Frank's Television Set - Superjail

This is a new segment where I tell you about shows I am watching. I watch alot of TV, all of it stellar. These posting will give you the courage to skip that fourth viewing of Arrested Development and catch up with the rest of us devoted boob tube heads. Some of these shows might be on pay-cable which I understand makes life hard but just find a friend who lives in a hotel or visit your parents. On an unrelated note I have a bunch of guest writers who I have solicited to write for me, we'll see if any of them put out.

       SuperJail Season 2
        Cartoon Network
          Sundays 11pm          

The first season of Superjail stands along side Tim & Eric Awesome Show and Xavier Renegade Angel as some of the best and weirdest animated comedy to appear on television in quite awhile. I had never been a big fan of Adult Swim programming previously because it was all a little too "stoner" for my taste. Yet these show are able to create surreal other worlds that are both funny and disturbing and not just "weird" like Aqua Teen or Sealab. It's been awhile since the first season of Superjail and I know many, myself included didn't think we would see it again.

Season 2 began this Sunday and was a bit of a let down. In the two years between the seasons the show seems to have picked up a new animation studio, leaving behind the grotesquely detailed art with a new,slicker style more accustomed to traditional half hour comedy animation. One of the thing that made the first season great was the amount of detail in every little scene. While the animation itself was stilted it didn't matter because you could take a freeze shot at any point in each episode and have at least 20 uniquely morbid things to point and laugh at.
 
The eleven minute running time of Superjail is perfectly orchestrated to stuff in as many disgustingly witty puns and sight gags as possible all concluding in the massive orgy of blood and gore that the inevitable prisoner vs Jail-bot showdown has in store. If you only see one episode of Superjail there is plenty to enjoy, but watching the full season you see just how well conceived and executed the show is.  The writing was still on in this debut episode including some clever twist and the typical character dynamics, but not once did I wince and yell at the screen in horror as I used to. I just hope that with this slicker animation the show doesn't loose the twisted surreal violence that made the show must see TV. I'll do a check back mid season and let you know what I think.