Boondocks

Boondocks Season 1 created by Aaron McGruder (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) ASIN: B000F8O2QK

Plot Summary

The series is built upon McGruder's earlier newspaper comic strip of the same name, which follows the exploits of the Freeman brothers -- Huey and Riley, who've moved from Southside Chicago to live with their Grandfather in suburban Woodcrest.  Most of the episodes center around the leftist, progressive political views espoused by Huey (named for Huey Newton).  Typically, Huey points out some ridiculous injustice based upon race or religion.  Some episodes focus on Riley (who figures himself as a Scarface figure and even calls himself Riley Escobar).  There is no overarching story, though, there are a number of recurring characters and events that can impact later episodes (often merely as a callback to a joke, but sometimes as plot development).

Critical Evaluation

Many episodes feature commentary on contemporary African-American culture -- though Huey-focused episodes often cut deeper such as "A Date with the Health Inspector," which satirizes the way the U.S. became entangled in the Iraq war shortly after 9-11.  The figures standing in for George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld are thuggish trust-fund kids who idolize street life.  While en route to capture the X-Box killer and thus help free Freeman-family friend Tom DuBois (who was wrongly accused of the crime), Rummy and Ed Wuncler III (who wears a big W medallion) take a sharp turn in the wrong direction to get refreshments.  They attempt to steal beer from a convenience store owned by an Arab man.  The owner tries to reason with Wuncler mentioning that he and Wuncler's father are good friends.  Wuncler and Rummy convince a police officer that the clerk is holding a weapon (though he clearly isn't), and the officer shoots him.  McGruder doesn't pull punches.  For instance in the episode "Return of the King," we see an alternate history in which Martin Luther King, Jr. isn't killed but merely enters a decade long coma.  After he comes out against the war in Afghanistan following 9/11, he is nationally reviled.  In an eloquent speech at the episode's end King makes frequent use of the N-word to make his point.  It's both shocking and thought-provoking.

Reader’s Annotation

An irreverent take on popular culture and American politics, Boondocks follows the misadventures of Huey and Riley Freeman after they move from Chicago to the suburbs to live with their granddad.

Information about the author

From an interview in the Washington Post:


What responsibilities, if any, do satirists have to their audience? Are they obligated to deliver a message while also making us laugh? McGRUDER: I don't think anyone can define the rules for satire. We operate with the message -- that's the easy part. Everyone sits at home with their political opinions. The important thing is making it as funny as possible and knowing when to pull back on the message for the sake of the message.... It's indulgent to turn off the audience for the sake of preaching -- the goal is not to turn off the viewer. ... But it can never just [be about the jokes] for me. I'm not like a funny person. I'm not like a comedian. I have things I want to say. ... Bill Maher does find a nice balance between the jokes and tackling the serious issues. So few outlets [offer] those issues in a serious fashion.

Do you think a satirist can influence public opinion, be it a viewer or a voter? McGRUDER: Good satire goes beyond the specific point it's trying to make and teaches you how to think critically. Even when your favorite cartoonist retires or Colbert wraps it up, you're not left believing everything they're telling you. That's probably what you're hoping for as a satirist. 

So how do you go about balancing the message and "the funny"?? McGRUDER: You try to pull inspiration out of everywhere and surround yourself with people who have critical insights. It's not hard to formulate an opinion on things. It's hard to make the viewer or reader [feel] validated. You've got to give them the jokes. Funny is a rare gift.... Early on, I erred on the side of message-driven. Those are the mistakes you learn from. The second season of the show, we tried to make that adjustment. ... Depending on the audience, you've got to really recalibrate. This generation of young people ...music and pop culture has been pretty anti-intellectual. That's a hard thing to overcome. I was careful about not turning off the young kids. They got the Rosa Parks jokes, but the kids love Gangstalicious. 

So what's satire's role at the end of the day? McGRUDER: It's still about imparting a message about the lies a society tells itself. We can all live in collective denial. We can lie to ourselves pretty easily. It's a challenge. Satire is the least commercially viable form of comedy. ... There really is a distaste for being preached at. People have a very low tolerance for it -- newspaper audiences have a way higher tolerance for it than others. But it's tough on TV. (Cavna, 2008).

Genre

Television Series/Political Satire

Curriculum Ties

The show could be used in a class studying current events, popular culture, or the civil rights movement as many episodes discuss Robert Freeman's role in the civil rights struggles.  The show is also an excellent example of satire -- a format required for 11th and 12th grade English classes.

Booktalking Ideas

1. The theme song is fun and gives a strong sense of the show's politics and rebellious nature. Playing it might spark interest.

2. Discussing the show's irreverence might perk up some ears.

Reading Level/Interest Age

9th grade and up.

Challenge Issues

Language, Violence, Political Satire, Adult Themes (one episode features a prostitute and her pimp).

I would openly greet any patron who presented a challenge to the work, giving them ample time to detail their complaint.  I would listen attentively.  To respond to these challenges I would have some reviews of the work on hand.   I would be prepared to explain that as a public institution libraries "cannot limit access on the basis of age or other characteristics" (ALA, 1999).  I would have copies of the library's collection policy on hand.  I would be prepared to politely discuss that parents can control what their children are exposed to by coming to the library with them and examining books they check out.  If the Teen Advisory Group had written reviews of the work I'd have them handy.  While it may be of little comfort to certain parents, I would also be prepared to discuss my staunch support of intellectual freedom and abhorrence of censorship.  As a last resort, I would be sure to keep copies or a reconsideration form on hand.

Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?

Two episodes from the first season are some of the finest political satire I've ever seen.  The show is smart, savvy, and deadly funny.  

References

American Library Association. (1999). Strategies and tips for dealing with challenges to library materials. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/copingwithchallenges/strategiestips 


Cavna, M. (2008). The invterview: 'Boondocks' creator Aaron McGruder. Retrieved from http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2008/07/the_interview_aaron_mcgruder.html