Editing Aqua Teen Hunger Force (section)

==Reception, influence, and legacy==
In January 2009, [[IGN]] listed the series as the 39th best in the Top 100 Best Animated TV Shows.<ref name="ign100">{{cite web |date=January 23, 2009 |title=39, Aqua Teen Hunger Force |url=http://tv.ign.com/top-100-animated-tv-series/39.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530064109/http://tv.ign.com/top-100-animated-tv-series/39.html |archive-date=May 30, 2010 |access-date=July 14, 2010 |website=IGN |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The series was nominated for [[Teen Choice Awards]] in 2007 and 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=Awards for Aqua Teen Hunger Force |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0297494/awards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622145116/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0297494/awards |archive-date=June 22, 2015 |access-date=July 14, 2010 |website=[[Internet Movie Database]]}}</ref> In 2011 Willis and Maiellaro received [[Annie Award]] nominations for writing in the season eight episode, "The Creditor".<ref>{{cite web |date=February 4, 2012 |title=39th Annual Annie Nominations & Winners! |url=http://annieawards.org/39th-annie-awards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903093809/http://annieawards.org/39th-annie-awards |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |access-date=January 5, 2013 |website=[[Annie Award]]s}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Giardina |first=Carolyn |title='Rango' Wins Annie Award for Best Animated Feature |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/annie-awards-rango-jennifer-yuh-nelson-287137 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109205533/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/annie-awards-rango-jennifer-yuh-nelson-287137 |archive-date=November 9, 2012 |access-date=January 5, 2013 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=February 4, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=DeMott |first=Rick |date=December 5, 2011 |title=39th Annie Award Nominations Announced |url=http://www.awn.com/news/people/39th-annie-award-nominations-announced/page/5,1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203034653/http://www.awn.com/news/people/39th-annie-award-nominations-announced/page/5,1 |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |access-date=January 5, 2013 |website=Animation World Network}}</ref> In 2019, IGN placed ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' 25th on their list of Top 25 Animated series for adults.<ref name="Top25IGN">{{cite web |last=Fowler |first=Matt |date=July 15, 2013 |title=The Top 25 Animated Series for Adults From caped crusaders to web-slingers to danger zones, here are the best animated shows to enjoy as a grown up. |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/15/top-25-animated-shows-for-adults?page=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722082915/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/15/top-25-animated-shows-for-adults?page=2 |archive-date=July 22, 2013 |access-date=July 23, 2013 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

[[James Rolfe]], best known for creating the ''[[Angry Video Game Nerd]]'', has cited the show as an influence on ''Nerd'' as well as shaping his sense of humor.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/anxRp3ae0bs Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200628191927/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anxRp3ae0bs Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |date=25 June 2020 |title=Aqua Teen Hunger Force - Cinemassacre Review |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=anxRp3ae0bs |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fki5GjuIP-E&t=232s | title=Top 5 TV Shows That I Love | website=[[YouTube]] | date=August 8, 2022 }}</ref> [[YouTuber]] Jason Gastrow, better known as [[Videogamedunkey]], has also cited the show as a comedic influence.<ref name="h3: Podcast">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/ph5FR-RFhbg Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20171015014239/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph5FR-RFhbg&feature=youtu.be Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph5FR-RFhbg |title=H3 Podcast #34 - VideoGameDunkey & Leah |date=October 11, 2017 |last=Klein, Ethan; Klein, Hila; Gastrow, Jason; Bee, Leah |publisher=[[h3h3Productions]] |access-date=July 5, 2019 |format=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===2007 Boston bomb scare===
{{Main|2007 Boston Mooninite panic}}
The series received national attention in 2007 because of a publicity stunt that became known as the [[2007 Boston Mooninite panic|Boston bomb scare]]. On January 31, 2007, as part of a national [[guerrilla marketing]] campaign for the series, Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens installed [[Lite-Brite]]-like [[Light-emitting diode|LED]] displays depicting the Mooninites in eleven different cities: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Austin, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. In Boston, the authorities considered the LEDs suspicious, prompting the closure of major roads and waterways for investigation. [[Turner Broadcasting System]] later admitted to placing the LEDs and apologized for the misunderstanding.

Berdovsky and Stevens faced charges for "placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct"; in spite of the uproar, the two mocked the media and critics in interviews.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 1, 2007 |title=Probe into Boston ad stunt chaos |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6319211.stm |url-status=live |access-date=February 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202094028/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6319211.stm |archive-date=February 2, 2007}}</ref> All criminal charges were dropped in exchange for Berdovsky and Stevens apologizing during their court date and accepting a plea bargain that consisted of community service at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 11, 2007 |title=Community service for defendants in Cartoon Network case |work=Boston.com: Boston Globe website |url=http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/05/defendants_in_c.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227062547/http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/05/defendants_in_c.html |archive-date=December 27, 2008}}</ref> Turner Broadcasting paid the [[Boston Police Department]] $1 million to cover the investigation's cost and an additional $1 million for good will.<ref name="resign">{{Cite news |date=February 5, 2007 |title=Turner, 2nd firm to pay $2 million over scare |work=NBC News |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16990202 |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130420214104/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16990202/ |archive-date=April 20, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Cartoon Network Head Resigns After Scare |work=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2863647 |access-date=February 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403040220/https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2863647 |archive-date=April 3, 2007}}</ref> This was designed to settle criminal and civil claims, while the general manager of Cartoon Network stepped down because of the incident. Of the eleven cities in which the displays were placed, only Boston saw them as a matter of concern. The installations had been up for weeks before the panic.<ref name="resign" />

An ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' episode from [[Aqua Teen Hunger Force (season 5)|season five]], "Boston", was produced as the series creators' response to the bomb scare, but Adult Swim pulled it to avoid further controversy.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 15, 2008 |title=Exclusive Interview With Meatwad, Er, Dave Willis, Of 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' |work=Starpulse.com |url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Dee_Doyle/2008/12/15/starpulse_com_exclusive_interview_with_d |url-status=live |access-date=December 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115024706/http://www.starpulse.com/news/Dee_Doyle/2008/12/15/starpulse_com_exclusive_interview_with_d |archive-date=November 15, 2010 |df=mdy}}</ref> The episode has never aired or been formally released to the public legally in any format, though an unfinished version of it was illegally leaked online in January 2015.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gonzales |first=Dave |date=April 10, 2015 |title=Banned Aqua Teen Hunger Force Boston episode leaks online |url=http://www.geek.com/news/banned-aqua-teen-hunger-force-boston-episode-leaks-online-1620022/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419095729/http://www.geek.com/news/banned-aqua-teen-hunger-force-boston-episode-leaks-online-1620022/ |archive-date=April 19, 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015 |website=Geek.com |publisher=Geek}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Staff |first=Interrobang |date=April 13, 2015 |title=Banned Aqua Teen Hunger Force Episode Finally Sees The Light Of Day |url=http://theinterrobang.com/banned-aqua-teen-hunger-force-episode-finally-sees-the-light-of-day/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523022417/http://theinterrobang.com/banned-aqua-teen-hunger-force-episode-finally-sees-the-light-of-day/ |archive-date=May 23, 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015 |website=Interrobang.com |publisher=Interrobang}}</ref>