We have a takeoff on the comic opera "H.M.S. Pinafore" with our three heroes, Yakko, Wakko and Dot, tormenting a pirate, who looks a lot like "Yosemite Sam," the old Loony Tunes character. In fact, that's what this "Animaniacs" show reminds me off: the old 1950s cartoons. It's great to see this sort of thing again, and glad that entertainment moguls brought this art-form back to life in the mid 1990s.
Since the '60s, we had slowly lost the art of the great 5-8-minute cartoons with wacky characters, outrageous reactions, wild colors, overdone violence and sometimes disguised subtle humor. It's all back, thanks to this show (which I just discovered here on disc in 2009!).
That first segment of this third episode is fun to watch and the second segment is even better. introduced a new character: "Slappy Squirrel," a wise-butt old-lady squirrel who says some funny things and is getting crabby in her old age. She's got that New York-tough accent, and apparently used to be a star of cartoons when she was younger. She has a history of beating up anyone who gets in her way. In this case, it's "Doug the Dog," who is guarding a tree full of walnuts. She's looking for walnuts to complete her recipe for her little nephew who is in desperate need of "some brain food." Along the way, the not-so-innocent old lady makes a bunch of wise-cracks and even some sexual innuendos (i.e. see subject head above).
I especially appreciated the "asides" to us, the audience, by Slappy. She reminded me of Daffy Duck, in that regard. Anyway, she is real hoot and I hope I see more of her.
The finale is a little two-minute ditty about how we are all just specks in the universe.
"Slappy" was definitely the high point on this episode.
Since the '60s, we had slowly lost the art of the great 5-8-minute cartoons with wacky characters, outrageous reactions, wild colors, overdone violence and sometimes disguised subtle humor. It's all back, thanks to this show (which I just discovered here on disc in 2009!).
That first segment of this third episode is fun to watch and the second segment is even better. introduced a new character: "Slappy Squirrel," a wise-butt old-lady squirrel who says some funny things and is getting crabby in her old age. She's got that New York-tough accent, and apparently used to be a star of cartoons when she was younger. She has a history of beating up anyone who gets in her way. In this case, it's "Doug the Dog," who is guarding a tree full of walnuts. She's looking for walnuts to complete her recipe for her little nephew who is in desperate need of "some brain food." Along the way, the not-so-innocent old lady makes a bunch of wise-cracks and even some sexual innuendos (i.e. see subject head above).
I especially appreciated the "asides" to us, the audience, by Slappy. She reminded me of Daffy Duck, in that regard. Anyway, she is real hoot and I hope I see more of her.
The finale is a little two-minute ditty about how we are all just specks in the universe.
"Slappy" was definitely the high point on this episode.
