Picture it: Warner Brothers, 1930. Three siblings of ambiguous genetic origin are running amok on the Warner Bros lot. Studio executives take drastic measures and lock them in the water tower unaware that this is only the beginning of Yakko, Wakko and Dot Warner’s reign of mayhem.
Fast forward to 1993. I was a college freshman still wrapping my head around the concept of friends-with-benefits, and Yakko, Wakko and Dot were escaping from the water tower, eager to start their shenanigans after a 63-year hiatus. The rest is part of 90s cartoon history as beloved characters like Slappy the Squirrel and Pinky and the Brain became pre-TiVo recording necessities.
It seems that after 9,000 signatures were collected on a petition somewhere, the good folks at Fox Kids finally decided to release this animated classic on DVD for the next generation to enjoy. This 25 episode, five disc collection follows the antics and energy of Animaniacs all-stars Rita and Runt (the former voiced by Bernadette Peters,) a dog and cat duo, The Goodfeathers, a pigeon spoof on the iconic Godfather trilogy, and Slappy the Squirrel, a snarky showbiz veteran who educates her young nephew Skippy Squirrel on the ways of “the biz.”
Last but definitely not least are perhaps the most memorable of Animaniacs characters, Pinky and The Brain. Gene-spliced mice from Acme Laboratories, the duo spend every night alone in the lab, plotting to take over the world. The Brain is diabolical and brilliant and Pinky is really quite mad.
