Uh-huh huh-huh. Huh huh-huh. Given that Hollywood’s reboot and revival craze shows no signs of slowing down, it was only a matter of time before Beavis and Butt-Head was given the same treatment. These two teenage slackers obsessed with heavy metal music and “scoring” have entertained audiences for over 30 years.

The original series ran on MTV for over 200 episodes from 1993 to 1997, with the movie Beavis and Butt-Head Do America debuting in 1996. Nearly 15 years later, the series was first revived on MTV’s original network for 22 new episodes in 2011. However, since it didn’t fit in with MTV’s new demographic (then known for Jersey Shore and Teen Mom over actual music videos), the revival was canceled, and the show went dormant again. Paramount+ resurrected the boys again in 2022 for the new movie Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe and two brand-new seasons. So what gives some of the dumbest characters on television such staying power? Let’s see.
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The Stories Remain the Same

Paramount+

When a show returns to the air after a lengthy hiatus, it will often try to update its stories to remain more relevant with the times. This is especially true if the original show aired in a different entertainment landscape decades earlier. Given that Beavis and Butt-Head originally aired in the ’90s, it would be understandable if they decided to update their plots for modern audiences. After all, the humor of today is vastly different from the humor of the ’90s. Need proof? Read any of the dozens of listicles about Seinfeld/Friends moments that aged terribly.

Related: Beavis and Butt-Head Are Dads in Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head Clip

Beavis and Butt-Head don’t go this route. Sure, there may be references to modern culture, but the crux of the stories are the same as in the original. The boys discover some way to get rich, be cool, or attract girls. Every one of their plans fails due to their lack of ambition and misunderstanding whatever idea they have. A recent example of this is the episode “Spring Break.”

Beavis and Butt-Head believe that going to the Jersey Shore in Florida (yup) for spring break will help them score. After attempting to ship themselves in a cardboard box to the Sunshine State, their box is picked up by the garbage truck instead, and they’re taken to the town landfill. Obviously, they believe their plan has worked, and they wait at the garbage-infested “beach” for all the chicks to show up.

This episode could have easily aired in the show’s original run and fit right in. As the old adage goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Beavis and Butt-Head’s stories are so simple; there’s no real need to reinvent the wheel. People loved these boys in the original run for their antics and stupidity, and that’s just what will bring them back in the new run.

Modern Sensibilities

Paramount+

It might seem like a show with main characters obsessed with “scoring” with chicks wouldn’t fly in today’s more socially conscious environment. However, Beavis and Butt-Head prove that isn’t necessarily true.

While the boys are obsessed with getting girls, they never have and likely never will. This is because of the tendency of their plans to fail every time, as discussed above. Any girls they attempt to hit on remain in control of the situation, never giving the weird guys the time of day. This is the same sentiment the audience shares, as watching the boys fail spectacularly is more fun than seeing them succeed.

Related: Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head: What We Hope to See in Season 2

After rejection, they rarely pursue the same girl, just moving on to the next idea. Other TV characters who relentlessly harass and demean women are rightfully seen as sleazy, and characters like that have been phased out in recent years. Here, Beavis and Butt-Head’s stupidity is their saving grace.

Their lack of ambition prevents them from following through on any romantic pursuit, and thus they’re viewed as dumb and pathetic over creepy and stalker-y. The boys are then inevitably distracted by something cool on TV or the iconic nachos, and everything resets to the status quo. Simply put, the boys are just too dumb to be creepy, and that distinction has likely helped the show survive in a modern social climate.

The Episodic Structure

Paramount+

For the most part, episodes of Beavis and Butt-Head run from 7 to 10 minutes, with two episodes (along with some music video commentary) sharing a 30-minute timeslot. These shorter runtimes mean there’s no need for filler or complex stories to take up 22 minutes of TV. The boys have their plan, they attempt it and fail, and we move on.

That structure worked in the ’90s and is still used in the new seasons. Some episodes may run the full 30 minutes, but that’s typically reserved for holiday specials or other event stories. Creator Mike Judge knows how to tell a complete story in a shorter runtime, and the character personalities lend themselves well to this format.

The boys have almost no personality outside of TV and girls, so why would they need complex stories? Speaking of Judge, keeping him on as producer and lead voice actor helps the revival avoid the pitfalls of other shows that attempt to replicate the original with a new creative team or cast.

The 2022 revival has added a fun new twist by featuring middle-aged versions of the characters in select episodes. Obviously, their personalities are the exact same, but this allows us to see the guys tackle adult problems like jury duty (to hilarious results). The music video critiques also remain, though with YouTuber vlogs joining the mix this time.

Beavis and Butt-Head has worked for 30 years because it’s had no need to reinvent itself. This consistency could keep us laughing at their failures for another 30 years. Huh-huh, that would be cool.