‘Aqua Teen Hunger Force’ Season 12 Premiere Review – Back And Better Than Ever

Everything old is new again. The current media landscape is a ravenous volcano that feeds off nostalgia. Nothing stays dead for very long, especially if it’s a brand that can be milked for more money. However, as cynical as that statement may be, that’s not a bad thing per se. There have been a lot of recent examples of canceled shows coming back better than ever. Futurama returned with an amazing comeback season, that, while not perfect certainly was a return to form. Plus, if the preview episode showcased at this year’s New York Comic Con is any indication, they are gearing up for another amazing outing next year. Now, fans of the hijinks and absurdist humor of the Adult Swim variety can rejoice, Aqua Teen Hunger Force is back with new rude, crude, and hilarious episodes. Earlier this year, it was teased that the show might be coming back after the release of the film Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Plantasm. Well, the wait is finally over, and Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad are back on the small screen.

Kicking things off is Shaketopia. We are entering a very polished and futuristic world known as Shaketopia, where Shake is the ruthless dictator. However, in true-to-the-show form, the catch is that Shake’s world is merely a VR simulation game. Shake is barely clinging to life, as Frylock takes care of him. Things get interesting when Carl gives Meatwad an older-generation VR headset, thus allowing a slightly less defined CGI character to enter Shaketopia. Of course, Shake doesn’t want to co-rule, and an epic battle ensues. Frylock gets a 3rd generation system and hilariously is an 8-bit avatar. The jokes and sight gags fly fast and furious, making for a damn excellent re-introduction to this legendary animated series. It has delightfully messed up lines such as, “Stop crying and start licking”. Carl also has some truly cringe-worthy and funny moments. But perhaps the Blade reference is truly the icing on an already deliciously demented cake.

The next episode is, “A Quiet Shake” and, if you couldn’t guess from the title, is a parody of “A Quiet Place”. The episode sees Shake, Meatwad, and Frylock trying to keep quiet, lest they get destroyed by an unknown force. Shake naturally thinks it’s a hoax conjured up to keep him quiet. Being the petty dick that he is, Shake makes as much noise as possible, his safety and others be damned. Of course, this leads to a ludicrous finale that feels very much on brand for ATHF. This is certainly the weaker episode and has less going on story-wise. On the one hand, the satirical bent with Shake crying fake news anytime it’s slightly inconvenient is very funny. But the jokes just don’t land as hard as the previous episode, and the parody isn’t used as cleverly as it could have been. It also feels kind of weird, as nobody seems to be thinking of “A Quiet Place” these days. What really saves this is the finale. In true ATHF form, we get an absurd and sidesplitting conclusion. It makes up for the good but not great narrative.

It’s hard to judge from two episodes, but so far this feels like old-school Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The creative forces and talent are back, and it feels like we are in for a trippy, cynical, and brilliant ride.

Season 12 of Aqua Teen Hunger Force will premiere on Adult Swim on Sunday, November 26  at 11:30 pm ET/PT. New episodes will also be available the next day on Max.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-UDzdabqaU]