King Star King

Last updated

King Star King
King Star King title card.jpg
Title Card
Genre
Created byJ. J. Villard
Eric Kaplan (pilot co-creator)
Developed by Tommy Blacha
Directed byJ. J. Villard
Creative directorAntonio Canobbio (series only)
Voices of(See Voices)
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes6 (+1 pilot and 1 special) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • J. J. Villard
  • Tommy Blacha
  • Eric Kaplan (pilot)
Producers
  • Series: Ben Kalina and Shannon Prynoski; Peedee Shindell (Episodes 2–6)
  • Pilot: Jukka Montonen and Raduca Kaplan
Editors
  • George Soto (series)
  • Jukka Montonen and J. J. Villard (pilot)
  • Paul D. Calder (special)
Running time11 minutes approx.
22 minutes (special)
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseJune 15, 2014 (2014-06-15) 
February 13, 2023 (2023-02-13)

King Star King is an American adult animated web series created by J. J. Villard for Adult Swim; Eric Kaplan also worked on the series' pilot episode. The series aired on the network's online video streaming service Adult Swim Video on June 15, 2014 before it was aired on TV.

Contents

A TV special titled King Star King!/!/!/ aired on February 13, 2023 on Adult Swim. [1] The special takes place on Christmas.

Synopsis

The series revolves around the titular character, King Star King (Tommy Blacha): a tall, blond muscular man. After seducing his love, Princess Snow White, he falls from his higher plane of existence to serve as a fry cook in a run-down waffle house. In order to reclaim his place in the heavens, he must battle his amnesia to defeat the evil Spring Bunny (Eric Kaplan) and rescue Snow White.

Production

The pilot was announced preceding the network's 2012 upfront as part of their development slate. [2] It was also disclosed during the upfront, [3] and was reported again before the network's upfront the following year. [4] It was announced as a web series for Adult Swim Video to premiere June 15, 2014; the series was advertised as "too shexxxy [ sic ]" for television. [5] The network conducted an online poll whether episodes should be released daily or all at once; [5] on June 11, the network announced it would release all six episodes of the first season simultaneously. [6] A sweepstake for the series was announced on June 9, promoting six chances to win original artwork by Villard. [7]

The series was animated using Adobe Flash by Titmouse, Inc. with ink and paint services made by Cyber Chicken Studios in South Korea and produced by J. J. Villard's vanity card, Kurtis; [6] Mirari Films's Romanian facilities provided animation for the pilot episode, while the special was animated by Digital eMation In an interview at the 2013 Comic-Con, Villard dubbed the titular character as "He-Man on drugs". [8] Series developer Tommy Blacha went on to describe comments with the network's Standards and Practices to "better tell [the show]." [9] When asked about the inspiration for the series, Blacha joked that Villard pitched the series to network executive Mike Lazzo with a drawing of the protagonist, to which he approved production of the pilot. [10] The two explained that as Villard started working on it with another producer and driving Lazzo "crazy," he abandoned the pilot; this led to Blacha joining as producer and toning it down by "two percent." [11]

Voices

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
Pilot 1November 3, 2013 (2013-11-03)
1 6July 12, 2014 (2014-07-12)December 6, 2014 (2014-12-06)
Special 1February 13, 2023 (2023-02-13)

Pilot (2013)

TitleWritten byOriginal air date
"KSK!!!" Tommy Blacha and Eric Kaplan November 3, 2013 (2013-11-03)
The pilot introduces King Star King, who while attempting to declare his love for Snow White, gets kicked out from the realms of god to serve as fry cook at a waffle joint.

Series (2014)

No.TitleWritten byOriginal release dateOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"The Sting of Alfonzo Molestro" Tommy Blacha June 15, 2014 (2014-06-15)July 12, 2014 (2014-07-12)101
When Princess Snow White gets decapitated by the evil Alfonzo Molestro, King Star King and his crew must battle him for her body before it rots away.
2"Chunkles and Smear"Tommy BlachaJune 29, 2014 (2014-06-29)August 2, 2014 (2014-08-02)102
Hank Waffles, Gurbles and Pooza are forced to babysit Chunkles and Smear at the Waffle Zone; meanwhile, King Star King and Baroness Sludgeclot go on a date.
3"Fat Frank's Fantasy Lounge"James MerrillJuly 13, 2014 (2014-07-13)September 6, 2014 (2014-09-06)103
King Star King and his crew run into trouble at Fat Frank's Fantasy Lounge.
4"The Saga of Mike Balls"Tommy BlachaJuly 20, 2014 (2014-07-20)October 4, 2014 (2014-10-04)104
King Star King must harden a cowardly alien by the name of Mike Balls in order to defeat his enemy, Tim Tumor.
5"Springtime in the Gigantiverse"Tommy BlachaJuly 27, 2014 (2014-07-27)November 8, 2014 (2014-11-08)105
King Star King hatches into a new and improved version of himself; meanwhile, during spring break, Hank Waffles falls in love with the Burger Bitch.
6"Kwa Kwa City"Tommy BlachaAugust 3, 2014 (2014-08-03)December 6, 2014 (2014-12-06)
January 30, 2017 (2017-01-30)(digital retailers)
106
In order to save the world, King Star King and his crew of strange heroes must escape a strange alien city located inside the head of a petty thief that they get sucked into.

