Sealab 2021 | |
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Title card |
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Genre | Animated Comedy Surreal humour |
Created by | Adam Reed Matt Thompson |
Voices of | Harry Goz (2000-2003) Michael Goz (2003-2005) Kate Miller Erik Estrada Brett Butler Ellis Henican Bill Lobley MC Chris George Lowe (2000-2002) |
Theme music composer | Julie Stepanek |
Country of origin | United States |
Language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 4 |
No. of episodes | 52 (List of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Keith Crofford Mike Lazzo |
Producer(s) | Adam Reed Matt Thompson |
Running time | 12 minutes |
Production company(s) | Williams Street 70/30 Productions Radical Axis Hanna-Barbera (original footage) |
Broadcast | |
Original channel | Adult Swim |
Picture format | 4:3 SDTV |
Original run | November 23, 2000 | – April 25, 2005
Chronology | |
Related shows | Sealab 2020 |
External links | |
Website |
Sealab 2021 is an American animated television series. It was shown on Cartoon Network's adult-oriented programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 23, 2000 and the final episode aired on April 25, 2005. Sealab 2021 is one of the four original Williams Street series that premiered in 2000 before Adult Swim officially launched, the others being Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Brak Show, and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.
Much like Adult Swim's Space Ghost Coast to Coast, the animation used stock footage from a 1970s Hanna-Barbera cartoon, in this case the short-lived, environmentally themed Sealab 2020, along with original animation. While there was initial resistance from several of the original series' creators to the reuse of their characters, production moved forward on the series.[1] Sealab 2021 was produced by 70/30 Productions, which eventually closed in January 2009.
Contents[hide] |
Adam Reed and Matt Thompson, the creators and writers of Sealab 2021, came up with the idea for the show in 1995 while they were production assistants for Cartoon Network. They stumbled on a tape of the show Sealab 2020, and wrote new dialog. Cartoon Network passed on the show because they did not believe it was funny. Five years after quitting Cartoon Network, the two went back to the original tape, this time making the characters do what they wanted. Cartoon Network bought the show, coincidentally around the same time that Adult Swim was created.[2] The original "pitch pilot" is available on the Season 1 DVD as a special feature.
The show is set one year after the time frame of Sealab 2020. During this year, the crew's professionalism and morals have slowly degraded, causing the crew to spend more time goofing off in various ways rather than doing any serious work. None of the episodes share any connection or ongoing plot. As a result, continuity is frequently ignored; for instance, the entire installation is destroyed at the end of many episodes, and cast members are often killed in horrible ways, only to return in the following episode. While the show contains many references to the pop culture of the 1980s-2000s (decade) and appears to be set in the year 2021, John F. Kennedy is President and Robert Kennedy is his Attorney General, suggesting that it is in fact still the early 1960s. (Episode 29, "Red Dawn"). The show also contains numerous subtle references to The South, e.g. the submarine "The Hunley" and the discussion of Dollywood.
Many fans and critics felt that the show fell into a sharp decline following the death of Harry Goz (the voice of Captain Murphy) during Season 3.[3] After four seasons, the final episode aired on April 25, 2005.
Fifty-two 11-minute episodes of Sealab 2021 were produced, as opposed to only 16 25-minute episodes of the original Sealab 2020. Sealab 2021 is rated TV-14.
In January 2009, IGN listed Sealab 2021 as the 79th best in the "Top 100 Animated TV Series".[4]
In addition to being available on DVD, all of the episodes are available on the "Build a Custom DVD" feature on the Adult Swim website.
DVD Name | Release Date | Ep # |
Additional Information |
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Season One | July 20, 2004 | 13 | This two disc boxset contains the first 13 episodes ("Radio Free Sealab" through "Swimming in Oblivion"). Bonus features include alternate endings for episode "I, Robot", deleted scenes, the original pitch pilot, and uncensored scenes for "Radio Free Sealab". Music during the main menu is the original recording of the theme song. |
Season Two | February 1, 2005 | This two disc boxset contains the second set of 13 episodes ("Der Dieb" through "Return to Oblivion"). Bonus features include commentaries for all thirteen episodes, an animatic for the unseen episode "Ronnie", and other assorted bonus features - many of which involve women in bikinis. The DVD cover, used for the "Bizarro" episode, is a homage to the cover of Uncanny X-Men #100, by artist Dave Cockrum. Music during the main menu is the theme song played backwards. This season two DVD is included on Adult Swim in a Box, which was released on October 27, 2009. | |
Season Three | July 12, 2005 | This two disc boxset contains the third set of 13 episodes ("Splitsville" through "Neptunati"). Bonus features include two unseen episodes and the animatic of a third unseen episode, commentary for four episodes, and other features. Music during the main menu is the music used in the "Red Dawn" episode. | |
Season Four | August 8, 2006 | This two disc boxset contains the final 13 episodes ("Isla de las Chupacabras" through "Legacy of Laughter"). Bonus features include alternate endings and deleted scenes. For this set, Cartoon Network abandoned their usual digipak packaging design in favor of a more traditional amaray style keep case. During the main menu, underwater sound effects are used. |
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