…your modern-day online firefighters return with another installment of “Stay Calm! It’s Not Official.”

In the last installment, Rilo mentioned how none of Venture Bros. (with the exception of two specials) was leaving Max (Besides the fact that you can likely find the entire series elsewhere). There was also the entire “Someone from Titmouse said something about Venture Bros. returning” issue that we won’t even get into here… but let’s break down this current one…

We reported recently that ATHF co-creator Matt Maiellaro joined Twitter. In one of his recent responses, he answers a question that came from another post:

There’s a number of ways to break this down… however there’s no doubt, the incorrect way is “OMG ATHF IS CANCELLED!!!!” What I mean by this:

• “Cancelled” doesn’t have the same meaning as it used to: When linear programming (aka broadcast/cable TV) was still the king, “cancelled” meant done. The show is never coming back, go scratch, the end. In recent years, that clearly has had a different meaning. In 2015, then VP Mike Lazzo “cancelled” ATHF outright and we came to terms with the fact that the show would not be coming back at all…
  
  Six years and two merger/acquisitions in corporate (plus two streaming apps) later, it was announced that not only would we be getting a new movie, but five episodes were being greenlit, which we presumed (and was later confirmed by President Michael Ouweleen) was a way of sorts to test the waters for more episodes. The episodes were seemingly successful, to the point where it received a slideshow nod during Wednesday’s Upfront Presentation (FYI: Where no shows were mentioned as coming, outside the previously mentioned Rick and Morty: The Anime) alongside of regular Rick and Morty, and other previous/current programs.
  
• Two words vs. an entire elaboration: There’s a vast difference between a creator (or someone close with the creator) mentioning something with a two-word cryptic/misconstrued message vs a creator just coming out and saying it. I’m of course talking about Dodge Greenly (creator of Pibby) stating on Instagram last October on how WBD passed on a full series for the show. Honestly, I once responded to a similar post like Eric Alper’s above with Dancing With the Stars, and a couple of people actually were like “Wait, what?!?” As I am but a humble under 1.5k poster, it didn’t go too far, but imagine if someone with 20k – 50k followers reposted? Hmmmm….
  
• Speaking of trolling: Maiellaro (and by association Adult Swim) are notorious for saying stuff that turns out not to be true, or even cryptic: Take this perfect example of when ATHF was in its prime: An ad campaign ran during the 2004 season of the show, wherein the characters were killed one-by-one with the caption “ATHF is cancelled” Our then, AquaTeenCentral.com whether in our forums, by e-mail, etc would get dozens of messages every month after from fans, that asking us if the show was indeed cancelled. Some of which we straight out said “No, this was a joke.” others we had fun with (because we were kids with no lives who didn’t like having to answer the same thing over and over again) and decided following suit was an alternative. Later in the show’s run there were episodes with titles like “The Last One” and “The Last One Forever and Ever” and I believe one or two other iterations where people asked the same question, and it was a lather rinse repeat of the same answer(s). In short, don’t believe everything everyone says or read into it.

• What we know: Since starting to write this, I reached out to a couple of sources and found out the following that seem to match up:
  
  1) The show isn’t cancelled; it just hasn’t been ordered for a new season.
  
  2) More than likely this is due to last year’s strike, which slowed down/stopped a lot of animated shows and work. For example, I bring up that this season’s Bob’s Burgers had to be cut down. Fans of the show didn’t get the standard Halloween – Christmas episodes, and the show has been on hiatus since early March, with the season finale finally premiering this coming Sunday.
  
  3) In both instances I heard Season 12 did rather well… and have no reason to doubt that, considering (again) it was prominently featured on-screen at the Upfronts.
  
  4) Maiellaro might just be playing it up, as word has just come out about him guesting on Ronnie’s Aqua Teen Podcast: Dancing is Forbidden on Monday.
  
