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Squidbillies is an American adult animated television series 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 13, 2021, with a total of 132 episodes over the course of 13 seasons.
The series is about the Cuyler family, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly mud squids living in the Georgia region of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The series revolves around the exploits of an alcoholic father (Early), who is often abusive in a comedic way towards his family. His teenage son, Rusty, is desperate for his approval; his mother and grandmother, known in the show as Granny, is often the center of his aggression; and Lil, Early's sister, is mostly unconscious in a pool of her own vomit.
The series also airs in syndication in other countries and has been released on various DVD sets and other forms of home media.
setting and premise[]
Squidbillies follows the exploits of the Cuyler family and their interactions with the local populace, which usually results in a fair amount of destruction, mutilation, and death. The Cuylers are essentially given free rein and protected from the consequences of their actions whenever possible by their crudely-drawn friend, the Sheriff (whose name is "Sharif"), as they are said to be the last twisted remnants of a federally protected endangered species, the "Appalachian Mud Squid". They live in the southern Appalachian Mountains located in the North Georgia mountains. At the epicentre of this rural paradise is Dougal County, home to crippling gambling addictions, a murderous corporation, sexual deviants, and the authentic Southern mountain squid. In the words of The New York Times, the show takes "backwoods stereotypes" and turns them into "a cudgel with which to pound maniacally on all manner of topical subjects."
production[]
Squidbillies is produced by Williams Street Productions; it is written by Dave Willis, co-creator of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Jim Fortier, previously of The Brak Show, both of whom worked on the Adult Swim series Space Ghost Coast to Coast. The show is animated by Awesome Incorporated, with background design by Ben Prisk.
Voice cast[]
- Stuart Daniel Baker (2005–2019) and Tracy Morgan (2021) as Early Cuyler
- Daniel McDevitt as Rusty Cuyler
- Dana Snyder as Granny
- Patricia French as Aunt Lil
- Charles Napier (2005–2006) and Bobby Ellerbee (2006–2021) as Sheriff
- Todd Hanson as Dan Halen
- Scott Hilley (2005–2014) as Reverend
- Elizabeth Cook as Tammi
- Jason Isbell as Reverend Nubbins
- Dave Willis as Deputy Denny and Glenn
Dismissal of Stuart Baker[]
On August 16, 2020, it was announced that Baker was fired from the series for his controversial comments towards the Black Lives Matter movement and country singer Dolly Parton. A response was posted on Facebook by Baker claiming that being fired from Squidbillies ruined his life. The response was later deleted.
The thirteenth and final season of Squidbillies premiered on November 7, 2021, with Baker being replaced by comedian Tracy Morgan.
international broadcast[]
In Canada, Squidbillies previously aired on Teletoon's Teletoon at Night block and later G4's Adult Digital Distraction block. The series currently airs on the Canadian version of Adult Swim.
guest appearances[]
- Jackyl performed "Raised By Jackyl" in "America: Why I Love Her" (Season 5, Episode 10)
- .38 Special voiced themselves, and their song "Caught Up in You" is featured during the credits in "Burned and Reburned Again" (Season 2, Episode 10)
- Tim "Action Plan" Andrews voiced the homicidal GPS in "Fatal Distraction" (Season 5, Episode 7)
- Jason "Wee Man" Acuña voiced himself in "The Guzzle Bumpkin" (Season 11, Episode 2)
- Fred Armisen voiced Miguel in "Take This Job and Love It" (Season 1, Episode 2) and Office Politics Trouble" (Season 1, Episode 6), Jesus in "Giant Foam Dickhat Trouble" (Season 2, Episode 5) and Hippie Killed With Chainsaw in "Earth Worst" (Season 3, Episode 6).
- Todd Barry voiced Glenn in "Office Politics Trouble" (Season 1, Episode 6) and Dr. Bug in "Family Trouble" (Season 1, Episode 5).
- Vernon Chatman (as Clarence Towelstein) voiced Shuckey the Corn Mascot in "Mud Days and Cornfused" (Season 3, Episode 18)
- David Allan Coe is uncredited for voicing himself in "Okaleechee Dam Jam" (Season 3, Episode 17)
- Elizabeth Cook performed the theme song and voiced Tammi in "Keeping It In The Family Way" (Season 6).
