I could have sworn that there was an extremely old thread related to the Adult Swim show Squidbillies, started around the time that they claimed they were going to show the premiere episode but instead showed the monumentally bizarre Perfect Hair Forever in its place, followed by a nonsensical but increasingly gross "panel discussion." I recall that the consensus was that they had never really planned on showing Squidbillies, which was probably a bad idea they never finished but decided to turn into a kind of time-release practical joke.

Well, tonight, instead of the rerun of Robot Chicken, the midnight hour started with a bumper that said "Dear Adult Swim, Squidbillies is a myth. Signed, (whoever)"

Then they showed the Squidbillies pilot.

It's still not finished -- many scenes were just rough pencil sketches, and others had timing marks on them -- but it was enough to get the idea across.

And believe it or not, I thought it was kinda funny. And I've thought this cartoon sounded like a dumb idea all along. But there you go. Squidbillies: not entirely bullshit.

I think that could very well end up being the slogan for this series.

The volume wasn't turned completely up on my set, but what I did hear sounded okay. The panel afterward was very amusing.

They showed the Squidbillies pilot at 12/11, and then during the rerun at 3/2, they showed Perfect Hair Forever, complete with the appearing/disappearing moustaches and beards from last April Fool's Day. So, it may still all be a joke. But it does seem to be more of a reality now.

I stumbled across the pilot last night, too. Frankly, it didn't do much for me. And the fresh maker's info about the lack of a rerun suggests to me that the earlier consensus was essentially right. If it was a teaser for a show they intended to actually put on the air, they'd rerun it. Endlessly. If it's a practical joke, not so much.

I always suspected that at some late-night, drug-fueled session at Williams Street, one of the writers blurted out the word "Squidbillies". Which they rightly thought sounded funny, and wrongly thought could be turned into an actual show. And now it's come to this...

Actually, past history with Adult Swim has proven this not to be the case: they quite often will run something, completely unannounced, once in the middle of the night. They did this with random episodes of Home Movies a couple of times, and they introduced The Venture Brothers, Robot Chicken and Tom Goes to the Mayor this way. But this is the only time I know of that they've shown a rough cut of a pilot this way.

Point taken. Maybe that is their preferred method of testing out new shows. Still, the fact that they ran this on midnight of April Fool's Day probably means something.

Well, a day later, and no comments. That's not a good sign.

I got a word...huh? It's like [as] tries to win audiences with weirdness. Stuff with squids and rednecks and totally odd imagery? They do know there can never be another ATHF, right? I'll keep watching, though.

I didn't like the first one, but the background art is so good, I'll stick around for future viewings. It may get better.

How they got Duke Phillips to do the voice of a badly drawn, ballet dancing Sheriff I do not know...

The show seemed quite a bit forced. But it was essentially the same thing we saw in roughtcut just finished. The first episodes of Space Ghost and Aqua Teen Hunger Force weren't the best either. It took Aqua Teen a half dozen episodes before it found it's niche. I'm definitely not saying Squidbillies will get that good, but it might get better.

I'd much rather see Adult Swim put some money into making some new Space Ghost episodes, though. Maybe even get the old writers back to prevent the crap we saw from last year's episodes with the cast trying way too hard to be more adult than they usually were.

"Don't Touch The Trim!"

I love this show.

You know, I don't much care for this show, but that scene with Grandma Squid heckling Squid Jesus about his lack of card trick ability was pretty damn funny. It's certainly better than that piece of shit mouse show.

The Sheriff and Granny make this show. I love every second of it. With some work it could be ATHF caliber if people get past the animation as being part of the charm.

"Oh...I just got sassed by a whore."

"Let's see what kind of whore moves you got."

But the best character was not around this week. SNAKEMAN!!

And I hope they bring back the kid with the wooden arms and legs that was the star of the football team that got run over in the first ep.

"Smoke his head!"

/hee!

I just love Earlie's hats, like "I LOVE COCK fighting" ("fighting" is in small text) and "FREE HAT Limit 1"

Yeah its official. I love this show. Its not for everyone but I really like it. Wonder how it does in the ratings.

"Baby Tacos, new Man flavor!"

I'm kinda warming up to this show.

Long live "Squidbillies!" Unknown Hinson, the king of the country western troubadors, is the voice of Early. This show is basically a riff on this character. Check out his website here and see what's happening with the King, baby!

www.unknownhinson.com

Love.
More?

New season starts September 17th! They are rerunning episodes 1-6 now at midnight on Sundays. I'm very happy they're doing more episodes.

"It's the 5 of diamonds, Jesus- it's always the 5 of diamonds!"

Lil is my favorite. "Your mama is white- fat as hell too!"

"If anyone needs me, I'll be posting pictures of my ass on the internet."

I have no idea why this show works for me but I can't wait for more episodes.

Still hate 12 ounce mouse, which for some reason I consider a companion to Squidbillies?

I have a question about the "Main Theme" as sung by Billy Joe Shaver: is it part of a longer song that can be downloaded somewhere? Or is that 33 seconds or so all there is of the song?

No comment on the new episode?

"Yes, and add 'dog' so it sounds like they're friends with the product."

I think that 12oz Mouse is the companion to Perfect Hair Forever, since they both fully premired at the same time and both shown in serial format.

Or maybe PHF was the companion of this since the pilot of this show had the pilot of PFH airing in its place as an april fools joke. I don't know right now, I just had some Glug, and nwo hi csnt seree ths keyboareddd.,

I just want to say how much I love the little local jokes this show throws out there. When Early says, "Oh, look, here comes Ruby Falls", I cracked up SO much. Likewise when I saw the "Sonny Lied" hat in the previews.

