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In the opening sequence of Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken, a mad scientist revives a deceased chicken in his lab, transforming it into a cyborg version of its former self. The chicken is then strapped down Clockwork Orange-style and forced to watch the monitors in front of him, while channels flip repeatedly throughout to change the scene. What he then sees makes up each and every episode of Seth Green and Matthew Senreich’s pop culture-referential black comedy which is basically a stop-motion sketch comedy on acid or speed or maybe both.
Nine seasons, 177 episodes and 11 specials deep, Robot Chicken has kept itself fresh by becoming the Girl Talk of the animated TV world, mashing up various worlds of popular culture and spinning them in dark and twisted ways. The show mocks everything from retro toys, movies, television shows, games, fads and more, in the same vein as some of the best sketch comedy series of all time. The show is done in stop-motion style, but also employs toys, action figures, claymation and other various objects to appropriately spoof the most beloved—and culty—culture of all time.
The show recently wrapped up its ninth season this summer, but you can easily dive into the animated madness by streaming Robot Chicken online. Here’s how.
How to Watch Robot Chicken Online & Stream the Complete Series
Among all the streaming services, Hulu has exclusive rights to episodes of Robot Chicken. There are a couple different options when signing up for Hulu, but either one will get you access to the first eight seasons (and select Season 9 episodes) of the show:
If you simply want Hulu’s extensive on-demand library, you can sign up right here. It costs $7.99 per month for the limited commercials plan or $11.99 per month for the no commercials plan.
If you want to go from watching Hulu’s on-demand library to watching NFL games or other live TV without changing the app, you can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV”. This option gives you access to Hulu’s extensive on-demand library, as well as a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels. It costs $39.99 per month for the plan that includes limited commercials with the on-demand content or $43.99 per month for the plan that includes no commercials with the on-demand content.
After signing up for either of the above options, you can watch any episode from the first eight seasons and select episodes from the ninth season on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
WARNING: Spoilers ahead
How Many Robot Chicken Seasons Are There?
There are nine seasons of Robot Chicken, not including the 11 specials the show has produced. The specials dedicate one full episode to one particular storyline, for example, the “DC Comics Special,” “The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who’s Walking,” and its three “Star Wars” specials.
Robot Chicken Season 1
20 Episodes | February 2005 – July 2005
In the show’s debut season, Rachel Leigh Cook smashes more than just eggs in a riff of her classic “This Is Your Brain on Drugs” PSA. The animals left behind by Noah’s Ark build their own ark. Joey Fatone, the last surviving member of ‘N Sync, enters a martial arts tournament to avenge his deceased bandmates. The Masters of the Universe are rocked by a sex tape. There’s also a fantastic spoof of You Can’t Do That on Television entitled “You Can’t Do That on Robot Chicken.”
Robot Chicken Season 2
20 Episodes | April 2006 – November 2006
It’s more pop culture parodies and strange non-sequiturs as Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble fight over a box of Fruity Pebbles. Popular board games Chutes and Ladders and Hungry Hungry Hippos get turned into live-action feature films. The Senior Mutant Ninja Turtles shake up a nursing home and Big Bird catches the bird flu.
Robot Chicken Season 3
20 Episodes | August 2007 – October 2008
Governor Arnod Schwarzenegger tackles illegal immigration with the help of Speedy Gonzales. Sonic the Hedgehog gets caught for speeding. Sylar gets a new power in a Heroes parody. Bronson Pinchot and Ludacris star in an Off-Broadway production of a show called “Don’t Be Ridiculous.” George W. Bush receives a gremlin.
Robot Chicken Season 4
20 Episodes | December 2008 – December 2009
Tila Tequila reveals that she’s actually a robot. Strawberry Shortcake solves a robbery. Dick Cheney becomes an ally to Tony Stark. Punky Brewster hits puberty. The Creature from the Black Lagoon celebrates his new monster cereal. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is turned into an opera.
Robot Chicken Season 5
20 Episodes | December 2010 – January 2012
Skeletor is shellshocked when Snake Mountain is foreclosed on. Gargamel puts himself into a Smurf body in order to gain some trust. The Keebler elves declare war on the Cookie Monster. Princess Peach introduces Mario to her parents. Winnie the Pooh’s addiction is explored, while a long lost Lord of the Rings manuscript is finished by Tolkien’s six-year-old grandson.
Robot Chicken Season 6
20 Episodes | September 2012 – February 2013
Wile E. Coyote commits suicide after realizing he’s wasted his life trying to catch the Road Runner. Miss Piggy, Mario, Winnie the Pooh and Garfield compete in “The Fattest Fat Loser.”
Robot Chicken Season 7
19 Episodes | April 2014 – August 2014
Seth and Matthew (in stop-motion form) infiltrate a puppet orgy. The Grim Reaper fights and has sex with an old woman who doesn’t want to die. Robocop gets lectured by his mom. Jack Skellington celebrates “grown-up” Halloween. Papa Smurf goes behind the scenes in “Undercover Smurf.” Scrooge McDuck appears on Shark Tank. Woody Woodpecker receives an alarming phone call.
Robot Chicken Season 8
20 Episodes | October 2015 – May 2016
Godzilla and Jason Voorhees face off in 2023. Jesus and his disciples advertise the hottest new breakfast cereal: Holy-Os. Fonzie takes on a pile of zombies. Police mistake the loud shenanigans of Pee-wee’s Playhouse as a hostage situation. The teens from the Archie comics appear on Are You the One? Master Splinter gives the ninja turtles “the talk.”
