Frisky Dingo

I've been out of the loop in terms of Adult Swim programming for a while, and recently came across Frisky Dingo via OnDemand. Not knowing anything about the show, but finding the title hilarious, I figured "Oh what the hell". I'm glad I did. As a matter of fact, I bought the season one DVD shortly after watching my first Frisky Dingo episode. Now I'm just craving for more. I find the characters hilarious, especially Killface. His dialog alone is worth watching the show.

Watching shows like The Venture Brothers, I was happy that Cartoon Network was actually creating "smart" cartoons geared towards adults. Frisky Dingo is absolutely hilarious and a must see.

Frisky Dingo is a bizarrely titled, and simply bizarre animated comedy that comes in 10 minute episodes. Over the course of two seasons we followed Killface, an evil supervillain, and Awesome-X a superhero. However, this is very different to everything you've seen before. The hero is a complete jackass, and not in the cocky kind of Tony Stark way. He is stupid and arrogant, but somehow his enthusiasm makes him very likable. He acts how he majority of us would probably act with superpowers. He has great powers and no responsibility. Killface is also not the typical villain, especially in season two when he runs for president. Killface is bringing up a son, and also has to deal with paperwork and politics of being a bad guy. It isn't as easy as just being evil. The world is also filled with wonderful side characters that seem to each want their own moment in the sun. The writing is very quick and has some wonderful lines based on absurd premises. The series does become too reliable on a particularly one note character come the second season, and it's a shame the story never really continued. What we do get is a show that's easy to digest in short increments or a lengthy marathon session.

Killface is an albino supervillain with plans to blast the earth into the sun with a weapon called "The Annhilatrix". Xander Crews is a chauvinistic, idiotic playboy leading a double life as a billionaire tycoon and a superhero "Awesome-X" with an army of armoured soldiers called "The Xtacles". Killface was once referred to as his "arch nemesis and secret buddy." Crews must stop his plans as they both deal with their personal issues and side characters in and around 'The Town', and struggle to become better businessmen.

That's as close as I can get to describing the plot, since the way the show is presented needs to be seen to be believed. The humour is extremely random and demented, often gleefully obscene and outrageously violent. Characters are often killed without any warning, and the plot lines and dialogue are all very stream-of-consciousness. The show is so knee-slappingly funny and endlessly quotable that it will imprint itself on your mind. Soon "Kakow", "Boosh" and "We can never go back to Arizona!" will become part of your regular vocabulary.

Almost every side character is awesomely hilarious. There's Mr. Ford, the double-entendre spewing judge, Ronnie the perverted Xtacle, Killface's gay (?) son Simon, Crew's girlfriend Grace Ryan who he treats like dirt and is also arch-villainess 'Ant-agony', some meth-addicted hooker, a lesbian wannabe assassin, a half-man/half-crab hybrid, a giant ant baby, and a giant ant baby machete squad. Come to think of it, Frisky Dingo is probably not for the easily offended or the pretentious...

This show also features what is probably that greatest character in Adult Swim history: Wendell. A former agent of the department of labour, turned psychopathic killing machine, this guy is disgusting, weird and a total ass to everyone he meets, including his best friend who he framed for murder and then tried to have sex with his wife. This guy needs his own show big time.

Unfortunately only two seasons of this series were made, and it ends with a big cliffhanger. The studio had financial issues as I understand. These two seasons though are an unparallelled work of comedy genius. That is, if you don't mind it being completely absurd and filled to the brim with epic, epic penis jokes. Mastah cylindahhhh!! Don't look over here at what I'm doing! You point at it! You celebrate yourself!!

I would like to exclaim my undying support to the boys and girls at Adult Swim for making fine 18-35 demographic television for smart, funny people who have an often times ironic lifestyle. this show is another shining example of why i call Adult Swim "Television's Candy"- because, well it so is. the characters are often confused and normal- concerned with Cobra insurance and HMOs but the social commentary, once again, makes Cartoon Network look even better by allowing off-color humor to become a valuable, if not indispensable, part of entertainment. i cannot get enough of Killface. his sexual ambiguity and the violence that are sometimes even absurd for his "villain-esque" character make me giggle with delight. my boyfriend and i quote this show on a regular basis. i am now simply waiting on the DVD and a new season. this, i hope, is the future of television for my age. a 30-something adult with existential googly eyes awaiting more absurd TV. the genius of this show is fast dialog and a nurturing of characters like only the makers of sea lab could provide. bravo guys.

Frisky Dingo (along with Metalocalypse) is easily the best show that Adult Swim has put out since Aqua Teen! The show is about the rivalries between a supervillain and superhero, who are probably the most incompetent pair of idiots in the history of television. The 'villain' is Killface; an anthrogendered guy that never wears clothes, has a rather passive friendly attitude and is really a nice loving father, despite his occasional tendency to kill people in front of their friends and make puppets out of their corpses. The 'hero' is Xander Cruz; a self centered billionaire playboy that is a tad bit promiscuous, and pretty much gets his way with everything, especially when it comes to his girlfriend.

The two are constantly trying to outwit the other's ambitions for raising enough money to run a promotion for destroying the world, market a successful toy line, defeat the other in the Presidential Elections, or pay off hookers not to revel one's identity, to name a few.

Whether it's the brilliant one-liners, the constant awkward silences, the humorous social commentary on American lifestyles, or the hilarious cultural references; Frisky Dingo is just an amazingly funny show that is a non-stop laugh fest from start to finish. Also, unlike most adult swim programs, the show actually does have a organized plot to it, although it's not necessary to follow, it does add a great deal to the show's enjoyment.

10/10