Animation Archives

Seth Rogen reprises his role as B.O.B. in NBC's animated "Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space." NBC photos

Seth Rogen won't be celebrating Halloween this weekend, and that's fine with him.

"I have a girlfriend now and I've entered the unfortunate world of paired costuming," he told reporters last week. "It's not fun. I don't recommend it. I always end up being the lamer half. It's like she's a dog and I'm a fire hydrant or something like that. It's never fun."

Seth Rogen's happy to finally be filming "The Green Hornet."

"'Green Hornet' is everything I imagined and more," Rogen told reporters Thursday evening, adding that even though the production, which spent years in development, has begun, "we still gotta make it awesome."

THE SIMPSONS: TREEHOUSE OF HORROR XX
7 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Tune in or out? out of four

The 20th "Treehouse of Horror" special confirms my theory that everybody wants to break out in song. In it, Moe the Bartender spikes Marge's beer with Homer's blood and tries to seduce her with a song. You think Marge posing in Playboy is scary? Wait until you hear Moe sing. Earlier, Apu turns action hero when he saves the Simpsons from zombified Springfield, and Lisa and Bart have a showdown a la Alfred Hitchcock. I'm never disappointed in this annual event.

Jessica Rabbit must be spitting fire.

Marge Simpson, not the animated sexpot from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?," is the first cartoon character cover girl for Playboy.

"She is a stunning example of the cartoon form," said Playboy editor Jimmy Jellinek of Marge, Homer Simpson's wife from Fox's "The Simpsons."

THE CLEVELAND SHOW
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Tune in or out? out of four.

Fans can see Matt Lanter on two TV shows beginning Oct. 2, but they have to pay close attention.

Lanter, who plays high school hottie Liam Court on The CW's "90210," voices the Anakin Skywalker character on "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." The animated series' second season begins at 7 p.m. Friday on the Cartoon Network.

"It's really great," he told me recently. "Doing voice over, it's just fun. You don't have to worry about lighting [or] marks. You don't have to worry about what you look like. You don't have to worry about any of that stuff. You just go in there, you soak into the character and have fun with it."

Playing Anakin offers Lanter another perk: He gets to be a hero, even if he's a cartoon hero. "You get to be a savior of the Republic," he said. "I like that."

Lanter talked about meeting George Lucas, how his the "Star Wars" voice-overs are done and why his mother sometimes thinks Luke is actually him. (Click here for Lanter talking about "90210" and the film "Sorority Row."

When "Family Guy" returns at 8 p.m. Sunday, Stewie and Brian take on the "multiverse" and other animation styles. It is hilarious. I love how Seth McFarlane and company gently poke at their fellow Fox series "Fringe," as well as Disney, other animated shows and comic strips. Watch the sneak peek for the Season 7 premiere, "Road to the Multiverse," below.

"The Simpsons" launches its 21st season with Seth Rogen co-writing and guest voicing a premiere called "Homer The Whopper." Need I say more to get you to watch? I won't, but Fox has provided the video interview and sneak peek below. Afterward you can read the episode description. A tease: Homer might become a big movie star.

KING OF THE HILL
7 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Tune in or out? our of four.

After 13 seasons of beer and bickering, the Hill family moves on with a two-episode finale. In "The Boy Can't Help It," Hank seemingly gets his wish for a normal son when Bobby scores three dates to homecoming. In the better "To Sirloin with Love," the barbecue-loving dad finds that he and his son finally have a common passion: meat. Mike Judge and Greg Daniels give their down-home family a proper send-off.

It's time to head on down to South Park--South Park Studios, that is.

New episodes of "South Park" won't begin airing on Comedy Central until Oct. 7, but the network and creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker are sating fans' appetites.

On Thursday, South Park Studios posted the original pilot of the series on its Web site. Fans can watch, but only for 30 days, Comedy Central said in a press release. The pilot was the basis for the series premiere from 1997, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" and contains four minutes of footage that has never been aired. Stone and Parker created the pilot by hand on construction paper.

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock is about to undertake his greatest challenge.

He's directing "The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special in 3-D on Ice," a documentary about the cultural phenomenon of the Fox animated series.

"When they first called me about this, I thought it was a prank and I hung up," the "Super Size Me" director says in a Fox release. "And then my agent called back and said, 'No, no, this is for real,' at which point I fainted. Then when I woke up, I called everyone I knew because it was the coolest thing I could ever get to do in my career."

Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie get the Spurlock treatment on Jan. 14, Fox says, the final special that will wrap up the network's year-long celebration of "The Simpsons" 20 years on TV.

THE GOODE FAMILY
8 p.m. Wednesday, ABC
Tune in or out? out of four.

Mike Judge skewered red state values in his Fox animated comedy "King of the Hill." Consider his new series the reverse: He's mocking blue state values.

Posted at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 15

FAMILY GUY
8 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Tune in or out? out of four.

A psychic tells Peter Griffin that in a past life he was a 17th Century English gentleman named Griffin Peterson, who founded the colony of Quahog in America after he was torn from his great love, Lady (Lois) Redbush, by the jealous—and short—King Stewart III. As if the time-traveling main plot isn’t funny enough, this season finale gets merrily sidetracked with appearances by Alan Rickman, Jason Segel, Neil Patrick Harris and Josh Radnor, who are mocked after lending their voices.

And don’t forget that Eminem and Stewie will introduce the entire Animation Domination line-up on Fox Sunday.

FAMILY GUY
8 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Tune in or out? out of four.

A psychic tells Peter Griffin that in a past life he was a 17th Century English gentleman named Griffin Peterson, who founded the colony of Quahog in America after he was torn from his great love, Lady (Lois) Redbush, by the jealous--and short--King Stewart III. As if the time-traveling main plot isn't funny enough, this season finale gets merrily sidetracked with appearances by Alan Rickman, Jason Segel, Neil Patrick Harris and Josh Radnor, who are mocked after lending their voices.

And don't forget that Eminem and Stewie will introduce the entire Animation Domination line-up on Fox Sunday.

Posted at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 12

Eminem and Stewie Griffin will, um, rap, during Sunday's Animation Domination. Fox photo

So Eminem does have a sense of humor—and a heart.

The rapper—who's been getting dissed by Mariah Carey’s hubby, Nick Cannon—will take on Stewie Griffin from “Family Guy” this Sunday. An animated Eminem will appear with the cartoon kid in segments throughout Fox’s Animation Domination line-up. (MySpace Music will make a special Eminem announcement Sunday.)

"It was a thrill to work with Stewie," Eminem said in a Fox press release. "I'm a big fan of talking babies and their humor."

So Eminem does have a sense of humor--and a heart.

The rapper--who's been getting dissed by Mariah Carey's hubby, Nick Cannon--will take on Stewie Griffin from "Family Guy" this Sunday. An animated Eminem will appear with the cartoon kid in segments throughout Fox's Animation Domination line-up. (MySpace Music will make a special Eminem announcement Sunday.)

"It was a thrill to work with Stewie," Eminem said in a Fox press release. "I'm a big fan of talking babies and their humor."

Posted at 6:15 p.m. Friday, May 1

Ellen Page of “Juno” fame guest stars on this Sunday’s “The Simpsons,” playing Alaska Nebraska, a young music sensation not unlike Hannah Montana. Well, I shouldn’t say that because I’ve never met Hannah Montana, or Miley Cyrus. She/they probably aren’t as mean as Alaska Nebraska is. Anyway, in this video from Fox, Page chats with the voice of Lisa Simpson, Yeardley Smith.

The new episode, called “Waverly Hills 9021-Do’h!,” airs at 7 p.m. Sunday on Fox.

Ellen Page of "Juno" fame guest stars on this Sunday's "The Simpsons," playing Alaska Nebraska, a young music sensation not unlike Hannah Montana. Well, I shouldn't say that because I've never met Hannah Montana, or Miley Cyrus. She/they probably aren't as mean as Alaska Nebraska is. Anyway, in this video from Fox, Page chats with the voice of Lisa Simpson, Yeardley Smith.

The new episode, called "Waverly Hills 9021-Do'h!," airs at 7 p.m. Sunday on Fox.

Lauren Conrad told reporters last week that in the May 3 episode of Fox's "Family Guy," "they basically make fun of me for being dumb."

And how. Here's a clip from the episode, titled "We Love You Conrad," in which "The Hills" star plays herself as a brainy target of Brian's affections. Read more of the Conrad interview here. The episode airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on Fox.

Posted at 3:55 p.m. Monday, April 27

LC TALKS ABOUT "FAMILY GUY"

Lauren Conrad told reporters last week that in the May 3 episode of Fox’s “Family Guy," “they basically make fun of me for being dumb."

