Review: “Animaniacs” Reboot Ideal Revival For an Insane Year
Rebooting any TV series, especially an animated one can be a task that’s tricky to get right and easy to get wrong. For every reboot that works; like the 2017 “Duck Tales,” you have duds such as “Thundercats Roar.” Now, more than twenty years after the original “Animaniacs” ended its run on broadcast TV, the series has been revived on Hulu in a manner worthy of the original 1993 series’ pedigree.
The reboot was originally intended to be released in the year 2018, but was delayed to this November (a fact which is one of the many things the show itself pokes fun at). Though many things could have gone wrong, this new take on the beloved original series successfully brings the characters to a new generation of fans while never losing sight about what made the original cartoon work to begin with. The show opens with Yakko (voice of Rob Paulsen), Wakko (voice of Jess Harnell) and Dot (voice of Tress Macneille) returning to their home in the Warner Bros. Pictures watertower for the first time since the end of the original series in 1998; and each subsequent moment shows they haven’t lost an ounce of comedic steam since then.
Much like the classic “Looney Tunes” characters, there is an equal measure of poking fun at newer trends such as smart devices and Japanese anime as there are sendups of “Jurassic Park.” Even segments centered around “Pinky and the Brain” have retained their appeal to young and old audiences alike. Very few cartoons can have a sketch that pokes fun at the Cold War-era “red scare” in Congress at the same time a cartoon mouse gets slammed in a door.
The animation, while using modern digital production techniques; still retains the art direction that helped make the original 1993 series a beloved hit more than 25 years ago.
Even with 22 years having passed since the end of the initial run of the show, this reboot of “Animaniacs” is worthy of its spot alongside the original series on Hulu and the ideal revival for a totally insane year. With the show being greenlit for two seasons, now is the perfect time to check it out.
Veredict
What: “Animaniacs” 2020 Reboot
Starring: Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress Macneille and Maurice LaMarche
Presented by: Steven Spielberg
Rated: TV-PG
My Rating: 5/5
