"Birds on a Wire", "The Scoring Session" and "The Animaniacs Suite" are the three segments of Episode 99, which is the final episode of Season 5 and the series finale of the original Animaniacs.
The episode originally aired on Kids' WB as part of The Ultimate Animaniacs Super Special along with the series finale of Pinky and the Brain, "Star Warners." It premiered on November 14, 1998.
Newsreel of the Stars
See also: Episode 1: De-Zanitized/The Monkey Song/Nighty-Night Toon#Newsreel of the Stars
- Animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co., Ltd.
Theme Song (extended)
Variable verse
Yakko, Wakko and Dot: "Pinky and the Brain-y"
Trivia
- The line "While Bill Clinton plays the sax" from the original version of the song returns, replacing "While we pay tons of income tax".
- The line "Meet Pinky and the Brain who want to rule the universe." returns, replacing "Meet Ralph and Dr. Scratchansniff, Say hi to Hello Nurse." from prior episodes.
Birds on a Wire
Animation by Koko Enterprises
Plot
The Goodfeathers observe a beautiful sunrise. When Pesto comments about enjoying the breeze coming from the north, Squit comments about the breeze coming from the west, which causes Pesto to become annoyed and attack Squit.
Trivia
- This is the final Goodfeathers cartoon.
- This is the final cartoon to be animated by Koko Enterprises.
- Per the EIDR, this segment is classified as "Birds on a Wire I."[1] Meanwhile, the two segments from Hooray for North Hollywood "part 1 are classified as the second and third Birds on a Wire installments.[2]
- During its initial airing under The Ultimate Animaniacs Super Special, this cartoon was broadcast last. This technically makes "Birds on a Wire" the final "new" cartoon to be broadcast during the original series.[3]
The Scoring Session
Animation by Wang Film Production
Plot
Neivel Nosenest, filling in for regular conductor Richard Stone, leads a scoring session for an Animaniacs episode with the whole cast as the orchestra and the Warners, once again, annoying him.
Crew
- Written by Nick DuBois, Kevin Hopps, Randy Rogel and Tom Ruegger
- Directed by Mike Milo
Trivia
- The name of the cartoon being scored in this segment is "Lights, Camera, Traction!"
- The orchestra consists of:
- The Hip Hippos - cellos
- Runt - cello
- Tom Lavin - cello
- Ralph T. Guard - timpani and bass drum
- The Goodfeathers - tubular bells
- Dr. Scratchansniff, Frau Hassenfeffer, and Steve Bernstein - trombones
- Pinky and the Brain and Skippy Squirrel - trumpets
- The Mime - mime trumpet
- Sid the Squid, Walter Wolf, and Beanie the Brain-Dead Bison - clarinets
- Slappy Squirrel and Vina Walleen - flutes
- Chicken Boo, Rita, Katie Ka-Boom, composer Julie Bernstein, Stinkbomb D. Basset, Minerva Mink, Mindy, and Hello Nurse - violins
- Dot Warner - violin
- Yakko Warner - piano
- Wakko Warner - drums and percussion
- This is the final Yakko, Wakko, and Dot cartoon of the original series.
- This is the second of two shorts where Katie Ka-Boom appeared outside her own segment, the other being "The Big Wrap Party Tonight".
- Mindy appears without Buttons.
- This is the final cartoon in the original Animaniacs to be animated by Wang Film Production.
- Wang would continue to animate for Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain until 1999.
Goofs
- When Runt was saying that one of the notes is a G-Flat, Rita's eyes are green.
- Minerva Mink is shown as the size of a normal mink, rather than the size of a human.
- When the crew going on their union break, Slappy is the size of a normal squirrel rather than slightly shorter than the average human.
Transition: Very Special Opening
Animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co., Ltd.
Plot
In a redubbed version of the "Very Special Show" opening, the Warners introduce a tribute to the first 99 episodes of Animaniacs.