  So let’s recap… what have we all learned from this…
  
• Words have meaning, and when someone’s been cryptic or given next to no information, keep calm and wait for further instructions. Best not to read into it until 110% clear.
• “Cancelled” doesn’t mean what people think it means. Reasons we have new versions of Fraiser and The Office
• Listen to P.E.:

Internally, we’ve promised ourselves we’re not going to be the doom and gloom of the internet… besides, this one is actually official(ish) – WBD can/will likely change things as they see fit – and you can check out the entire list(also ish – it may update a time or five) right here.

Suffice to say, streaming was not what it was advertised as. You really thought you were going to get EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM FROM EVERY SINGLE NETWORK AT THE TOUCH OF YOUR FINGERTIPS… for $9.99 $12.99 $15.99 (with or perhaps without ads)? Sorry to burst your bubbles, but there’s a reason the entertainment industry had two major strikes for the better part of this year. Not to mention the fact that the United States Congress wants to look into WBD’s potentially shady handlings of films that have been made and then axed before they hit theaters/streaming just to get a tax write off.

As usual, it’s all about the almighty dollar. WBD is going to stream what makes them the most money – from the Game of Thrones’ to the 90 Day Fiancé’s and any other show that gobbles up the biggest pieces of the streaming pie, enough to generate Max’s own revenue and feed the WBD corpo machine. And what about the shows that don’t get as much love? That’s right… it’s off to either another streaming service, FAST or worse, not available on the internet at all (OMGZ LOST MEDIA!!!!)

The good news, however, is that all hope is not lost. We’re here to tell you (at least in the United States – and if you aren’t… well, isn’t that what VPNs are for?) there are plenty of other avenues to pursue outside of Max and other streamers willing to hot potato the crap out of your favorite AS programs. Consider this a Guide to Viewing AS Elsewhere:

Step 1: Make Peace with your Streaming Apps – Love it or Leave it

As previously mentioned, the streaming apps like Max (and also Hulu, which still carries a smattering of AS programs) are going to provide you with programming that they WANT/CAN (if they money’s right). Still, if they feel inclined to, they could always add random shows back to the apps or even sell rights off to other apps or FASTs (free, ad-supported television). In a previous article, I break down how WBD’s planned FAST could be one of many apps to benefit from some of the lesser (or more well-)known AS shows. Existing FASTs such as PlutoTV could also carry a channel or two with AS content much like they do with many other shows/programs like Comedy Central and MTV.

Step 2: Purchase Shows Digitally – You Bought Them, You Own Them (mostly)

While streaming is definitely more affordable, if you’re really that serious about having access to a program or programs, why not purchase them digitally? There’s still (and continue to be) episodes of classic and new AS shows on a number of digital platforms… the newer DVD/BluRay sets even give you a digital component. Vudu has a number of AS shows, as do Microsoft/X-Box, Apple/iTunes, Prime Video and more! While there’s no guarantees they’ll last forever (what IS forever, anyway?) at least you’ll know your money is going towards the actual show and not a barren wasteland of Bobby Flay specials. Plus, a lot of these that we’ve mentioned have download features (and you guys are pretty smart when it comes to files).

Step 3: Do You Have Cable? Perfect…

If you’re fortunate enough to be one of those who haven’t “cut the cord” and still have TV/Cable there’s two more avenues for you to pursue. First, the wonderful world of OnDemand… another streaming component, similar to Max and the like. You can view whatever shows the service has available… for instance, Verizon Fios’s OnDemand has a number of classic shows plus pilots and specials that only aired once. Speaking of cable… if you have internet along with it, you also have access to adultswim.com‘s full library, and the multitude of “Full Season” shows they’ve been slowly adding to the catalogue.

Step 4: Physical Media – The Lost Art of Entertainment

Digital and Cable just plain turn you off? Why not seek out physical media? Sure, there’s a number of shows that either a) Were not available on DVD or BluRay or b) Are out of print and sold at ridiculous prices. But there are still plenty of ways to seek them out. Check out your local malls and see if FYE has anything used available. Check Amazon or eBay to see if there are deals. DeepDiscount.com is a good site to find good deals. If you have a Region Free DVD player, why not seek out the classic Madman Entertainment DVD sets made in Australia? There are even people such as CrummieMedia who downgrade series to VHS format… to quote Classic Mystery Science Theater 3000: Keep Circulating the Tapes!

