Editing Aqua Teen Hunger Force (section)

==Production==
===Development===
{{see also|Space Ghost Coast to Coast}}
[[File:ATHF-Baffler Meal.jpg|thumb|left|280px|The prototype designs of [[Meatwad]], [[Master Shake]] and [[Frylock]].]]
The three main characters—Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad—were originally created for an episode of ''Space 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.<ref name="baffler">{{Cite AV media |title=Audio commentary for "Baffler Meal"; Volume Two |medium=DVD}}</ref> The original name "Teen Hunger Force" refers to the squad's mission to conquer hunger in teens.<ref name="BafflerDialogue">{{Cite AV media |title=Spoken dialogue in "Baffler Meal"; Volume Two |medium=DVD}}</ref>

"Baffler Meal" went through a number of drafts<ref>{{cite web |first=Myke|last=Johns|date=July 20, 2015 |title='Aqua Teen Hunger Force' Creators Talk Cancellation, Weirdness |url=https://www.wabe.org/aqua-teen-hunger-force-creators-talk-cancellation-weirdness/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507003553/https://www.wabe.org/aqua-teen-hunger-force-creators-talk-cancellation-weirdness/ |archive-date=May 7, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2018 |publisher=WABE}}</ref> but was not animated or produced until after the series became popular. Instead, the ''Space Ghost'' episode was initially rewritten as "Kentucky Nightmare", while the trio, along with Carl, debuted in "[[Rabbot]]", the pilot episode of ''Aqua 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.<ref name="dvd">{{Cite AV media |title=Audio commentary |medium=DVD}}</ref>

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 appease [[Cartoon Network]] executives, who "didn't want to air a show about food just going around and doing random things".<ref name="dvd" /> In the show, Frylock says they stopped fighting crime because "that wasn't making us a whole lot of money".<ref name="ep_kidney">Spoken dialogue in Kidney Car</ref>

===Writing and direction===
Every episode of ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' was written and [[Television director|directed]] by series creators [[Dave Willis]] and [[Matt Maiellaro]] and produced by [[Williams Street]]. Much of the dialogue was supplemented with ad-libs and improvisation by the voice talent.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Interview, September 22, 2003 |url=http://www.flakmag.com/features/aquateen.html |url-status=live |magazine=[[Flak Magazine]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615235548/http://www.flakmag.com/features/aquateen.html |archive-date=June 15, 2006 |access-date=June 15, 2006}}</ref> 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 on ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]''.<ref name="vanguard" />

===Voice actors===
{{see also|List of Aqua Teen Hunger Force characters}}

The main cast of the series consists of [[Dana Snyder]] as [[Master Shake]],<ref name="Master Shake">{{cite web |last=Eason |first=Jonas |title=Master Shake's character page |url=http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua+Teen+Hunger+Force/Master+Shake |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902094125/http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua%2BTeen%2BHunger%2BForce/Master%2BShake |archive-date=September 2, 2011 |access-date=May 15, 2011 |publisher=Adult Swim}}</ref> [[Carey Means]] as [[Frylock]],<ref name="Frylock">{{cite web |last=Eason |first=Jonas |title=Frylock's character page |url=http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua+Teen+Hunger+Force/Frylock |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707090719/http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua+Teen+Hunger+Force/Frylock |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |access-date=May 15, 2011 |publisher=Adult Swim |df=mdy-all}}</ref> and series co-creator [[Dave Willis]] as both [[Meatwad]] and [[Carl Brutanunanulewski|Carl]], as well as [[Ignignokt]].<ref name="Meatwad">{{cite web |last=Eason |first=Jonas |title=Meatwad's character page |url=http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua+Teen+Hunger+Force/Meatwad |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707090714/http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua+Teen+Hunger+Force/Meatwad |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |access-date=May 15, 2011 |publisher=Adult Swim |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Carl">{{cite web |last=Eason |first=Jonas |title=Carl's character page |url=http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua+Teen+Hunger+Force/Carl |access-date=May 15, 2011 |publisher=Adult Swim}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="IgnignoktGuide">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080916235602/http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua%2BTeen%2BHunger%2BForce/Ignignokt Ignignokt official character guide] from [[Adult Swim]]. (archive)</ref> In addition to the main cast series co-creator [[Matt Maiellaro]] voices [[Ignignokt and Err|Err]], [[Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future (character)|Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future]], [[Satan]] and [[Markula]].<ref name="ErrGuide">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080804223408/http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua%2BTeen%2BHunger%2BForce/Err Err official character guide] from [[Adult Swim]]. (archive)</ref><ref name="GhostGuide">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080612071623/http://wiki.adultswim.com/xwiki/bin/Aqua%2BTeen%2BHunger%2BForce/The%2BCybernetic%2BGhost%2Bof%2BChristmas%2BPast%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2BFuture Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future official character guide] from [[Adult Swim]]. (archive)</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Sirens |series=Aqua Teen Hunger Force |network=Adult Swim |date=January 27, 2008 |season=5 |number=3 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Spacecadunce">{{Cite episode |title=Spacecadunce |series=Aqua TV Show Show |network=Adult Swim |date=October 20, 2013 |number=10 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite episode |title=Robots Everywhere |series=Aqua Teen Hunger Force |network=Adult Swim |date=January 20, 2008 |season=5 |number=2 |language=en}}</ref>

