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The Cutening/Close Encounters of the Worst Kind/Equal Time is the sixth episode of the Animaniacs reboot.

Synopsis[]

Dot discovers a recipe for cuteness. Aliens don’t share Brain’s goals. Odd political ads.[1]

Theme Song[]

OpenShot2020

Variable Verse[]

Wakko: Part Great Dane-y!

The Cutening[]

Animation by Titmouse, Inc.

The Cutening

Plot[]

Dot wakes up to a horrible, ugly morning, and is disgusted by her brothers. Dot gets out a strange, cute, sentinent cupcake and eats it to make herself look really cute. Dot becomes a kawaii style of cartoon and decides to do it on her brothers as well. Dot decides to use her cute powers on the whole world, and it becomes a whole new cute cartoon (The Cutening). Four weeks later, the Warners have become insane, and can't stop singing. Dot notices a gross pigeon and wonders if they do gross things, they'll change back. The Warners decide to lick the pigeon and vomit, changing the world back to normal, except for the Warners being half-pigeon.

Crew[]

  • Written by Jess Lacher and Andrew Barbot
  • Directed by Brett Varon

Songs[]

Trivia[]

Close Encounters of the Worst Kind[]

Animation by Snipple Animation Studios

Close Encounters of the Worse Kind

Plot[]

Brain makes a recording to contact with aliens asking them to take over the world and allow him to rule it. At the end of the recording, it changes to Pinky singing "Limbs Fall Off". Brain is angry that Pinky taped over his message, and contacts the aliens quickly so he can meet them in the woods. Once the two aliens arrive they greet Brain happily, the leader introducing herself as Gabriella (the other is named Meredith). Brain wants them to take over the world, starting with the mall.

At the mall, instead of wrecking havoc, all they do is eat food and sing karaoke with Pinky, particularly the song "I Wanna Dance." Brain takes Pinky out of the karaoke center and goes to the spaceship and tries to go to the planet in search of others who share his goals. The spaceship crashes, and scientists take Pinky and Brain thinking that they are the aliens. They are taken in by the government and experimented by them. Pinky notices that Gabriella is singing on TV, while Brain plots his next scheme to take over the world.

Crew[]

  • Written by Greg White, Jess Lacher, and Andrew Barbot
  • Directed by Brett Varon

Songs[]

Trivia[]

  • The title "Close Encounters of The Worst Kind" parodies "Close Encounters of The Third Kind".
  • Pinky and the Brain were previously captured by the government in the alien-centric spin-off episode "Plan Brain from Outer Space".
  • Pinky breakdances like Curly Howard while singing karaoke.
  • When greeting the aliens, Pinky does the Vulcan salute made famous by Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame.
  • The mall that the characters go to is called the ”Cloverfield LN Mall". This is a reference to the 2016 Cloverfield film 10 Cloverfield Lane.
  • A cut line from this episode is Gabriella introducing her friend, Meredith.[2]
  • See below for Phone Number Controversy.

Gallery[]

Episode Screencaps[]

Storyboards By Karl Hadrika[]

Equal Time[]

Animation by Titmouse

Equal Time title

Plot[]

The Warners are hosting the 2020 elections, with Dot reporting from Iowa, which is boring, and Wakko with the electoral map, who tries to sing "Wakko's America" to spice things up, but it's the same. The Warners decide that they should show other electoral candidates' ads for what they'll do, because the main ones are too boring. One ad is if Jean Gravy is elected president, she will make all private pools public. If Ed Ortiz is elected president, he will jump out at people, and say his ideas. Another party ad is about to play, but is hacked by a Russian party trying to run for president in America, the candidate being Johnny Thanksgiving, a robot. Yakko knows that it's not the right ad, and Wakko has been replaced by Johnny Thanksgiving denying that he did it. Yakko believes Johnny, while suddenly, it malfunctions. Yakko asks Johnny if he's okay, while the Russians look into the camera wondering if the US will allow the election of a robot. Another Russian said he's more human than the last guy, as they laugh.

Crew[]

  • Written by Jess Lacher, Andrew Barbot, and Wellesley Wild
  • Directed by Brett Varon

Songs[]

Trivia[]

  • When the Russians say "more human than the last guy", they are referring to Donald Trump.
  • In the episode you can see the 2019 Warner Bros. logo designed by Pentagram in the bottom-left corner.

