past its heyday. That argument just made its way, in a goofy and fitting way, onto the third season of Smiling Friends.

    The most recent episode of the Adult Swim series, titled “Squim Returns”, opens with a glimpse at the company’s break room TV. It shows a radioactive green cartoon family, crudely-drawn but still clearly meant to look like The Simpsons, crowded around a maroon couch. As fake Lisa stands silently while holding an anti-fascism protest sign, fake Marge asks her son “Blart” what he’s doing on his “confounded computer tablet device.” Blart then responds with “Hawk tuah, man!”, before fake Homer clips into frame and eats him whole. Smiling Friends‘ Pim watches on, chuckling to himself that “after 487 seasons, they’ve still got it.”

    The entire sequence is barely fifteen seconds long, but it manages to say so much about The Simpsons in such a short span of time. The character designs are just different enough to work as parody… and, honestly, look akin to the family’s original designs when they appeared on The Tracy Ullman Show in the 1980s. (If you look closely, you can also spot Smiling Friends co-creator Michael Cusack’s initials hidden in fake Homer’s ears, not unlike how real Homer has Matt Groenig’s initials.) And the “jokes”, down to clunkily modernizing Bart’s “don’t have a cow, man” catchphrase, feel like an escalation of how some people feel about the show’s current brand of humor.

    Ay, carumba!

    In between crafting its own bizarre tapestry of lore and referencing cult-classic Internet lore, Smiling Friends is no stranger to the occasional pop culture parody. There are countless background gags — fake movie posters, knockoff Funko pops, and character names — that poke fun at things. Hell, a puppet version of Jesse Ventura just played a pivotal role in an episode from a few weeks ago.

    But Smiling Friends‘ references to The Simpsons have always hit different. In addition to this opening parody, the show briefly introduced its own character named Marge Simpson, and also portrayed a rambunctious kid earlier this season as very Bart-shaped. It doesn’t help that The Simpsons also parodied Smiling Friends earlier this year, having Bart shift away from The Itchy & Scratchy Show in favor of a new cartoon called Screaming Friends.

    In an interview with USA Today earlier this year, Cusack and co-creator Zach Handel said it was “surreal” to be referenced by The Simpsons, especially given the impact it had on both of their comedic sensibilities. So, it’s safe to assume that this opening to “Squim Returns” might not be the start of an all-out war between the two shows… but it still is a pretty accurate parody of how The Simpsons has evolved lately.

    (featured image: FOX)

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    Jenna Anderson

    Jenna Anderson is the host of the Go Read Some Comics YouTube channel, as well as one of the hosts of the Phase Hero podcast. She has been writing professionally since 2017, but has been loving pop culture (and especially superhero comics) for her entire life. You can usually find her drinking a large iced coffee from Dunkin and talking about comics, female characters, and Taylor Swift at any given opportunity.

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    Jenna Anderson

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  • Joe Cappa Never Intended Haha, You Clowns to Be So Wholesome

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    Handsome strong boys.
    Photo: Adult Swim

    A decade of “large adult sons” humor has been building to Haha, You Clowns. The new Adult Swim series from animator Joe Cappa follows a tight-knit family — three big beautiful boys (Preston, Tristan, and Duncan) and their buff dad — as they try to get by after the death of their mother. The show is based on a series of surreal shorts Cappa created for Adult Swim’s Smalls programming block in 2023, which he’s built out into a whole universe in this first season, giving Dad a job as a weatherman, casting June Squibb as Preston’s elderly co-worker, and adding professional pool player Jeannette Lee to the voice cast as a version of herself who lives next door to the boys and offers them sage advice from over the fence.

    Haha, You Clowns takes its animated-comedy ambitions from The Simpsons and story beats from Seventh Heaven and wraps it all in an outsider-art style reminiscent of an older, more experimental era of Adult Swim. Its goofy sweetness is summed up best by the comments section on the first episode, posted to YouTube ahead of the series’ October 19 TV premiere: “I love how giant the boys are and how often everyone cries it’s amazing.” The show’s proud father, Joe Cappa, spoke to Vulture ahead of its premiere.

    Tell me about the process of getting this to air.
    They have a thing called Smalls, where they let up-and-coming artists create shows. A year before my Smalls shorts, I started making short animations on Instagram and papier-mâché head videos, then one of those videos went viral on TikTok. It got to Smalls executive producer Dave Hughes, who asked if I could make a longer papier-mâché head video for Adult Swim and also told me about Smalls. All I had to do was pitch him an idea, and at that time, I was toying around with the idea of three boys who just really love their dad and think their dad is just the coolest. I thought there was something funny there. I learned who these characters were as I was making the shorts.

