The Boondocks Episode 15 UPDATED
The Boondocks episodes use cultural references to comment on society as well as to support the narrative. After reviewing the various allusions found within the six episodes our team coded, it was quickly apparent that the references fell into three main categories: popular culture, political and societal issues, and religious topics.
The Boondocks Episode 15
The sequence is followed by a close-up on a newspaper headline stating that King died in the Canadian city of Vancouver, before the camera pans up to the top story announcing Winfrey's electoral victory, strongly implying that it was the culmination of the anger set off by his speech. As the episode ends, Huey can be heard saying, "It's fun to dream."
McGruder is currently producing a new show, Black America, for Amazon Studios. We contacted both Amazon and Cartoon Network seeking comment on the renewed interest in the episode generated by the reaction to Winfrey's speech.
As Huey and King navigate 21st Century Black America, the idealism of King comes up against the cynical world that exists today. This all leads up to the most infamous part of the episode, where King attempts to deliver a speech in front of a group of Black Americans who are distracted by music. He then drops the N-word bomb. A lot.
The Boondocks is one of the shows I always think of when it comes Black shows that are targeted at Black audiences, despite its popularity among white people. When I watch this episode, I know who McGruder is talking to, and I can also understand the awkwardness of knowing that non-Black people are watching this being said, too. That being said, I think the episode hits at the frustration at the state of the country, especially during the Bush administration.
While imperfect, the episode was a call to arms, one that I think many people heard, even with the satire. At the end of the episode, we see the front page of a November 2020 newspaper that shows King has died in Vancouver, British Columbia at the age of 91, and that Oprah Winfrey has just been elected President of the United States.
"The Boondocks" creator was on a conference call interview with reporters yesterday and acknowledged that after Rosa Parks died Monday, he pulled several rough-hewn references to the civil rights icon from an upcoming episode of his new animated television series based on the comic strip.
"The Boondocks" premieres on Adult Swim, the Cartoon Network's sister channel, on Nov. 6 at 11 p.m., and devotees of the strip will recognize the attitude. The first episode features the "n-word" maybe 15 or 20 times, Riley sighting a (fake) laser-guided rifle on a white woman's ample breasts and a white cop's neck, his grandfather doing naked aerobics, and lots of clueless, racist white people.
Not everyone gets the "Boondocks" brand of broadsides, but the University of Maryland graduate is finally getting his 15 episodes of cable after being rejected by Fox and years of television projects that didn't go anywhere. 041b061a72