Voiceover artist [[George Lowe]] has made several appearances throughout the series. Lowe previously starred as [[Space Ghost]] in ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]'' and the original incarnation of ''[[Cartoon Planet]]'', from which several cast and crew members moved on to work for ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force''. Lowe made his first appearance in ''Aqua 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 in ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters]]''. Lowe was later considered a member of the main cast in 2011 during ''[[Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1]]''; he announced the title of each episode and continued to make cameos. Lowe later made another prominent appearance in the ''[[Aqua Something You Know Whatever]]'' episode "Rocket Horse and Jet Chicken".

Series animator [[C. Martin Croker]], known for his interpretation of [[Zorak]] in various shows and specials, provided the voices of both Dr. Weird and Steve during the [[cold openings]] for the first two seasons and "[[Allen (Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1)|Allen Part One]]". Croker also voiced several birds in the season seven episode "Eggball". [[Andy Merrill]] has portrayed Oglethorpe alongside [[Mike Schatz]] as Emory in several episodes. Merrill is also well known for his interpretation of [[Brak (character)|Brak]] 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 (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)|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 in ''Aqua 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 featured [[Eric Bauza]], [[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]], [[Maurice LaMarche]], [[Dan Fogler]] and [[Gary Anthony Williams]]. Unlike the first eleven seasons, the twelfth season is unionized under [[SAG-AFTRA]].

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%; margin-right:0;"
|-
!colspan=6|Main Cast members
|-
|align=center| [[File:DanaSnyder.jpg|165x165px]]
|align=center| [[File:6P1A2718 (cropped).jpg|165x165px]]
|align=center| [[File:Dave Willis (53471644172) (cropped).jpg|165x165px]]
|align=center| [[File:Matt Maiellaro nel 2010.jpg|165x165px]]
|align=center| [[File:GeorgeLowe-Painting crop.jpg|165x165px]]
|align=center| [[File:C. Martin Croker.jpg|165x165px]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:16%;"| [[Dana Snyder]]
| style="width:16%;"| [[Carey Means]]
| style="width:16%;"| [[Dave Willis]]
| style="width:16%;"| [[Matt Maiellaro]]
| style="width:16%;"| [[George Lowe]]
| style="width:16%;"| [[C. Martin Croker]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
|style="width:16%;"| [[Master Shake]]
|style="width:16%;"| [[Frylock]]
|style="width:16%;"| [[Meatwad]], [[Carl Brutanunanulewski|Carl]], [[The Mooninites|Ignignokt]], Boxy Brown, Various
|style="width:16%;"| [[The Mooninites|Err]], Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future, [[Satan]], Markula, Various
|style="width:16%;"| Himself, Police Officer, Season eight episode announcer, Jet Chicken, Various
|style="width:16%;"| Dr. Weird, Steve, Various
|}