    What is it about three boys loving their dad that’s funny to you?
    When I made short animations before Adult Swim, people would say that my stuff is so “wholesome.” I never was trying to be wholesome; I just was reacting to a lot of adult animation that felt snarky and cynical — which is great, but I was getting bored of it. So I was just trying to do something different.

    Are there any differences between how you voice the three boys? It’s hard to tell.
    In the Smalls shorts, they all pretty much sound exactly the same. But in the show, I had to differentiate them a little bit. Duncan is a little bit higher and a little bit more innocent, Tristan’s always being a little bit silly, and then Preston’s pretty much [lowers voice] down here. He’s the leader. And the dad is really low. When I’m in the studio recording them, I usually start with Duncan, Tristan, Preston, and then end with Dad once my voice is all gravelly from voicing all day.

    When it was time to turn these little shorts into full-blown episode-length stories, how did you flesh out these characters? They all have the same build. I don’t even know what age they are.
    We don’t know. After all the scripts were turned into Adult Swim, Cam Tang, who runs development, was like, “So, how old are they?” It was so late in the process. I was like, “I don’t know. They’re in high school.” I would say Preston can drive. Duncan doesn’t know how to drive yet. I don’t think we’ll ever see them in any high-school experience or anything like that. They’re young and they love their dad, and that’s what the show’s about.

    There’s nothing quite like this on TV. What are your inspirations?
    In regards to the style, I’ve always thought that high-schoolers’ drawings in art class of celebrities is the funniest aesthetic out there — when it looks like the person’s trying to do a good job, but they’re not really nailing it. There’s a certain type of humor that’s being translated when something looks really polished, and when it’s not so polished, there’s another layer of comedy happening there that I’m trying to play with. As we’re onboarding artists, just so they can kind of understand the sensibilities of the show, we like to say that it’s like a live-action director was given an animated show, and they don’t know how to draw that well, and they have to somehow execute their idea. It’s trying to be sincere, but it’s stumbling along the way and looking a little bit crude.

    In the shorts, the mother’s spirit is a presence. In the show, she’s referenced, but there’s not this feeling of there being a ghost-mom. Why the change?
    I like horror movies where they really keep it subtle and don’t explain too much. For anything that’s paranormal, I think you have to play the long game. To keep a show relevant and interesting over the course of many seasons, you have to play it really slow.

    You share a writing credit with Dave Cappa. Is that your brother?
    Yeah. When we got the green light, they were asking for writers, and I could only think of my brother. I’d say the show is inspired loosely on my dad and my brotherly love with my brother. He lives in England, so it’s been great to have these opportunities to write scripts with him across the Atlantic.

    June Squibb is in the voice cast. How did she get involved with the show?
    I’ve been a big June Squibb fan ever since About Schmidt. Then Thelma came out, and I thought it was so good. I reached out to the director, and I was like, “Man, I would love to get you and Squibb on this show.” Then the people at Adult Swim reached out to June Squibb, and she said yes. I don’t know why she decided to do the show, but she would show up to the studio and do it in one take. She’s really that good. She was perfect for that role.

    I want to go back to people calling your work “wholesome.” I love this show’s depiction of these big straight men who are so sweet and emotionally open.
    I just think they’re very funny characters to write for. The way they see the world and how they interact with one another, I feel like a lot of people can relate to somebody like that in their life. They don’t have self-awareness, in a way, and they don’t seem to care that they might come off cringey. They really just care about being nice people, and from that, you’re going to have wholesome moments where they’re crying to one another.

    I think the dad cries every episode.
    His eyes definitely go red every episode.

    Has your dad seen it?
    I think he’s seen all the animatics. He’s very excited for his sons to be working on a show together and knowing that it’s loosely based on him. He’s very tickled by it all.

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    Rebecca Alter

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  • I’m Ready for More Shonen Anime References in ‘Ninja Kamui’ Episode 12

    I’m Ready for More Shonen Anime References in ‘Ninja Kamui’ Episode 12

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    A clash between Zai and Higan was inevitable in Ninja Kamui, but what we didn’t expect was for Zai to secretly be exactly like Zenitsu from Demon Slayer. Zai is no coward, but tell me he’s not Zenitsu when his secret art is also named “thunderclap.”

