| Aqua Teen Hunger Force | |
|---|---|
| Also known as |
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| Genre | |
| Created by | |
| Written by |
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| Directed by |
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| Voices of |
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| Narrated by | Schoolly D |
| Music by | Schoolly D |
| Opening theme |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 12 |
| No. of episodes | 144 (1 unaired)[1](list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Running time |
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| Production company | Williams Street |
| Original release | |
| Network | Cartoon Network |
| Release | December 30, 2000 (2000-12-30) |
| Network | Adult Swim |
| Release | September 9, 2001 (2001-09-09) – August 30, 2015 (2015-08-30) |
| Release | November 26 (2023-11-26) – December 17, 2023 (2023-12-17) |
| Related | |
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Aqua Teen Hunger Force (also branded with differentalternative titles for seasons 8–11), is an Americanadult animated television series created byDave Willis andMatt Maiellaro and produced byWilliams Street forCartoon Network's late night programming blockAdult Swim. The series is about thesurreal adventures and antics of threeanthropomorphicfast food items:Master Shake,Meatwad, andFrylock, who live together as roommates and frequently interact with their human next-door neighbor,Carl.
Thefirst episode premiered on Cartoon Network on December 30, 2000, and the series later made its official debut on Adult Swim on September 9, 2001. Every episode was directed and written by Willis and Maiellaro, who also provided several voices. Seasons 8–11 were each given a different title, accompanied by different theme music, as arunning joke. The series initially concluded on August 30, 2015, but later returned for anadditional season on November 26, 2023. The series ultimately ended on December 17, 2023, with a total of144 episodes over the course of 12 seasons.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, afilm adaptation of the series, was released in theaters on April 13, 2007, the first adaptation of an Adult Swim series into afeature-length film. Aspin-off series consisting of 10 online shorts, entitledAquadonk Side Pieces, were released on the official Adult SwimYouTube channel in April 2022 and adirect-to-video film, entitledAqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, was released on November 8, 2022.
The series airs inbroadcast syndication outside the United States and has been released on various DVD sets and other forms of home media, includingvideo on demand streaming.
The series centers on thesurreal adventures and antics of threeanthropomorphicfast food items: Master Shake, a selfish, pathologically lyingmilkshake; Frylock, a calm and intelligent box ofFrench fries; and Meatwad, ashapeshifting, childlike ball ofground meat. They live together and frequently conflict with their human neighbor Carl, a middle-aged, boorish, lecherous sports fanatic. The protagonists also encounternew antagonists in most episodes. Some episodes feature cameos from celebrities appearing as fictionalized versions of themselves.
The Mooninites are two aliens from the Moon who frequently appear, serving as primary antagonists and wreaking havoc through a series of illegal or destructive actions. The Mooninites appear more than most characters outside the main cast. Other recurring characters have made several appearances, includingOglethorpe and Emory,MC Pee Pants,Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future, andMarkula. Episodes often end with thenon-canonical deaths or injuries of major characters, or destruction to their property, only to be restoredwithout explanation in the following episode.
In the show's first seven seasons, the protagonists live in asuburban neighborhood inSouth New Jersey. During the eighth season, the location was changed toSeattle, Washington.[2] The Seattle setting appears entirely identical to the Jersey setting. As of the ninth season, the same neighborhood is identified as "Seattle, New Jersey".[3]
During the first two seasons, episodescold-opened with a glimpse into the laboratory of Dr. Weird. He and his assistant Steve use the first several seconds of the show to createmonsters,disasters, and various things. In earlier episodes of the first season, the monsters or creations usually form the basis of the plot, but as the crime-fighting element of the program disappeared, the Dr. Weird segment became anon sequitur opening gag.