- Coolio voiced himself in "The Guzzle Bumpkin" (Season 11, Episode 2)
- Bradford Cox voiced himself in "Granite Caverns" (Season 8, Episode 1)
- Lavell Crawford voiced Judge Jammer in "Stop. Jammertime!" (Season 8, Episode 6)
- Rachel Dratch voiced a Hippie Woman in "Earth Worst" (Season 3, Episode 6)
- Drive-By Truckers performed in "America: Why I Love Her" (Season 5, Episode 10)
- Eric "Butterbean" Esch voiced himself and sang the national anthem in "Condition: Demolition" (Season 3, Episode 9)
- Mick Foley is uncredited for voicing Thunder Clap in "Anabolic-holic" (Season 4, Episode 4)
- Kevin Gillespie voiced himself in "Asbestos I Can" (Season 6, Episode 1)
- Tony Guerrero voiced a prisoner in "Dove in an Iron Cage" (Season 11, Episode 1)
- Phil Hendrie guest-starred in "Lean Green Touchdown Makifying Machine" (Season 5, Episode 9)
- Jason Isbell performed the theme song in "The Pharaoh's Wad" (Season 6, Episode 8) and voiced the new reverend Kyle Nubbins in "Greener Pastor" (Season 10, Episode 7), later going on to be his official V.A.
- David Jackson voiced a Japanese war veteran and a documentary narrator in "The Appalachian Mud Squid: Darwin's Dilemma" (Season 3, Episode 10)
- Jonathan Katz is uncredited for voicing The Rapist in "Government Brain Voodoo Trouble" (Season 2, Episode 1).
- George Lowe voiced Space Ghost in "Unofficial Pilot" (Season 1, fake pilot) and a TV wrestling-promo voice in "Anabolic-holic" (season 4, episode 4)
- Riley Martin voiced the Horseman of Pestilence in "Armageddon It On!" (Season 3, Episode 13) and a voice inside Dan Halen's head in "Pile M For Murder" (Season 3, Episode 19)
- Ralphie May (as Sweet Dick May) voiced PNUT in "Thou Shale Not Drill" (Season 8, Episode 7). This was the second 30-minute episode in the series' history.
- JD McPherson voiced a prisoner in "Dove in an Iron Cage" (Season 11, Episode 1)
- The Mighty Ohba provided the Japanese voice dub of Early Cuyler in "Snow Daddy" (Season 6, Episode 6)
- Rhett Miller performed as an al-Qaeda representative with a hook hand in "America: Why I Love Her" (Season 5, Episode 10)
- Dan Mirvish (as Danny Torrance) voiced himself in "The Guzzle Bumpkin" (Season 11, Episode 2)
- Andrew Montesi announced the Festival of the Clowny Freak commercial in "Clowny Freaks" (Season 5, Episode 8)
- Casey Motter announced the baseball game in "Debased Ball" (Season 11, Episode 6)
- Larry Munson provided the Voice of God on "Armageddon It On!" (Season 3, Episode 13)
- Tim Andrews Provided the Larry Munson voice after Munson's death.
- Amber Nash voiced Prosperity in "Lipstick on a Squid" (Season 10, Episode 1)
- Chad Ochocinco voiced himself in "Lean Green Touchdown Makifying Machine" (Season 5, Episode 9)
- Tara Ochs guest-starred in "Lipstick on a Squid" (Season 10, Episode 1)
- Patton Oswalt (as Shecky Chucklestein) voiced the One-Eyed Giant Squid in "Survival of The Dumbest" (Season 2, Episode 12)
- Paleface voiced a guy at a bar in "Green and Sober" (Season 7, Episode 4)
- Grey Revell voiced a musician in "Green and Sober" (Season 7, Episode 4)
- Stan Robak voiced Pompidov in "Confessions of a Grangrenous Mind" (Season 4, Episode 5)
- George Robinson voiced Snow Daddy in "Snow Daddy" (Season 6, Episode 6)
- Ryuu-chan provided the Japanese voice dub of Rusty Cuyler in "Snow Daddy" (Season 6, Episode 6)
- Mike Schatz voiced the Prosecutor in "Terminous Trouble" (Season 2) and the Scientist in "God's Bro" (Season 4).
- Billy Joe Shaver performed the theme song in several episodes and voiced a customs agent and a TV announcer in "Trucked Up!" (Season 6, Episode 10)
- Brendon Small wrote & played the "Rusty Shreds" metal pieces in "Mephistopheles Traveled Below to a Southern State Whose Motto Is 'Wisdom, Justice and Moderation'" (Season 3, Episode 5). He also voiced Dr. Jerry in "Family Trouble" but was listed in the credits as "Donald Cock".