International Releases[]

  • Canada: November 28, 2020 (Teletoon)
  • Latin America: August 14, 2021 (HBO Max)
  • Australia: September 1, 2021 (Stan)

Phone Number Controversy[]

  • This episode was originally pulled from Hulu on November 23rd, 2020 due to some viewers discovering that Brain’s phone number in "Close Encounters of the Worst Kind" would lead to a real-life sex hotline. This was not intentional, but rather an unfortunate coincidence. The episode would be revised (twice) and later relisted:
    • The first revision removed all text from the scene.
    • The second and final revision, which came a few hours later after the first revision, restored the text while featuring a different phone number.

Comparison[]

Gallery covered due to the original number leading to more risqué content, click at your own discretion. The Animaniacs Wiki advises against trying to call these numbers.


Cast[]

Voice Actors: Character(s):
Rob Paulsen Yakko Warner, Pinky
Jess Harnell Wakko Warner
Tress MacNeille Dot Warner
Maurice LaMarche The Brain
Lauren Lapkus Gabriella, Cupcake
Rachael MacFarlane Jean Gravy, Boss
Carlos Alazraqui Ed Ortiz, Grandson, Tuck Buckerson
Danny Jacobs Russian Tech
Kimberly Brooks Audience Member
Nancy McKeon Additional Vocals

References[]

List of Animaniacs (Reboot) episodes
Season 1
Jurassic Lark / Suspended Animation (Part 1) / Of Mice and Memes / Suspended Animation (Part 2)Warners Unbound / How to Brain Your Dragon / Suffragette CityGold Meddlers / Pinko and the Brain / Math-Terpiece Theater: ApplesBun Control / Ex-Mousina / BloopfGood Warner Hunting / No Brainer / Ralph CamThe Cutening / Close Encounters of the Worst Kind / Equal TimeWarner She Wrote / France France Revolution / Gift RapperWhoDonut / Mousechurian Candidate / Starbox and CindyHere Comes Treble / That's Not the Issue / Future Brain / The Incredible Gnome in People's MouthsAnima-Nyet / Babysitter's Flub / The Warners' Press ConferencePhantomaniacs / Fear and Laughter in Burbank / Bride of Pinky / Things That Go Bump in the NightA Zit! / 1001 Narfs / Manny ManspreaderHindenburg Cola / FLOTUS, FLOTUS, What Do You Know About Us?
Season 2
Rome Sweet Rome / Backwards Pinky / Wakko's Short Shorts: Now LoadingPlease Submit / The Flawed Couple / Everyday SafetyRug of War / Run Pinky Run / The Hamburg TicklerRalph World / My Super Sour Sixteen / How To: Brain Takes Over The WorldThe Warners Are Present / The Pinktator / Know Your ScrollYakko's Big Idea / Mouse Congeniality / Rejected Animaniacs CharactersYakko Amakko / The Longest Word / Happy Narfday / Magna CartoonWakkiver Twist (Part 1) / Plight of Hand / Wakkiver Twist (Part 2)What Is That? / Mouse Madness / Christopher Columbusted / Fake MedicinesExercise Minute / Reichenbrain Falls / Targeted Ads / BathtimeA Brief History of History / Gerard / The Prisoner's Dilemma / Math-Terpiece Theater: Beach BallsWarner's Ark / The Apology / Narf Over Troubled Water / The Warner's Vault80's Cats / All About the Benjamin / 23 and WB
Season 3
Previously On / Season 3 and WB (Part 1) / How To: Friendship / Season 3 and WB (Part 2)Soda-pressed / A Starbox is Born / Royal FlushPlanet Warner / Talladega Mice: The Ballad of Pinky Brainy / D.I.WHY?Fantasy / Über Nachtmare / Mad Mouse: Furry RoadTeeniacs / Dog Days / Groundmouse DayAnimaliens / Murder Pals (Part 1) / Groundmouse Day Again / Murder Pals (Part 2) / The Island of Dr. Warneau / Murder Pals (Part 3)Global Warnering / Lawn in Sixty Seconds / All's Fair in Love and Door / Cute Things That Can Kill YouWARnerGAMESBedtime / WARnerGAMES 2 / Crumbly's MomentHow the Brain Thieved Christmas (Part 1) / Santamaniacs / How the Brain Thieved Christmas (Part 2)International Mouse of Mystery / Aliens Resurrected / Joe / The Stickening / Slappy's Return / Everyday Safety: Giant Adirondack Chair
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