Series cast summary: | |||
Regina King | ... | Riley Freeman / ... 56 episodes, 2005-2014 | |
John Witherspoon | ... | Robert 'Granddad' Freeman / ... 55 episodes, 2005-2014 | |
Gary Anthony Williams | ... | Uncle Ruckus / ... 55 episodes, 2005-2014 | |
Cedric Yarbrough | ... | Tom Dubois / ... 53 episodes, 2005-2014 | |
Jill Talley | ... | Sarah Dubois / ... 46 episodes, 2005-2014 | |
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Gabby Soleil | ... | Jazmine Dubois 45 episodes, 2005-2010 |
Based on the original comic strip Boondocks, Two young brothers (Huey and Riley) move away from their birth city to live with their irascible grandfather out in the suburbs. With one brother being socially and politically motivated and the younger brother a stereotypical black youth who likes rap music and culture etc Biting socio-political commentary ensues when they meet a whole cast of crazy exaggerated characters set in a mainly white middle upper class neighbourhood. Written by Anonymous
Aaron McGruder is an admitted militant liberal, and his comic strip has provided quite an insight into his world view on politics and the lack of political tactfulness. But the television show has effectively upped up the ante, making even starker commentary on society and the racist ills that have fallen on it.
Some may attack McGruder for attacking African American culture by using the profane language and in his depiction of Riley, but what he has effectively provided is a sensible argument toward the ills of all cultural settings. He's effectively illustrating what people EXPECT from black culture.
McGruder has always been very critical of the "hip-hop" culture, calling it feminine and useless. In my opinion, McGruder's commentary is almost as powerful as Spike Lee's "Bamboozled," where he basically states hip-hop culture is just another form of black-face to entertain suburban white people. While the television seems to border more along the lines of cultural inequities and absurdities as opposed to the full-on political commentary of the strip, he still hammers home a lot of good points. Years from now, people will look at this show as a daring look at junk cultural paradigms and laugh at the absurdity of it all.