Aqua Teen Hunger Force - History

History

It is the only remaining original series continuously airing since the program block launched in 2001. It originally premiered in a block with three other original Williams Street series in December 2000, before Adult Swim officially debuted; the others were Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.

The series was originally pitched as a parody of detective series that would have found the "Hunger Force" fighting crime and solving mysteries. Once the series was established, the creators quickly dropped the idea and instead turned the show into a surreal sitcom, with humor derived from intentionally incoherent plots and absurd visual gags. The show has little continuity, and episodes often end with one or more of the main characters dying. Situations often involve the Aqua Teens being visited by strange monsters and extraterrestrial beings, most of whom are of little power or consequence. An initially structured plot is often abandoned as characters' actions take the story far afield.

As of 2012, a total of 119 episodes have aired during the show's eight seasons. An episode, titled "Boston", was meant to air during the fifth season, but was pulled to avoid further controversy surrounding the 2007 Boston bomb scare, and has never aired or been released to the public in any format. The series has been renewed for a ninth season, which premiered on June 24, 2012 with ten episodes. Since its release, the series has developed a cult following, and its popularity resulted in three different spin-offs: Spacecataz, Carl's Stone Cold Lock of the Century of the Week, and Soul Quest Overdrive.

Co-creator Matt Maiellaro announced that for the 2012 season the show's title would be changed to Aqua Something You Know Whatever and that it is the producer's intention to change the title every year.