Dunce Bucket

Well, at least it lives up to it's name

Teletoon: 2009

Comedy is perhaps the most subjective thing of all. What one person percieves as outright hilarious, another could consider to be downright rubbish. It's all a matter of taste. So, I know when I induct something, that there's a good chance that somebody enjoyed the actual product. However, with the induction du jour, I don't know if even the biggest fan of shock value comedy would crack a chuckle at the canuck crock that is Dunce Bucket.

A little background on this first. Dunce Bucket was one of several shows that were a part of Teletoon's "Pilot Project". A web based competition where people could vote to see what show would see the glory of a complete series on Teletoon's late night block. The contest consisted of a few would be animated pilots. Among them were Angora Napkin, which to this point I have not bothered to watch. Fugget About It, or as it should be more accurately titled, "The Sopranos go to Canada", and Dunce Bucket, a 22 minute animated sketch comedy show that clings a little too lovingly to the sphincter. And while I'm not opposed to toilet humor, the problem that lies in this bucket is that it's jokes are empty in value, and full of shit.

So, let's look at this slop bucket before the Godwinns come to take it back. Let's review this thing.

The theme song pretty much sums the direction this show wants to go. Ahem...


"And I quote...."

It's time to get retarded.
It's time to have some fun
and if you want to join me, you won't be the only one

And so we begin..



Our first skit is a chicken crossing the road to get over to chicken heaven on the other side. He dodges the cars, and then random stuff like ninjas, arrows, the KKK (?), gets zapped, blasted, infected, and eventually blown up by a suicide bombeer. But he still manages to cross the road. However, the twist is that despite the seductive poultry sign, "Chicken Heaven" is actually a KFC, and we end our skit with our plucky, clucky protagonist brutally slaughtered, and turned into a meal.


"I guess the yolk's on him!"



The next skit is a pinata party gone awry when the blindfolded kids goes on a rampage. Beating the bejesus out of all the kids there, as well as an old lady. After his unintentional slaughter-fest, a girl runs away, only to run into the barbecue, and burns to death.



Our next skit is a pregnant woman sleeping, when the door bell rings. Her baby pops out of her, and leaves the room, where a bitching party is going down, as well as other lewd acts. At least I think there is, because all you see for 90% of this skit is the frigging umbilical cord.



Next up is "GPS for Men", which is a commercial parody. The GPS for men is a device for pussy whipped men that gives them the correct responses when put in a troubling situation. This shot is actually not bad. The joke's funny, albeit unoriginal. and it doesn't crib on a shock value joke to keep it from drowning in stupidity.

And from that shining hope comes....



A skit with two dildos talking to each other... yeah.



Next up is a french cartoon called FiFi and Bo Bo. The joke.... They say "Fuck" a lot. Essentially, it's every 2nd word. And this short drags for a good minute or so. Then they get killed by a cloud god... I don't know why. This is just bad. And trust me, we haven't seen the last of skits where the F word is prominent.



Next up is a home shopping network bit, with the ultimate stain remover, the "Stain to Dust", or STD for short. The creator gives a demonstration of how it works by puking, and punching the host.



Ever hear the joke that a hermaprodite is most likely told to "go fuck themselves"? Do you find it funny enough to hear 3 or 4 times? Because this show feels the need to do this interlude a few times.



And we follow up with a skit involving a girl named Dana, who, you guessed it.... Says "Fucking" a lot.



I'm sorry, but is fuck really that funny of a word? I get when you're a kid, it's chuckle worthy, but when you're older it's really nothing major. Definitely not something that warrants 3 whole skits where it's both plot and punch line.



Next up is two stick figures trying to have sex, but since their stick figures, don't exactly know how to. It's definitely a bit funny, but it's joke goes on for a bit too long.



We have a clown vs mime short. It feels sorta reminiscent of Spy Vs Spy. The mime sees a pie, which has an extendo glove. It punches his balls literally out of him. The clown laughs at his prank, as the mime creates an imaginary golf ball, that smashes through a window. A big naked guy whows up, kicks the clown in the balls, which fall out his nose.



Our next skit is a chess battle, and an over eager white pawn who's ready to kick some black ass.


"Race humour: It's fantastic!"



Next up is a monster truck-esque commercial for the accountants technology expo. It's a funny idea, but again feels a little long in the tooth.



After another hermaphrodite skit, we get guys arguing over how to crucify Jesus.



Next is a commercial for the "After sex doll". Like the GPS for men, it is a pretty funny idea, and the humor actually works without relying on shock value or the ability to cuss.



Another clown vs mime short. The mime eats a clown cake, which causes him to have a shit so epic, that he literally shits out his skeleton.



We follow that up with a barber killing a man in front of his kid, because it was his first day.



Since I guess this character was funny enough to warrant a 2nd short, Dana returns. This time saying fuck and shit in front of a priest. Again...





Next is an old Chinese lady who kills two chuckling stoners.



A stick figure pole dance. Followed by the hermaphrodite bit again.



The final short is "Trigger happy" featuring a hunter who goes insane, and murders everything from bigfoor, a car, a whale, every known mythical creature, and finally finishes it off by killing a leprechaun.

And that's Dunche Bucket. Well, it sure lived up to it's song, as it was indeed time to get retarded.

I'll get to the positives before we get to my main gripes.

The animaition for the shorts are very well done. Plenty of variety, with almost no two short looking alike. The voice acting is great too, with the most notable VA being Christian Potenza. And with me being a fan of Total Drama, it's hard for me to be mad at him for anything he does.

Now my gripes. The show just isn't funny. Most of the skits rely on the idea that as long as the punch line is either lewd, dirty, or shocking, it equals funny. That's just not the case here. The F word isn't funny, especially when put on overkill. The skits need better structure. And even though majority of the shorts are under a minute, that doesn't mean there's not room for a solid, redeeming punchline. And yes, I know this is a pilot. It's intent is to get it's feet wet. But if it doesn't fix it's flaws, it's doubtful it'll ever get greenlit as an existing tv show. But for now, it's bottom of the bucket Tooncrap.

Hell, it almost makes Madballs "Gross Jokes" look like Carlin in comparison. And I already feel dirty for giving that shlock praise.