By Karen
After yesterday’s post, I received from Room 214 an e-mail about Anthony Bourdain’s Alternate Universe, his new animated Web series. (BTW, our friend Ingrid has apparently moved on because Wendy is my new contact there.)
Wendy provided me an “exclusive” peek at the first episode, Robo Chef. Well, exclusive to me and how ever many thousands of bloggers she’s penpals with. She made us swear an oath of secrecy (yeah, let’s see how long that holds), so I can’t let you view the episode, but I wouldn’t be giving away the farm to share a few impressions.
Bourdain plays a slightly-crazed Dr. Frankenstein type, working for the Cooking Channel. He’s a bit risqué and drops lots of names, delivering jabs equally to friends and foes. He must have had fun doing the voiceover.
The episode ends on a cliffhanger with Bourdain’s hair on fire.
My reaction overall? Meh. But I thought the animation was well-done (considering no one even attempts the fluidity of Loony Tunes anymore), and the humor has potential. It will only get better if they let Bourdain’s alter-ego totally off the leash.
Robo Chef premiers Monday, November 2, on the Travel Channel’s Web site, with 5 more episodes coming monthly.
Going cartoon is a weird turn for Tony’s career to take, but maybe it’s the Ariane influence. Here’s the teaser again, in case you missed it yesterday. It hints at “plots” to come that go far beyond Robo Cop and look like fun. I’ll be watching.
October 27, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I have to agree with you Karen, from whatI saw in the teaser it looked good. But to really satisfy his harshist critics “His Bourdainiacs” he really needs to be let in a room with a case of beer and a few howler monkeys in the tertiary stages of Syphilis.
Let his inner little boy howl, and give us the good stuff!!!
One More Sleep, starting to get antsy now I have to pack tonight, its getting REAL. TEE HEE
Later Kittys
Bob
October 27, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Bourdain told Grub Street (grrr…) that each episode is only about 2 minutes long, so he’s not going to have much time to indulge his dark side. All told, in 6 episodes, that’s only 12 minutes. It will be interesting to see how much controversy and mayhem he can manage to stir up.
October 27, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Grub street eh….
Well I guess he knows where his bread is buttered!
Me thinks I smell a kickback..
Karen you want I should yell RAT when I am at Les Halles??
I guess that would only screw things up for Carlos and Timmy. Poor Little Timmy in the Cartoons he isn’t even bald yet.
Guess he doesn’t like Cats anymore?? Sniff Sniff
October 28, 2009 at 8:57 am
Bob, You’re probably on your way to NYC right now, so we’ll have to wait to hear if you make good on your suggestion to yell “Rat!,” although I don’t think it will affect Bourdain at all. I think the restaurant profits by its vicarious association with him more than he profits from it.