For awhile, I assumed everyone knew about Robot Chicken, but was surprised how rarely it was talked about. Then I realized that it was a small, unknown masterpiece from the deranged minds of Seth Green and Matthew Senreich (who met Green through the late Wizard Magazine where Senreich was editor). The pair hit on a truly demented idea, a series where they can make fun of pop culture by using action figures. So, who is Robot Chicken?

Seth Green is an actor who has been in everything from Woody Allen movies to paranormal TV shows to spoof movies. His career is a little eccentric with a little bit of everything, but rarely a starring role. When he and Seinreich became friends, they decided to do something a little different and Robot Chicken was born. The two combine action figures and pop culture (especially geek culture touch points such as Star Wars, superheroes and ubiquitous geeks popping up). The episodes are usually shown on Sunday nights and are only 15 minutes long. Generally there are 5-10 little sketches which can last from 15 seconds to several minutes.

The look of the show is unique. Action figures (superheros, Barbies, etc.) are modified created, melted, ripped apart, etc. and put into little sketches. It’s almost like a rude, foul mouthed kiddie SNL. The team has also done three standalone StarWars episodes (which is doubly funny since Green is on Family Guy, which has done it’s own Star Wars episodes). Unlike the Family Guy Star Wars shows, the Robot Chicken focuses on small skits with characters (both big and small) from the movies and showing them in a new and hilarious light. One of my favorite skits features the alien that Ben Kenobi fights in the Mos Eisley Cantina and how his threats against Luke were just one giant mistake (brought on by his drunk buddy). The Star Wars shows were so well liked that the duo was hired to work on a Star Wars comedy show.

Robot Chicken is the hilarious antics of two demented minds who’ve spent too much time in the toy aisle. And, somehow, they have a ton of talent lending their voice to the show (including George Lucas, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fischer on the Star Wars shows and everyone from Snoop Dogg to Phyllis Diller). As you watch an episode and see them ripping apart one show or another, it’s often fun to see that the actors from that show lent their voice to the show. Overall it’s a wonderful little show that gets better and better and documents the madness that is popular culture. Highly Recommended.