==={{anchor|List of alternative titles for Aqua Teen Hunger Force}}{{anchor|alternative titles}}{{anchor|alternate titles}}Alternative titles===
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+Alternative titles
|-
! Alternative title
! Season
! Original season run
|-
| ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force season 8|Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1]]''
| 8
| May 8 – July 24, 2011
|-
| ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force season 9|Aqua Something You Know Whatever]]''
| 9
| June 24 – August 26, 2012
|-
| ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force season 10|Aqua TV Show Show]]''
| 10
| August 11 – October 20, 2013
|-
| ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force season 11|Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever]]''
| 11
| June 21 – August 30, 2015
|}

In 2011, for the [[Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1|eighth season]], the series' title was changed to ''Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1'';<ref name=season8/> 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".<ref name="season8No2">{{cite web |last=Ohanesian |first=Liz |date=May 7, 2011 |title=Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1: Are the Characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force Really Moving to Seattle? |url=http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/05/aqua_unit_patrol_squad_1.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822222822/http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/05/aqua_unit_patrol_squad_1.php |archive-date=August 22, 2011 |access-date=August 7, 2011 |publisher=LAWeekly}}</ref> 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 a [[Alternative title|different series title]], making it a [[running gag]].<ref name="Maiellaroonalternativetitles">{{cite web |last=Sunu |first=Steve |date=January 27, 2012 |title=Matt Maiellaro on "Knobodys" & "Aqua Teens" |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36664 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825200733/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36664 |archive-date=August 25, 2012 |access-date=January 27, 2012 |website=Comic Book Resources}}</ref> Willis later said the alternate titles were just an unsuccessful stunt to generate buzz.<ref>{{cite web |last=Willis |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Willis |date=2015-06-17 |title=I am Dave Willis, co-creator of Aqua Teen Hunger Force...AMA! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3a3itv/i_am_dave_willis_cocreator_of_aqua_teen_hunger/cs90rlh/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224055517/https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3a3itv/i_am_dave_willis_cocreator_of_aqua_teen_hunger/cs90rlh/ |archive-date=December 24, 2016 |access-date=2016-12-10 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

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 of ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force''. On most legal digital downloading sites [[#Home releases|that feature the series]], the first 7 seasons are presented as ''Aqua 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|date=April 2020}}

===Theme music===
[[Rapper]] [[Schoolly D]] performed the ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' [[theme 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 game ''[[Saints 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.<ref>[http://video.adultswim.com/aqua-teen-hunger-force/new-open.html New open] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029212646/http://video.adultswim.com/aqua-teen-hunger-force/new-open.html |date=October 29, 2013 }} the intro sequence used exclusively in "Rabbot Redux," with two versions used - the original for the theme and an alternate mixed used in the episode's end.</ref> Each subsequent season featured a different theme song by a different artist with a different animated intro. The eighth season was written and performed by [[Joshua Homme]] and [[Alain Johannes]].<ref name=season8/> Schoolly D returned for the season nine intro for ''Aqua Something You Know Whatever'', writing and performing it with [[Mariachi El Bronx]]. The season 10 theme song was produced by [[Flying Lotus]], an artist with a long history of being featured in Adult Swim's [[Bumper (broadcasting)|bumps]].<ref name="SPINlink">{{cite web |last=Martins |first=Chris |date=April 23, 2013 |title=Flying Lotus Writing New 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' Theme Song Also: Mac Miller rhymes well over FlyLo's "S.D.S." beat |url=https://www.spin.com/2013/04/flying-lotus-aqua-teen-hunger-force-theme-song-mac-miller-sds/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722033410/http://www.spin.com/2013/04/flying-lotus-aqua-teen-hunger-force-theme-song-mac-miller-sds/ |archive-date=July 22, 2015 |access-date=July 23, 2013 |publisher=SPIN}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Last One |series=Aqua Teen Hunger Force |network=Adult Swim |date=December 31, 2003 |season=2 |number=24 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Granite Family |series=Aqua Something You Know Whatever |network=Adult Swim |date=July 22, 2012 |number=5 |language=en}}</ref>

===2015 cancellation===
{{see also|Further information|Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever}}

