If you’ve seen Mr. Pickles on Adult Swim, it’s unlikely you’ll forget it any time soon. And that’s saying something for the network that gave the world such oddities as Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Superjail.
But the new quarter-hour series, created by Will Carsola and Dave Stewart, finds some crazy new depths to plumb. The series is nominally a spoof of the “smart dog” genre, best exemplified by Lassie. But in this version, the dog — named Mr. Pickles because he loves to eat pickles — is seriously evil and only a few people seem to notice.
Yes, this is a show in which a dog will speak in satanic tongues, bathe in rivers of blood and pop out of a cake with chainsaws he uses to behead the revelers — and then dance with their severed heads on his paws.
Clearly, this is not for everyone — but for those who do appreciate it, it’s impossible not to laugh at this show.
We caught up recently with Carsola and Stewart to talk about the show, which is airing its 10-episode first season Sunday nights at 11:30 on Adult Swim.
Animation Magazine: We have to start by asking, where did this crazy show come from?
Will Carsola: We had been showing Adult Swim some things that we were interested in making into a show, and they wanted to do something with us. They asked us to write up five new ideas. And the way Dave and I write is we just write for 10 or 20 minutes straight and then we play back our ideas and try to make the other person laugh, and then one of those ideas will stick every once in a while. Sometimes it’s a show idea, a story idea or a joke idea, and, in this case, it was a show idea and one of those ideas was called Mr. Pickles, a Lassie kind of show with the hero dog who loves pickles and is evil.
Animag: Where does the sense of humor come from?
Dave Stewart: I think that’s such a general thing for us, or a broad question, because I think we pull from everything. We have a hatred for pop culture that we share, but there are social undertones in all our episodes. We don’t hit it on the head super hard but even though it’s a pretty aggressive show, comedy-wise, we still like to hit on some social things here and there. It could be obesity in one episode, or plastic surgery in another. The great thing about comedy is shedding those things that might be in your face every day in a new light for people. We just try to go about those things in a very aggressive way.
Carsola: Our comedy was originally influenced by, really, me and Dave trying to make each other laugh. And then we started making sketch comedy. We didn’t know what we were doing. There was nobody around us making comedy, nobody around us making any kind of videos either. We were at the time making music videos, skateboarding videos and comedy videos, just kind of figuring it out. And then we watched Mr. Show and I know that inspired me a lot. From there I started being even more interested in comedy.
Stewart: I think, a little to what Will said, it still stands here today, too. When we’re writing things, we’re ultimately coming down to: If we make each other laugh, then we’ve got something good. That’s our bar, our filter. Once we get past each other, it’s pretty good to go.
Animag: What do you like about working in animation?
Carsola: You can do things you can’t do in live action, for one. I know for me, I’ve always drawn characters since I was a little kid so it’s cool to draw a character and see it come to life and do things you can’t do in live action. Also, you can constantly add jokes. I have a lot of background jokes in these episodes, and if you’re filming, what you film is what you have. And here, here you can constantly add a new character in the background doing something funny, you can always make things look better in animation over time.
Animag: Is there an overall plan for the season or for the show in general?
Stewart: They all stand alone, but they are all leading up to the finale, actually. Everything everybody wants to see, we reveal in the finale. Beyond that, I think you can tune into any episode and enjoy it from beginning to end. You wouldn’t be lost. We like a complete story in each episode.
Animag: Do you have any favorite moments or experiences from the first season?
Carsola: Yes, but I think all of them would give away something!
Stewart: I think something that was really great for us overall was some of the people we got to work with. Even a couple of the guys from Mr. Show: Jay Johnston does one of the main voices on the show and John Ennis has come on, too.
Mr Show was a hotbed for satanists. No surprise their alums have a hand in this evil.
Disgusting.
Lovely
This shows fucking weird and it represents satan in the show and in the music.
There is really no point in this show the characters are all fucking ugly,and look like a bear chewed on them or something. I personally think they should unair this show and make another show like Famy guy,and American dad.
