Phantomaniacs/Fear and Laughter in Burbank/Bride of Pinky/Things That Go Bump in the Night is the eleventh episode of the Animaniacs reboot.
This is the seventh Halloween-themed episode in the Animaniacs franchise overall and the first one of the reboot series.
Synopsis[]
Halloween in Burbank: The Warners haunt a television and encounter a scary clown. Brain frightens a whole village into submission. Spooky monsters get claustrophobic. [1]
Phantomaniacs[]
Animation by Titmouse, Inc.
Plot[]
A little girl named Kelly Sue, who is sleeping with her family, wakes up to find the TV on with static. The Warners pop out as ghosts, and wreck havoc around the home, waking up the family. When Wakko sees a stuffed clown, him and his siblings go back into the TV. However, it turns out that the family’s cat used the TV to suck them back inside. But the little girl turns the TV back on as the water tower appears in her eyes, saying "They’re back!"
Crew[]
- Written by Wellesley Wild
- Directed by Katie Rice
Trivia[]
- This segment is a parody of the 1982 film Poltergeist.
Gallery[]
Production Art[]
Theme Song[]
Variable Verse[]
Yakko, Wakko and Dot: Must eat brain-ey!
Trivia[]
- The theme song is slightly modified in this halloween-themed variant of the theme.
- There is a unique transition from Phantomaniacs to the theme song, where the camera zooms in from the girl's eyes to the Water Tower.
- The theme song animation is altered:
- The theme song is put over a black and white color scheme with a purple tint with a purple tint.
- The screen is slightly blurrier.
- An intense vignette surrounds the screen.
- Yakko's pants, Wakko's hat and the trio's noses are the only areas in color. The noses specifically retaining their color is similar to how they retained their color in black-and-white cartoons from the original series such as "Newsreel of the Stars."
- Yakko, Wakko and Dot’s fangs are sharper.
- An eerie noise plays throughout the theme song.
Fear and Laughter in Burbank[]
Animation by Snipple Animation Studios
Plot[]
While the Warners are out trick or treating, they arrive at a house with a candy bowl. The sign reads "take one please" which Yakko and Dot obey; while Wakko takes a huge clump of candy. The candy rolls out of Wakko’s hands, and falls into the sewer. When running to it, Wakko then notices that there are eyes in the sewer. A mysterious figure asks if Wakko wants his candy back. Wakko hesitates, despite the insistence of the figure.
Wakko, Dot, and Nickelwise.
The figure reveals himself to be a clown. Wakko is initially extremely scared, due to his fears of clowns... but abandons it as he thinks this particular clown is a "cutie". The clown introduces himself as Nickelwise the Dancing Clown. The Warners are rather enthusiastic that he’s a dancer, and think he’s a regular John Travolta. Nickelwise explains that he feeds on fear while scaring a little kid dressed as Robin. The Warners drive Nickelwise insane, and he screams. Ralph then appears saying they shouldn’t be out alone, and what they’re doing. Dot replies saying they’re talking to their sewer friend, “Nickelpie the Dancing Guy”. Three balloons then come out of the sewer, each shaped to attract the Warners. Yakko wonders if Nickelwise turned into the balloons.
The lights flicker as Dot turns off the sink.
Dot follows her pink balloon into an old bathroom, calling for Nickelwise. After the lights flicker, her reflection in the mirror turns into an old lady, and Dot screams. The reflection turns into Nickelwise and he asks if Dot likes what she sees, and how she won't be cute anymore once old. Dot asks Nickelwise to go back to the old lady, and she asks if her reflection would want to adopt some cats. Old Dot agrees while Nickelwise leaves the bathroom dazed, and gets a kid's fear out of himself.
Wakko eager to eat the rubber food.
Wakko follows the hot-dog shaped balloon into an empty stage and finds a table of food. Wakko starts to eat the food while the voice of Nickelwise tells him to eat. Wakko discovers that all of the food is rubber (not that this is stopping him). Nickelwise's face pops out of a turkey evily, but Wakko just eats Nickelwise. Nickelwise escapes from Wakko's mouth, and gets out more children's fear. Nickelwise runs out of the warehouse to meet his final victim.
“ Can’t you hear me, man? React!”
Yakko follows the blue balloon to an office, where everything is quiet. Yakko makes multiple jokes but nobody responds. This scars him, but rejoices when the balloon pops and Nickelwise appears. Yakko tries to make a joke, but Nickelwise just sits there, not caring at all. Yakko gets really scared, fearing no one finds him funny. Then Nickelwise starts to suck out Yakko's fear (Yakko isn’t that weak he just knows the plot), until he starts to grow really large. Wakko and Dot arrive, and stop Nickelwise.
The Warners go crazy.
Yakko is happy to see his siblings, and asks if they think he's funny. Wakko and Dot agree, which lifts Yakko's spirits. Yakko asks where they've been, his siblings respond with what they each saw. The Warners then dance around happily, driving Nickelwise insane and he starts to puke out children's fears, and runs away while getting smaller. He is unable to even reach elevator button. The Warners try to help Nickelwise, but instead he runs out the window and back into the sewer, giving back the kid dressed up as Robin's fears. The Warners follow him, asking him if he'll be their friend. Nickelwise denies, and goes into a paper boat and into the sewer pipe. The Warners find only his clothes, and wonder where he's gone. They think he really is a John Travolta, while Nickelwise comes into the bath where Ralph is hiding from Halloween.
Crew[]
- Written by Greg White, Kathleen Chen, and Brian Polk
- Directed by Katie Rice
Songs[]
- "Nice and Chubby Baby" (Archival Audio)
Trivia[]
- This is the final segment to be animated by Snipple Animation Studios.