In the third season, the Dr. Weird openings were replaced with segments from the pilot episode ofSpacecataz, an unairedspin-off created by Willis and Maiellaro. Six episodes were planned for production, but Adult Swim felt there was little that could be made into five more episodes since all the characters were destroyed at the end of the pilot, despite the parent series being predominantly notcanonical.[4] These segments featured the Mooninites and Plutonians trading insults, gestures, and practical jokes. The fullSpacecataz pilot is available as a special feature on the Volume Four DVD box set.[5] The Mooninites appear to outsmart the Plutonians for much of the series including tagging the Plutonians' ship and reversing a prank that involved 50 million large pizzas.
Cold openings were eliminated starting with thefourth season premiere, "Dirtfoot". A one-off cold opening featuring Dr. Weird and Steve was used once again in the season eight premiere "Allen Part One".

The three main characters—Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad—were originally created for an episode ofSpace Ghost Coast to Coast called "Baffler Meal", where they were the corporate mascots for the fictional fast-food chain "Burger Trench". The original versions of the trio were prototypes that resembled the future characters, but both Master Shake and Frylock differed in appearance, personality, and voice from their ultimate design.[6] The original name "Teen Hunger Force" refers to the squad's mission to conquer hunger in teens.[7]
"Baffler Meal" went through a number of drafts[8] but was not animated or produced until after the series became popular. Instead, theSpace Ghost episode was initially rewritten as "Kentucky Nightmare", while the trio, along with Carl, debuted in "Rabbot", the pilot episode ofAqua Teen Hunger Force. A full season consisting of 16 episodes, including "Rabbot", was put into production shortly thereafter. The series was one of Adult Swim's most popular shows.[9]
In early episodes, the trio was identified by Master Shake as the Aqua Teen Hunger Force, which solved crimes for money. After a few episodes, this premise and the characters' use of the name were dropped. The premise was a trick that had been added to appeaseCartoon Network executives, who "didn't want to air a show about food just going around and doing random things".[9] In the show, Frylock says they stopped fighting crime because "that wasn't making us a whole lot of money".[10]
Every episode ofAqua Teen Hunger Force was written anddirected by series creatorsDave Willis andMatt Maiellaro and produced byWilliams Street. Much of the dialogue was supplemented with ad-libs and improvisation by the voice talent.[11] The show was fully scripted but ad-libs are included in the final recordings and the shows are animated to include this improvisation. Many of the crew and cast members formerly worked onSpace Ghost Coast to Coast.[12]
The main cast of the series consists ofDana Snyder asMaster Shake,[13]Carey Means asFrylock,[14] and series co-creatorDave Willis as bothMeatwad andCarl, as well asIgnignokt.[15][16][17] In addition to the main cast series co-creatorMatt Maiellaro voicesErr,Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future,Satan andMarkula.[18][19] Members of the main cast and Maiellaro also voice several minor and one-time characters in addition to their primary roles. All three main characters appear in almost every episode. They are all absent from the season five episode "Sirens" and the season ten episode "Spacecadeuce". In the season five episode "Robots Everywhere", Frylock and Master Shake only make brief unseen speaking cameos, while Meatwad is completely absent.[20][21][22]
Voiceover artistGeorge Lowe has made several appearances throughout the series. Lowe previously starred asSpace Ghost inSpace Ghost Coast to Coast and the original incarnation ofCartoon Planet, from which several cast and crew members moved on to work forAqua Teen Hunger Force. Lowe made his first appearance inAqua Teen Hunger Force in the season one episode "Mail Order Bride" and went on to make several other cameos. He had a prominent appearance as himself in the season four episode "Antenna", and reprised his role as Space Ghost for a quick appearance inAqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters. Lowe was later considered a member of the main cast in 2011 duringAqua Unit Patrol Squad 1; he announced the title of each episode and continued to make cameos. Lowe later made another prominent appearance in theAqua Something You Know Whatever episode "Rocket Horse and Jet Chicken".
