Let us now praise The Boondocks, the animated series.

Parts of the first two episodes have been too dark and disturbing for even an ol’ hardboiled viewer like me to watch as light humor. But it’s expertly written and animated.

I’ve always said every work of satire contains, within its internal aesthetic, a view of the satirist’s ideal world. The internal aesthetic of Boondocks is one of solid storytelling, fine draftsmanship, attention to detail, and a careful sense of beauty. This is nothing like the cheap slapdash computer cutout worlds of most Adult Swim shows. Nor is it the jagged-edged aesthetic of the gangsta culture Boondocks’ young protagonists both sneer at and aspire to.

The aesthetic of Boondocks is the culture creator Aaron Macgruder obviously would like to see–a world of talented people who give a damn about what they put out into the world.