| Encouraged by the cult success of "Coast to Coast," Cartoon Network's executives began to seek out other homegrown series that could attract young adults, and in 2000 a second original show, "Aqua Teen Hunger Force," was added to the late-night schedule. Created by the former "Coast to Coast" writers Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis, "Aqua Teen" is nominally about the adventures of a trio of fast-food products - a milkshake, a beef patty and a carton of French fries - who live together in suburban New Jersey. But the three edible stooges are not action heroes so much as heroically lazy slackers who sit around the house and argue with one another. "When we pitched it," Mr. Willis said, "there was an element of 'They need to be detectives' - something that people could grab onto. You couldn't pitch it as 'They live in a house and things just happen to them.' " |