Series animatorC. Martin Croker, known for his interpretation ofZorak in various shows and specials, provided the voices of both Dr. Weird and Steve during thecold openings for the first two seasons and "Allen Part One". Croker also voiced several birds in the season seven episode "Eggball".Andy Merrill has portrayed Oglethorpe alongsideMike Schatz as Emory in several episodes. Merrill is also well known for his interpretation ofBrak in several shows and specials and provided the voice of Merle in "Escape from Leprechaupolis" and "The Last One".MC Chris, who has a history of voicing characters on Adult Swim programs, has provided the voice of MC Pee Pants in several episodes. Chris also provided the voice of eight-year-old Carl in "Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future" and returned for a musical role in the season seven episode "One Hundred" after a long absence.Tommy Blacha joined the recurring cast with the introduction of his character Wongburger in the season four episode "Dickesode". With the exception of Tommy Blacha, the entire recurring cast reprised their roles inAqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters.
Various comedians, athletes, and other celebrities have made guest appearances, usually credited under pseudonyms due to the series originally using non-union voice talent.
The twelfth season featuredEric Bauza,Brian Cox,Maurice LaMarche,Dan Fogler andGary Anthony Williams. Unlike the first eleven seasons, the twelfth season is unionized underSAG-AFTRA.
| Main Cast members | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dana Snyder | Carey Means | Dave Willis | Matt Maiellaro | George Lowe | C. Martin Croker |
| Master Shake | Frylock | Meatwad,Carl,Ignignokt, Boxy Brown, Various | Err, Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future,Satan, Markula, Various | Himself, Police Officer, Season eight episode announcer, Jet Chicken, Various | Dr. Weird, Steve, Various |
| Alternative title | Season | Original season run |
|---|---|---|
| Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 | 8 | May 8 – July 24, 2011 |
| Aqua Something You Know Whatever | 9 | June 24 – August 26, 2012 |
| Aqua TV Show Show | 10 | August 11 – October 20, 2013 |
| Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever | 11 | June 21 – August 30, 2015 |
In 2011, for theeighth season, the series' title was changed toAqua Unit Patrol Squad 1;[2] Maiellaro later explained that he and Willis were getting bored with the former title and wanted to "come up with a new fresh open and a whole new show, just to try it out".[23] Despite the title change there were virtually no changes to the show's characters or tone. In 2012 Maiellaro announced that each subsequent season would have adifferent series title, making it arunning gag.[24] Willis later said the alternate titles were just an unsuccessful stunt to generate buzz.[25]
Each season that is branded under an alternate title features a different opening sequence and theme music written by different artists. On most television listings and digital download sites, the alternatively titled episodes are formally listed under their alternative titles, not as episodes ofAqua Teen Hunger Force. On most legal digital downloading sitesthat feature the series, the first 7 seasons are presented asAqua Teen Hunger Force while the alternatively titled seasons are listed separately and treated as if they were each a completely different, one-season series.[citation needed]
RapperSchoolly D performed theAqua Teen Hunger Forcetheme song used in the first seven seasons. An extended remix version of the theme was used in the 2007 film adaptation and in the soundtrack for the 2011 video gameSaints Row: The Third. After a multi-year absence, Schoolly D returned for the season seven episode "Rabbot Redux", performing a different theme song used exclusively in that episode. The special intro to "Rabbot Redux" featured the exact animation used in the regular intro.[26] Each subsequent season featured a different theme song by a different artist with a different animated intro. The eighth season was written and performed byJoshua Homme andAlain Johannes.[2] Schoolly D returned for the season nine intro forAqua Something You Know Whatever, writing and performing it withMariachi El Bronx. The season 10 theme song was produced byFlying Lotus, an artist with a long history of being featured in Adult Swim'sbumps.[27] Every episode features an opening sequence, with the rare exceptions of the season two episode "The Last One", the season nine episode "The Granite Family", and the season ten episode "Spacecadeuce".[28][29]
In 2015, it was announced that Adult Swim had cancelledAqua Teen Hunger Force.[30] The cancellation went against the wishes of Willis and Maiellaro, who first learned about it from the animation studio,Awesome Inc., halfway through the production of the11th season.[31][32] Willis said that Adult Swim presidentMike Lazzo made the decision to end the series because "he was ready to move on from it".[33] The double-length episode "The Last One Forever and Ever (For Real This Time) (We F##king Mean It)" was falsely promoted as theseries finale and aired on August 23, 2015. The actual series finale, "The Greatest Story Ever Told", was quietly released early online on August 26 before airing four days later, with virtually no advertisement. At the time of its conclusion,Aqua Teen Hunger Force was Adult Swim's longest-running original series.
