Beavis and Butthead is an animated comedy show that aired on US TV station MTV from 1993 to 1997. It was created by Mike Judge, who later went on to write and produce the TV series King of the Hill and the live action movie Office Space.

Beavis and Butthead started life as an animated short created by Judge for the Spike and Mike Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation . This short, named "Frog Baseball", was aired on MTV's independent animation showcase Liquid Television, which was presumably the catalyst for MTV becoming interested in pursuing a television series featuring the characters.

An episode of the show typically consists of Beavis and Butthead making juvenile commentary while watching music videos. Between the videos, stories are advanced involving the duo's adventures in troublemaking both at home and at school. Targets for their carnal humour include authority, high school life and even themselves. Beavis and Butthead's characteristic features are that they are obsessed with sex and somewhat mentally challenged.

Butthead seems marginally more intelligent and calmer than Beavis, the latter being prone to bouts of lunacy.

The sneering, mindless duo gave American teens a plethora of new slang put-downs and terms, including "buttmunch", "fartknocker", "bunghole", "cornholio" and "spank the monkey". Early episodes gave the duo a juvenile obsession with fire and dangerous, risky behavior. The show was blamed for numerous child deaths as the result of fire and dangerous stunts, and the references were excised from further broadcastings. MTV also responded by broadcasting the program after 11:00 PM, and adding a disclaimer reminding parents that the show was not for children.

A full length animated movie, Beavis and Butthead Do America, was released in 1996.

Beavis and Butthead along with other (arguably) mainstream cartoons such as Ren and Stimpy and The Simpsons pushed the boundaries of cartoons away from clean material for small children only. While some might say they were crude, it offered succinct social commentary and a disturbingly accurate portrayal of life in America for many. Some critics note that the show is actually a satire on MTV itself. Beavis and Butthead, they argue, are prime examples of latchkey kids who have been turned into idiots by staying home and doing nothing but watching music videos all day. Because they are raised entirely by MTV, they are unable to adapt to social life at all, and (especially) they are unable to meet girls (or, as the duo states, "score with a chick").

Beavis and Butthead's parents are never seen, except for a small part during the movie, where Beavis and Butthead run into two older look-alikes who then tell of how they "scored with" prostitutes in Beavis and Butthead's hometown. Fans believe that they are, in fact, Beavis and Butthead's biological fathers, or that only one, a heavyset slob voiced by an uncredited David Letterman, is the father of both (making them half-brothers).

Along with the usual merchandising, a comic was released and several video games. A spinoff show based on their maligned classmate Daria Morgendorffer, Daria, was also created. The show's success also inspired MTV to launch a similar animated series entitled The Brothers Grunt, which placed an even greater emphasis on sophomoric toilet humor. This show was swiftly cancelled in the wake of poor ratings.

For an episode list, see: List of Beavis and Butthead episodes.

See Also: List of characters in B&B

External Links

• Beavis and Butthead at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• Beavis and Butthead's world, a fan site