Squidbillies voice actors, a previously unseen Primal clip, and an inordinate amount of Rick cosplayers: these were the ingredients chosen to make the perfect festival.
The Adult Swim Festival was a two-day celebration of the network’s signature shows. While there’s no ignoring animation at a festival that featured a giant inflatable Morty slide and a Meatwad dome for screenings, this event leaned into satisfying cartoon cravings in true [AS] fAShion.
It was a packed house for the Rick and Morty screening, Squidbillies variety show, and Genndy Tartavosky panel, but each experience was well worth the wait.
During the panel, Tartavosky talked about the importance of character relationships throughout his body of work, from Dexter and Dee Dee’s sibling relationship to the emotional impact of Sym-Bionic Titan’s trio to the nature of man and beast in his most recent work with Primal.
When describing how his team developed stories, he emphasized that it was important to start with the question “what’s the feel?” and use the intended emotions as a guide for the rest of the work.
A clip was shown from each piece, with a special treat coming from the yet-to-be-released seventh episode of Primal.
Tartakovsky played off this teaser as “unfinished” with “rough audio”, but the previously unseen footage captivated nonetheless. The clip featured a peaceful herd of dinosaurs being attacked by a diseased outsider, infecting the previously healthy herd and ultimately resulting in a dinozombie massacre. While tragic, it still managed to be visually striking and impressively action-packed.
Up next was the Squidbillies 10 Man Bunkhouse Stampede, in which voice actors Elizabeth Cook (who plays Tammi) and Unknown Hinson (who plays Early Cuyler) showed off their musical chops live, while Dana Snyder (of Master Shake fame) performed with a puppet of his character, Granny Cuyler.
The talent of each of the cast members was on full display, and the show wasn’t short on surprises. Comedy routines, an elaborate monologue about Granny’s past as “Hortence,” and to top it all off: a marriage proposal!
Finally, it was time for what 90% of attending cosplayers were there for: the Rick and Morty screening.
To avoid too many spoilers, let’s just say the episode involves Rick’s new intern, non-consensual mothering, and an investigation into the nature of love that somehow doesn’t involve the Haddaway song.
This next installment in the new season may have taken a shit on Rick, but it hopefully signals a move away from the ~wacky nihilism~ that’s defined the show in the past to a more character-driven approach. Some solid Summer moments as well, but that’s practically a given.
Overall, Adult Swim Festival was a technicolor daydream of animated delights, and generally not a bad way to spend a weekend in L.A. Here’s looking forward to next year!