Step 5: If All Else Fails… Arr?

BACK IN MY DAY… (always hated that phrase, but I’m afraid it works in certain instances like this) We didn’t have DVD sets at all. We had VHS tapes and capture cards and occasionally stuff that aired on adultswim.com. We recorded, encoded, and shared them amongst ourselves… occasionally burning files to CDs and DVDs to play on PCs and DVD players… what a time to be alive. Again, (and without really encouraging anything…) you’re smart so if you know how, then you know. Enough said.

To Sum Things Up… as HBO max, WarnerMedia promised us the world with entire archives of shows and movies at our fingertips. However, in typical corpo fashion, Warner Bros. Discovery pulled the rug out from under us and the now Max app is just another streaming app where we can (occasionally) see whatever programing they decide to show us, whenever they feel something (maybe) is profitable. To that point, there’s an entire universe of alternatives to catch programming elsewhere, so if need be just save your $15+ a month for any/all of the above.

In this day and age, the FAST apps are just as in-demand as the premium ones. PlutoTV (one of the first, and now owned by Paramount Global) has been one of the most successful, likewise Tubi (Fox Network’s FAST), and Freevee (formerly IMDBtv, owned by Amazon). With the networks snatching up FAST apps, it only stands to reason that WBD would benefit from their own. The question is, what content would they place on the app?

Recently, we’ve seen kind of a swap out of content from the paid apps to the FAST ones… WBD in particular has been taking content (I.e.: Westworld and FBoy Island) off of HBO max and loaning it out to the Roku Channel. Between Adult Swim content being removed as well programming that never made it to HBO max, it only stands to reason that a lot of this content would benefit on WBTV. Not only the ones that are/will be taken down, but also talking about the lesser known titles that never made it to HBO max. The more “underground” titles such as Stroker & Hoop, Saul of the Molemen, Fat Guy Stuck in Internet, or Emmy award winners such as Childrens Hospital and and a dozen others.

Between what has and what hasn’t already been streamed, the potential to bring classic/current content to an entirely new audience seems endless and worth putting on WBTV. We’ll just have to wait and see.

I’m on the younger end of original Venture fans, a baby of sorts despite celebrating my thirtieth birthday in November. I was eleven when I first fell in love with Hank and Dean.

My parents never censored me, they discouraged me from watching South Park but that was about it (and even that was a battle they chose not to fight by the time I hit fifth grade), and I was already vaguely familiar with the shows that aired on my favorite channel late at night. In fact, for a time when [adult swim] first began, I was staying up later on Sunday nights just to watch Home Movies. So, when Santa gifted me a TV for my room in 2003, armed with cable and no set bedtime, the doors to the world of adult animation swung wide open and I fell so hard I hit my pre-teen head on the bottom of the pool (pun fully intended). 

I’d found, what I’d later discover is called, my special interest.

August 2004 rolled around, a new show was premiering on the block that had become my nighttime routine and I was drawn to it like a moth to flame. It was so unlike any of the other programs [adult swim] had to offer, at its core it was a Johnny Quest parody, Johnny Quest being a show I was only familiar with thanks to reruns. But there were aspects that reminded me of The Tick, a cartoon I’d already been a fan of. Later in life discovering The Tick’s deep involvement in Venture coming to be seemed like an “oh duh” revelation.

It wasn’t til season two, in 2006, that I joined the fandom thanks to the message boards on [adult swim]’s website. I was on the cusp of being fourteen and prime to be a fanboy. I was proudly assigned a henchman number (it was 87 for those who wondered). I was friends with show creator Doc Hammer on MySpace. I even wrote fanfiction, which is out there somewhere on the internet, and I’ll take its location to my grave. This was a first experience with fandom, and everyone was so warm and welcoming (a quality that the fandom maintains to this day).

I remained passively involved in the fandom and a fan of the show, though less active as being a teenager, and the problems therein, took most of my attention. Hank and Dean seemingly grew up with me as the third and fourth seasons saw me through high school.

During the fifth season I was given the chance to meet, arguably, two of my personal heroes (show creators, Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer) in person when I attended San Diego Comic-Con. I got to attend the Venture Bros. panel, a highlight of the con for me, and interact in person with the people whom I’d only known of online. Seasons six and seven accompanied me through my social and medical transitions. The characters being a comfort through some truly difficult and monumental moments in my life.

Venture Bros. was always there for me to go back to. Like an old friend who you lose touch with from time to time but can pick up with right where you left off when you do reconnect. Naturally when COVID hit in 2020, I found myself isolated and in need of distraction. My life had been upturned by the pandemic. And my old friends Hank and Dean were there for me. I found myself binging the entire series, all 81 episodes, in the span of a week and got swept up in the master class of world building and character development that Hammer and Publick taught with each episode. 

I used my first stimulus check to buy physical copies of every season on either DVD or BluRay (if available), craving more content. I took in the special features and every single episode commentary (which the commentaries themselves could count as their own shows). I watched old panels from DragonCon, SDCC and NYCC on YouTube. I picked up the art book from my local bookstore and read it cover to cover. And, more importantly, I engrossed myself in the online fandom.

The fandom was giving me life as we struggled through the bleakness that surrounded us. It also sparked creativity in me, a need to make something, anything. Until one day I hit up my childhood best friend and said: “what if we made a Venture Bros. podcast?” 

The podcast was me guiding her, as a veteran of the fandom, through everything Venture. It provided much needed stability and gave me an outlet, it also suddenly opened up new opportunities I had never dreamed of. I got to be a panelist at DragonCon three years in a row. It led me to interview the likes of Paul Boocock (the voice of Jonas Venture Sr.) and James Urbaniak (the voice of Dr. Venture) and introduced me to countless friends I now consider near and incredibly dear to me.

To say I was devastated by the cancellation of the show in September 2020 is putting it mildly. I was genuinely upset I’d seemingly never know of what became of Team Venture and Team Monarch. I signed petitions and wrote letters to HBOmax asking them to pick up where [adult swim] was leaving off. I did it all with the same friendliness and kindness the rest of the fandom had shown me since I was fourteen. And was, of course, delighted when a movie was announced, glad we’d be getting closure on something that has had an unmistakable cultural impact on animation as a whole.

It’s crazy to think that it’s been twenty years that the boys, Brock, Doc and HELPeR have been around. And it’s bittersweet to contemplate a world where their story is finished. 

Thanks to everyone involved in the show’s production over the years for the gift you’ve given me (and countless others) with this carefully crafted cartoon. For playing a part in shaping my sense of humor, my taste in music (don’t ask me how many times I listened to “Like A Friend” at age 18) and changing my understanding of pop culture (I consumed so much media I otherwise wouldn’t have without Venture referencing it).

Go Team Venture!✌🏻

Recently, SteamDB reported a 99% drop in the games playability. As with any FTP game, a constant variety of power-ups, skins, extras, and of course characters need to be continually updated as to not go stale. To that last point, the game does already boast a good variety of WB mainstays. Characters ranging from DC Comics, Looney Tunes, Cartoon Network, HBO, Hanna Barbera, various WB movies and… Rick & Morty. While we’re not going to go into details about the recent Rick & Morty situation, it has proven that there’s an entire world outside of just one show and also an argument to be made that [adult swim]’s demographic (a.k.a.: those of us students and slackers who sit at home and watch tv and go play videogames) and could provide MultiVersus a well-needed boost.

Think about it… wouldn’t you at home want to play as Master Shake, Pim/Charlie, Space Ghost, Ballmaster, Brock Samson, the Yolo Girls, Captain Murphy, Gary the Demon or the Killer from Too Many Cooks? Sure, it’s understandable trying to cater to all the Warner IPs, but at the same time… do we really need a (rumored) Pickle Rick variant? Another rumored or “confirmed through datamine” character includes Samurai Jack… which would be a nice addition, although not an [as] Original. There are also some “off the wall” characters rumored such as Apple TV’s Ted Lasso and Eleven from Netflix’s Stranger Things. Sure, who wouldn’t want to at least try out fighting as a soccer coach or a teenager with telekinesis, but I for one wouldn’t mind grinding the latest season of the game by knocking people off the board using SHAKE POWERS!