And how. Here are a cpuple of clips from the episode, titled “We Love You Conrad,” in which "The Hills" star plays herself as a brainy target of Brian's affections. Read more of the Conrad interview here. The episode airs at 8 p.m. may 3 on Fox.

Posted at 12:20 a.m. Tuesday, April 21

Cartman obviously reads the news. In the mid-season finale of “South Park,” he decides he’s going to run away from home to become a pirate.

Cartman doesn’t get it quite right, though, in "Fatbeard." He enlists Butters and others to join him on Skull Island, where they can hunt for buried treasure. He just has to figure out how to get to Somalia.

The episode airs at 9 p.m. Wednesday on Comedy Central.

WATCH A VIDEO PREVIEW

Lauren Conrad, above with Brian, voices herself on "Family Guy." Fox photos

"The Hills" star Lauren Conrad won't be attending the wedding of her co-stars, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, but she is guest starring on an upcoming episode of "Family Guy."

Conrad was asked about going to the wedding Monday during a conference about "Family Guy."

"Probably not," she said laughing, adding that she was invited.

Updated at 2:35 p.m.; Original post at 1:50 p.m. Monday, April 20

WATCH CLIPS FROM THE EPISODE HERE!

Lauren Conrad, above with Brian, voices herself on the May 3 "Family Guy." Fox photos

“The Hills” star Lauren Conrad won’t be attending the wedding of her co-stars, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, but she is guest starring on an upcoming episode of “Family Guy.”

Conrad was asked about going to the wedding Monday during a conference about “Family Guy.”

“Probably not,” she said laughing, adding that she was invited.

Posted at 7 a.m. Friday, April 17

SIT DOWN, SHUT UP
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Tune in or out? out of four.

I like a good “nut sack” joke as much as the next guy, but when it’s coming from the minds and actors behind “Arrested Development,” it’s more than a little disappointing.

Posted at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday, April 15

We already have Ray Wise’s hilariously droll Satan on the CW’s funny “Reaper.” Now TBS is bringing us a whole family from hell.

The cable net has greenlit 10 episodes of a half-hour animated comedy called “Neighbors From Hell,” about a devilish family that moves into the suburbs. The Hellmans include dad Balthazor; his wife, Tina; their two children, Mandy and Josh; and their dog, Pazuzu. They have come to Earth to keep humans from going to hell.

Apparently their devil is nothing like the one Wise plays.

“South Park” writer-producer Pam Brady wrote the pilot and will exec produce with Mireille Soria. Fox TV Animation, DreamWorks Animation SKG and Jeffrey Katzenberg developed the series.

Posted at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 13

Stan’s dad really wants him to win the Pinewood Derby in the new episode of “South Park,” appropriately title “Pinewood Derby.” It airs at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 15. Randy wants that win so badly he comes up with a questionable plan to assure the win.

Posted at 2:10 p.m. Wednesday, April 1

Maybe it was an April Fool’s gag, but Mitch Hurwitz says he just might write Will Forte into his “Arrested Development” movie.

“Hey Will, would you be in it?” Hurwitz asked Forte during a Wednesday conference call with reporters about their current project, Fox’s animated series “Sit Down, Shut Up.”

“Oh my God, I’d love to. Is this an offer?” Forte responded. “Let me get my agent on the line.”

Posted at 2:10 p.m. Wednesday, April 1

Maybe it was an April Fool’s gag, but Mitch Hurwitz says he just might write Will Forte into his “Arrested Development” movie.

“Hey Will, would you be in it?” Hurwitz asked Forte during a Wednesday conference call with reporters about their current project, Fox’s animated series “Sit Down, Shut Up.”

“Oh my God, I’d love to. Is this an offer?” Forte responded. “Let me get my agent on the line.”

Posted at 11:01 p.m. Tuesday, March 31

Get ready to lick the back of Homer Simpson’s head.

Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie are getting a 20th anniversary gift from the U.S. Postal Service. “The Simpsons” will appear on a series of postage stamps.

According to the Associated Press, the Postal Service will issue five stamps with Hthe five family members from Fox's animated series.

“Simpsons” creator Matt Groening created the artwork for the 44-cent stamps, AP reports. The Postal Service will preview the stamps on April 9. That’s when we’ll find out when they will go on sale, and we can stick Bart on an envelope.

