It has been a while since Aqua Teen Hunger Force fans last saw a new season of the popular animated show. Eight years to be exact. But Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Aquadonk Side Pieces and Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm proved that there were still plenty of laughs to serve up.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force has been around for so long that it’s already graduated college and has entered into adulthood. But that doesn’t mean the show has lost a step. Created in 2000, the show has lived through a recession, a pandemic, and even a transition from standard to high definition. That’s why Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro remain confident in their ability to keep things as fresh as possible with their fast food forward show.
On November 26, Aqua Teen Hunger Force will finally enter its 12th season, and Willis and Maiellaro certainly know where their strengths still lie and what works for them. That’s why the show has remained popular with fans for over 2 decades. The creative duo sat down with Bubbleblabber to discuss the new mini season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force and the reason behind their success.
As we connected to the Zoom call, it was obvious right out of the gate that this wasn’t going to be your ordinary type of interview.
Dave Willis: I’m using my drone [camera].
Matthew Swigonski: I was wondering what was going on. I thought you were maybe using a security camera or something.
Dave Willis: I can’t keep it steady though. He’s gonna crash at any time.
Matthew Swigonski: It’s steady enough. When Aqua Teen Hunger Force first started out, did you guys ever imagine that the show would span across two decades?
Dave Willis: We dreamed it would happen. That was always our intention. To build an empire.
Matt Maiellaro: Our dreams came true.
Dave Willis: Dreams can come true.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Is Full Of Surprises
Matthew Swigonski: So has anything ever surprised you during these 23 years?
Dave Willis: I think I’m always surprised when Bubbleblabber gives us less than a ten on any episode review because I think they’re all tens. What’s up with that? When you guys give us a nine, it makes me so angry.
Matthew Swigonski: Oh man. Don’t kill me. I don’t…
Dave Willis: [Making a fist] Look how white my knuckles are. They are just filled with rage.
Matthew Swigonski: This is the most threatening interview I’ve ever done. Wow.
Dave Willis: Where do you live?
Matthew Swigonski: Uh, Earth.
Dave Willis: I’m coming for you all. Tens this year. Only tens. That’s all we want. All we want is an extra digit. That’s all it is. Just one extra digit.
Matthew Swigonski: Just keep your drones away and I’ll see what we can do. About the new season, is there one thing you’re most proud of or you’re most excited about fans seeing?
Matt Maiellaro: Allfiveepisodes! That’s all one word.
Dave Willis: That’s what is sort of weird about making cartoons. It’s really hard. And then they just air it on TV and you don’t know how people responded. You don’t even know how many people watched it. Nobody will tell anybody anything. You just have to hope that someone saw it. But we’re excited for fans to tune in. These five episodes of this micro mini nano season are well worth your time and very funny. It’s consistent with everything we’ve ever done in the past. Which is to say… at a high level.
Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis Will Never Stop
Matthew Swigonski: Has there ever been a point in these 23 years where you thought ‘Okay, this is a good point to stop making these,’ or are you going to keep going until you get locked out of the building and they call security?
Matt Maiellaro: There was a point in their lives when they decided that it was good to stop making it. But we weren’t necessarily prepared for that. But then we got used to it and then they called us back because they know where the money’s made.
Dave Willis: They know where their bread is buttered, Matthew. It’s pretty hard to lock someone out of the building and call security when the show that pays for the locksmiths and security is off the air.
Matthew Swigonski: So do you have drones that scan the building at all times just keeping track of everybody?
Dave Willis: Oh yeah, well not drones but droids.
Matthew Swigonski: Are there any crazy ideas that you guys come up with that are maybe too insane? Ideas that hit the cutting room floor. Or do you think everything that you’re imagining makes its way to the show at some point?
Dave Willis: The great thing about cartoons is that you can draw them. You can draw what you imagine. Even though Matt and I, neither one of us can draw. But our animators know how to draw. They’re good, they can throw whatever we imagine and that’s helpful for the show. That’s why we’re with our animators at all times. We sleep in a big room together. As soon as we wake up with an idea they’re there to draw it.
Creating The Show That They Want To Watch
Matthew Swigonski: Do you think there’s one aspect that’s more difficult than any others when coming up with these ideas?
Dave Willis: We’ve just been doing this so long together. I mean we just sort of try to crack each other up. Gossip and bullshit and then eventually it becomes, ‘What if that thing that just made us laugh was an episode?’ and it just sort of evolves very organically. Yeah, it’s very easy. You know, it’s not torturous at all.
Matthew Swigonski: Do you ever have the fans in mind when creating something as sort of a fan service? Or do you create what you want to see yourself? What you think is best for the show.
Matt Maiellaro: I think we just write what we like, and what we think is funny and that’s what built the fans. And so when we keep doing that. We just keep those same people and it’s guaranteed to attract others.
Dave Willis: Yeah, I feel like doing fan service is just kind of lazy. I think we just try to do something that, if it calls on us to bring back a character like the Moonenites, then absolutely. But to do it just for the sake of doing, it just feels a little too first thought.
Season 12 of Aqua Teen Hunger Force will premiere with two episodes on November 26 at 11:30pm on Adult Swim.