Who would you want to see/play as from the [as] universe in MultiVersus? Let us know in the comments!

“It’s better to burn out than fade away.” – Neil Young

With the news of the final season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, I wanted to take this time to write some reflections. First and foremost, I’d like to say unlike most other shows I enjoy that stop production, I’m actually okay with this. ATHF has certainly been a journey for me, both as a show and also growing into the online personality I’ve become.

I’m sure I’ve told the story many times before, but December 30th, 2000 is when it began. I would spend my weekends with my grandparents out in Brooklyn (at the time, the only place that carried Cartoon Network). I’ve always been a night owl, so I would watch late night CN programming like Space Ghost, Oh Canada, the Banana Splits, etc. But what was this new show with rude, talking food creatures? It was hilarious, and I wanted more.

Fast forward to September 2001, it was a rough time for the world, and different for me. I was in the midst of college and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life (which for the most part, in a semi-unfortunate way, included copious amounts of lounging on the internet). I’d moved so many times I had minimal real life friends, so I’d take to the internet and chat with other people who had shared interest. I’d been involved with a group dedicated to the cult series Mystery Science Theater 3000, and had even started my own fansite (among which there were countless ones already). When Aqua Teen Hunger Force finally hit the airwaves on Adult Swim, I was front and center every Thursday night. With everything going on in real life, it was kind of therapeutic to escape with Master Shake, Frylock, Meatwad, and the rest.

In 2002, I started Aqua Teen Central (the fansite that would later grow into the news-based Adult Swim Central) which, at the time I feel was my most successful contribution to the internet. The site, while not the only one in existence at the time, garnered much praise from fans as well as from the creators, Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro (among other Williams Street staffers). For someone who has had as troubled a life as I have (and that’s putting it lightly), it was very redeeming and even a bit touching that there was a mutual respect from the people who put the show together (especially the unsung heroes such as the editors, animators, etc. for which I gained even more of a respect for in terms of how an animated show is developed).

Shortly after, I decided I was going to dedicate my online life to spreading the word of Aqua Teen. This eventually, culminated at 2006’s San Diego Comic-Con, where I met many of the people who not only put ATHF together, but many of the other Adult Swim shows. I discovered that many of the creators of the other shows (save for one who will remain nameless) were rather gracious and appreciative of their fans. This was definitely the basis for what eventually became Adult Swim Central.

From 2006 until about 2009, Aqua Teen Central was where it all was. Different parts of the ATHF staff would contact me from time to time. Letting me know about events they were doing (conventions, etc.) or giving me tid-bits of behind the scenes info on the show. Quite possibly the only time up until now that I can say I attended a real-life movie premiere, having been invited to the NYC premiere of the ATHF movie (which I missed a super important math test in college in order to see) as well as the after party.

Eventually ATC expanded into other Adult Swim territory, including the Swimcast (which we still do today, just not as often). I think part of the reason I’m fast to come to terms with the end of the show is the fact that things have changed, both on Adult Swim as well as with my dedication towards the network proper. Swim’s been moving into a different direction than it had been in. Instead of relying heavily on their in-house/Williams Street programming, they’ve welcomed Hollywood into the fold with shows like Rick and Morty, Mike Tyson, Childrens Hospital, and others.

Sure, there’s still a bit of a “classic Swim” feel with the remaining WS shows in Squidbillies and Your Pretty Face is Going To Hell as well as “experimental” programming like Too Many Cooks and Fish Center. It has become obvious Swim is catering less to the crowd that brought it a cult following and more the coveted 18-35 year old demographic that drives most of the popular networks. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, however. Change is inevitable with everything in life. People move onward and upward into different (and sometimes better) things.