Posted at 11:01 p.m. Tuesday, March 31

Get ready to lick the back of Homer Simpson’s head.

Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie are getting a 20th anniversary gift from the U.S. Postal Service. “The Simpsons” will appear on a series of postage stamps.

According to the Associated Press, the Postal Service will issue five stamps with Hthe five family members from Fox's animated series.

“Simpsons” creator Matt Groening created the artwork for the 44-cent stamps, AP reports. The Postal Service will preview the stamps on April 9. That’s when we’ll find out when they will go on sale, and we can stick Bart on an envelope.

Posted at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 27

Seth MacFarland, David Goodman and the writers of “Family Guy” has skewered many a pop culture icon—from “Star Wars: A New Hope” to Christian Bale’s recent meltdown on the set of “Terminator: Salvation.”

The gang goes where not one of them has gone before in Sunday’s 8 p.m. episode, called “Not All Dogs Go to Heaven.” They lampoon “Star Trek: The Next Generation”—with the help of the cast of that series—Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Denise Cosby, Gates McFadden and Wil Wheaton.

Posted at 8:10 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, 2009

President Obama took questions about the economy on national TV Tuesday. Good thing the gang from “South Park” wasn’t invited.

On Tuesday’s episode, titled "Margaritaville,” the South Park residents are blaming everyone else for their dire economic situation.

Here’s Comedy Central’s description: Randy steps forward with a solution to fix the desperate financial state everyone finds themselves in. The town gets behind him and everyone starts to live a life that no longer depends on any economy at all. Meanwhile, an unlikely savior makes the ultimate sacrifice to solve everyone’s problems.

It airs at 9 p.m. on Comedy Central.

Posted at 10:10 a.m. Wednesday, March 18

Taraji P. Henson (from left) and Kanye West will guest star on "The Cleveland Show," which stars Sanaa Lathan (right). Fox photo

Even Kanye West laughs at his cocky rep.

The artist with attitude will poke fun at himself this fall when he stars in an episode of the “Family Guy” spin-off, “The Cleveland Show.” According to Fox, he’ll play cool high school kid Kenny West, the archenemy of Cleveland Jr. (Kevin Michael Richardson). Kenny and Cleveland Jr. throw down in a rap battle over high school hottie Chanel.

Another big treat: Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson will guest voice Chanel.

The series, debuting this fall on Fox, follows Cleveland Brown (Mike Henry) and his wife, Donna (Sanaa Lathan), her kids, and his 14-year-old son, Cleveland Jr. Here’s the Fox synopsis:

Once in Virginia, Cleveland has a few surprises in store for him, including Roberta (Reagan Gomez-Preston), a rebellious new stepdaughter; Rallo (Henry), a 5-year-old stepson who loves the ladies; and a collection of neighbors that includes a loudmouth redneck, Lester (Richardson); a hipster wanna-be, Holt (guest voice Jason Sudeikis); and a pious pair of talking bears, Tim (Seth MacFarlane) and his wife Arianna (guest voice Arianna Huffington).

Taraji P. Henson (from left) and Kanye West will guest star on "The Cleveland Show," which stars Sanaa Lathan (right). Fox photos

Even Kanye West laughs at his cocky rep.

The artist with attitude will poke fun at himself this fall when he stars in an episode of the "Family Guy" spin-off, "The Cleveland Show." According to Fox, he'll play cool high school kid Kenny West, the archenemy of Cleveland Jr. (Kevin Michael Richardson). Kenny and Cleveland Jr. throw down in a rap battle over high school hottie Chanel.

Posted at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 15

  Kate Walsh guest voices on tonight’s “King of the Hill,” playing Peggy’s wild new friend Katt Savage. “Uncool Customer” airs at 7:30 p.m. on Fox.

They meet after Bobby convinces his dad to let him take cotillion classes (below).

Here is Fox’s description of the episode: 

When Peggy goes shopping for a cassette tape, she realizes how uncool she really is and sends herself on a quest to learn what is “in.” She befriends Katt Savage (guest voice Kate Walsh), the coolest and most glamorous mom at Bobby’s cotillion classes.

Katt takes Peggy to trendy wine bars, introduces her to cool new people and shows her the latest fashions. When Katt invites Bobby and Peggy to her daughter’s birthday party, Peggy and Bobby dress to impress and try to act sophisticated.