The show is pretty awesome.
Shut the fuck you idiot. You’re adding nothing positive to the thread. You need to change your screen name also, you are NO Christian!
LOL, Lance needs help.
Please, stop saying bullshits about religion, if God would exist then is just sitting on sofa watching us kill each other to test our faith, would you pray for an asshole like that?
This is NOT funny…it’s gross and distasteful. Chain saw cutting dogs? Really? Has Adult Swim really bottomed out putting this satanic crap on TV? How many really good ideas from other artists were pitched to this network before they settled on this dribble? Just makes me mad when I see this in the industry!
You’re right, it’s very gross and distasteful, but so is my sense of humor. This satanic crap makes me laugh. I love this show and you hate it; to each his own. I am a bit upset that they did not pick up Chris O’Neil’s “Hellbenders” because “they had too many Hell related shows already” (ie. Your Pretty Little Face Is Going To Hell & Mr. Pickles), but I can deal. As for “the industry,” what makes me mad is all of the shit reality shows and unfunny shitcoms that rely on laugh tracks. I have no problem with Adult Swim experimenting with new content.
I don’t mind AS experimenting with new content if there was indeed some intelligence behind the writing and format. However, this show just glorifies violence for a laugh, albeit a sick, twisted laugh. It’s like these writers wrote this in a drunken stupor. Is that the best AS can put out there? How many really funny pitches were heard and rejected before this nonsense was green-lit? True, there are too many crappy sitcoms and reality shows on air today. But sinking to this level of toilet humor does no one in the industry any good. it just lowers the bar.
Satan is pretty cool right now.
why do u take satain as a joke, he doesnt take u as a joke,
Yeah, since he doesn’t exist he doesn’t take you at all
These people here are soft
They are just desensitizing people to evil.
I watched the first or second episode and Mr. Pickles was screwing a horse. That is sick. After I saw that I rebuked it and I have no desire to ever watch that again. And the worse part is. They are marking your subconscious mind with the flashing of the satanic symbols during the beginning of the show intro. People don’t know how easy we are to be influenced.
Have to ever noticed that we can’t really tell the difference between reality and fantasy.
Why do people cry when watching a sad part in a movie? Because it touched you and your brain at the time is viewing and taking in exactly what you see and reacting to it accordingly. Your brain doesn’t realize that it’s just a movie and it’s not real because you’re focusing on it.
So you ARE being influenced by what you watch. Keep thinking you aren’t.
Humans are sponges till the day we die. So soak up your mind with goodness and love instead of disgusting things like porn and shows like this. This show is porn, murder, evil and praise for Lucifer.
You will never understand because you choose to stay blind. And basically you don’t wanna believe in God because your never experienced him and you hate the fact that one day you will have to answer for what you do.
God bless everyone
VERY VERY True and Insightful. I do not know what to think because I do find the humor in the show funny because it is extreme and it is different to what is out there to watch. I am at no way satanic at all.
Unless it is sports or news everything we watch is fanasty and humans are impressionable and can be influenced by what we watch but you have to know your self and understand tv from reality. After watching 5 episodes I do realize i have been desensatized from the graphic killing in show. I am still find humor in the show but do not know if this is something I should be watching. its like porn a gulity pleasure i guess.
You’re an incredibly sad person.
Lol “Have to ever noticed … because you’re focusing on it.” I liked how you confused reacting and influenced by.
You’re cute 😛
Lol I make a typo and you decide to point it out after a course of over 3 paragraphs…
You are the sad one LOL
Oh no no no, that isn’t a typo. Your entire argument is based on that point, which is a wrong one; ergo your argument is wrong.
I guess Bible study doesn’t teach this kind of *useful* stuff though.
It’s extremely funny that you think you’re bothering me. Your bickering and argument mongering will not fill the gap. Good luck!
Bothering you? Where do come up with this?
First reply: I was having fun with you
Second reply: I actually put forth an argument, then had more fun with you.
