80's Cats/All About the Benjamin/23 and WB is the 26th episode of the Animaniacs reboot and the Season 2 finale.
Yowza! Animation provided animation for this episode [1]; along with Digital eMation and Tiger Animation.
Synopsis[]
The Warners take on a retro look. The Warners work as Benjamin Franklin’s apprentices. The Warners take a DNA test, only to find out they’re related to the CEO.[2]
80's Cats[]
Animation by Tiger Animation
Plot[]
In this cold open; Yakko, Wakko and Dot take on Thundercats-inspired designs and battle a robotic version of Ralph in an 80s-type landscape.
Crew[]
- Written by Wellesley Wild and Ted Mulkerin
- Directed by Katie Rice
Songs[]
Trivia[]
- This is the final cartoon to be animated by Tiger Animation.
Theme Song[]
Variable Verse[]
Yakko: Baby Brain-ey!
Trivia[]
- This is the final episode where, in the "you should see our new contracts" line, the contract displays "2 New Seasons". From episode 27 onwards it was changed to "2¹⁰⁄₁₃ New Seasons" to cater for the shorter season 3.
All About the Benjamin[]
Animation by Digital eMation
Plot[]
On a freezing day in the 18th century, the Warners appear outside Benjamin Franklin's house, begging for him to take them inside. He accepts and enlists them as his apprentices. He explains how his stove has been having problems and Yakko fixes it within seconds, but Benjamin claims it as his own invention. Later, Dot helps him combine his regular and reading glasses, but he steals her idea for himself too. After he steals Wakko's phrase, the Warners decided they had enough.
They perform a series of zany antics on Benjamin. First, Yakko takes his weather book and changes the weather by writing in it; when Benjamin tries throwing it into the fire, he gets set on fire too. Next the Warners glue his violin to his shoulder when he's asleep. Finally they use him as an electric current to power their microwave so that they can heat sausages.
Crew[]
- Written by Matt Pabian
- Directed by Katie Rice
Songs[]
Trivia[]
- The title of this cartoon is a parody of the 2002 buddy-comedy film All About the Benjamins.
- The premise of the episode is a recycled version from the Histeria! episode "Inventors Hall of Fame, Part 2" also created by Tom Ruegger. In that episode, Franklin took the ideas and inventions from the kids as his ideas but unlike the Warner siblings, the kids didn’t bother, so they said "its yours".
- In both episodes, Franklin was voiced by one of main voice actors from Futurama (Billy West in Histeria! and in the Animaniacs reboot by John DiMaggio)
- English singer and songwriter Sam Smith is parodied in one portion of the cartoon, and is erroneously identified as "he". In 2019, Sam came out as non-binary and has since been identified with "they/them" pronouns. Whether or not this cartoon was written before they came out or if the crew was unaware of this revelation is unknown.
23 and WB[]
Animation by Yowza! Animation
Plot[]
The Warners' DNA test returns and they find out they are related to the Warner Bros. CEO, Nora Rita Norita. They visit her in their office and find out that the Noritas are hosting a family reunion. The siblings attend the reunion and meet Nora, her older sisters Maura and Theodora, her daughter Cora, and the family matriarch, Flora Dora. The family has a competition to become the heir apparent to Flora Dora's empire, with the Warners ultimately winning. Unfortunately, their efforts prove to be in vein as it turns out that there was a mix-up in the DNA results, and Ralph is related to a long-lost relative who wins over Flora (with the Warners' true results being exactly what they thought: 100% Termite Terrace). As a result, the episode ends in a cliffhanger as the Warners ponder the fate of the company as well as the fate of their own lives.
Crew[]
- Written by Kathleen Chen and Brian Polk
- Directed by Katie Rice and Adriel Garcia
Songs[]
Trivia[]
- This is the final segment to be animated by Yowza! Animation.
- The song "Flora Dora" parodies the Oompa Loompa songs from the 1971 musical film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
- The name "23 and WB" is a parody of the "23 and me" DNA-testing service.
- Wakko reveals that he has a girlfriend named Tina.
- Wakko's line at the end of the episode is a reference to the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- The very last shot of the episode before the credits roll is when Wakko says "This time, I wonder if we'll dream.", the camera zooms into Wakko's eye until the screen goes black. This is a reference to the film The Elephant Man.
- When Flora mentions she is easily gullible, she watches Tucker Carlson instead of Tuck Buckerson; the in-universe parody of him.
- Yakko reveals in the ending that the Warners are 100% Termite Terrace, a callback to their origins in "Newsreel of the Stars" where they were drawn to life by an animator.
- When the Warners arrive at Flora's mansion, Yakko makes a reference to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when he hopes that they are ready for a "chocolate factory tour" and Dot references the film The Hunger Games when she thinks that the competition will be one and arches a bow and arrow while a Phoenix flies. It does turn out to be the chocolate factory one after all and Flora’s maids and butlers sing like the Oompa Loompas.
Quotes[]
[last lines of the episode]
- Dot: Sounds like a problem for next season, if there is one.
- Yakko: Guess we wait here until they make more new episodes, just like we did in the 90's.
- Wakko: This time, I wonder if we'll dream.
International Releases[]
- Australia: November 6, 2021 (Stan)
- Canada: January 1, 2022 (Teletoon)
- Latin America: March 31, 2022 (HBO Max)
Production Notes[]
- This is the first episode in the reboot where Pinky and the Brain do not appear (not counting the theme song where the duo appear in their usual spot and Brain's baby design appears in the variable verse).
- Despite this, Maurice LaMarche is still credited, and Pinky's name is listed under Rob Paulsen's credit.
- This is also the only season finale episode in this series to not contain a Pinky and the Brain cartoon.
- This episode ends on a cliffhanger. It follows "Hooray For North Hollywood (Part 1)" from the original Animaniacs, the first two parts of the Pinky and the Brain three-parter Brainwashed, and the Gnome cartoons; which also ended on cliffhangers.
- This is the second episode in the Animaniacs reboot where Titmouse, Inc. wasn’t involved for the animation or completely absent in this episode.
- In Canada, this is the final episode to debut on Teletoon. Beginning with the next episode, new episode debuts moved to the reorganized Cartoon Network feed which supplanted Teletoon's own feed.[3]
Cast[]
| Voice Actors: | Character(s): |
|---|---|
| Rob Paulsen | Yakko Warner |
| Jess Harnell | Wakko Warner |
| Tress MacNeille | Dot Warner |
| Frank Welker | Ralph T. Guard, 23 and WB Employee |
| Stephanie Escajeda | Nora Rita Norita |
| Chrissie Fit | Cora |
| Candi Milo | Flora Dora Norita, Theodora |
| Fred Tatasciore | Founding Father |
| John DiMaggio | Benjamin Franklin |
| Alanna Ubach | Maura |
References[]
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmCUtuS1IlU timestamp: 1:24:21)
- ↑ Hulu Press- Animaniacs (2020)
- ↑ Corus Entertainment Delivers Audiences An Unbeatable Kids Channel Portfolio With Rebranded Networks - Corus Press. Published February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.