- The title of this cartoon is a spoof of the 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
- As Wakko follows the hot-dog shaped balloon into an the stage, it has the #13 to the right of the entrance.
- The Warners are dressed up as the Marx brothers for Halloween, an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway and in motion pictures. The Marx Brothers were also a huge influence on the creation of the Warners.
- Dot spinning her head around while driving Nickelwise crazy is a reference to the horror film The Exorcist.
- Paul Rugg's performance of Mr. Clown's song from "Clown and Out" is played slowed down twice, the first when Dot points out Wakko's fear of clowns, the second when Nickelwise encounters Ralph in the tub.
- Archival audio of hiccups recorded by Mel Blanc is used for Wakko during the rubber food scene.
Allusions to It[]
- Much of this segment is a parody of Stephen King’s novel It, taking cues from the 2017 film adaptation in particular.
- The scene where Wakko's candy falls down the sewer is similar to the scene where Georgie's boat falls down the sewer.
- Nickelwise is a parody of the clown Pennywise.
- When Nickelwise says "Hiya, Wakkie!", this references Pennywise's line "Hiya, Georgie!".
- The scene where Dot encounters Nickelwise in the bathroom is similar to the scene where Beverley hears Pennywise's voice in her bathroom.
Bride of Pinky[]
Animation by Titmouse
Plot[]
In a parody of Frankenstein, Brain fashions a monster to frighten a village into submission, but the monster, named Drusilla, and Pinky fall in love. Brain then decides to create another monster, to use him to take over the village. While Pinky is preparing for the wedding, Brain works hard on the monster. At the wedding, when everyone sees Drusilla’s true self, they chase after Pinky and his bride, while Brain finishes his new monster, who is brought to life scaring away the angry mob. This results in Pinky losing out on Drusilla as she wants the new monster instead. After comforting Pinky, Brain says they must prepare for the next night, where they will once more try to take over the village.
Crew[]
- Written by Greg White and Wellesley Wild
- Directed by Katie Rice
Songs[]
Trivia[]
- Prior to this episode, elements of Frankenstein were spoofed in the Pinky and the Brain episode "Brain Acres." Similarly to this episode, Brain’s monster creation formed a bond with Pinky (albeit a VERY different one).
- Peegor is a play on words of Igor.
- After Pinky compliments the castle, Brain remarks that he "employed only the top masons. Those schooled in the latest techniques of wall-stone craft." This is a nod to English writer Mary Wollstonecraft, who is the mother of Mary Shelley, who went on to write Frankenstein.
- Pinky previously endured a heartbreaking end to a relationship with Winnie the Sea-Lion in the spin-off episode "Operation Sea Lion." Brain also tried to console Pinky there.
- The title of this cartoon is a spoof on Bride of Frankenstein.
- One of the weapons the townspeople carry is a spork.
- The Warners cameo in Peegor's sack.
- According to Genevieve Tsai, the second monster Dr. Brainenstein creates bears some physical resemblances to Star Platinum from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.[2]
Things That Go Bump in the Night[]
Animation by Titmouse
Plot[]
In the dark, two monsters bump into each other while one of them apologizes. Another monster bumps in and asks where his thumb is. One monster thinks he’s sitting on it, but it’s actually a bigger monster’s tail. Another monster bumps in and says he doesn’t have a tail. Then a monster starts licking other monsters, which turns out to be a gigantic monster who will one day rule the world. The other monsters leave quickly, to get away from the gigantic monster.
Crew[]
- Written by Kathleen Chen and Brian Polk
- Directed by Katie Rice
Trivia[]
- This is the first one-shot cartoon in the reboot to not feature any pre-existing characters.
- This is the sixth one-shot cartoon in the entire franchise, after "Wings Take Heart", "Wild Blue Yonder", "The Brave Little Trailer", "A Gift of Gold", and "No Time for Love."
- "Wild Blue Yonder" also fits in this category but was sequelized in a Slappy Squirrel segment.
- This is the sixth one-shot cartoon in the entire franchise, after "Wings Take Heart", "Wild Blue Yonder", "The Brave Little Trailer", "A Gift of Gold", and "No Time for Love."
- This segment is introduced and concluded by an offscreen-narrator (Maurice LaMarche) who sounds like Vincent Price.
International Releases[]
- Canada: January 1, 2021 (Teletoon)
- Latin America: August 14, 2021 (HBO Max)
- Australia: September 1, 2021 (Stan)
Cast[]
| Voice Actors: | Character(s): |
|---|---|
| Rob Paulsen | Yakko Warner, Pinky |
| Jess Harnell | Wakko Warner |
| Tress MacNeille | Dot Warner |
| Maurice LaMarche | The Brain |
| Frank Welker | Ralph T. Guard, Cat, Priest, Vampire |
| Peter Stormare | Nickelwise |
| Lesley Nicol | Drusilla, Baker’s Wife |
| Jake Green | Glowing Eyes |
| Kevin Michael Richardson | Glowing Eyes |
| Kari Wahlgren | Glowing Eyes, Kelly Sue, Mom |
| Nancy McKeon | Additional Vocals |
| Paul Rugg | Mr. Clown (archival audio, uncredited) |
| Mel Blanc | Wakko's hiccups (archival audio, uncredited) |
References[]
- ↑ Hulu Press- Animaniacs (2020)
- ↑ "Interview with Scott O'Brien and Genevieve Tsai" Poitcast - A Pinky and The Brain Podcast. 18, Oct. 2021. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1812600/9380996-interview-with-scott-o-brien-and-genevieve-tsai-animaniacs-2020