The American popular animated duo, Beavis and Butthead, returned to MTV Thursday night (Oct. 27) after more than 10 years being away from TV. Though looking just the same as they did 16 years ago, this time Mike Judge‘s creations commented on more than music videos.
Are you glad to have them back?
While in the 90′s they dissected the visual signs and verbal disconnects of music videos with the rigor of semioticians, now in 2011 they got back to MTV to succinctly dismiss the brain-draining stupidity of Jersey Shore (imagining JWoww’s future with her grandchildren: “Grandma JWoww, where did you get syphilis?”) and the poignant idiots on 16 and Pregnant (“So she’s not a bad actor, she’s a bad person”).We are so glad that Judge made us enjoy last night in a brand new half-hour packed episode filled with lots of one-liners and sustained plots.
Those who missed the B&B premiere (for whatever cause)can follow this recap below:
Exposed to the Twilight movies, Beavis and Butthead tried to get themselves bitten by a werewolf so they can score some hot chicks, but they mistook a disease-ridden street person for a werewolf. The poor guy happily bit them multiple times, but all they ended up with were scars and various strains of hepatitis. Even more intriguing was a beautifully drawn-out scene in which Butt-Head incessantly teased Beavis for crying (well, they were tears induced by an onion, but Butt-Head didn’t know that) — the taunting lasted for years, until we saw them as old men, still ragging on each other. In both of these scenes, Mike Judge and company get at the root of B&B’s appeal — their shaky grasp on masculinity, which compels them to lash out at the world, including each other.
The duo definitely made a splash with their return and had critics and viewers buzzing, even though reviews were mixed for critics. They ranged from great praises like, “Beavis and Butthead returning to television may just be the greatest thing to happen in all of 2011,” to open criticisms such as, “Visually the show hasn’t been updated at all, which is as it should be: teenage lethargy is perennial. But by the old measurements, the premiere episode is tepid and distant.”
Beavis and Butthead are back again to judge and be judged.
For me, it’s great to have these genius cretins back among us, judging and being judged.
But what about you? Please, share with us your thoughts in the comments below.
Watch video: Beavis and Butthead 2011 Trailer