Posted at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 15

  Kate Walsh guest voices on tonight’s “King of the Hill,” playing Peggy’s wild new friend Katt Savage. “Uncool Customer” airs at 7:30 p.m. on Fox.

They meet after Bobby convinces his dad to let him take cotillion classes (below).

Here is Fox’s description of the episode: 

When Peggy goes shopping for a cassette tape, she realizes how uncool she really is and sends herself on a quest to learn what is “in.” She befriends Katt Savage (guest voice Kate Walsh), the coolest and most glamorous mom at Bobby’s cotillion classes.

Katt takes Peggy to trendy wine bars, introduces her to cool new people and shows her the latest fashions. When Katt invites Bobby and Peggy to her daughter’s birthday party, Peggy and Bobby dress to impress and try to act sophisticated.

Posted at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 10

Here’s clip for “Arrested Development” fans. Beginning April 1, “AD” alums Jason Bateman and Will Arnett will voice characters in “AD” creator Mitchell Hurwitz’s animated comedy “Sit Down, Shut Up.”

The actors recently sat down to bash each other. Sample exchange:
Bateman: “He’s surprisingly breasty.”
Arnett: “Sounds like he’s projecting.”

In the Fox series, Bateman plays frustrated-with-the-ladies gym teacher Larry Littlejunk, who competes with Arnett’s Ennis Hofftard, a suave English teacher. It’s based on a live-action Australian series. Other members of the voice cast include Kristin Chenoweth, Kenan Thompson, Will Forte, Henry Winkler, Cheri Oteri, Nick Kroll and Tom Kenny.

Read Fox’s synopsis by clicking the link below.

Posted at 8:35 p.m. Monday, March 9

After 13 seasons, “South Park’s” Kenny finally has a girlfriend, Tammy Warner. But Kenny’s plans to score with Tammy go badly when he takes her to Jonas Brothers concert—and the JoBros give the couple purity rings. Talk about getting blocked.

The episode, called “The Ring,” kicks off seven new episodes of the Comedy Central show’s 13th season at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Posted at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5

“Pineapple Express” star Seth Rogen plays himself—sort of—on Sunday’s episode of “Family Guy.”

Rogen will voice the “Seth Rogen Gene” that is injected into Peter, who is participating in a series of medical experiments, Fox says. The gene “gives you the appearance of being funny even though you haven't actually done anything funny.”

Rogen isn’t in the clip above, but in it, a different Peter comes home after the experiments. I’d be offended if this wasn’t so hilarious. The episode airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on Fox.

Posted at 9:20 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 26

Doh! Big-screen success hasn’t jaded Homer, Bart, Marge, Maggie and Lisa. They’re going to stay on TV for a long time, Fox announced today.

The network renewed “The Simpsons” for two more seasons. That means 44 additional episodes after this season, bringing the show through its 22nd season and 493rd episode. "The Simpsons," created by cartoonist Matt Groening, debuted as a regular series on Jan. 14, 1990 after a Christmas special on Dec. 17, 1989. It first appeared in 1987 as a series of 30-second shorts for “The Tracey Ullman Show.”

Fox currently is showing its 20th season at 7 p.m. Sundays. In Sunday's episode, “How the Test Was Won,” Bart and other “underperformers” at his school are sent to Capital City by officials to avoid them bringing down standardized test scores. Meanwhile, Homer has to avoid getting injured when his insurance lapses.

Posted at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11

Moe Szyslak wants a good Valentine's Day, and so you want that for him, America.

"I’d like any sort of human contact—a smile, a wink, a phone call—even a wrong number; I’ll take anything," the barkeep on "The Simpsons" says. "If I don’t get nothing, that’ll be me, the creep across the street, giving you the eye. America, you’ve been warned."

In honor of Valentine’s Day—and to promote its Sunday night comedy line-up—Fox has unleashed some of its animated characters to talk about the holiday. Characters from “The Simpsons," “King of the Hill,” “Family Guy” and “American Dad” describe the perfect Valentine’s Day.

Read the rest of the comment by clicking the link below.

Posted at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23

Afro Samurai is back in action. Spike TV photos

AFRO SAMURAI: RESURRECTION
9 p.m. Sunday, Spike TV
Tune in or out? out of four.

Fans of anime will love this beautifully done, two-hour movie furthering the story of avenging ninja Afro Samurai.