During an interview about the series' cancellation, Maiellaro said there are no plans to reviveAqua Teen Hunger Force, but that it could return someday.[34] In 2017, Adult Swim was asked why they don't make more episodes, to which they responded "we might" via abump.
In April 2022, Adult Swim began uploadingAqua Teen Hunger Force shorts under the nameAquadonk Side Pieces to their YouTube channel.[35] These shorts are often less than four minutes and center around the villains in the show, with all original voice actors reprising their roles. In December 2022, Maiellaro announced in an interview that he and Dave Willis were working on five newAqua Teen scripts.[36] A month later, Adult Swim officially announced the five episodes as the show's twelfth season.[37]
The first 11 seasons were created usingAdobe Photoshop images, animated usingAdobe After Effects, and edited usingApple's Final Cut Pro. Beginning with season 12, the series is animated byFloyd County Productions.[citation needed]
In a May 2024 tweet, Matt Maiellaro indicated that future seasons were unlikely for the time being, describing the show as "cancelled."[38]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | Alternate title | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | Network | ||||
| 1 | 18 | 1 | December 30, 2000 | Cartoon Network | ||
| 17 | September 9, 2001 | December 29, 2002 | Adult Swim | N/A | ||
| 2 | 24 | May 25, 2003 | December 31, 2003 | N/A | ||
| 3 | 13 | April 25, 2004 | October 24, 2004 | N/A | ||
| 4 | 13 | December 4, 2005 | December 22, 2006 | N/A | ||
| 5 | 10 | January 20, 2008 | March 23, 2008 | N/A | ||
| 6 | 10 | March 29, 2009 | May 31, 2009 | N/A | ||
| 7 | 12 | December 13, 2009 | May 2, 2010 | N/A | ||
| 8 | 10 | May 8, 2011 | July 24, 2011 | Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 | ||
| 9 | 10 | June 24, 2012 | August 26, 2012 | Aqua Something You Know Whatever | ||
| 10 | 10 | August 11, 2013 | October 20, 2013 | Aqua TV Show Show | ||
| 11 | 9 | June 21, 2015 | August 30, 2015 | Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever | ||
| 12 | 5 | November 26, 2023 | December 17, 2023 | N/A | ||
| Shorts | 10 | April 18, 2022 | April 28, 2022 | YouTube | Aquadonk Side Pieces | |
| Films | 2 | April 13, 2007 | November 8, 2022 | Adult Swim (TV airings) | N/A | |
A feature film based on the show,Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Movie Film for Theaters, was released on April 13, 2007. The movie follows the origins of the Aqua Teens, which includes anexercise machine,Neil Peart of the bandRush, a watermelon slice named Walter Melon, and an appearance by a heavy metal bandMastodon in the opening sequence. The film also introduces a fourth Aqua Teen, achicken nugget named Chicken Bittle (voiced byBruce Campbell). The Plutonians and the Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future, recurring characters, both make appearances in the movie, as well as the Mooninites, Dr. Weird and MC Pee Pants (this being his last appearance in the series).[39]
In a 2010 interview, staff members ofRadical Axis stated that a sequel entitledDeath Fighter was in production, and mentioned the possibility that the film might be made in3-D. When asked if the film was designed for a theatrical release, a Radical Axis staff member responded yes, but stated: "We're not sure if we have a distributor yet", though this was then followed by the statement that "Adult Swim will never make another movie ever again".[40]
By 2014, the script forDeath Fighter had been completed and approved; however, Willis indirectly stated that the project was scrapped, soon after announcing the show's cancellation.[31] He later mentioned onReddit that it would cost $3.4 million to produce, and expressed interest in doing aKickstarter to fund it.[41] A new film was confirmed to be in production in May 2021, no other details have been confirmed other than it will be adirect-to-video film.[42]
On May 12, 2021, Adult Swim confirmed the production of three new original films, including a newAqua Teen Hunger Force film to make exclusive debuts onHBO Max following a physical/VOD release.[43]
On November 14, 2021, it was announced the film would be released in 2022.[44]
On May 18, 2022, it was revealed the film would be titledAqua Teen Hunger Force: Plantasm.[45] It was changed toAqua Teen Forever: Plantasm. The film was released on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and digital on November 8, 2022.[46]
The pilot episode "Rabbot" originally aired on Cartoon Network on December 30, 2000, as part of a special preview of upcoming Adult Swim shows. Other shows in the preview block includedSealab 2021,The Brak Show, andHarvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.[12][47]Aqua Teen Hunger Force later made its official debut on September 9, 2001, on Adult Swim, where the series has since aired exclusively, in the United States. The final episode "The Greatest Story Ever Told" made its television debut on August 30, 2015, after having been quietly released online four days earlier.
