Melissa Bardin Galsky Movies

A 15-minute component of Cartoon Network's cutting-edge "Adult Swim" weekend block, the CGI series Lucy, Daughter of the Devil was described as a "family show"--neglecting to mention whose family. Heroine Lucy was the 21-year-old daughter of Satan Himself, who had persuaded the girl's human mother to bear his child in exchange for a Datsun 280-XS. Since he was obliged to remain close to the "home office", Satan could only carry on a long-distance cell phone relationship with Lucy, who'd relocated to San Francisco. Rebelling against her heritage, Lucy--a normal human in every respect except for her horns--shocked her father by dating a radio DJ named Jesus. Satan's outrage was understandable, since this particular Jesus was the genuine, bonafide Son of God, and any romantic relationship with the Messiah and Lucy would spoil her chances of taking over the family business. Meanwhile, the Vatican had targetted Lucy for extinction, sending out a "hit squad" known as the Specical Clergy--consisting of two priests, Giuseppe and Benetti, and a nun named Mary, the deadliest member of the trio. Other characters included Satan's personal assistant Becky, aka The Devil's Advocate; Jesus' best friend and closest associate, the eternal yes-man Judas; and Bob Whitehead, a Satan-worshipping senator with presidential aspirations. The series was cocreated by Home Movies' Loren Bouchard, with several of Bouchard's longtime associates (H. Jon Benjamin, Sam Seder etc.) supplying the voices. Introduced as a one-shot segment on October 30, 2005, Lucy, Daughter of Satan officially joined the Adult Swim lineup on September 9, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season two of Home Movies abandons the "Squigglevision" process which provided the animated show with most of its movement (such as it was) during its first season. Producer Tom Snyder had forsaken Squigglevision in favor of a new, streamlined computer flash process, which to many viewers proved more attractive and accessible. However, Snyder did not forsake his habit of having the voice actors improvise most of their dialogue, in happy disregard for precise mouth-movement synchronization. The season opener, "Politics" finds 8-year-old aspiring filmmaker Brendon Small (voiced by grown-up producer Brendon Small) again facing persecution by school bully Shannon (voiced by comedian Emo Phillips). Subsequent episodes of note include "Hiatus," a not-so-veiled comment on the two-year gap between Home Movies' cancellation by UPN and renewal by the Cartoon Network; "Space Boy," featuring a faux theme song performed by The Scabs which spoofs a popular David Bowie composition; "Dad," in which Brendon meets his biological father, who lives down to his reputation; and the season finale "The Wedding," in which Coach McGuirk once more proves to be "Mr. Wrong" for Brendon's neurotic mother, Paula. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The first season of Home Movies is animated in the "Squigglevision" process popularized by cartoon producer Tom Snyder on such earlier programs as Dr. Katz and Science Court. Series co-creator Brendon Small is heard as the voice of the series' 8-year-old protagonist, who happens to be named Brendon Small. Viewing the adult world with a combination of desperation and contempt, there is nothing for Brendon to do but artistically express his outrage with a series of autobiographical video movies, produced in collaboration with his friend Melissa and his not-friend Jason. Home Movies' first five episodes were telecast by UPN in the spring of 1999; highlights include a guest-voice appearance by Emo Phillips as a knuckle-dragging school bully, and a pair of treacherous encounters with a rabid cat and a group of Russian exchange students. Upon its cancellation by UPN, the rest of Home Movies' inaugural season was shelved until the property was picked up by Cartoon Network in the fall of 2001. Thus, Home Movies is one of the few programs in TV history, animated or otherwise, which began its opening season on one network and ended it on another -- with a two-year hiatus in between! While the remaining eight Home Movies installments are still rendered in "Squigglevision," there's been at least one cosmetic change during the prolonged switchover from UPN to Cartoon Network; Paula Poundstone has been replaced by Jennifer DiTullio in the voice-role of Brendon's mother Paula. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide