Based on the popular satiric comic strip of the same name, The Boondocks follows the lives of the Freeman family.  Robert ‘Granddad’ Freeman, an old school brother is the patriarch, trying to raise his two grandsons:  Huey, a 21st century militant, and Riley, a gangsta rap lovin kid obsessed with the ‘thug’ lifestyle blown up in hip hop.  After the deaths of the boys’ parents, Granddad moves them to Woodcrest, a quiet Midwestern suburb (literally and metaphorically as far from the hood as possible).

For having a relatively short run, The Boondocks has made more than its fair share of noise.  To understand why it gets ranked so high, it’s on to the tale of the tape…

Relevance:  Fans of the comic strip will tell you that Huey and his revolutionary ideals were the centerpiece of the daily arcs.  With the transition to television, Huey’s black militant ideals became the fulcrum between Granddad’s traditional (and somewhat out of touch) worldview, and Riley’s commercialized hip hop persona.  (Short translation:  this show is very relevant in portraying different points of view in the black community.)

Legacy:  Because the show is still active, it’s a little early to define what The Boondocks ultimate legacy will end up being.  While the comic strip carries the same tone, the increased viewership of the TV show has put a bigger spotlight on one of its trademarks:  calling out the hypocrisies and airing the dirty laundry of the Black community.  Aaron McGruder is both loved and reviled for what he preaches through Huey.  More on this in a minute…

Craft:  Comedy, specifically satire, is very hard to pull off but The Boondocks handles it as well as any show with a political leaning.  Personal tastes affect everyone’s choice, but ‘The Trial of R. Kelly’ is great satire, great slapstick, great racial humor, AND a great half hour of episodic television.  A must watch if you’re not familiar with the show.

Crossover:  More than it appears on the surface.  Directly related to the ‘Legacy’ breakdown, when you earn the wrath of Rev. Al (and the attention of Nightline), you’ve hit a crossover nerve.  While the show was shopped to BET (snickering), landing in the red hot Adult Swim block on the Cartoon Network is also a nod to the show’s ability to reach outside its target demographic.

Apollo:  Oh boy.  What to choose, what to choose… Hmm…  You know, I mentioned the three viewpoints symbolically represented by the three main characters.  There’s a supporting character who’s a little more, ahem, extreme in his worldview.  An old black man who hates black people.  No, I mean, he REALLY hates black people…

(And those of you who watch the show know that particular Uncle Ruckus rant was fairly tame…)

The TV countdown will continue later with one of the biggest ‘star-making’ shows of all time…