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It is the era of reboots! From Saved by the Bell to Battlestar Galactica, these nostalgiac reboots make everyone excited about television shows again. Nothing says nostalgia more than cartoon reboots, and the Animaniacs reboot has cartoon fans and sentimental seekers rejoicing with excitement.
First announced in 2018, Warner Brother Animations stated that the series would bring back the Warner siblings and Pinky and the Brain for two seasons on Hulu. After that announcement, the series’s development was kept under wraps for two years as fans waited patiently for the return of their childhood cartoon characters and their witty antics.
They’re Back!
In September 2020, a sneak peek of the series was released, and it showcases Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, and Maurice LaMarche, all reprising their roles as the Warner siblings and Pinky and the Brain. It was also announced that Steven Spielberg would return as executive producer for the show. Leading up to its premiere, Hulu released a clip to show fans what’s to come, and it got fans hyped up and relieved that it resembles the original 1993 series.
22 Year Later And What Changed?
Animaniacs picks up exactly where it left off, making this a continuation of the original series. The art style has been reanimated using clean vector outlines and a modern approach to 2D animation. The show also retains its goofy skits and sketches as per the original series; however, the animators have incorporated different animation styles in the reboot. This makes several episodes stand out from one another and makes it a pleasant surprise to the viewers.
One of the largest differences is the sketch layout of the show. The original 1993 series had a large cast of characters, and they all split a fair amount of screen time. However, since the reboot is primarily focused on the Warner siblings and Pinky and the Brain, the show follows a formulaic A, B, A sketch layout. Occasionally the creative directors switch up the layout by incorporating new characters and skits for the reboot. Still, the focus is largely on the Warner siblings and Pinky and the Brain.
Do They Still Have Baloney In Their Slacks?
Short answer: yes, they still do have baloney in their slacks. Additionally, the show still delivers the satirical humor that the series is known for; however, some of the jokes are noticeably dated. This is due to the series beginning production in 2018 and Covid-19 halting any continuing production. Despite this setback, the show still retains good chunks of puns, innuendoes, slapstick, and plenty of musical numbers similar to the original series.
The show also often uses meta-humor directed at its self-awareness of a reboot, as well as satirizes the political views from both sides of the spectrum. The jokes and sketches also tap into many pop culture references and icons. The show parodies popular movies ranging from Stephen’s King 2017 remake of “It” to basing sketches around older stories such as “The Odyssey” and “Aladdin.” Additionally, for Pinky and the Brain, there seems to be a very subtle sense of narrative continuity in several of their sketches; however, only time will tell if these setups will appear in future episodes.
The new characters/sketches that the show occasionally introduce aren’t the best, despite being tested “well in focus groups and research” according to the theme song (I’m not joking). The new characters felt displaced and random. That feeling is reminiscent of the original series in how certain sketches weren’t exactly popular, to begin with. Despite the show featuring only the Warner siblings and Pinky and the Brain, the show references the absence of other characters from the original series in a meaningful manner for long time fans and slightly subtle for others.
Verdict: Animaniacs, A Sellout Or A Knockout?
As stated in the very first episode of the reboot:
“Reboots are symptomatic of a fundamental lack of originality in Hollywood.”
When everyone discovered that an Animaniacs reboot was in the process, many were skeptical of the final byproduct and believed it was a simple cash grab. That is not the case. The reboot or arguably the continuation of Animaniacs is everything that one can imagine and then some.
The series retains its satirical humor, violent slapstick, and catchy educational songs, making it a sight for sore eyes for old fans. It is a blast of nostalgia that definitely catches the attention of those who grew up with the series and will likely stick with the new generation who are learning about them for the very first time. For anyone worried that the show is a sellout, the characters make it very clear that:
“When we sellout, we know we’re selling out, so it’s cool.”
Wakko Warner
