Squidbillies Character Guide

The Squidbillies is an animated television show featured on cartoon networks “Adult Swim“ block of programming. The show was created by one of the original writers for Aqua Teen hunger Force and features a number of stylistic similarities to the popular Adult Swim title. The Squibillies plot centers around the trials and tribulations of the Cuyler family - a clan of impoverished squid people living in the rural Appalachian mountains of Georgia and trying to reconcile their lives and relationships following father figure Early Cuyler’s release from prison after 15 years. The Cuyler family displays a comical ignorance driven by the seemingly endless impulsively of Early. Though the exploits of the Cuyler family frequently result in destruction, death, and the terror of local people, the Cuylers themselves do not experience any real consequences for their actions because they are members of a federally protected endangered species.

The leader of the Cuyler clan, Early seems to pride himself on his ignorance. The series begins shortly after Early is released from prison for an armed robbery conviction. Early embodies the stereotype of the poor, uneducated, and violent redneck, except of course, for the fact that he is actually a squid. Early is rarely separated from his shotgun and and is quick to fight with anyone he perceives as attempting to violate his rights. He is shamelessly mysoginistic and frequently berates the female characters on the show. Early seems to not value anyone beyond their ability to improve his own life and seeks to take advantage of anyone he can throughout the course of the show.

Early’s only known son, Rusty,  did not know his dad for the first 11 years of his life. He is constantly attempting to build a relationship with his long lost father, only to find himself shut down again and again. Rusty is a prototypical angsty teenager whose interests are forever shifting from one fad to another, much to the amusement of the viewer. While Early is devoted to his self-righteous ignorance, Rusty does not share this quality. Rusty attempts to better himself throughout the show, only to find himself dragged down again and again by his family and the other hillbillies who surround him.

The oldest member of the Cuyler clan, Ruby Jean Cuyler, or “Granny” is the grandmother of Early and Lil, as well as the great grandmother of Rusty. She is extremely old and enfeebled, dangling from a walker with and having only 5 tentacles. Granny could be considered the spiritual leader of the Cuyler family as she may be able to communicate directly with Squid Jesus and Squid Satan. She may also just be crazy, as characters other than Granny are not able to see the Squid deities. Though Granny is extremely religious, old, and has a number of health problems, she is still one of the most lascivious characters on the show, making sexual advances at almost any male character who passes through the Cuyler’s lives.

Early’s sister and a granddaughter of Granny, Lil acted as a mother figure to Rusty for the first 11 years of his life. Lil has a blown out, dramatic southern style about her, which includes her chain smoking habit. She wears thick makeup at all times and keeps long false nails on the ends of her tentacles. Lil supposedly runs a hair salon and peanut stand from out of the Cuylers home, but this is likely just a cover business for her crystal-meth production lab. Lil is often found passed out due to drug overdoses, however, this state may actually just be a clever ruse she is putting on in order to peddle meth without getting caught.

Perhaps the only actual human character who appears regularly on the show, the Sheriff is actually actually just a clone formed in the Dan Halen cloning facility. The Sheriff has a sworn duty to protect the Cuyler family both from the potentially harmful actions and the actions of others because they are part of an endangered species. Though he has arrested Early many times, the Sheriff and the Cuyler family still appear to have a generally amicable relationship, spending a great deal of time together in a number of different contexts. The sheriff is often found in surprising and effeminate positions, prompting some suspicion that he might be gay. The sheriff is frequently maimed or killed by the irresponsible actions of the Cuyler family, only to be replaced almost instantaneously with another clone.

Krystal is Early’s ex-wife and Rusty’s birth mother who refused to raise her child. Krystal is morbidly obese human redneck who lives on a mattress in the middle of a junk yard. She spends most of her time drinking a seemingly endless supply of soda from her refillable convenience store cup. Krystal is extremely promiscuous and may actually be a prostitute. Her relationship with Early remains at best tenuous throughout the show.