A spin-off web series featuring Carl Brutananadilewski,Carl's Stone Cold Lock of the Century, was released from 2007 to 2016 on Adult Swim's website, where Carl commentates onAmerican football matches.[48]
In Canada,Aqua Teen Hunger Force previously aired onTeletoon'sTeletoon at Night block[49] and laterG4'sAdult Digital Distraction block.[50] The series currently airs on theCanadian version of Adult Swim.[51]
In Australia, it began airing onSBS2 starting April 2013, but ceased airing, and returned in July 2016 as part of a version ofAdult Swim on9Go!, with the series airing from the beginning.
Several pieces ofmerchandise have been made for the series, includingT-shirts,caps,wristbands,patches, andbuttons featuring characters in the series. Master Shake and CarlHalloween costumes for adults were also available. There was also a series of collectibleaction figures andplush toys available along with car decals. Several pieces of custom merchandise were available on the Adult Swim Shop before the site quietly shut down in March 2012.Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack, the soundtrack to the film, was released in stores on April 10, 2007. On November 3, 2009, aChristmas album sung by characters from the show was released entitledHave Yourself a Meaty Little Christmas was released in stores.
In September 2010, Adult Swim Shop introduced a full scale, functioninghot air balloon in the likeness of Meatwad at a cost of $70,000. The purchase includes a piloted, one-hour ride anywhere in the continental United States, and the buyer got to keep it although a pilot's license would be required to actually fly it. The balloon was the most expensive item on Adult Swim Shop, surpassing theMetalocalypse "Dethklok Fountain" fountain, which was released early in 2010 for $40,000.[52] The hot air balloon is no longer available.
The first eight seasons have been released and distributed onDVD in volumes byWarner Home Video. Each set was also released inRegion 2 and byMadman Entertainment inRegion 4. The movie was released on a DVD set titledAqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters for DVD, with the season four episode "Deleted Scenes" included as a special feature on August 17, 2007. The season five episode "Robots Everywhere" was also released as a special feature on theAqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am video game on November 5, 2007, months prior to its official television debut on January 20, 2008. The first eleven seasons with the exception of the episodes "Boston" and "Shake Like Me" and the filmAqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters were released in a 20-disc DVD collection on September 20, 2022, asAqua Teen Hunger Force: The Baffler Meal Complete Collection.[53][54] It was the first time that seasons 9-11 have been released on DVD. The episode "Shake Like Me" is not included on the DVD due to its use ofblackface, similar to its removal from rerun rotations andHBO Max.[55] A second movie,Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, was released on Blu-ray and 4K on November 20, 2022.[56]
With the exception of the season four episode "Deleted Scenes", episodes ofAqua Teen Hunger Force are also available oniTunes, theXbox Live Marketplace, andAmazon Video, with seasons five and up available inHD on iTunes and the Xbox Live Marketplace, and with seasons six up on Amazon Video.[57][58][59] The movie is also available in HD and SD on the Xbox Live Marketplace.[60] The season five episode "Boston" has never been released in any form of home media.[1]
The series has been made available foron-demand streaming onHulu Plus, as part of a deal made with Hulu and Turner Broadcasting.[61] Every episode from all seasons is available for streaming[62] atHulu. As of May 27, 2020, the series is also available onHBO Max, with the exception of the episodes "Boston" and "Shake Like Me".[63]
| Season | Episodes | Release date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | |||||