What I find funny is that you assume I have some void I’m trying to fill, where you’re obviously the one with a void. You’re so scared of the unknown and what else could possibly exist that you choose to block it all and fill it in with answers from men long, long ago. You fill your void with the comforts of a mythology because it’s easy. You’ve been well conditioned, you should have been a race horse, at least then you’d do something that people care about.
yo why u have to bring up the bible like that
Exactly who in their right mind would make a show that’s so twisted and satanic? They couldn’t have been thinking about rituals unless they do it
Such as you couldn’t masturbate unless you’ve fucked
i love it, its REAL and awesome. fuck people who dont like it cause no one gives a damn what you think 🙂
WTF does “real” mean??? How many chain wielding pooches cutting off legs has this idiot seen? The show promotes twisted violence…is that the only way Adult Swim can get a psychotic laugh? Anyone who “loves” this satanic crap is deeply screwed up.
Lighten up, it’s comedy and don’t call people “deeply screwed up” for getting a laugh out of it just because you don’t understand why it’s funny for them.
Sorry, but watching a dog with a chain saw carving off people’s legs is twisted, sick humor and people who laugh at this are equally sick and twisted. Believe me, I totally understand the viewer who finds this “funny”. It’s just another example of shock value toilet humor and this show lowers (instead of raising) the bar of animation at AS. Plus any legitimate creator who pitches an intelligent, genuinely funny concept to this network and is turned down must scratch their head when they see that this dribble was green-lit .
Give it a rest granny.
Let’s just admit it…MOST of the AS viewers either don’t want to, or lack the mentality to comprehend well thought out, legitimately “funny” jokes, all the things people would normally find funny is becoming stale ((it IS already)). If someone watching this show has a narrow mind about comedy, then they will surely find it displeasing, but then again, it’s the same jokes we all have been watching already…it’s just presented in a different way. Besides, people are REALLY going to be ..”offended” ((i guess is the word..maybe)) by this show when, as example, Tim & Eric Awesome Show has -_- 2 cats literally tongue-ing each other in the intro….How bout this…It’s called Adult Swim… So 1) You should be or have the mentality of an adult…and 2) …Don’t like…Don’t watch it
The show is made intellegently in my opinion, If your really watch the show everything comes full circle from what your watched from beginning to end. Then there are many background jokes you most likley dont even realize. The show moves fast and you can miss alot of jokes if you dont really pay attention. I guess it is frown apon to joke about evil but i think the show is just pushing the limits.
I punch Christian babys, spit in the bible while I masturbate to pictures of the “virgin” Mary. Side note, did you know that in all of the pictures of “jesus” or ones that depict “jesus”, that it’s not him and has nothing to do with him? Christianity is a sick and twisted religion, with its constant contradictions, and bullshit stories. Where’s Your jesus now? Where is your god when sick children are hungry and dying for no reason? Where is your god? Christianity is one of the most ignorant religions out there. Hail satan, the real and just god.
its just comedy. The people working for simpson proably thought this about Family guy decade ago
I’m sure the creators don’t take it too seriously just having fun I like it great show.
It’s only ‘real’ and ‘awesome’ if you’re a sick fuck who enjoys violence perpetrated upon innocents and that you probably commit yourself in real life you piece of shit.
Be a little more open minded man. It’s just a show not like they’re telling kids to start burn down churches and killing people. It’s just a joke by the guys. Hell there is even talk of a season 2. BOTTOM LINE.
DON’T LIKE IT DON’T WATCH IT!
And Rap music sure didn’t tell everyone to copy what they’re doing either.
There are many people who tried to commit murders based off of movies
http://www.top10films.co.uk/archives/7618
I think it’s really funny, but if you don’t like it there’s plenty of other crap on tv. I don’t find it any less tasteful than, say, Tim and Eric or Dr.Brule. And it actually makes sense, which is better than some of that other crap. By the way, what’s this crap about being satanic? Does anybody not realize how ridiculous that is? It’s just a show! If you believe that, your an idiot.