Samuel L. Jackson returns to voice Afro, as well as his foul-mouthed sidekick Ninja Ninja. Afro battles Kuma (Yuri Lowenthal), the teddy bear-headed warrior from the original “Afro Samurai” series, who’s under the control of Afro’s chief nemesis, Sio, voiced by Lucy Liu. Mark Hamill voices Bin, Sio’s manservant and protector.

In “Resurrection,” Sio hatches a convoluted scheme that involves bringing Afro’s dad and others back to life to kill the big-haired anti-hero. It doesn’t matter how confusing the plot gets, because splattering blood and flying limbs never looked this good.

Click the link below to see more images from "Afro Samurai: Resurrection."

Posted at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22

Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and Joe Trohman covered what is apparently one of their favorites songs, the theme to Fox’s cartoon “The Simpsons.”

Fans can hear their rendition of the song during the end credits of Sunday’s episode, titled “Lisa the Drama Queen.” It airs at 7 p.m. Jan. 25. Emily Blunt makes a guest voice appearance in the episode as Lisa’s equally brainiac new friend Juliet. They construct a fantasy world that takes them both a little too far from reality, according to Fox.

Fox captured Stump and Trohman working on their version of Danny Elfman’s theme song in these videos. Did you know that Fall Out Boy, the band, is named after the sidekick of “The Simpsons” character Radioactive Man? The Chicago band also includes Pete Wentz and Andrew Hurley.

WENTZ AND ASHLEE SIMPSON GET "CSI: NY" GIG.

Posted at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9

Danny DeVito doesn’t mind being a cartoon character—especially if it means he’ll look slimmer.

“I’ve been on a diet since I was 10,” he told journalists during a recent conference call. “I looked really fit in the movie. That’s good. I like that.”

A fit-looking, animated DeVito (below) appears in the new holiday special, “Little Spirit: Christmas in New York,” which will air at 7 p.m. Wednesday on NBC.

DeVito voices a New York City cab driver who tells two little girls just arriving in the Big Apple the story of a boy named Leo, who had a hard time adjusting to living in the city.

Leo loses his dog, Ramona, in Central Park, and is devastated until a fairy named Little Spirit takes him on a magical adventure to find the dog.

By playing a taxi driver, DeVito stirs memories of one of his most famous roles: Louis De Palma, the obnoxious, rude boss on the old sitcom “Taxi.” Louis rivals bar owner Frank Reynolds, who DeVito currently plays on FX’s sitcom “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” in the the obnoxious, rude department.

DeVito must be hoping his new cabbie character isn’t anything like Louis.

“Oh yeah. Well, you know, Louis ... did drive a cab,” he joked. “I mean there were memories of cab [but] I can’t remember the title of the show. Terrible.”

Posted at 2:47 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3

Yoda faces the droid army in “Ambush,” at 8 p.m. Friday.

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS
8 p.m. Friday Cartoon Network

The scoop: The weekly cartoon series from Lucasfilm Animation depicts the war between the Jedi and their clone army against the droid army of the Separatists. The action is supposed to take place between the less exciting second and third installments of the live-action movies.

All the “Star Wars” favorites are here: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Ahsoka Tano fight the evil Count Dooku, his assassin Asajj Ventress, General Grievous and their master, Darth Sidious.

In the first two episodes airing Friday, Yoda goes on a secret mission to make a treaty with the king of Toydaria when he is ambushed by Count Dooku. After that, Anakin discovers the Separatists’ secret weapon.

What works: These episodes are just 30 minutes long, which means they are action-packed and monologue-free. Best of all? Unlike the last three live-action films, they aren’t boring.

What doesn’t: The animation isn’t top-notch—shouldn’t hair move? And so much action leaves little for character exploration. But this series is made for children, and action is all they need.

Tune in or out? “Star Wars” purists will cry a Yoda-like “Not worth watching, this show is,” but their kids will love it.

General Grievous and Count Dooku plot against the Jedi in “Rising Malevolence,” at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Posted at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 26

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF TIM
10 p.m. Sunday HBO

The scoop: Former ad man Steve Dildarian writes, produces and voices this animated comedy about New Yorker Tim, an unimpressive schmuck who can’t stay out of trouble. Despite being constantly humiliated, Tim stays uncannily calm, making the outrageous situations he finds himself in seem ordinary.

What works: Tim’s “times” are very funny. In the first episode, Tim’s girlfriend, Amy, and her parents catch Tim with an old hooker who he doesn’t want to pay (above). When Amy objects to the situation, Tim tries to change the subject by explaining, “Amy, I don't know if you noticed. I vacuumed!”