Special (2023)

TitleWritten byOriginal air date
"King Star King!/!/!/ (alternative title: "The King Star King Amazon Popeyes Christmas Special!!!")"J. J. Villard, Justin Roiland, James Merrill, Johnny Ryan February 13, 2023 (2023-02-13)
Years after the events of the series, King Star King has become a fat, bald, middle-aged slob with a family (a loving housewife, and two preteen children), a mortgage and a job at Amazon. He must team up with his old friends Hank Waffles, Pooza, and Gerbils on a dimension-spanning adventure to save his family.

Release and reception

The pilot was screened at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con, along with a panel hosted by Villard and Blacha. [12] In July 2013, it was released online as part of a presentation of in-development shows for the network, partnered with KFC; viewers could vote for their favorite pilot, with the winner being broadcast on August 26, 2013. [13] [14] The series lost to Übermansion, a Stoopid Buddy Stoodios production, although the presentation won an Internet Advertising Campaign Award in 2014 for "Best TV Integrated Ad Campaign". [15] [16] Nevertheless, the pilot aired on the network's Toonami block on November 3, 2013 during the daylight saving time transition; Nielsen ratings were not captured during this period. [17]

Meredith Woerner of io9 said that the series gained their approval at its description of a "punk rock He-Man". [18] Conversely, upon surveying the show's description, Patrick Kevin Day of the Los Angeles Times 's official blog dubbed the network a "home for stupid characters". [19]

Related Research Articles

The Powerpuff Girls is an American superhero animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network. The show centers on Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, three kindergarten-aged girls with superpowers. They live in the fictional city of Townsville with their father and creator, a scientist named Professor Utonium, and are frequently called upon by the city's mayor to help fight nearby criminals and other enemies using their powers.

<i>Aqua Teen Hunger Force</i> American adult animated television series

Aqua Teen Hunger Force, sometimes abbreviated as ATHF or Aqua Teen, is an American adult animated television series created by Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. It is about the surreal adventures and antics of three anthropomorphic fast food items: Master Shake, Meatwad, and Frylock, who live together as roommates and frequently interact with their human next-door neighbor, Carl Brutananadilewski.

Samurai Jack is an American animated action-adventure dystopian television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. The show is produced by Cartoon Network Studios. Tartakovsky conceived Samurai Jack after finishing his work on his first Cartoon Network original series, Dexter's Laboratory, which premiered in 1996. Samurai Jack took inspiration from Kung Fu, the 1972 televised drama starring David Carradine, as well as Tartakovsky's fascination with samurai culture and the Frank Miller comic series Ronin.

<i>Space Ghost Coast to Coast</i> American animated parody talk show

Space Ghost Coast to Coast is an American adult animation created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and first broadcast in 1994. It takes the form of a surreal parody of talk shows, hosted by a reimagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. It incorporates surrealism and non-sequitur humor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williams Street</span> Atlanta-based animation production studio

Williams Street Productions, LLC, d/b/a Williams Street and formerly known as Ghost Planet Industries, is an American animation and live action television production studio owned by the Warner Bros. Television Studios division of Warner Bros., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio is the in-house production arm of Adult Swim. Mike Lazzo and Keith Crofford oversaw operations for the building for most of its existence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genndy Tartakovsky</span> Russian-American animator

Gennady Borisovich "Genndy" Tartakovsky is a Russian-American animator, writer, producer, and director. He is best known as the creator of various animated television series on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, including Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Sym-Bionic Titan, Primal, and Unicorn: Warriors Eternal.

<i>Squidbillies</i> American adult animated series

Squidbillies is an American adult animated sitcom created by Jim Fortier and Dave Willis for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. An unofficial pilot for the series aired on April 1, 2005. The series later made its official debut on October 16, 2005 and ended on December 12, 2021, with a total of 132 episodes over the course of 13 seasons.

Metalocalypse is an American musical adult animated television series created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha for Adult Swim. It premiered on August 6, 2006. The television program centers on the larger-than-life melodic death metal band Dethklok, and often portrays dark and macabre content, including such subjects as violence, death, and the drawbacks of fame, with hyperbolic black comedy. The show was widely heralded as both a parody and a pastiche of heavy metal culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Reed</span> American actor

Adam Brooks Reed is an American voice actor, animator, screenwriter, television producer and television director. Reed created, writes, and voice acts the FX/FXX adult animated comedy series Archer, which premiered in September 2009. He also voice acted, wrote, directed and produced the television series Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo, with his co-creator and creative partner Matt Thompson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titmouse, Inc.</span> American animation studio

Titmouse, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Los Angeles, California founded in 1999 that develops and produces animated television programming, feature films, music videos, title sequences, commercials, and short films. The name is derived of the titmouse, which serves as the company's mascot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animation Domination</span> Programming block of animated TV series

Animation Domination is an American animated programming block that has aired in two iterations on the Fox broadcast network, featuring a lineup solely made up of prime-time animation and adult animation carried as a majority of, or the whole of, the network's Sunday evening schedule. It originally ran from May 1, 2005, until September 21, 2014, before returning on September 29, 2019.