I don't know if I really like this show, but it has spawned a bastardized version of a line from the show that Mr. LaRue and I tend to blurt out when the moment suits us:

Who's your daddy? Does he look like Charlie Sheen? IS your daddy Charlie Sheen?

It's a funny show, though it's also the sort where I can't remember the really memorable lines. Yes, "TheRapist" was used on SNL, but I was laughing last week.

Also, analrapist from Arrested Development.

I loved the Patrick Swayze poster in Rusty's room.

"How about I make you a Boy Sickle? How you like that mess?"

I just so love Dana Snyder's Granny character! She is just so senile & insane, and when Jesus was playing card tricks to her....damn I loved that!

And now she knows Occult powers, and stalking the same cake as Eurley & Rusty!

Even though she got shot...She'll come back next episode. They always bring back Sheriff, and he seems to be the Kenny of the series (he got killed twice in the pilot alone...dying in 3 years from Emphysema and then having an accidental OD of crystal meth shampoo)

the cyrstal meth OD was a dream.

Oh that's right...then Rusty dreamt he was in Rush...then banging another squid in an S&M mask...which did happen. I'm still counting it as a death.

And in the pilot, didn't the Sheriff also get eaten by Snakeman? Or was that another episode?

"Hooray, magic Jesus!"

"When Jesus was president he ate babies all the time."

My favorite from this week's episode:

"why don't you take that weak shit to the park, where maybe the squirrels will care."

this is really a very funny show. This weekend's Patrick Swayze love fest? Wonderful.

We’re gone have’ta damn shake the monkey one time on this sumbitch!

These last two episodes were hilarious!

Last week: Dan Halen + Granny = comedy gold. They're the 2 best characters in the whole show. Aside from Snakeman, whom we haven't seen in ages!

Not to mention the Narrator, who was nowhere to be heard this season. My favorite moment from that guy was in one episode "...And that's when Early realized that...it was too late for an abortion."

And I was right about Sheriff being the Kenny of the series! He was killed off...by a Sheriff clone (different voice too!) and he took over the role.

This week: More hilarity! Just hearing Granny talking to "Patrick Swayze" about "Having another little drink" and "No anal"....I love Dana Snyder so much.

"Then...commercial!"

"Hooray Magic Jesus", indeed! How sweet of him to give Granny a flat screen TV.

How many times has JesusSquid appeared on the show so far this season? Who cares, keep it up! Although the SatanSquid from a few episodes ago was incredibly hilarious as well.

We even saw Snakeman!! this week!

I guess there's not that many squidbillies fans out there but last week's donkey slong hat and cher were really funny! I don't know why I love this show I just do.

And yet another Snakeman viewing!

And more Lil, which makes me happy.

Loved the narrator's little history lesson on the plot of land.

Once again: Snakeman is awesome. Granny & Dan Halen were so great once again.

We got to hear the Narrator again!

And I loved the continuity of the usage of a Meth Lab harkening back to the pilot.

I want to use "Leaky Old Woman!" in conversation this week with my mother.

And we've gotten hints of the Sheriff's sexuality before, right?

This show never fails to slay me at some point during the episode.

Nobody I know watches it and it just isn't something you can explain to people.
I liked the concept of CatDog way back when but the execution was weak, so I was leary of the notion of hillbilly squids. But it works so well now I laugh just thinking about it.

And Early's combover is awesome.

Loved the Halloween episode.
Granny: You been dipping into my date rape drugs?
Early: Well, I didn't see your name on it!

And this bit on the OCD monster.
Sheriff: Oh I know this guy. Hes the uh… Counter… Mounter.. thing.
Granny: Wow. That’s a real good name.
Sheriff: Years back, Halloween midnight. His whole family came up to this hilltop right here, dark and windy, and they all choked to death... on their CALCULATOR.
*pause*
Rusty: Calculator?
Early: Was it a evil calculator?
Granny: Well why else would it eat the whole family?
Sheriff: It choked them to death actually.
*pause*
Granny: So the whole family choked on one calculator.
Sheriff: I’m just telling you.
Early: Thissuns whole family?
Rusty: Like a livin calculator or somethin?
Granny: I guess it’d have to be for a whole family to choke on one calculator.

Granny's disdain at the story is the best.

Count me in as another fan! I have been trying to expand their fanbase by recommending it to friends and family. Usually I tell them to watch the episode with SquidJesus and Cher @ Youtube. The height of this show to me is when Jesus makes it rain Party Liquour.

I cracked up when SquidJesus DIDN'T want Granny going to Heaven and was trying to figure out how much money she needed for her gallbladder surgery.

I want a Rapture wig, too.

Anybody else get tickled when either of the male squids puffs the chest up?

He even offered her a JesusWaffle dripping with blood to sell on eBay! "Hands off! That's my waffle!"

With the last fews weeks, it's official: Granny is the best character on the show, at least to me anyway. The Rapture Wig was just pure gold.

In the Plumber Bubba crowd scene, besides Early & Rusty, you can see: Snakeman, the minister, the couple Early tried to sell a matress to, both Sheriffs, "Patrick Swayze," and all of the Mexicans that have appeared up to this point, probably including the one that was chopped up into a Baby Taco.

That tickles me pink too, hee! And agree with all who are loving Granny, but Rusty's still my favorite ever since School Days, Fool Days.