What does 666 and the baphomet have to do with a cartoon about a dog? Think about it. I came across this cartoon by accident and was completely disgusted when I saw the sheriff simulating oral s3x with a cardboard child with moaning and simulated ej@culation. How is this not evil and how is this funny? Why would the creators think this was entertaining unless their motives are evil? Child r@pe is NEVER funny.
So if guess the producers who are making this show are idiots as well.
They are die hard lucifarians
i agree with all of you, yes, even if you disagree….we are influenced by this only if we dont realize how bad it is…satanism is a parody religion (for the MOST part)…idk, honestly, i love the show, its so in your face its hilarious, but i definitely understand why its controversial…all ik is if someone has a strong enough moral code it wont affect them
Shows real promise
Not….
For anyone who thinks this show is stupid and in bad taste, it truly isnt and is a hiralious show. Mr pickles satirically portrays a “good dog”, and has a personal obligation to protect the son in the family, despite his moral standpoints. This show has a similar sense of humor to that of other sketch quarter hour shows on adult swim, but its main quality is the ability to disturb the viewer beyond belief. My fiance loves this show but says he has to “prepare for whats coming”; if you like testing your mental stability and being disturbed, then his show should be gold to you. Otherwise, your opinion of the show will fall under “stale”, “distasteful”, and “sinking below toilet humor”. Haha mr. Pickles is definitely not for the sensitive and good hearted, and whoever attacks this show’s creativity must be brainwashed by either christianity or mainstream media. Its absolutely exhilirating to me!
I love this show , haters are gonna hate period
And this is why we had a stupid satanic panic back in the late 80’s because of the idiots saying this cartoon is satanic or that one or because of the heavy metal music but if you look at the cartoons from back then like HE-MAN and SHE-RA they actually taught life lessons to us children like being kind and helping each other but the religious morons kept pushing and crying about satanism so in turn in the 90’s came and what do we get a bunch of crappy TV and the ghetto mentality music and now look at what we have y’all thought satanism was killing our kids and ruining their lives? Happy Ha bunch of stupid freaking idiotic morons people now have a screwed up mentality where kids are now gang bangers and drug dealers and the adults are doing the same drive by shootings people not giving a damn about anything or anyone else because they are going to take what they want and will kill you for it…..so before you start your crap about some show that offends your sorry ass think about what will happen and damn right I am and always will be a satanist and luciferian because Lucifer is the God of wisdom and light and if you want to babble about religious beliefs remember where the false beliefs are because religion is bull-shit it is better to be spiritual
This show only appeals to those who’s minds are totally controlled and have been stuffed into their mold, and you will do as you are told until the rights to you are sold.
Enjoy the show, slaves….
Lol at the stupid turds thinking this is satanic. What a bunch of uneducated twats. You guys know whe’re in 2015 and there is no such things like gods and other mythological creature out there right? Obscurantism to the max you cult bottom hoes. When i read stupid comments like that i’m sad there is no hell because you could have went straight to it for living in lies and crazy ass cults. And i hope you don’t and never intend to have children or raise anything alive you mentaly sick pieces of crap.
This show is pretty fun by the way, good music, nice old school slime fluo naive drawings, good job guys.
It is sad that you are so blind. I pray God that you show him you are real as you’ve shown me.
God bless you.
You’re an idiot. People are stating this is Satanic because there is much Satanic symbolism in the show or are you fucking blind??? You’re the sad one, closed minded and not accepting anything that you can’t see because you have no faith. Life has dealt you a bad hand and you are so angry that you take pleasure in watching violent filth as this said show because you wish you could do what the dog is doing. To what? Get back at so many people who have hurt you most likely and if that’s not it and you simply enjoy gore which is the sign of a sick and or evil mind for that does not help society progress forward in a positive manner but only prohibits our growth as a species.
relax its just a cartoon and just fantasy. Im sure the same could be said about anything you watch on tv i mean do you just watch church on tv?