Off the Air is an American psychedelic anthology television series created by Dave Hughes for Adult Swim. The series is presented without explanation or narration as a showcase of surreal footage arranged around a single loose theme and blended without pause into a single continuous presentation. The series premiered on Adult Swim on January 1, 2011, 4:00 am New Year's Day.

Adult Swim is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Showcase Television, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily airs animated and live-action comedies targeting a teenage and young adult audience. Its branding is licensed from the Adult Swim programming block broadcast by Warner Bros. Discovery's Cartoon Network; it is the first full-time television channel to use the "Adult Swim" brand.

<i>Mr. Pickles</i> American adult animated sitcom

Mr. Pickles is an American adult animated horror comedy series created by Will Carsola and Dave Stewart for Adult Swim. The series revolves around the Goodman family, especially their 6-year-old son named Tommy and the family's border collie dog, the satanic Mr. Pickles. The series aired from September 21, 2014, to November 18, 2019.

Dream Corp LLC is an American live-action/animated sitcom created by Daniel Stessen for Adult Swim. The series is an absurdist workplace comedy set in a run-down dream therapy facility located in a dilapidated strip mall. In each episode, a new desperate patient has their dreams recorded, analyzed, and, if necessary, adjusted, by Dr. Roberts and his staff of misfits.

<i>Million Dollar Extreme Presents: World Peace</i> 2016 American TV series or program

World Peace is an American comedy television series starring and created by sketch comedy group Million Dollar Extreme, which premiered on Adult Swim on August 5, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Weidenfeld</span> American television producer

Nicholas Rabb Weidenfeld is an American television producer and executive who led program development for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim and Fox's Animation Domination High-Def programming blocks. He won producing Emmy Awards in 2012 and 2013 for the series Childrens Hospital. Since 2016, he has been the president of programming for television channel Viceland.

<i>JJ Villards Fairy Tales</i> American adult animated comedy horror television series

JJ Villard's Fairy Tales is an American adult animated horror comedy television series created by King Star King creator J. J. Villard. The series premiered on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim on May 11, 2020.

References

  1. Milligan, Mercedes (November 29, 2022). "Adult Swim's Space-Age Heroes Return in 'King Star King!/!/!' & 'Ballmastrz: Rubicon'" . Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  2. Andreeva, Nellie (May 15, 2012). "Adult Swim Puts Animated Harold & Kumar In Development, Greenlights Seven Pilots". Deadline Hollywood . Hollywood: PMC. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  3. Zahed, Ramin (May 16, 2012). "Adult Swim Releases Full Details of 2012–13 Season". Animation . Calabasas, California. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014.
  4. Andreeva, Nellie (May 10, 2013). "Adult Swim Announces New Series & Pilots". Deadline Hollywood . Hollywood: PMC. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "King Star King". Adult Swim . Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System. May 23, 2014. Archived from the original on May 26, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Wolfe, Jennifer (June 11, 2014). "Adult Swim Announces New Online Series King Star King". Hollywood: Animation World Network. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  7. "King Star King Sweepstakes". Adult Swim . Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System. June 9, 2014. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  8. Zargari, Shahab; Brunty, Ryan; Davis, Ryan (July 28, 2013). "SDCC 2013 Press Roundtable Interview Series: Mr. Pickles, King Star King, and Superjail!". Verbicide. See video under King Star King heading; 0:41–0:43. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  9. Zargari, Brunty & Davis 2013, 1:19–1:25.
  10. Zargari, Brunty & Davis 2013, 3:14–3:27.
  11. Zargari, Brunty & Davis 2013, 3:27–3:38.
  12. Zahed, Ramin (June 28, 2013). "Adult Swim Announces Comic-Con Invasion Plans". Animation . Calabasas, California. Archived from the original on September 3, 2013.
  13. "'Like a Slap to Your Taste Buds': KFC Gives Bite-Sized Chicken a Hot and Spicy Kick". Louisville, Kentucky: KFC. July 23, 2013. Archived from the original on April 28, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  14. "Adult Swim Pilots King Star King". Adult Swim . Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System. July 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  15. "Adult Swim Pilots". Adult Swim . Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System. July 2013. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  16. "Adult Swim & KFC Wins 2014 Best TV Integrated Ad Campaign Internet Advertising Award for Adult Swim Pilots". Internet Advertising Competition. West Simsbury, Connecticut: The Web Marketing Association. April 8, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  17. Pucci, Douglas (November 5, 2013). "Adult Swim Weekly Ratings Scorecard". TV Media Insights. New York City: Cross MediaWorks. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  18. Woerner, Meredith (May 10, 2013). "Adult Swim Pilots". io9 . New York City: Gawker Media. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  19. Day, Patrick Kevin (May 16, 2012). "Upfronts 2012: Adult Swim adds Harold & Kumar, Dan Harmon show". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 26, 2014.