| Lucas Bros. Moving Co. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Animated sitcom Stoner comedy Surreal comedy |
| Created by | Kenny and Keith Lucas |
| Written by | Kenny and Keith Lucas |
| Directed by | Ben Jones |
| Creative director | Ben Jones |
| Voices of | Kenny and Keith Lucas |
| Composers | Tyler Cash Charley Damski (Episode 2) David Schmoll (Episode 9) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 17 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Kenny and Keith Lucas Rob Anderson Nick Weidenfeld Hend Baghdady Dave Jeser & Matt Silverstein (Season 1) |
| Producers | Charley Damski Eri Hawkins Joseph Carnegie (Associates) Matthew Chadwick (Supervising) |
| Editors | Brant Duncan James Atkinson Al LeVine |
| Running time | 11 minutes |
| Production companies | Oh Snap Friends Night ADHD Studios |
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox (2013–14) FXX (2014–15) |
| Release | November 23, 2013 – June 4, 2015 |
Lucas Bros. Moving Co. is an American adult animated television series created by The Lucas Brothers. It originally premiered on Fox on November 23, 2013 as part of Animation Domination High-Def, and was renewed for two additional seasons on FXX. The show was cancelled on June 4, 2015.
The series features the twins as work-shy animated counterparts of themselves, running a moving company out of their van. The series is loosely based on the creators' experiences as cable television installers.
Plot
The series revolves around identical twin brothers Kenny and Keef Lucas (voiced by real-life identical twin brothers Kenny and Keith Lucas, respectively), who run a moving company called "Lucas Bros Moving Co" in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, out of their van after receiving it from their dead uncle. The two are shown to frequently consume marijuana, emitting a calm demeanor throughout the various escapades caused at their job. Scrawny and indolent, their customers are often apprehensive towards their weaknesses, but the brothers like to remind themselves "that's why God made two of them."[1]
Production
Lucas Bros. Moving Co. is an animated television series created by twins Kenny and Keith Lucas of "The Lucas Brothers", a Brooklyn-based comedy duo. The series, featuring the voices of the twins as their animated counterparts, originally had them working as installers for a cable company, a job which the Lucas brothers occupied in real life. This idea was scrapped according to Keith, who felt the premise too close to that of The Cleveland Show, another animated series aired by Fox. Kenny insisted that "moving was just more Brooklyn", a sentiment which Keith echoed, thinking that "it would be funny if we were movers because we've never moved a thing in our lives and we're so fucking weak and we hate physical labor".[2] Keith complemented the nature of the premise, finding it to be flexible with any character or setting.[2]
Commenting on the writing process, Keith called it "awesome", citing crew members Nick Weidenfeld, Dave Jeser, and Matt Silverstein as giving them guidance.[2] Kenny urged to "trust the process and not get ahead of yourself", while Keith recommended being patient with breaking scenes down part by part; he also called it similar to their stand-up routines, although the structure of the show made for more comfort.[2]
Commenting on their inspirations, the brothers recognized themselves as animation fans, with Keith mentioning Clone High as one of their favorite series, along with King of the Hill and The Life & Times of Tim.[3] Summing Lucas Bros. as an equation, the two called it "Bill & Ted plus Workaholics plus The Wire (minus the bleakness)."[4] In the United States, the series is rated TV-14.[5] Some jokes have been rejected by the network for content, with the brothers naming a parody of Clay Davis's character from The Wire's elongated pronunciation of the word "shit" as an example of this.[4]
Broadcast and reception
The series premiered on November 23, 2013, on Fox, preceding the premiere of Golan the Insatiable; both series were broadcast as part of the network's late-night animation block, Animation Domination High-Def. The duo stated around the time of the premiere that the series was picked up for six additional episodes.[2] Fox announced in April 2014 that the Animation Domination High-Def block would cease broadcast on June 28, 2014, though its programs will continue on digital platforms.[6] In June 2014, the brothers announced a second and third season, following their film debut in 22 Jump Street.[3] These seasons, bringing the total number of episodes to 18,[7] aired on FXX, starting on October 26, 2014 with a sneak peek of the second season premiere.[8]