- Todd Snider performed the main title in "Fatal Distraction" (Season 5, Episode 7) and as a rabbit in "America: Why I Love Her" (Season 5, Episode 10) and voiced a lobster in "Clowny Freaks" (Season 5, Episode 8)
- Soilent Green performed the main title theme on "Lerm" (Season 4, Episode 1)
- Split Lip Rayfield was credited in writing Rusty's bluegrass Hell Jams in "Mephistopheles Traveled Below to a Southern State Whose Motto Is 'Wisdom, Justice and Moderation'" (Season 3, Episode 5)
- Paul Stanley voiced himself in "Fatal Distraction" (Season 5, Episode 6)
- Jared Swilley voiced himself in "Granite Caverns" (Season 8, Episode 1)
- T-Pain voiced himself in "Asbestos I Can" (Season 6, Episode 1) and performed the theme song in "Trucked Up!" (Season 6, Episode 10).
- Larry Wachs voiced a clown in "Clowny Freaks" (Season 5, Episode 8)
- Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Lucinda Williams, Will Oldham, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Hayes Carll performed as various singing forest animals in "America: Why I Love Her" (Season 5, Episode 10). This was the first 30-minute episode in the series' history.
- Justin "Fireball" Whitaker is uncredited for voicing "Earth Worst" ( Season 3, Episode 6 )
- Jesco White voiced Ga-Ga-Pee-Pap Cuyler in "Dead Squid Walking" (Season 5, Episode 3)
- Mamie White voiced Krystal's cousin in "The Many Loves of Early Cuyler" (Season 5, Episode 2)
- Widespread Panic performed the main title theme and voiced themselves in "Need for Weed" (Season 5, Episode 1)
- Jon Wurster (as Roy Ziegler) voiced Dakota the Hippie in "Earth Worst" (Season 3, Episode 6) and Skyler The Blue Blood Sucking monster in "The Tiniest Princess" (Season 2, Episode 12).
artists who performed the theme song[]
- Against Me!
- Alabama Shakes
- The B-52's
- The Baseball Project
- Black Lips
- Blackberry Smoke
- The Both
- Camper Van Beethoven
- Cannibal Corpse
- Clutch
- Hayes Carll
- Neko Case
- Centro-Matic
- Jimmy Cliff
- Elizabeth Cook
- Steve Earle
- Jimmie Dale Gilmore
- Jan Hammer
- Unknown Hinson
- In Search of Sight
- Jackyl
- Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
- The Jayhawks
- George Jones
- King Khan and the Shrines
- Matthew Kaminsky, organist for the Atlanta Braves
- Lambchop
- Chuck Leavell & Francine Reed
- Let's Active
- Lera Lynn featuring Joshua Grange
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Max Q
- The Milk Carton Kids
- Father John Misty
- Bob Mould
- John Prine
- Pueblo Cafe
- Todd Rundgren
- Rebecca Schiffman
- Ty Segall
- Sturgill Simpson
- William Shatner
- Billy Joe Shaver
- Shovels & Rope
- Todd Snider
- Soilent Green
- T-Pain
- Trampled by Turtles
- Sharon Van Etten
- Kurt Vile
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
- Western Crooners
- Widespread Panic
- Lucinda Williams
- "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Yelawolf
- Dwight Yoakam
- ZZ Top
merchandise[]
soundtrack[]
In January 2012, a free 35 track soundtrack was released on the Adult Swim music site entitled The Squidbillies Present: Music for Americans Only Made by Americans in China for Americans Only God Bless America, U.S.A.
Another album, entitled Squidbillies Double Platinum Gold was released on vinyl in July 2019.
home releases[]
| Season | Episodes | Volume | Release date | Extras | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | ||||||
| 1 | 2005 | 6 | 1 | October 16, 2007 |
| |
| 2 | 2006 | 14 | ||||
| 3 | 2008 | 20 | 2 | April 21, 2009 |
| |
| 4 | 2009 | 10 | 3 | July 6, 2010 |
| |
| 5 | 2010 | 10 | 4 | June 21, 2011 |
| |
| 6 | 2011 | 10 | 5 | August 7, 2012 |
| |
| 7 | 2012 | 6 | 6 | March 17, 2015 | None | |
| 8 | 2013 | 9 | ||||
The series is also available on HBO Max since September 1, 2020.