Bordertown

Bordertown is an engaging, adult animated sitcom that aired on Fox from January 2016 to May 2017. Created by Mark Hentemann and produced by Seth MacFarlane, famous for his other animated series such as "Family Guy" and "American Dad!", this series is built around satirical humor and explores the cultural divides and socio-political issues faced in border towns.

The show is set in the fictitious bordertown of Mexifornia, a desert locale that sits directly on the imaginary border between Mexico and California. Mexifornia presents as a literal crossover of Mexican and American cultures and is teeming with diverse characters and colorful storylines that highlight the cultural differences between these two neighboring nations.

Buck Buckwald and Ernesto Gonzalez, the central characters of this animated tale, are two neighbors and working-class fathers who represent their respective cultures. Buck is a border patrol agent, staunchly conservative, a gruff man who often finds himself grappling with the sea changes happening around him culturally. Despite often being confounded and overwhelmed by the world around him, Buck offers a rich central caricature from which the story's humor and plot often hinge.

Ernesto, on the other hand, is a hard-working Mexican immigrant who has lived in Mexifornia for 20 years. He represents the traditional family values and the optimistic immigrant experience seeking out the American dream. Ernesto is happy, content with his lifestyle, and embodies a more hopeful, tolerant view of life, offering a counterpoint to Buck's character.

Other characters include Bud's family, his wife Janice, who is a dinner lady in a local cafeteria, their young daughter Gert who dreams of celebrity stardom, Sanford, their rebellious teenage son, and Becky, their liberal college-going daughter. Ernesto's family, too, lends support to the storyline with his wife Maria, their nerdy son Ruiz, and his uncle and grandmother who share their house.

Bud's co-worker at the border patrol, Steve Hernandez, who is an exaggerated macho man, and Bud's unlikely friend, El Coyote who is an unlawful immigrant smuggler, further add to the zany and diverse character set. Each character in Bordertown paints a vibrant picture of the cultural diversity, and unique challenges and conflicts faced in border towns, seen through a lens of comedy and satire.

"Bordertown" tends to utilize its humor to tackle themes of racial and cultural tension, immigration policy, cultural appropriation, and the race relations between the USA and Mexico, using comic exaggeration for commentary. While the series thrives on poking fun at stereotypes and relies on politically incorrect humor to create comedic effect, it does so in ways that stimulate thought about the very stereotypes it caricatures.

In its own exaggerated way, "Bordertown" attempts to shine a light on the clashes of cultures and lifestyle changes due to globalization and immigration issues. The series uses comedic analogy to highlight the ongoing concerns around border security, immigration law enforcement, labor market dynamics, and wide-ranging socio-political themes.

Visually, the animation style of "Bordertown" is similar to other Seth MacFarlane productions, with colorful, exaggerated character designs, and vibrant settings. The satirical show combines this conventional animation style with daring humor to provide viewers a ride filled with laughter, thought-provoking themes, and touching moments.

Overall, with only 13 episodes, "Bordertown” does a commendable job of steering into the controversial themes bravely and humorously. The show uses comedy to provide a platform for larger discussions about issues that impact real-life border towns. Despite its short run, the show managed to leave a unique mark, breaking barriers within the world of adult animated sitcoms.