| 1 | 2000–02 | 18 | November 18, 2003 | ||
| July 20, 2004 | |||||
| 2 | 2003 | 24 | |||
| November 16, 2004 | |||||
| 3 | 2004 | 13 | December 6, 2005 | ||
| 4 | 2005–06 | 13 | January 29, 2008 | ||
| 5 | 2008 | 10 | December 16, 2008(excluded "Boston") | ||
| 6 | 2009 | 10 | |||
| June 1, 2010 | |||||
| 7 | 2009–10 | 12 | |||
| October 11, 2011 | |||||
| 8 | Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 | 2011 | 10 | ||
| 9 | Aqua Something You Know Whatever | 2012 | 10 | September 20, 2022 | |
| 10 | Aqua TV Show Show | 2013 | 10 | ||
| 11 | Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever | 2015 | 9 | ||
There have also beenvideo games created based on the series.Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Destruct-O-Thon, amobile game based on the series, was published and released byMacrospace games in 2004.[64] In 2005 Oberon Games releasedAqua Teen Hunger Force: Studio Shakedown for PC.Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am, agolfing/kart racing/fighting game, was developed byCreat Studios and published byMidway Games, and released for thePlayStation 2 on November 5, 2007. An online Flash game based on the series entitledThe Worst Game Ever was released, but was eventually taken down.[65] A game entitledCarl's Freaking Strip Poker was also available on Adult Swim Games, but was eventually taken down.
In January 2009,IGN listed the series as the 39th best in the Top 100 Best Animated TV Shows.[66] The series was nominated forTeen Choice Awards in 2007 and 2008.[67] In 2011 Willis and Maiellaro receivedAnnie Award nominations for writing in the season eight episode, "The Creditor".[68][69][70] In 2019, IGN placedAqua Teen Hunger Force 25th on their list of Top 25 Animated series for adults.[71]
James Rolfe, best known for creating theAngry Video Game Nerd, has cited the show as an influence onNerd as well as shaping his sense of humor.[72][73]YouTuber Jason Gastrow, better known asVideogamedunkey, has also cited the show as a comedic influence.[74]
The series received national attention in 2007 because of a publicity stunt that became known as theBoston bomb scare. On January 31, 2007, as part of a nationalguerrilla marketing campaign for the series, Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens installedLite-Brite-likeLED displays depicting the Mooninites in eleven cities: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Austin, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. In Boston, the authorities considered the LEDs suspicious, prompting the closure of major roads and waterways for investigation.Turner Broadcasting System later admitted to placing the LEDs and apologized for the misunderstanding.
Berdovsky and Stevens faced charges for "placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct"; in spite of the uproar, the two mocked the media and critics in interviews.[75] All criminal charges were dropped in exchange for Berdovsky and Stevens apologizing during their court date and accepting a plea bargain that consisted of community service at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center.[76] Turner Broadcasting paid theBoston Police Department $1 million to cover the investigation's cost and an additional $1 million for good will.[77][78] This was designed to settle criminal and civil claims, while the general manager of Cartoon Network stepped down because of the incident. Of the eleven cities in which the displays were placed, only Boston saw them as a matter of concern. The installations had been up for weeks before the panic.[77]
AnAqua Teen Hunger Force episode fromseason five, "Boston", was produced as the series creators' response to the bomb scare, but Adult Swim pulled it to avoid further controversy.[79] The episode has never aired or been formally released to the public legally in any format, though an unfinished version of it was illegally leaked online in January 2015.[80][81]
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