    The cherry on top is that Zai can launch attacks at lightning speed the same way Zenitsu does with his signature seventh form of thunderbreathing: thunderclap. If you think Demon Slayer is the only reference here, Higan also unleashed his secret art. I was half expecting him to scream either “domain expansion” from Jujutsu Kaisen or “bankai” from Bleach—he didn’t, but the effects were the same. Higan’s secret art, “serenity,” fine-tunes the body’s senses and enhances physical strength. 

    So we’ve watched 11 episodes of Ninja Kamui and caught not one but three other anime references in a single fight scene. What’s next? Is Yamaji doing a shadow clone jutsu? Who knows, but we’ll be able to watch Ninja Kamui episode 12 on April 28, 2024, on Adult Swim in the U.S. and Channel 4 in the U.K.

    Humor aside, the last episode of Ninja Kamui was a little surprising. Yamaji and AUZA have both turned against each other and are battling it out for world dominance. Only one will be left standing. But, just as Joseph (evil tech CEO) was about to perish, his bodyguard Dilly chose to protect him. Something is going on between the two of them, but it’s one of the few times we see Joseph care about another person beyond himself and his plans to rule the world.

    It’s almost endearing if you try to forget AUZA’s corruption. But if there’s one thing we can take away from all of this, it’s that more ninjas might defect from Yamaji in pursuit of their own principles.

    (featured image: Adult Swim)

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    Vanessa Esguerra

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  • Beth and Summer Have Become Their Own Main Characters in Rick and Morty

    Beth and Summer Have Become Their Own Main Characters in Rick and Morty

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    The show may be called Rick and Morty, but we’re also here for Beth and Summer.

    In the first few seasons of Rick and Morty, the focus tended to be on the two titular characters. Through the seasons, the story has expanded and we’ve seen more of the other family members. Beth (Sarah Chalke) and Summer (Spencer Grammer) in particular have become major parts of the show. Summer is so much more than the basic teen sister/granddaughter. Beth is a complicated woman and mother. With Beth, we also have the bonus character known as Space Beth, a possible clone who kicks butt all over the universe. We sat down with the cast of Rick and Morty season 7 and discussed how great Chalke and Grammer’s characters are.

    Beth and Space Beth’s interesting relationship

    First and foremost, we had to discuss a certain episode from season 6 with Chalke. In episode 3, season 6, “Bethic Twinstinct,” Beth and Space Beth have an affair. But is it even possible to have an affair with yourself, or is it self-care? Chalke voiced both roles and made it sound so convincing. “I loved recording that episode. It was really fun. You really record them as two separate characters so we record all of Beth and then all of Space Beth,” Chalke said. “It was a really fun challenge in general, but in that episode in particular you know, just finding a way to ground the character both in Beth. They’re both Beth but they’re so unique and they’re so different.”

    Chalke explained the logistics of the Beth/Space Beth kissing scene. “The scene where they are seducing each other, I’m in the booth and I’m like you know having to kiss myself and make out with myself.” Voicing two versions of the same character may be a challenge, but Chalke is up for it. “I feel like it’s one of the coolest parts of this show, right? As an actor, you can never predict what’s going to be thrown your way and it’s what keeps the job so fun. I loved every episode of getting to play Space Beth because she’s so much cooler than I am and cooler than Home Beth is.”

    Spencer Grammar in pink sunglasses and a black blazer and sarah chalke in a white shirt and black blazer laugh.
    (Spencer Grammer and Sarah Chalke speak onstage at San Diego Comic-Con 2019. Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for IMDb)

    Summer’s story is just beginning

    Grammer agreed that Summer has changed a lot over the seasons. “I’ve loved the journey from that first season to now has been organic but also been reflective of the time that we’re living in.” She reflected that the world has gone through the #MeToo movement and a global pandemic since the show first began. But Grammer still sees the fun in Summer. “I do it to make people laugh,” Grammer said. “I think Summer’s journey has been great. I love that I get to do great one-liners. I get to be a badass. Things that are a lot harder to do on camera I get to do with my voice.”

    Summer has many more adventures ahead of her. “Well, it would be cool if Summer has a ‘Summer Prime’? Or like what about a Citadel of Summers? Or like an Evil Summer?” Grammer said. “What happens to Summer when she meets the Summer who’s more Summer-y than Summer, you know? Does she get to have a clone? Does she get to have a Space Summer where she’s living her best life? I would love to see her become even more like Rick. I think Summer could go darker and then find her heart again at some point. She hasn’t been married. Not really. She’s just a teenage girl experiencing love and doesn’t believe in it. There’s something apathetic to her character. She doesn’t have that kind of depth that Rick is going through at the moment nor would she in any circumstances because she’s a 17-year-old girl whose brain isn’t fully developed until she’s closer to thirty.”

