The Brak Show - Overview

Overview

The Brak Show was preceded by two specials, both entitled Brak Presents The Brak Show Starring Brak. Despite the similarities in the titles, the two Brak Shows have very little in common. The specials parodied variety shows, while the series was a spoof of early sitcoms. Each of the specials aired in the United States only once (in February and March 2000), although clips of the show could be viewed after the Space Ghost Coast to Coast time slot on occasion. In the United Kingdom only one of the two specials aired on Bravo on August 23, 2006 and then again on December 23, 2007. There are also clips from the shows on The Brak Show Volume 1 DVD and Adult Swim Video.

The Brak Show series premiered unannounced in the early hours of December 21, 2000, along with the "Radio Free Sealab" episode of Sealab 2021. This "stealth" pilot (titled "Leave it to Brak") featured hand-drawn backgrounds and different opening titles. The show's second showing was on Adult Swim's debut on September 2, 2001. As with most of the first original Adult Swim shows it was produced by Williams Street Studios.

It originally started off as a parody of situation comedies, but just like its sister show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the plot dissolved over time and became increasingly bizarre. The setting is suburbia with an extra-planetary hint. A Saturn-like planet appears in the background on occasion, and many of the extras are aliens. Often, episodes are written doing a parody of stereotypical episodes on regular sitcoms (e.g. The son showing an interest in women, the Dad being reconnected with an old passion, the Mother temporarily leaving after a fight, etc.).

The show was canceled in December 2003. However, Adult Swim announced in a bump on October 22, 2006 that, The Brak Show would return to production as an internet cartoon on the network's website. On May 24, 2007, a single webisode premiered online. No further webisodes have been produced.

On August 1, 2008, Adult Swim had a retro night, an all night marathon of shows featured on Adult Swim during their 2001 and 2002 era, two of the earlier episodes of The Brak Show were aired during the marathon. On January 17, 2012 to February 4, Adult Swim aired all of Season 1 and the first five episodes of Season 2 on DVR Theater Monday through Friday at 4:00 AM.