Cartoon Network's Robot Chicken: Why Did the Chicken Actually Cross the Road? Why to Die in the Name of Science of Course

Or so says Professor Fritz Huhnmorder, who resurrects a chicken corpse, fits it with robotic components in a mock Frankenstein style, and then forces it to watch a giant wall of televisions in a rather Clockwork Orange-esque manner all the while Les Claypool of Primus yells "Its alive!" in the background. 

Still with me? Good, here's the strange part.

The audience sees what the chicken sees, roughly twelve minutes of random and bizarre comedy skewering subjects from Napoleon Dynamite to the Thundercats and everything in between.

Did I mention it was done entirely in stop motion animation? With dolls, actions figures, and clay sculptures? It's sort of like if animation pioneer Harryhausen were really smashed and let loose upon the airwaves. But that's not necessarily a bad thing; in fact, the distinct animation is part of what gives Robot Chicken its charm.

And who could possibly be responsible for such an insane conglomeration of eclectic comedy? Why, none other than co creators Seth Green and Matt Senreich. Green, who is well known as the voice of Chris Griffin of Family Guy, uses his connections with the popular show and the influences can be seen clearly. Not only have numerous members of the Family Guy cast lent their voice talents to Robot Chicken, but some of the more integral aspects of the Family Guy formula have carried over to Robot Chicken as well.

Family Guy is known for its tendency to go off on a tangent with non sequitur jokes and obscure references that are somehow perfectly entwined together with the loose plot. Robot Chicken can be seen as the bastard child of that over-the-top concept; it is made up entirely of non sequitur jokes, a rapid volley of skit after skit which works surprisingly well.