Reality bites: Adult cartoons poke fun at life

Cartoons. They're not just for kids anymore.

A new genre of animated television has sprung up, attracting a large and loyal adult following. This new breed of cartoon provides viewers weaned on Disney family fare with mature and biting criticism on everyday life, and an outlet for dark satire, too.

Criticized at first for its bad influence on children and its depiction of the middle class, "The Simpsons" is now acknowledged as one of the most intelligent comedies on television. Some of you may laugh at that, but maybe you also laughed at the show's depiction of sports gambling, the space program, homophobia, and the '96 Presidential Election.

Comedy Central's "South Park" makes fun of the banality of life. In the show, Chef sings and Kenny dies.

"Dr. Katz" is even more mature in the tone of its clever, satirical depiction of our everyday, and not so everyday, problems. You have to like dry, wry humor to enjoy this show because those not used to the wavy lines that surround everything could become sea sick. Also dry and wry is that epitome of teen-age cynicism, "Daria." Originally a character on "Beavis and Butthead," Daria is a smart, nihilistic teenager who has to deal with her family life and the popularity contest that is high school. The show's only problem is that Daria and her friend Jane are the only interesting characters. The others are merely stereotyped paper targets set up for Daria and Jane to shoot down.

But banal characters and story plots aren't necessarily bad, especially if it's being underlined and parodied. Take "Beavis and Butthead" - for gutter humor and revelry in all things immature and delinquent, it's tough to beat this monstrous creation of Mike Judge. (Huh-huh. He said beat. Huh-huh.)

But the superior Judge project by far is "King of the Hill," which depicts a normal, white trash family in the Republic of Texas. Mike Judge is the voice of Hank Hill, expert on propane, its accessories and all things thrown or mown. Both shows defy the traditional idea of comedy by not having punch lines but instead having laughably inept and inane characters reacting within mundane, everyday situations.

"South Park" also makes fun of the banality of the everyday while playing with the formulaic elements of television shows. One can always expect Chef to sing, Kenny to die, an appearance by a poor imitation of a celebrity and Cartman to be called a "fat ass." It criticizes America's more conservative ideology as these four lovable scamps learn about homosexuality, hunting, and Kathy Lee Gifford.

In a wild cross of banality with the bizarre comes "Space Ghost Coast to Coast." Taking the cast from the original "Space Ghost," a very dated cartoon show, this cartoon mocks all talk shows with its flat, superimposed host interviewing live guest stars. His archenemies are the other members of the show: There's Moltar, a giant preying mantis in charge of the band, and there's Zorak, a guy wearing what looks like a radiation suit who is the director.

"The Tick" follows this same track, mixing the everyday mundane with the superhero eccentric. This blue mountain of justice in tights often has to rely on his sidekick Arthur, a former accountant who wears a moth, not a bunny, suit. The Tick sleeps on Arthur's couch, and they start the day at 6:30 a.m., fighting such evil villains as The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight, Chairface Chippendale, the Deadly Bulb and Man-Eating Cow.

"The Tick" puts a dose of reality into the superhero fantasy, even though you come away from the show with a more or less surreal experience - which I think is the point of all these cartoons and the reason for their popularity. Surrealism involves breaking down the normal ways one sees reality, and cartoons allow one to see how ridiculous our everyday lives and beliefs can be.

11-18-97