Beavis and Butt-Head are getting a two-season revival at Comedy Central, as part of the network’s shift towards animation. Considered a staple of the 1990s, the original Beavis and Butt-Head premiered on MTV in 1993 and ran until 1997. Thanks to its satirical aspects, which often included scathing social commentary, the animated comedy was a hit with audiences. Initially conceived as part of a short film, Beavis and Butt-Head would spawn a successful movie and a spin-off titled Daria. At the height of the show’s popularity, Beavis and Butt-Head led to a Marvel Comics series, which ran for several years.
Beavis and Butt-Head revolved around the two moronic teenagers that give the show its name. Both voiced by series creator Mike Judge, Beavis and Butt-Head are far removed from the kind of protagonists that are typically cool or otherwise relatable. Barely literate, and lacking social skills, the duo was depicted as juvenile and eager to be associated with anything related to violence and sex despite their general inexperience. With this simple setup, featuring two lead characters that appeared to have little empathy, Beavis and Butt-Head would examine issues like workers’ rights and skewer media trends. Not without controversy, Beavis and Butt-Head has been regarded as a highly-influential series, with Trey Parker and Matt Stone citing it as an influence for South Park. Now, decades after it ended its original run, Beavis and Butt-Head are being revived by the same network that airs South Park.
Deadline reports Comedy Central has inked an expansive deal with Beavis and Butt-Head creator Mike Judge for a reimagined version of the MTV classic. The revival has received a two-season order, with the option for additional spin-off and specials. Under the deal, Judge will write and produce the revival. He’ll also return to voicing the two titular characters.
The reimagining of Beavis and Butt-Head is part of a planned programming shift at Comedy Central, aimed at growing its portfolio of animated content for the sake of building several shows around the long-running South Park. A spin-off of Daria led by Tracee Ellis Ross is another component of this shift.
Judge has kept busy since Beavis and Butt-Head concluded its initial run, co-creating King of the Hill and Silicon Valley. He even produced new episodes of Beavis and Butt-Head, which premiered in 2011. A lot has changed since then, and there is an argument to be made that the show, for good and ill, was very much a product of its time. It will be interesting to see what a reimagined version of Beavis and Butt-Head will entail.
