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Inherit the Wheeze is the 26th episode of the third season of Pinky and the Brain spin-off series and the 51st episode overall. It originally aired on February 14, 1998.

In a notably different shift from the usual kind of Pinky and the Brain cartoon, the episode tells a legitimate moral about the dangers of smoking.

Inherit the Wheeze[]

Animation by Rough Draft

Inherit the wheeze title

Plot[]

The Brain battles a cigarette addiction after undergoing painful experiments at ACME Labs headed by a cigarette company, Paul Bunion Tobacco (manufacturer of Lumberjack Cigarettes). Brain then schemes to take advantage of the Paul Bunion Tobacco Company's own dastardly plans to aid in his quest for world domination. Pinky questions Brain's motives multiple times and has him rethink things when the plan goes too far.

Crew[]

Songs[]

Trivia[]

  • This episode is considered to be the "special episode" of Pinky and the Brain with the anti-smoking and anti-animal cruelty messages. It won a PRISM Award for its anti-smoking message.[1]
  • Brain previously mentioned that he had loaned Pinky to a cigarette company in the episode "It's Only a Paper World."
  • Pinky initially believes that Brain's "space junk" comment referred to the 1996 film Space Jam. When Brain specifies that he was referring to "actual, worthless junk"; Pinky responds "Poit! So was I!" (ouch).
  • The "Lumberjacks you bought taste like cigarettes ought!" line in the "Lumberjack Cigarettes" song is a parody of the Winston Cigarettes slogan "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should!" Winston infamously did tie-in ads with The Flintstones featuring this slogan, and subsequently received backlash for advertising cigarettes with an animated series watched by many children.
  • The "Brainy Cigarettes" ad campaign is a spoof of the controversial Joe Camel campaign by the Camel cigarettes brand (especially evident by Brain mentioning the "rich, cool, smooth flavor"). The campaign was criticized for luring children to cigarettes despite denials by Camel parent company R. J. Reynolds Tobacco. Much like Joe Camel; Brainy Cigarettes comes under scrutiny for being targeted towards children (which the Paul Bunion Tobacco Company representative Les Tarr attempts to bluff by claiming their ad targets "short, immature adults who happen to like cartoon characters")
    • "Brainy Cigarettes" also spoofs the Lucky Charms advertising campaigns.
  • Brain refers to the conductor of the Brainy the Elf broadcast as "Mr. Stone," a nod to series composer Richard Stone.
  • Right at the end of the episode, the ending chorus suddenly cough, as if they inhaled the smoke.

Cast[]

Voice Actors: Character(s):
Rob Paulsen Pinky, Additional Voices
Maurice LaMarche The Brain, Additional Voices
Townsend Coleman Les Tarr, T.B. Bunion
T'keyah Crystal Keymah Singer
Michael McKean Mel Anoma, Lumberjack, Singer, Congressman
Tress MacNeille Nicky O'Tine, Singer
Pam Grier Julie Auburn

References[]


List of Pinky and the Brain episodes
Season 1
Das MouseOf Mouse And ManTokyo Grows / That Smarts / BrainstemPinky and the Fog / Where No Mouse Has Gone Before / Cheese Roll CallBrainaniaTV or Not TVNapoleon BrainaparteA Pinky and the Brain ChristmasSnowballAround the World in 80 NarfsFlyAmbulatory Abe / Mouse of La ManchaThe Third Mouse / The Visit
Season 2
It's Only A Paper WorldCollect 'em All / PinkassoPlan Brain From Outer SpaceThe Pink CandidateBrain's SongWelcome to the JungleA Little Off the Top / Megalomaniacs AnonymousThe Mummy / Robin BrainTwo Mice and a Baby / The MazeBrain of the FutureBrinkyHoop Schemes
Season 3
Leave it to Beavers / CinebrainiaBrain NoirPinky and the Brain... And Larry / Where the Deer and the Mousealopes PlayBrain's Bogie / Say What, EarthMy Feldmans, My FriendsAll You Need Is Narf / Pinky's PlanCold Open- A New Direction / This Old MouseBrain StormA Meticulous Analysis of History / Funny, You Don't Look RhennishThe Pinky ProtocolMice Don't Dance / Brain DrainedBrain AcresPinky and the Brainmaker / Calvin BrainPinky Suavo / T.H.E.YThe Real LifeBrain's WayA Pinky and the Brain HalloweenBrainy JackLeggo My Ego / Big in JapanBut That's Not All, Folks!Operation Sea Lion / You Said a MousefulThe Tailor and the Mice / Bah, WildernessPinky at the Bat / Schpiel-borg 2000Broadway MaladyThe Megalomaniacal Adventures of Brainie the Poo / The Melancholy BrainInherit the WheezeBrain's Night Off / Beach Blanket BrainThe Family That Poits Together, Narfs TogetherPinky's Turn / Your Friend: Global DominationYou'll Never Eat Food Pellets In This Town AgainDangerous BrainsWhat Ever Happened to Baby Brain / Just Say NarfThe Pinky P.O.V. / The Really Great Dictator / Brain Food
Season 4
Brainwashed:

(Part 1 - Brain, Brain, Go AwayPart 2 - I Am Not a HatPart 3 - Wash Harder)
To Russia With Lab Mice / Hickory Dickory BonkThe Pinky and the Brain Reunion SpecialA Legendary Tail / Project B.R.A.I.N.
The Ultimate Animaniacs Super Special: (Star Warners)

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