Liquid Television | |
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Created by | Japhet Asher[1] |
Composer | Mark Mothersbaugh |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 4 |
No. of episodes | 27 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Japhet Asher Chris McCarthy John Hays Phil Robinson Jeff Fino Eli Noyes Kit Laybourne Samir Shah |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Production companies | Colossal Pictures MTV Networks BIG Pictures Noyes & Laybourne Enterprises BBC (1991-1992) |
Original release | |
Network | MTV |
Release | June 2, 1991 January 1, 1995 | –
Liquid Television was an animation showcase that appeared on MTV[2] from 1991 to 1995. It served as the launching point for several high-profile original cartoons, including Beavis and Butt-Head and Æon Flux.[3] Independent animators and artists created the bulk of Liquid Television's material specifically for the show, and some previously produced segments were compiled from festivals such as Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation.
The first season of Liquid Television also aired on BBC Two in co-production with MTV. Ultimately, MTV commissioned three seasons of the show, produced by Colossal Pictures. The show was eventually succeeded by Cartoon Sushi. Mark Mothersbaugh composed the show's theme music.
The show was broadcast in Canada on MuchMusic, in Asia on Channel V, in Australia on SBS and in New Zealand on TV3.
There were also a large number of animation pieces adapted from the work of Art Spiegelman's comic compilation, RAW. RAW featured underground cartoonists such as Mark Beyer, Richard Sala, and Peter Bagge. In particular, Dog-Boy by Charles Burns was based on the artist's series from RAW.[4]
Due to the extensive use of licensed music throughout the series (episodes often began with a contemporary music video being "liquified"), full episodes of Liquid Television have not been seen in any form since their original run.[5] Selected segments from the series, including the first appearances of Æon Flux, were released on two VHS tapes in the late 1990s as The Best of Liquid Television parts one and two.[a] A collection volume, titled Wet Shorts (The Best of Liquid Television), comprising the two VHS tapes, was released on DVD in 1997.[a]
No. | Original air date | Summary |
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1 | June 2, 1991 |
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2 | June 2, 1991 |
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3 | June 9, 1991 |
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4 | June 16, 1991 |
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5 | June 23, 1991 |
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6 | June 30, 1991 |
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No. | Original air date | Summary |
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7 | September 24, 1992 |
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8 | October 1, 1992 |
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9 | October 8, 1992 |
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10 | October 15, 1992 |
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11 | October 22, 1992 |
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12 | October 29, 1992 |
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13 | November 5, 1992 |
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14 | November 12, 1992 |
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15 | November 19, 1992 |
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16 | November 24, 1992 [7] |
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No. | Original air date | Summary |
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17 | December 31, 1993 |
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18 | July 6, 1994 |
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19 | July 13, 1994 |
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20 | July 27, 1994 |
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21 | October 3, 1994 |
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22 | January 1, 1995 |
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No. | Original air date | Summary |
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1[8] | May 15, 2014 |
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2[9] | May 22, 2014 |
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3[10] | May 29, 2014 |
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4[11] | June 5, 2014 |
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5[12] | June 12, 2014 |
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Winter Steele is a puppet television series created by Cintra Wilson that aired as a segment of Liquid Television during its first two seasons, 1991–1993. Wilson wrote the series, created the puppets, did the voice of the main character and even did some live action body double work.
Winter Steele is depicted as a female biker who is in hot pursuit of her childhood friend, lover and sometime nemesis David "Crow" Dickerson, himself a biker. The two met as children in a repressive orphanage and bonded. Separated, the two vowed to find each other, with Winter criss-crossing the land on a motorcycle. In this course Winter breaks many laws - robbing a crossdresser at gunpoint, credit card fraud, etc. As it transpires, Crow is also desperately looking for Winter, he has gotten a career as a stunt performer a la Evel Knievel and a cape he uses in his act bears the inscription "Winter, where are you?" At one point Winter even meets up with Crow's mother, who abandoned her son to an orphanage. Asked if she regretted sending Crow there, she tersely replies "Hell no!"
Winter eventually learns of Crow's career as a daredevil, but despairs of reaching him when she can't get his attention at a show. Defeated, Winter attempts suicide by immolation, wrecking her motorcycle, tearing off her clothes and setting them on fire. She is stopped when a private detective hired by Crow recognizes her. But before he can bring her to Crow, he sees Winter's burnt belongings and assumes she has committed suicide. He attempts suicide himself by ramming his chopper into a brick wall, but though seriously injured he is not killed. Winter finally catches up with Crow at the intensive care unit at the hospital, but is taken away by the police on various charges before she can stay long. After the police have taken her away, we see Crow raise a thumb towards Winter.
On October 13, 2011, MTVX, MTV's cross media group, announced the return of Liquid Television.[16] It is now a network that is available on the internet and social media. The first content to debut on the network was "F**KING BEST SONG EVERRR" by Wallpaper, available on the website. Full-length episodes featuring the online content and all-new material were released in 2013.