Robot Chicken

Robot Chickenis an Americanadultstop-motion animatedsketch comedytelevision series created bySeth GreenandMatthew SenreichforCartoon Network's nighttime programming blockAdult Swim. The twelve-minute show consists of short unrelated sketches usually satirizingpop culturecharacters or celebrities. Toys are employed as the players, animated via stop motion and supplemented byclaymation. The voice cast changes every episode, and features manycelebrity cameos. The writers, most prominently Green, also provide many of the voices.Robot Chickenhas won twoAnnie Awardsand sixEmmy Awards.
Robot Chickenwas conceptually preceded byTwisted ToyFare Theatre, a humorous photocomic stripappearing inToyFare.Matthew Senreich, an editor forToyFare, got in touch with actorSeth Greenwhen Senreich learned that Green had madeaction figuresof castmates fromBuffy the Vampire Slayerand asked to photograph them.Months later, Green asked Senreich to collaborate on an animated short forLate Night with Conan O'Brien, featuring toy versions of himself and O'Brien.This led to the 12-episodestop-motionseriesSweet J Presentson theSonywebsite Screenblast.com in 2001.Conan O'Brien is voiced byFamily GuycreatorSeth MacFarlanein the first episode ("Conan's Big Fun").
Continuing the concept of the web series, the show creators pitchedRobot Chickenas a television series, the name being inspired by a dish on the menu at aWest HollywoodChineserestaurant, Kung Pao Bistro, where Green and Senreich had dined (other ideas for the series' name includedJunk in the Trunk,The Deep End, andToyz in the Attic; some of these would be reworked into episode titles for thefirst season).Some television networks and sketch shows rejected the series, includingComedy Central,MADtv,Saturday Night Live, and evenCartoon Network. However, someone at that network passed the pitch along to its nighttime programming block,Adult Swim, around the same time that Seth MacFarlane (various voices, 2005–2022) told Green and Senreich to pitch the show to the channel.On February 20, 2005, the series premiered on Adult Swim.
The show was created, written, and produced by Green and Senreich and produced byShadowMachine Films(Seasons 1–5) and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios in association withStoop!d Monkey,Williams Street,Sony Pictures Digital(Seasons 1–5) andSony Pictures Television(Seasons 6–10).
The program aireda 30-minute episodededicated toStar Warsthat premiered June 17, 2007, in the U.S., featuring the voices ofStar WarsnotablesGeorge Lucas,Mark Hamill(from aprevious episode),Billy Dee Williams, andAhmed Best.TheStar Warsepisode was nominated for a 2008EmmyAward as Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour).
The series was renewed for a 20-episode third season, which ran from August 12, 2007, to October 5, 2008.After an eight-month hiatus during the third season, the show returned on September 7, 2008, to air the remaining 5 episodes.The series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on December 7, 2008, and ended on December 6, 2009.In early 2010, the show was renewed for a fifth and sixth season (40 more episodes total).The fifth season premiered on December 12, 2010.The second group of episodes began broadcasting on October 23, 2011. The 100th episode aired on January 15, 2012.In May 2012, Adult Swim announced they were picking up a sixth season ofRobot Chicken, which began airing in September 2012.The seventh season premiered on April 13, 2014. The eight season premiered on October 25, 2015.The ninth season premiered on December 10, 2017.Season 10 premiered on September 29, 2019, containing the 200th episode.Season 11 premiered on September 6, 2021.
Following the 2020 cancellation ofThe Venture Bros.,Robot Chickenbecame Adult Swim's longest running series, until it was surpassed byAqua Teen Hunger Forceafter its renewal in 2023.
After not having released new episodes since April 2022, Green announced in a live-streamed interview that, while a new full season ofRobot Chickenwould likely not be ready in time for the following year, a new half-hourRobot Chickenspecial is slated for release sometime in 2025.In a later interview, Green announced thatRobot Chickenwill be moving away from 20-episode seasons and towards doing specials.
Robot Chickenemploys stop-motion animation of toys, primarilyaction figures, as well asclaymationand sometimes other objects, such as socks, paper bags, and popsicle sticks.Custom action figures made in the likeness of celebrities are used to portray them.
Each episode is composed of short unrelated sketches varying from a few seconds to a few minutes long. Between each sketch is a moment ofstatic, resembling the act ofchannel surfingon ananalog TV.
The show mockspopular culture, referencing toys, movies, television, games, popular fads, and more obscure references like anime cartoons and older television programs, much in the same vein as comedy sketch shows likeSaturday Night Live.
A recurring motif involves fantastical characters being placed in mundane or adult situations (such asStretch Armstrongrequiring a corn syrup transplant after losing his abilities due to age,Optimus Primeperforming aprostate cancerPSA, andGodzillaexperiencingsexual dysfunction).
Robot Chickenfeatures a rotating ensemble cast of recurring performers and cameos. Its most frequent performers include Seth Green, Matthew Senreich,Breckin Meyer,Tom Root, andDan Milano.
WhileRobot Chickenprimarily features satirical versions of celebrities and existing popular characters in its sketches, it has also debuted some original characters created for the show.
AllRobot Chickenepisodes from seasons 1-11 are available onMax. The show is streamed censored on the service untilSeason 5.
The show aired onTBSfor a short time in October 2014.
Robot Chickenhas partnered with various brands to produce television advertisements, includingKFCin 2015,Burger Kingin 2017,and most recently,Kellogg'sPop-Tartsin 2023.
Revolver Entertainmenthave released the first four seasons and all threeStar Warsspecials on DVD in the United Kingdom.A box set including the first three seasons and a box set including all threeStar Warsspecials have also been released.Madman Entertainmenthas released the first nine seasons ofRobot Chickenand specials on DVD in Australia and New Zealand.
Adult Swim releasedRobot Chicken: The Complete Seriesfor digital purchase on iTunes andVuduin July 2023.
The series airs in theUnited KingdomandIrelandas part ofE4'sAdult Swimblock, inCanadaonAdult Swim(previouslyTeletoon'sTeletoon at Nightblock from 2006 to 2019) and also inQuebeconTélétoon'sTélétoon la nuitblock, inAustraliaonThe Comedy Channel'sAdult Swimblock, inRussiaon2x2's Adult Swim block, inGermanyonWarnerTV Comedy's Adult Swim block (previouslyTNT Serie's Adult Swim block from 2009 to 2017), and inLatin Americaon theI.SatAdult Swim block (after the Adult Swim block was canceled fromCartoon Network Latin Americain 2008). Many of the show's sketches fromSweet J Presentswere redone forRobot Chicken.