In another episode, he is given a promoted at work but only if he pretends to be Latino in order to satisfy his company's diversity hiring requirements.

What doesn’t: “Tim” provides some big laughs, but things get sluggish between them. Also, the first few episodes that deal with Tim making embarrassing mistakes in front of Amy’s parents might remind viewers of the new, and not as funny, sitcom “Worst Week.”

Tune in or out? out of 4. Like Tim himself, the series is charming but simple, with understated animation and the voice cast’s deadpan delivery. Despite the slow spots, “Tim” is anything but ordinary.

Posted at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 22

WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE & SUBJECT MATTER—SO WATCH!!

When “South Park” aired its trilogy “Imaginationland” last fall, fans were reminded just how genius creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are. Get ready folks, the boys are upping the ante.

At 9 p.m. Sunday, all three parts (recently nominated for an Emmy), as well as brand new footage created especially for “the director’s cut,” will air as a complete movie called “South Park Imaginationland: The Trilogy."

The action begins with a bet between Cartman and Kyle over the existence of leprechuans. (Don’t even ask what the payoff is.) Before the story ends, Kyle, Cartman, Stan, and Kenny are transported to Imaginationland—where characters from TV, cartoons, video games and movies live.

Parker and Stone spoof just about everything you can imagine—from Count Chocula to “Stargate” to Al Gore and his Manbearpig.

It’s absurd, yes, but brilliant—all while retaining the show’s smart social satire hidden behind raunchy humor.

Posted at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 3

Homer Simpson vs. Marshal Matt Dillon. It’s a duel Homer and “The Simpsons” are sure to win.

Fox on Tuesday ordered a 20th season of “The Simpsons,” which ties the animated comedy series with Dillon’s “Gunsmoke” as the longest-running series in the history of prime time TV. The 20th season is expected to only include 20 rather than the usual 22 episodes.

Matt Groening’s creation currently is the longest-running prime time animated series in history and the longest-running comedy series currently on TV, according to Fox. In 2007, “The Simpsons” aired its 400th episode.

Apparently Fox plans on keeping the show around to best “Gunsmoke’s” numbers. The voice talent for the show—Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe) and Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns)—agreed to a new four-year contract with 20th Century Fox TV. It will earn the actors nearly $400,000 per episode, according to industry trade papers.

Posted at 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 7

“Star Wars” fans should tune into to one of five Turner networks on Thursday.

At 7:58 p.m. in all time zones, The world premiere trailer for the animated movie “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” debuts simultaneously on Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, CNN and Boomerang.

The film, of course, was made by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Animation. The trailer airing on TV Thursday will be shown in theaters on Friday along with the first poster for the movie, shown here. It also will be posted at the official Star Wars Web site at starwars.com.

Here’s how a TBS press release describes the film “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”:

On the front lines of an intergalactic struggle between good and evil, fans young and old will join such favorite characters as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala, along with brand-new heroes like Anakin’s padawan learner, Ahsoka. Sinister villains—led by Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous—are poised to rule the galaxy.

Stakes are high, and the fate of the “Star Wars” universe rests in the hands of the daring Jedi Knights. Their exploits lead to the action-packed battles and astonishing new revelations that fill “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”

The film opens nationwide on August 15, and tells a new story that leads directly into this fall’s premiere of a weekly, animated “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” TV series on Cartoon Network, followed by airings on TNT.

Posted at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28

I have to admit that I was a bit of a Scrooge when I first watched ABC's new Christmas special "Shrek the Halls."

How could Shrek compete with such classic Christmas characters as the Grinch, Rudolf or Charlie Brown? He can't, but that doesn't really matter.

"Shrek the Halls" may rely too heavily on current references and popular music to feel fresh year after year, but for this Christmas it's just fine.

Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) gets his first warning about Christmas from Donkey (Eddie Murphy), who tells him there "are only 159 days until Christmas."

"I don't care about Christmas," the grumpy green ogre tells him.

"You mean you haven't trimmed your stockings or hung your chestnuts or roasted the tree," Donkey screams.

When Shrek finds out that Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) is looking forward to their triplets' first Christmas, he has a change of heart and leaves the swamp for a last-minute stop at a book store.

"I have to make a Christmas and I have no idea what it is or how to do it," he tells the clerk. She hands him the book "Christmas for Village Idiots," and explains the final step for a perfect holiday.