In 2015, it was announced that Adult Swim had cancelled ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force''.<ref name="Huffington">{{Cite news |last=Goodman |first=Jessica |title='Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever' Will Be The Show's Final Season |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/27/aqua-teen-hunger-force-final-season_n_7153218.html |url-status=live |access-date=June 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714083007/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/27/aqua-teen-hunger-force-final-season_n_7153218.html |archive-date=July 14, 2015}}</ref> 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 the [[Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever|11th season]].<ref name="C2CE">[https://web.archive.org/web/20150617081853/http://www.twitch.tv/c2e2/b/653386129?t=4h08m14s Dave Willis speaking at a C2CE convention panel on April 25, 2015] posted on Twitch</ref><ref name="Paste">{{Cite magazine |last=Martin |first=Garrett |title=The Life and Death of Aqua Teen Hunger Force |url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/06/aqua-teen-hunger-force-forever.html |url-status=live |magazine=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620140503/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/06/aqua-teen-hunger-force-forever.html |archive-date=June 20, 2015 |access-date=June 22, 2015}}</ref> Willis said that Adult Swim president [[Mike Lazzo]] made the decision to end the series because "he was ready to move on from it".<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3a3itv/i_am_dave_willis_cocreator_of_aqua_teen_hunger/cs907ni Statement made by Dave Willis on June 16, 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151213161537/https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3a3itv/i_am_dave_willis_cocreator_of_aqua_teen_hunger/cs907ni |date=December 13, 2015 }} on [[Reddit]]</ref> The double-length episode "The Last One Forever and Ever (For Real This Time) (We Fucking Mean It)" was falsely promoted as the [[series finale]] and aired on August 23, 2015. The actual series finale, "[[The Greatest Story Ever Told (Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever)|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.

===Revival===
{{Further information|Aqua Teen Hunger Force season 12}}

During an interview about the series' cancellation, Maiellaro said there are no plans to revive ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'', but that it could return someday.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 20, 2015 |title='Aqua Teen Hunger Force' Creators Talk Cancellation, Weirdness |url=http://news.wabe.org/post/aqua-teen-hunger-force-creators-talk-cancellation-weirdness |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010190842/http://news.wabe.org/post/aqua-teen-hunger-force-creators-talk-cancellation-weirdness |archive-date=October 10, 2016 |access-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref> In 2017, Adult Swim was asked why they don't make more episodes, to which they responded "we might" via a [[Bumper (broadcasting)|bump]].

In April 2022, Adult Swim began uploading ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' shorts under the name ''Aquadonk Side Pieces'' to their YouTube channel.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 18, 2022 | title='NEW: The Return of Handbanana Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Aquadonk Side Pieces - adult swim | website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZVPXbl6lDIs |access-date=April 30, 2022}}</ref> 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 new Aqua Teen scripts.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Neeley |first1=Ronnie |date=12 December 2022 |title=Matt Maiellaro Interview {{!}} ATHF Co-Creator, Voice of Err and Markula |url=https://www.dancingisforbidden.com/e/matt-maiellaro/ |access-date=11 October 2023 |website=Dancing Is Forbidden |publisher=Dancing Is Forbidden: An Aqua Teen Hunger Force Exploration}}</ref> A month later, Adult Swim officially announced the five episodes as the show's twelfth season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Campione |first1=Katie |title=Adult Swim Orders Five New Episodes Of 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' |url=https://deadline.com/2023/01/adult-swim-orders-new-episodes-aqua-teen-hunger-force-season-12-1235241083/ |website=Deadline |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=28 February 2023 |date=25 January 2023}}</ref> 

The first 11 seasons were created using [[Adobe Photoshop]] images, animated using [[Adobe After Effects]], and edited using [[Final Cut Pro|Apple's Final Cut Pro]]. Beginning with season 12, the series is animated by [[Floyd County Productions]].{{cn|date=February 2025}}

In a May 2024 tweet, Matt Maiellaro indicated that future seasons were unlikely for the time being, describing the show as "cancelled."<ref>{{Cite web |title=x.com |url=https://x.com/MattMaiellaro/status/1791074188125483393 |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}</ref>