Yakko's Big Idea/Mouse Congeniality/Rejected Animaniacs Characters[1] is the 19th episode in the Animaniacs reboot and the 6th episode in its 2nd season.
Synopsis[]
Yakko has a new idea for an invention. Pinky participates in a "Miss Universe" pageant. The Warners revisit some rejected Animaniacs characters.[2]
Theme Song[]
Variable Verse[]
Wakko: Making gain-eys!
Yakko's Big Idea[]
Animation by Titmouse, Inc.[3]
Plot[]
The Warners are watching their new favorite show on the business channel, named "Pitch Me, I'm Dreaming", in which people pitch their idea to billionaires and if it's bad they get dropped into a flaming pit. A man pitches the idea of a regular-sized carrot to the judges and almost instantly gets declined. Yakko claims he can pitch a better idea than that off the top of his head, and his siblings challenge him to do it.
Yakko pitches the idea of exoplanets (or "space tourism") to them and sings a song about several exoplanets that have been found in the Milky Way. The first, Pegasi 51-B, is a super fun planet where a full year passes in just 4.2 earth days, but is rejected by Wakko and Dot when Yakko reveals that the planet has sulfuric rain and little to no solid ground. The next exoplanet he pitches, Kepler-186F, gains its appeal from being potentially capable of sustaining alien life, however is also turned down when Yakko explains that its sun is dying and rendering the planet inhabitable with brutal gamma waves. Yakko pitches a final exoplanet, Yakktopia WB-1, where there are magic puppies, the ocean is made of candy, and there are video games built into every crater, which he describes as "cosmic heaven".
Wakko and Dot are excited by the concept of this exoplanet, but then Yakko reveals that he made it up in order to save his pitch. Angry at this revelation, his siblings attempt to drop him into a flaming pit as he frantically pitches increasingly sillier ideas (such as "hair pants", a "collapsible pitchfork", and "pork yoghurt").
Crew[]
- Written by Lucas Crandles and Timothy Nash
- Directed by Erik Knutson
Songs[]
Trivia[]
- The ABC reality business series Shark Tank is spoofed in this cartoon as Pitch Me, I'm Dreaming.
- Some of the alien designs resemble the Wisps from the video game Sonic Colors.
- When Yakko is gaming, sounds from Super Mario Bros. can briefly be heard.
- Yakko flies around in his ship from "Yakko's Universe" at several points in the song.
- Exoplanets are a real thing and much of the songs lyrics are based off real life Exoplanets.
- Notably Pegasi 51-B and Kepler-186f are both actual Exoplanets.
- Yakko even sees these planets through the Kepler Space Telescope, a way Exoplanets can be found.
- While Yakko is playing the arcade game and sings "Why not play Asteroids all day," the animation and Yakko's pose are nearly identical to a scene from "Wakko's America."
- The Warners' outfits in this segment are all reprised from different points in season 1. Specifically, Yakko's outfit is from "Equal Time", Wakko's is from "A-Zit", and Dot's is from "Suffragette City".
- When Yakko says "That's capitalism baby," Dot's dress is miscolored dark gray.
Mouse Congeniality[]
Animation by Digital eMation
Plot[]
Brain helps Pinky enter a "Miss Everything" beauty pageant at "Chump Tower", in order to infiltrate a world leader summit upstairs.
Crew[]
- Written by Lucas Crandles and Timothy Nash
- Directed by Erik Knutson
Trivia[]
- The title of this cartoon is a spoof of the 2000 comedy film Miss Congeniality.
- Ironically, Miss Congeniality stars Sandra Bullock, which Brain quotes he "learned a thing or two from that Sandra Bullock movie [he] half watched on the plane: Speed 2: Cruise Control." Speed 2 also stars Sandra Bullock.
- When Pinky wears his blonde wig, he slightly resembles his mother albeit with a slightly different hairstyle.
- Television personality and Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn guest-stars in this cartoon as the host of the pageant.
- Pinky mentions meeting his evil tether is a reference to Jordan Peele's horror film Us.
- Second consecutive appearance of caricatures of Maduro, Kim and Putin in a Pinky and the Brain cartoon; after their appearance in "The Pinktator."
- While Brain ponders what "evil and nefarious" deeds the dictators are doing, it is shown that Putin and the other dictators are engaging in a game of "Kiss, marry kill" concerning three famous celebrities named "Chris." Putin's order goes as follows: first, Chris Hemsworth. Next, marry Chris Pratt. Lastly, kill Chris Pine (a deed his guards are ready to do until Putin reminds them that this is just a game).
- Maurice LaMarche teased a recording of this episode in an Instagram post dated March 3, 2021.
Rejected Animaniacs Characters[]
Animation by Titmouse
Plot[]
The Warners revisit rejected characters from the cutting room floor including Aqua-Claus, Mime and Meme, The Office Supplies and Social Butterfly.
Crew[]
- Written by Wellesley Wild, Ted Mulkerin, and Jordan VanDina
- Directed by Erik Knutson
Songs[]
Trivia[]
- This segment was inspired by Amblin rejecting characters and concepts during development of the reboot.[4]
- The living room and kitchen in "Mime and Meme" look very similar to the same rooms in the Griffin household from Family Guy; right down to the purple couch in the living room.
- Episode writer and Animaniacs showrunner Wellesley Wild worked on Family Guy; so this may be intentional.
- Aqua-Claus makes fun of "Syncro-Vox" animation used in works such as Clutch Cargo.
- Social Butterfly bears a resemblance to Maggie Pesky, the protagonist of from Disney Channel's short-lived, yet critically praised cartoon The Buzz on Maggie.
- The mime seen in the "Mime and Meme" skit is not the one usually seen in the show.
- The other rejected characters that the Warners discuss at the very end are Gerry Mander the Salamander, Juan Percent the Salsa Tycoon, and Pinocchio the Press Secretary.
International Releases[]
- Australia: November 6, 2021 (Stan)
- Canada: November 12, 2021 (Teletoon)
- Latin America: March 31, 2022 (HBO Max)
Cast[]
| Voice Actors: | Character(s): |
|---|---|
| Rob Paulsen | Yakko Warner, Pinky, Scrooge |
| Jess Harnell | Wakko Warner |
| Tress MacNeille | Dot Warner, Judge #1, Old Woman, Witch |
| Maurice LaMarche | The Brain, Aqua-Claus, Judge #2, Pageant Judge |
| Frank Welker | Ralph T. Guard |
| Anthony Carrigan | Vladimir Putin |
| Chris Cox | Binder, Truck Driver |
| Stephanie Escajeda | Woman |
| Chris Geere | Disgruntled Employee |
| Jake Green | Correction Fluid, Pageant Registrar |
| Tim Gunn | Pageant Host |
| Zeno Robinson | Gordon |
| Kari Wahlgren | Stapler, Social Butterfly |
References[]
- ↑ https://showcase.onthedemo.com/newyorkcity/en/program/18658409/2
- ↑ Hulu Press- Animaniacs (2020)
- ↑ https://twitter.com/skeletoon/status/1456725308829175808?s=21
- ↑ Tweet by Gabe Swarr. Published November 22, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2023.