It is sad you have not experienced God.
Not talking down on you.
I have great compassion for you.
Hope one day you’ll know.
🙂
IT is sad you haven’t experienced god either
I feel bad for you
Yet I’m not talking down on you
Does every “Christian” talk like this?
I love this show!! Its nice to watch falling asleep to after work!! Its different but funny.
Wow.. People say ‘lighten up, its comedy’ smh. This is plan insanity and only psychopaths could laugh at this. Come on, adult swim. Wow.
This show is highly disturbing, extremely vulgar and grotesque. Absolute blasphemy, I cannot believe children are watching this.
do you say the same to scary movies? freedy cougar and jason killing people? its just for shits N giggles.. relax
Horror movies are not for giggles…. It’s made to scare and does it’s job well.
This show acts as if killing is normal… And encourages you to laugh at it as if it’s supposed to be enjoyable.
There’s a difference Sir
The show is incredibly tasteful, but you just aren’t a part of the traumatized youth that plagues Generation Y so you can’t truly appreciate the shows artistic value. Can’t wait for season 2
Can’t watch it…i love comedy cartoons like south park, American dad and rick & morty but this is just disturbing….that satanic shit needs to go
Its a good show and if you cant handle a joke because its too inappropriate then your already to politically correct to be saved. Plus part of the joke in Mr Pickles is that he only kills bad people. That’s why there is only a handful of good characters who survive.
this is what we are doing… there’s so many actual issues in the world but this is what we’re doing….this is why I have no faith in humanity
so because a sense of humor children are exposed to satanism??????????
It’s just another type of comedy, some people like jokes that most would consider to be in bad taste or fucked up, some people like other shit. People could really try chilling the fuck out once in a while. The show is surreal, the idea that a satanic dog who likes pickles and engages in over the top cartoon violence appeals to some and not to others. The only people this show really effects are those who enjoy watching it, people who do not find it funny turn it off. As for any children who are exposed to it, the show is on late for a reason, it is not the networks responsibility to cater to the number of children are able to access it. Also, the idea that this show is a “hotbed for satanists” is fucking ridiculous, do you really think that someone who is a serious practitioner of whatever belief would take an over the top parody cartoon seriously with regards to representing what they believe.
Listen, my little brother who is NINE FUCKING YEARS OLD showed me this satanic shit. For god sakes there’s some kids who watch this and their being tought satanic fucking rituals? What the actual hell is wrong with you guys?
I’m not religious but this show is sick and twisted and is unnecessarily mocking Christianity. AS sense of humor is fueled by mocking Christianity and its honestly going too far is not really funny anymore.
I like Family Guy, Clevlend Show, Amarican Dad, Toonami, rarely Bobs Burgers, and Your pretty face is going to hell but it’s still fueled by the same nonsense. It’s moronic most of the time.
I like it and I’m a Christian what’s that mean?
Hey, guess what? It’s going to snow today. Every state is going to get hit with a blizzard.
People, wake up!!Because of your “sense of humor”, kids are being possessed by the evil spirit. It was recently in the news in our country about two kids who were possessed by demons and saying unusual words because of watching this disgusting show. Your sense of humor is unaccaptable. Okay fine it’s just a hoke for you guys, but VIOLENCE causes impact on people. I can’t believe that people would take this satanic show as a joke, ARE YOU BLIND? SINCE WHEN WAS KILLING A JOKE? “It’s not real” OKAY SO IT’S NOT REAL BUT IT PROMOTES VIOLENCE. “No it doesn’t” Yes it does hunny, don’t be stupid; we all have a brain, why don’t you use yours properly?
The show is disgusting. If you had good morals you would understand.
This was a dope ass show 666
I guess we know who all the atheists are. anyone not sensitive to the subject must promote atheism. i know im 3 years too late but i agree with the statement of how adult swim has become a way to promote Satanism. unfortunately, those who argue not are that of the beast shame shame shame