The Garden Party

"The Garden Party"
The Boondocks episode

Ed Wuncler, Sr. and his grandson, Ed Wuncler III
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 1
Directed by Anthony Bell
Written by Rodney Barnes
Aaron McGruder
Production code 103
Original air date November 6, 2005
Guest stars
Episode chronology
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"The Trial of R. Kelly"
The Boondocks (season 1)
List of The Boondocks episodes

"The Garden Party" is the pilot episode of the Adult Swim animated series The Boondocks, although the production number, 103, suggests it was the third episode produced. It premiered on November 6, 2005.

Plot

At a social party filled with primarily white guests, Huey walks up to the stage and makes an announcement, saying "Jesus Christ was black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the government is lying about 9/11". Chaos ensues as the party goers panic and assault each other. Huey wakes up from this dream to be reprimanded by his grandfather for "having that dream where [he] made the white people riot".

The main characters, Huey and Riley Freeman, are adjusting to life in the predominately white suburb of Woodcrest. While scoping out their new neighbors from the rooftop, Huey spots a dark vehicle approaching their house. The driver, millionaire Ed Wuncler, drops by to meet the family. Wuncler, whose bank owns all the houses in Woodcrest, has a friendly interview with the boys' grandfather, Robert, asking him questions regarding his sexuality and political views. Ed eventually invites Robert and his family to a garden party to celebrate his grandson Ed Wuncler III's return from the Iraq War.

The boys, upon hearing this, are at once reluctant to attend the party, especially Huey, who doesn't want to "sip tea with the enemy." Stymied by their grandfather's wishes, however, they begrudgingly accompany him.

After a brief setback at the front gate of the Wuncler estate, during which they meet Uncle Ruckus, the Freemans arrive at the party. They meet Ed Wuncler III, an ex-soldier who talks about his life in Iraq and delivers his trademark line, "What the fuck y'all looking at?"

Huey tries to educate the other partygoers about the "truth" that "Jesus was black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the government is lying about 9/11." His attempts, much to his dismay, are met with little more than applause and jovial disinterest. Huey comes to the conclusion that rich people don't care much about anything.

Meanwhile, Ed III shows Riley his room, where he reveals his large collection of firearms. Ed III, while wearing a bulletproof vest, dares Riley to shoot him with a loaded SPAS-12 shotgun. Back at the party, Uncle Ruckus, a self-hating black man and white supremacist, starts singing a song he wrote called "Don't Trust Them New Niggas Over There" to the Freeman family. Since the Freeman's arrival to the party, Ruckus repeatably drank from a flask and is holding it while singing and possibly being intoxicated. Back upstairs, Riley fires the gun whose force sends him flying backwards and Ed out of his second-story window. Ed, apparently unhurt, again delivers his catchphrase — "What the fuck y'all lookin at?" — upon recovering.

A somewhat nervous Robert Freeman goes to apologize to Ed Wuncler Sr. for the incident. Much to his surprise, Ed is understanding, saying that, "In thirty years, [his grandson] will be President of the United States...and he'll still be a fucking idiot." He and Robert then have a drink, toasting to the old school.

Cultural references

References

  1. ^ Chapman, Graham (2002). Life of Brian Screenplay. Methuen Publishing, Ltd.. 
  2. ^ McGrath, Ben (2004-04-19). "The Radical". The New Yorker: p. 2. http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/04/19/040419fa_fact2?currentPage=2. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
  3. ^ Otto, Jeff (2005-06-08). "Mike Epps on Dave Chappelle". Internet Movie Database Inc.. http://movies.ign.com/articles/623/623679p1.html. Retrieved 2007-12-09.