    We can’t wait to see more of Beth and Summer in seasons to come! Season 7 of Rick and Morty is currently airing on Adult Swim.

    (featured image: Adult Swim)

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    D.R. Medlen

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  • Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 8 Streaming: How to Watch & Stream Online

    Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 8 Streaming: How to Watch & Stream Online

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    If you’re eager to learn where to watch and stream Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 8 online, you’re in the right place. This series follows the intriguing comeback of a sociopathic scientist to his daughter’s residence after a twenty-year absence. He sets up a laboratory in the garage and embarks on exciting intergalactic adventures alongside his grandson.

    Here’s where you will be able to watch Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 8 online.

    Is Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 8 streaming online?

    Yes, you will be able to watch and stream Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 8 on Adult Swim.

    The eighth episode of the seventh season is titled ‘RISE OF THE NUMBERICONS: THE MOVIE’ and is set to be released on December 3, 2023. It remains to be seen how the episode will pan out.

    The ensemble of voice actors includes Chris Parnell as Jerry Smith, Harry Belden as Morty Smith, Ian Cardoni as Rick Sanchez, Spencer Grammer as Summer Smith, Sarah Chalke as Beth Smith and Space Beth, and Tom Kenny providing voices for Gene Gilligan and Squanch “Squanchy,” among others.

    How to watch Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 8 and stream online

    As Rick and Morty Season 7 is available to watch via Adult Swim, you will be able to watch its episodes by signing up.

    You can tune in to Adult Swim via cable service providers to watch the episode on Cartoon Network, airing on Sunday, November 26, 2023. Alternatively, you can view the episode on Hulu+ Live TV and various other streaming platforms that offer access to Adult Swim content. Additionally, Season 7 of Rick and Morty is scheduled to become available on HBO Max and Hulu at some point in 2024.

    The official synopsis for Rick and Morty reads:

    “Rick is a mentally-unbalanced but scientifically gifted old man who has recently reconnected with his family. He spends most of his time involving his young grandson Morty in dangerous, outlandish adventures throughout space and alternate universes. Compounded with Morty’s already unstable family life, these events cause Morty much distress at home and school.”

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    Anubhav Chaudhry

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  • With Roiland Out, Rick And Morty Fans Are ‘Auditioning’ For Season 7

    With Roiland Out, Rick And Morty Fans Are ‘Auditioning’ For Season 7

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    Screenshot: Adult Swim

    Yesterday, the news dropped that Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland had not only been dropped from the hit TV show by Adult Swim, but also that he was resigning from High on Life studio Squanch Games, which he co-founded. This all comes as Roiland faces two felony domestic abuse charges from 2020. Instead of leaving Adult Swim high and dry as it faces the challenge of carrying on Rick and Morty without the man who voiced a great many of its characters, a sizeable chunk of fans took it upon themselves to submit mock audition tapes for the now-vacant roles of Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith.

    Prior to the shitstorm of Justin Roiland news revelations, Roiland voiced a multitude of voices in Rick and Morty and in last year’s Game Pass hit, High on Life. Back in 2018, while Rick and Morty was in its third season, Adult Swim forged a long-term deal with creators Dan Harmon and Roiland for 70 additional new episodes of the adult animated series, according to Deadline. Following yesterday’s news, The Hollywood Reporter has said that Roiland’s voice roles will be re-cast and Dan Harmon will remain the sole showrunner through season 10.

    Like the old adage of uncertainty breeding opportunity, Rick and Morty fans are throwing their hat in the ring by submitting audition tapes for its titular characters. Unlike the “Get Schwifty” episode of Rick and Morty (fuck me for remembering that), candidates by and large aren’t taking the auditions seriously, which is honestly pretty on brand for Roiland’s vocal performances. Here are a couple of standout performances that would make Cromulon nod in approval.

    Now that I’ve sent my editor an email for financial compensation for the emotional damage writing this article has dealt me, I’d like to earmark two alternative solutions for Rick and Morty’s “lack of a lotta voiced roles” situation.