"The telling of the Christmas story says 'I have created the perfect Christmas for my perfect family perfectly,'" she says.

Shrek decorates the house in a way only the swamp king could (a toliet seat as a wreath) and settles in with the family for their Christmas. Then Donkey, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) and the fairyland gang bust in, redo all the ogre-centric decorations and generally wreak havoc on the house--and Shrek's perfect holiday.

Each character tells his version of who Santa is--which leads to some of the show's best gags.

Donkey tells the story of a Christmas parade complete with a roasted turkey that dances to "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)." He doesn't snap out of his own story until he inadvertently licks Shrek's leg as he imagines that Santa's a giant made of waffles.

Puss sees Santa as "a hot Latin cat, a real Santa ... Claws." As Puss explains that Santa has a cute fuzzy thing hanging from his hat, he becomes mesmerized, cat-like, with an ornament hanging above him.

Gingerbread Man has the best tale, however. He recounts a horrific holiday when Santa ate his gingerbread date.

When the party gets out of control (There's disco dancing, spilled food, fires and Gingerbread Man throws up a tasty chocolate kiss), a fed-up Shrek tosses everyone out into the snow. Fiona scolds her hubby and follows the gang out the door, teaching Shrek a valuable lesson:

There's no such thing as a perfect Christmas. The holiday is a crazy time of high hopes and low disappointments, so all you can do is embrace your family and the madness of the season.

As Donkey says to the gang, "Christmas isn't Christmas until somebody cries."

I'm not sure kids will absorb the message, but for adults who have spent any holiday with their own family dysfunction this may be the smartest moral of any Christmas story ever told.

Posted at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1

Seth MacFarlane’s comedy “Family Guy” finds a way to offend nearly everyone in its 100th episode.

Yet I laughed.

I looked around the room to make sure no one could hear what I was laughing at, but still, I laughed.

The episode, which airs at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, is the first of a two-parter that has little Stewie gunning down his mother Lois for her “matricidal tyranny.” After the shooting—and falling down—he cries “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy” before realizing, “Oh, that’s right.”

By the end of the episode, Peter’s on trial for his wife’s murder but Brian is sniffing out the real killer. He knows its Stewie and has to find a way to prove it. I won’t spoil the cliffhanger, you’ll have to watch.

I’ve noticed many critics beat up on “Family Guy,” saying its brand of humor is too raunchy and unfunny. I couldn’t disagree more.

It may be super juvenile at times, but as far as I’m concerned it has just the right mix of witty jokes and low-brow gags. Yes, I think poop jokes can be funny.

WATCH FOR IT

Is that Stick Figure, the sweet little guy you’ve seen on RedEye’s sports pages, on Sunday’s “Family Guy”? Whoever it is, he turns in a hilarious cameo as one of Peter’s dates.

Posted at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7

After nearly two years away, Cartoon Network's "The Boondocks" is as subversive as ever.

The animated series satirizes black culture and racial prejudices through its three main characters--grade-school radical Huey Freeman, his rap-loving brother Riley and their grumpy Granddad.

Monday’s funny Season 2 premiere doesn't quite have the heavy political or social satire of the past. Still, creator Aaron McGruder hasn't lost his bite.

It begins with a parody of the comedy "Soul Plane," which starred Snoop Dogg and Mo'Nique as employees of the party-happy black airline NWA. They reprise those roles on "Boondocks."

The Freemans see a preview for the film's sequel that shows a black airport security officer too distracted by booty to notice a cache of weapons in carry-on bags. “Come see why black incompetence is our funniest weapon in the war on terror,” the preview says.

The episode focuses on the Freeman family's misadventures at a local theater when Granddad sneaks them into the sequel without paying.

It's not quite the heavy political or social satire of past "Boondocks" episodes. Still, creator Aaron McGruder hasn't lost his bite.

Before they see the film, Huey tells Granddad that the original "Soul Plane" was "as funny as a lynching."

"I've seen funny lynchings," Granddad barks back. "Roscoe Patterson’s lynching was funny." McGruder then shows viewers Roscoe being chased by whites before his 1800s lynching.

You won't see that on TV every day. Expect more controversy as the 15-episode season includes storylines involving Usher, Hurricane Katrina, a rapper named Thugnificent, reality TV and even an episode called "The N-Word."

Leave it up to McGruder and "The Boondocks."