Mike Hale of The New York Times found the differences between the protagonists and the creators more significant than their similarities. He acknowledged the duo as having "an industriousness completely alien to their fictional counterparts," while calling the protagonists' disinclined nature as perhaps either a "sly" joke about "the travails of young black men trying to earn an honest buck" or the characters' consumption of marijuana.[9] Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media cited the latter point as a probable source of concern among parents having their children watch the series. While she regarded the emptiness of the protagonists' adventures as "surprisingly amusing" in a similar vein to Seinfeld, Ashby ultimately called it "mindless entertainment", stating "there are no subtle themes nor any clever satire to be had here."[10]
Writing for Media Life Magazine, Tom Conroy felt the stoner comedy played to the series' strengths—a rarity, he felt, among comedians relying on such humor while under the influence themselves. While he dubbed the twins' humor "as lazy and aimless" as their animated counterparts at times, he concluded that "its genial vibe makes it a pleasant way to burn off a quarter hour."[11] Reviewing both the series and Golan the Insatiable, Erik Adams of The A.V. Club felt the "horizons" of Lucas Bros. were broader than that of Golan, given that its "slacker vibe so readily goes with the surreal flow."[12] Adams stated the show resembled Adventure Time if the aforementioned series' creative staff were allowed to joke about marijuana, but concluded that the series' humor invoked no more than "a moony grin".[12]
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | Network | |||
| 1 | 6 | November 23, 2013 | March 1, 2014 | Fox | |
| 2 | 11 | October 27, 2014 | June 4, 2015 | FXX | |
Season 1 (2013–14)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "DDT" | November 23, 2013 | 101 |
| In order to move a bed with a person on it, the Lucas Bros. hire wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts (voiced by himself) to use his moves on it. When he does an attack that unleashes DDT onto Brooklyn, the brothers must enlist the aid of retired wrestler Stinger to execute a reverse attack. | ||||
| 2 | 2 | "A/C Tundra" | January 11, 2014 | 102 |
| Roberts is back as a tow truck driver and hauls the brother's moving van out during a heat wave. In order to get the van back, they must raise $150 by installing an air conditioner (said to be cursed by Satan) in their neighbor Natasha's window. After the air conditioner freezes their apartment, they end up having to venture after the unit and make it to the furnace so that they can get out and save their moving van before it is compacted. | ||||
| 3 | 3 | "Before & After Models" | January 18, 2014 | 103 |
| After getting into an argument with their roommate Jean Claude (Eric André) over a box of cereal, the brothers decide to shave their beards to get a sense of responsibility. When Keef shaves his, they decide to "test drive" his shave on the streets. The two get picked up by a modeling agent named Mr. Dream (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.), who hires them to advertise his new shaving cream product. At a celebration, Kenny is kidnapped by Mr. Dream, who wants him out of the public eye to keep the illusion that his advertisement holds. To rescue his brother, Keef must go through Mr. Dream's warehouse and fight off his legion of 8-bit video game enemies. | ||||
| 4 | 4 | "Freedom Town" | January 25, 2014 | 104 |
| The brothers set "Dwyane", their street couch, free and run into their father who left them at birth. Upon meeting him, he introduces them to the greatest place on earth called Freedom Town where fathers go to live in order to get away from their families. | ||||
| 5 | 5 | "Beeper Beeper" | February 1, 2014 | 105 |
| At a flea market, the brothers buy a pager that once belonged to a chauffeur who worked for Eddie Murphy. The beeper takes the brothers and Jarrod back to 1995 where they have to keep their younger selves from parting each other by getting them to agree on their opinions on Vampire in Brooklyn. | ||||
| 6 | 6 | "Big Head Mike" | March 1, 2014 | 106 |
| The 3rd Annual 3-on-3 Round Robin Basketball Tournament is coming up, where the winners of the tournament will get 3 Fast Passes to Coney Island. The brothers and Jerrod (Jerrod Carmichael) both enter the tournament, where they gain the Barbershop team (consisting of Biv, Devoe, and Bel) as their rivals. When Jerrod gets injured, the Lucas Bros. gain a replacement in the form of a human-sized bobblehead of Michael Jordan that came to life. | ||||