The end of Aqua Teen Hunger Force marks the final nail in the coffin for the original five Adult Swim shows (along with Harvey Birdman, Space Ghost, Sealab 2021, and The Brak Show). The show has had a robust and interesting run: 15 years of over 100 episodes, a feature length movie, a sub-par Playstation game, various merchandise, and the adoration of countless fans (some even celebrities) worldwide.

In closing and to summarize, Aqua Teen Hunger Force has directly (and indirectly) helped shape parts of my life. I’ve met many people in my travels, even more that I call friends. I’ve learned plenty about comedy, animation, and even classic rock. Traveled to pretty cool locations like SDCC, Dragon Con, and more. Even had the chance to chat with celebrity-types, which I never would have before.

My thanks to go out to Dave Willis, Matt Maiellaro, Dana Snyder, Carey Means, the unsung heroes like Todd Redner, Ned Hastings, Jay Edwards, Nick Gibbons, Craig Hartin, and dozens of other people that deserve to be namedropped (which I will probably do throughout the remainder of the year). For me, Aqua Teen Hunger Force will truly be Forever. I await the beginning of the ending of the series, this coming June 21 at midnight on Adult Swim.

Fast forward to today, [adult swim] like many other networks has become corporate-driven and relies heavily on “marketable” programming like Family Guy, Robot Chicken, and other poop joke-laden shows set to entice the 15-20 year olds. I’ve seen many of the friends I made online (either through my Swim fansites or the adultswim.com Message Boards) turn their backs on the network, claiming it’s not like it used to be. Even going so far as to point out on Twitter, the fact that the programming on the network now isn’t what it once was.  With that being said, there’s always something that comes across that makes you remember the feeling of how things used to be.

A few short years ago, the 4:30am timeslot on [adult swim] was designed for not only classic Swim programs such as Mouse, but also more of their “experimental” pilots and programming. Shows like “Off the Air” which showcase trippy art and animation along with hip music. Underground-type mini-series such as The Rising Son and The Restless Bell. There have also been numerous pilots such as Icelandic Ultrablue and Swords, Knives, Very Sharp Objects, and Cutlery.

On October 27^th, Swim aired its latest “experiment” called Too Many Cooks. Written and Directed by Chris “Casper” Kelly, who is no stranger to classic [adult swim], having written for Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, Squidbillies, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Kelly also co-created another classic program in Stroker & Hoop, an animated spoof on 1980’s action shows like Knight Rider and Magnum P.I. as well as freshman program Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell along with Aqua Teen’s Dave Willis. Interesting to note that Your Pretty Face was also originally a 4:30am “experiment” that was successful enough to garner a full series (as well as an upcoming second season).

At any rate, it’s safe to assume that Too Many Cooks took a viral leap as of last night when YouTube user, tortoise5210 threw it online. As of writing, the video has over 1 million views! I personally had the show recorded on DVR, but like much of the current Swim programming was in no rush to watch. However, after watching social networking explode with Twitter trending “Too Many Cooks” as well as the various celebrities commenting…

@shannonandswift too many cooks. Too many cooks. Too many cooks. Too many cooks. Toomanycooks. Toomanycooks. Toomanycookstoomanycookstoomany

— Stay Puft (@staypuft) November 6, 2014

I was not only enticed severely but was not disappointed. The whole 11.5 minutes is a wonderful live-action romp through 1980’s sitcom introductions, which take a rather warped turn or three. It has elements of everything from Family Ties to ALF, to G.I. Joe, to Wonder Woman, to Law and Order,  and even Battlestar Galactica. The theme song will even make you beg that Swim put it on iTunes.

It’s THAT insanely hilarious, and for me personally, makes me remember what [adult swim] used to be. I long for the days of Space Ghost and Perfect Hair Forever. At this point, it’s probably best if you just watch the video (the one below is Swim’s official hi-res version) and hope that [adult swim] brings us more Williams Street-based programs… and not at 4am either.

Thank you, Casper Kelly, Paul Painter, Nick Gibbons, and everyone else responsible for restoring my faith in [adult swim].

Want to know more about Too Many Cooks? Casper Kelly and Paul Painter will be doing a Reddit AMA today (November 7th) at 5pm Eastern