Robot Chicken Season 9
20 Episodes | December 2017 – July 2018
St. Nick meets his ultimate idol: Jared Leto. Beavis and Butt-head get reunited as adults. The investors of Westworld are underwhelmed with the first generation of hosts. The pig from Black Mirror calls in to The Howard Stern Show. Jessica Jones receives an intervention. Alvin and the Chipmunks play Coachella.
What Are the Best Robot Chicken Episodes?
The show’s episodes are short and punchy, clocking in at merely 11-12 minutes long. Despite the short run-time, Robot Chicken never fails to shock and bewilder. Here’s a list of the best Robot Chicken episodes.
Season 1, Episode 19: “That Hurts Me”
The episode’s best skit, “Big Horror Movie Brother,” follows Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, Michael Myers, Pinhead and Ghostface as they enter the claustrophobic walls of the Big Brother house.
Season 1, Episode 13: “Atta Toy”
The Smurfs are terrorized by a serial killer in the sketch entitled “Murder in Smurf Town X,” which mashes together the Smurf village and the movie Se7en.
Season 1, Episode 8: “The Deep End”
Seven of the world’s greatest superheroes stop being polite and start getting real when they move into “The Real World: Metropolis.”
Season 3, Episode 4: “Tapping A Hero”
A gummy bear gets caught in a bear trap. Law & Order gets an all-chicken cast.
Season 5, Episode 19: “Casablankman II”
Lady Gaga starts her own babysitting service in “Goo-Goo Gaga.” Jay-Z helps Doc Brown get back to the future.
Who Are the Voice Actors in the Robot Chicken Cast?
A lot of celebrities contribute their voices to Robot Chicken, many of whom are Green and Senreich’s friends. Here are the main voice actors.
Seth Green as The Nerd, Batman and many more
Green and Senreich handle most of the voices themselves along with a litany of guest voice actors. Green is known for playing Oz on Buffy the Vampire Slayer in addition to many ’90s comedies such as Can’t Hardly Wait and the Austin Powers movies. He also voices Chris Griffin on Family Guy.
Matthew Senreich as The Flash, Willy Wonka and many more
When Senreich isn’t working on Robot Chicken, he’s writing for his other project, SuperMansion.
Breckin Meyer as Superman, Jesus Christ, Calvin and more
Green’s friend Meyer lends his voice to 93 of the series’ episodes and is the most prevalent voice actor aside from Green and Senreich. Meyer is also known for Franklin & Bash and Designated Survivor in addition to playing stoner Travis in Clueless.
Who Are the Top Guest Stars on Robot Chicken?
The list of guest stars who have voiced Robot Chicken characters is literally endless. (That may even be an accurate use of the word “literally.”) To name a few: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rachel Leigh Cook, Scarlett Johansson, Donald Faison, Kesha, Dax Shepard, Kurtwood Smith, Matthew Lillard, Patton Oswalt, Ashton Kutcher, Debra Jo Rupp, Judy Greer, Topher Grace, Burt Reynolds, Wilmer Valderrama, Dom DeLuise, Fred Savage, Erika Christensen, Nat Faxon, Alex Borstein, Joss Whedon, Lance Bass, Pat Morita, Phil LaMarr, Ginnifer Goodwin, Amy Smart, Freddie Prinze Jr., Don Knotts, Dave Coulier, Melissa Joan Hart, Linda Cardellini, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Stuart Townsend, Scott Adsit and Jon Heder. This list just barely scratches the surface of the talent that’s involved.
Who Are the Writers & Creators Behind Robot Chicken?
Seth Green: Robot Chicken Co-creator, Director, Writer, Executive Producer and Voice Actor
Matthew Senreich: Robot Chicken Co-creator, Director, Writer, Executive Producer and Voice Actor
Both Seth Green and Matthew Senreich are the masterminds behind the mania. The two co-creators wear every hat across the board when it comes to creating Robot Chicken. Green and Senreich also helped create the production company Stoopid Monkey which is also responsible for Titan Maximum, SuperMansion, Buddy Thunderstruck and Hot Streets.
Where Robot Chicken Ranks in the Television Pantheon
Green and Senreich’s creation is the recipient of 19 Emmy nominations and five Emmy wins including Outstanding Short Form Animated Program in 2016 and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation in 2015. Its style of comedy made it an instant hit with the Adult Swim crowd, while its creative animation techniques gained it favor from critics. Airing alongside shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies, Robot Chicken quickly found its niche and cultivated a steady audience full of teens and young twenty- and thirty-somethings who grew up watching the same kinds of shows and movies that Green and Senreich did.
While the show can veer toward sheer stupidity, there’s a method to its madness. Underneath the parodies and silliness is a wealth of creativity and ingenuity, all of which Green and Senreich get full credit for. It’s a cartoon like no other both in style and tone, which breaks it away from the pack…and not just in the Adult Swim world. IGN writes:
“While Robot Chicken could rest easy on this familiarity of the action figures and spend less time on the comedy, it is refreshing to see that the series attempts to create the most humorous situations possible for the characters to muck about within. Whether it is Calvin (from the Calvin and Hobbes comic strips) going crazy because of his talking tiger doll, Inspector Gadget becoming a terminator, or finding out that E.T. is just a little bit slow, we reveled in the offensive (yet loving) parodies which so humorously perverted our favorite childhood characters.”