    Twitter user Shinimomi suggested Rick and Morty take a page out of the prolific comedy anime series Pop Team Epic’s book by having random celebrities voice characters every episode. That way Adult Swim can keep things fresh by having a pool of notable actors (preferably those who aren’t alleged sex pests) rotate throughout the show’s next “100 Years.”

    Ian Boudreau, PC Gamer’s senior news writer, suggested the novel idea that the role of Rick should go to Garth Marengi’s Dark Place and What We Do In The Shadows actor Matt Berry. Perfect, no notes. If he’s not available, I know of a certain regular human bartender that goes by the name of Jackie Daytona who’s looking for work.

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    Isaiah Colbert

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  • Justin Roiland dropped from ‘Rick and Morty’ after assault charges come to light – National | Globalnews.ca

    Justin Roiland dropped from ‘Rick and Morty’ after assault charges come to light – National | Globalnews.ca

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    Adult Swim announced it cut ties with Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland after news reports revealed he was facing trial for 2020 domestic violence charges.

    “Adult Swim has ended its association with Justin Roiland,” Adult Swim senior vice-president of communications Marie Moore wrote in a statement Tuesday.

    Rick and Morty is one of Adult Swim’s most popular titles, and Roiland voices both of the titular characters — leaving the future of the show uncertain. Adult Swim green-lit Rick and Morty for a massive 10-season commitment in 2018 and the show just finished its sixth season in December 2022.

    Read more:

    Justin Roiland, voice of Rick and Morty, faces domestic assault charges

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    Two weeks ago, news broke that Roiland, 42, had been charged with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud or deceit in Orange County, Calif. The complainant is an unnamed woman who was Roiland’s girlfriend and living with him at the time.

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    Roiland was charged in May 2020, a few months after police say the incident occurred. He pleaded not guilty.

    The charges didn’t see media coverage at the time. Then, on Jan. 12, Roiland’s case went to a pre-trial hearing, bringing the allegations back into the public eye.

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    In a statement earlier this month, Roiland’s lawyer T. Edward Welbourn said, “not only is Justin innocent but we also have every expectation that this matter is on course to be dismissed once the district attorney’s office has completed its methodical review of the evidence.”

    Roiland is next expected to be in court on April 27.

    According to a post from the animated sitcom’s Twitter page, Rick and Morty will continue without Roiland. Sources told the Hollywood Reporter that Roiland’s roles will be recast and fellow co-creator Dan Harmon will go forward as the lone showrunner. Roiland will remain credited as a co-creator, the sources added.

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    Roiland has also left the video game company he helped co-found, Squanch Games.

    The company wrote on its Twitter page Tuesday: “On January 16, 2023, Squanch games received Justin Roiland’s resignation.”

    On Wednesday, Hulu and 20th Television Animation announced that it had also ended its association with Roiland, in a statement made to Variety. Roiland co-created two animated series for Hulu, Solar Opposites and Koala Man, both of which will continue without his involvement.


    Click to play video: 'Technology is making it harder to escape domestic abuse'


    Technology is making it harder to escape domestic abuse




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    Kathryn Mannie

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  • Adult Swim Dumps ‘Rick & Morty’ Co-Creator After Domestic Abuse Charges Emerge

    Adult Swim Dumps ‘Rick & Morty’ Co-Creator After Domestic Abuse Charges Emerge

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    The Adult Swim cable network has cut ties with Justin Roiland, the co-creator of its popular animated series “Rick & Morty,” who faces felony charges related to alleged domestic abuse that only recently became public.

    “Adult Swim has ended its association with Justin Roiland,” Adult Swim/Cartoon Network/Boomerang spokesperson Mairie Moore said in a statement on Tuesday.

    In May 2020, Roiland was charged with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit.

    He was arrested and released on a $50,000 bond in August 2020 and pleaded not guilty to the charges at an arraignment that October, according to NBC News, which first reported the charges against Roiland on Jan. 12 of this year.

    T. Edward Welbourn, a member of Roiland’s legal team, told HuffPost after a Jan. 13 hearing that “not only is Justin innocent but we also have every expectation that this matter is on course to be dismissed once the District Attorney’s office has completed its methodical review of the evidence.”

    Although Roiland does the voices of both “Rick” and “Morty,” sources tell Deadline that his exit will not affect the show, which is currently in the middle of a 70-episode order.

    Roiland is also a producer and voice actor on two Hulu shows: “Solar Opposites” and “Koala Man.” HuffPost reached out to the streamer for comment, but no one immediately responded.

    Roiland’s next court hearing is scheduled for April 27.

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