Trivia
- In the original broadcast of this episode under The Ultimate Animaniacs Super Special, the "Very Special Opening" is used twice. First, it is shown right before "Newsreel of the Stars" (logo only), then it later plays right before "The Animaniacs Suite (with both the logo and Warners skit). In all future releases of this episode, the "Very Special Opening" before "Newsreel" is removed.
- The ending of this version of the very special opening, where Wakko's line was originally, "It's especially stinky!" (it can be heard here and viewed here), could be heard on certain non-US prints of episode 35. When this version was eventually used (in the US and internationally) for this episode, the line had been redubbed to "It actually doesn't stink!"
The Animaniacs Suite
Plot
Richard Stone and the Warner Bros. Studio Symphony perform an arranged medley of various themes played throughout Animaniacs, accompanied by a seven minute-montage of clips from all 99 episodes of the show.
Crew
- Edited by Al Breitenbach
- Composed by Richard Stone
Songs
- "The Animaniacs Suite"
- The themes heard, in order, are:
- Trepak (Russian Dance) (Title card music, mixed with the Animaniacs Theme Song)
- Introduction (with the Animaniacs Theme Song, and interpolations of the "Barber of Seville" overture and Beethoven's 5th Symphony)
- The Warners' theme (with some interpolations of "Stars and Stripes Forever", "the Light Cavalry Overture", "Rule Britannia", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", and "La Marseilles")
- Pinky and the Brain Theme
- Mindy's theme
- Rita's theme (also accompanied by footage of Hello Nurse and Minerva Mink)
- Goodfeathers cue
- Slappy's cue (Dvorak's "Humoresque")
- Medley recapitulation
- Theme song reprise
- The themes heard, in order, are:
Trivia
- This is the final segment of the original Animaniacs by production order.
- A specific portion of "The Animaniacs Suite" would be reused in the end credits theme of Wakko's Wish.
- One working title for this segment was "Rich Stone Clip Show," named after composer Richard Stone.[1]
Production Notes
- The existence of this episode was initially teased (along with Wakko's Wish) on February 9, 1998[4], with further conformation (along with "Star Warners") by Tom Ruegger on July 13, 1998.[5]
- At one point, this episode was scheduled to air in September of 1998.[4]
- Apparently, "The Scoring Session" was at one point set to be apart of an alternate episode 98 with "There's Only One of You" and "The Christmas Tree" at one point.[6]
- Not counting Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain, this was the final Animaniacs-branded episode for 22 years and 6 days until the first episode of the Animaniacs reboot series.
- Barring the Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain series, these are the final special/gag credits to air in an Animaniacs episode. The 2020 reboot lacks gag credits.
- Both this episode and the pilot feature material animated by Wang, providing bookends of sorts for the series.
- Wakko Warner is last character to speak in the original series, not counting the closing line after the credits.
Cast
Voice Actors: | Character(s): |
Rob Paulsen | Yakko Warner, Dr. Scratchansniff, Pinky |
Jess Harnell | Wakko Warner, Walter Wolf |
Tress MacNeille | Dot Warner, Hello Nurse, Marita Hippo, Miss Flamiel, Frau Hassenfeffer |
John Mariano | Bobby |
Chick Vennera | Pesto |
Maurice LaMarche | Squit, The Brain, Wakko's Burps |
Michael McKean | Neivel Nosenest |
Frank Welker | Ralph T. Guard, Runt, Flavio Hippo, Recording Engineer |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rich Stone Clip Show / Birds On A Wire I / The Scoring Session - eidr
- ↑ Birds On A Wire II / Birds On A Wire III / There's Only One Of You / Hooray For North Hollywood, Part 1 - eidr. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ↑ The Kids Block Blog+ - Animaniacs Schedule Archive (1998-1999). Retrieved February 27, 2022
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 (NEWS) An "extra" Animaniacs episode. - Jaime J. Weinman. alt.tv.animaniacs. Published February 9, 1998. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ↑ Toon Zone- Brian Cruz's WB Cartoons Page. "Old News". Published July 13, 1998. Retrieved February 28, 2022
- ↑ There's Only One Of You / The Christmas Tree / The Scoring Session - eidr. Retrieved October 2, 2024.