Season 2 (2014–2015)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | "Tales from the Hoodie" | October 27, 2014 | 111 |
| On Friday the 13th, The Lucas Bros. make a delivery to a mysterious mansion and are told a scary story by its coffin-dwelling tenant. | ||||
| 8 | 2 | "Willdependence Day" | January 1, 2015 | 108 |
| The Lucas Bros. are visited by a trio of aliens on a Will Smith-themed holiday and isn't exactly her usual self. | ||||
| 9 | 3 | "Lucas Burgers" | January 22, 2015 | 109 |
| The Lucas Bros. get a boot put on their van and open a burger stand to pay off the fee. | ||||
| 10 | 4 | "Kazaam" "Karaoke Night" | January 29, 2015 | 110 |
| Jerrod goes on The Arsenio Hall Show. Meanwhile, the Lucas Bros. participate in a Legends of the Hidden Temple-type game-show. | ||||
| 11 | 5 | "Sister Sister Sister" | February 12, 2015 | 107 |
| The Lucas Bros. buy an ad in the local paper and see that the Sister, Sister twins are having a reading at a book store. A secret, evil third sister halts the fling blossoming between the pairs of twins. | ||||
| 12 | 6 | "Escape from Momma" | February 19, 2015 | 112 |
| The Lucas Bros. get audited by the Government. | ||||
| 13 | 7 | "For the Love of Moving" | February 26, 2015 | 202 |
| The Lucas Bros. are hired by a mysterious client who has connections to the Illuminati. | ||||
| 14 | 8 | "420" | March 13, 2015 | 203 |
| April 20th is the Lucas Bros. favorite day of the year. | ||||
| 15 | 9 | "Soul Food" | March 13, 2015 | 201 |
| After getting into a dispute with The Barbershop team over who will bring Soul Food to the business owners potluck. The Lucas Bros. must go to Hell and win a game of Mortal Kombat in order to recover their "Souls" from the Devil and win the cook off so the don't have to do dishes if they lose the bet against the Barbershop team. | ||||
| 16 | 10 | "Honey, I Shrunk the Bros" | March 27, 2015 | 204 |
| The government enlists The Lucas Bros. help to travel into the mind of Jaleel White (who is currently a recluse) in order to prepare for a reboot of Family Matters. | ||||
| 17 | 11 | "Nutopia" | June 4, 2015 | 205 |
| The Lucas Bros. and their previously-unknown black sheep brother (who is successful, lives in a sprawling mansion, and plans to get married) go off on an adventure aboard his yacht on the eve of Carlton's wedding. But after the ship crashes and strands the brothers on a remote island, they find themselves prisoners of a demented cargo cult ruled by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst. | ||||
Explanatory notes
References
- ↑ Staff writer (May 13, 2013). "Animation Domination HD" (Press release). Fox Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Davidson, Phil (November 22, 2013). "Talking to the Lucas Brothers About Their New Fox ADHD Show". Splitsider. The Awl. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- 1 2 Staskiewicz, Keith (June 13, 2014). "We chat with 22 Jump Street breakout twins the Lucas Bros". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- 1 2 Schneider, Michael (January 10, 2014). "Watch My Show: The Lucas Bros. Moving Co.'s Keith & Kenny Lucas Answer Our Showrunner Survey". TV Guide. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ "Lucas Bros. Moving Co.". TV Guide. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ Keveney, Bill (April 17, 2014). "Fox time-shifts its Animation Domination focus". USA Today. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on May 11, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ Fitz-Gerald, Sean (October 28, 2014). "22 Jump Street Twins the Lucas Bros. Talk About New Sketch Comedy Series Friends of the People". Vulture. New York Media. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
- ↑ Jefferson, Whitney (October 25, 2014). "Tell Us About Yourself(ie): The Lucas Bros". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
- ↑ Hale, Mike (January 11, 2014). "Yo, What's Shaking? Not These Movers". The New York Times. p. C3. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ Ashby, Emily (December 17, 2013). "Lucas Bros. Moving Co.". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ↑ Conroy, Tom (November 20, 2013). "Lucas Bros. Moving Co., goofballs". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on August 6, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- 1 2 Adams, Erik (November 23, 2013). "Golan and Lucas Bros. expand the ADHD empire". The A.V. Club. Onion Inc. Archived from the original on July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
Further reading
- Johnston, Rich (February 16, 2015). "The Lucas Brothers: Consumers Of Weed, Wrestling and 90s Cartoons". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015.