5 Weirdest Things I Saw Watching 'Ugly Americans'
The recent press screening of Comedy Central's newest animated series Ugly Americans revealed two concrete facts. The first: the chicken fingers that were served at the event were delicious (and plentiful, since entertainment journalists consume free food like locusts).
The other fact is that the previewed show is the network's best attempt at animation since the groundbreaking debut of it's biggest hit South Park, all the way back in 1997.
The good, bad, and, yes, ugly after the jump.
Ugly Americans is set in an alternate reality Manhattan where humans, monsters, demons, and mythological beasts co-exist. That our normal, everyday hero lives with a zombie is just a mundane fact-of-life. The humor can be disappointing frat boy fare, and the political satire ham-fisted. But overall, the series has one very special thing going for it: weirdness. The show's DNA is weird, which might have made it partially immune to the ignorant tinkering of bored executives. This is a show where giant, human hands run hardware stores, and warlocks steal girlfriends. Where government bureaucrats are hellspawn and the great heads of Easter Island also have bodies.
Ugly Americans crams more demented visual gags into a half-hour episode than any other show on air. Barely a minute goes by without some creature being referenced or spoofed. It's a barrage of the macabre.
I hope Comedy Central nurtures this show, as it's the sort of creative endeavor that needs time to gain confidence in itself. We will see. Until then, I have to support any series so subversive, it serves up these five totally gonzo sights. None of which I've ever seen anywhere, ever.
- On a park bench, a werewolf and a giant squid make out passionately.
- A Rastafarian Creature from the Black Lagoon is seen driving a New York City cab. Of course.
- Giant birdmen fly around, pooping on the city.
- During a immigration meeting, a talking Koala Bear mournfully snacks on a branch of eucalyptus leaves.
- The concept of the "facegina."
Seriously, how did this sneak by the network that churned out Drawn Together? Ugly Americans premieres on Comedy Central on Wednesday, March 17 at 10:30pm.
