TV Review: "Anime: Drawing A Revolution"

Over the past 20+ years, anime has grown from being a niche in America to a hot commodity in Hollywood. With The Wachowskis (The Matrix series) set to bring Speed Racer to the screen next summer and film versions of Astro Boy and Gatchaman not far behind, the profile of anime is about to get even higher. This Japanese artform is explored in “Anime: Drawing A Revolution,” the newest installment of Starz's monthly series Starz Inside. While longtime anime fans may have some thing to nitpick about this special, it's actually a great introduction to anime and why it is popular in the U.S. and elsewhere.

“Anime: Drawing A Revolution” is divided up into sections that deal with a particular theme. These sections include “The Roots Of Anime,” “The Art Of Anime,” “Anime In The U.S.A.,” “Anime Is Here To Stay,” and “Hollywood Rides The Wave.” In addition, there are short pieces called case studies that explore the influences of anime in non-anime works such as Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the movie Sin City.

What makes up the bulk of the program are interviews with various voice actors, creators, producers, fans, and authors. These interviews are insightful and eyeopening as they answer many questions about anime (Why do some characters have really large eyes?) and reveal not only what drew these people to this artform but also how it informs their work. In a short clip, David Silverman, director of The Simpsons Movie, talks about how some of the animation techniques in Akira influenced him and The Simpsons itself.

There are a few things about “Anime: Drawing A Revolution” that don't make it quite as definitive as it could be. American animation fans might be discouraged at the overall tone of the program as quite a few comments praise anime while dismissing American cartoons. While the program does a good job at showing the cross-cultural exchange of ideas between Japan and America when it comes to anime (The anime version of the Witchblade comic book, for example), it doesn't acknowledge the way anime has been influencing current American animation all that well. This is a surprise, especially considering that one of the people interviewed is Glen Murakami, a producer of the anime-influenced Teen Titans series.

Although the program says repeatedly that anime comes in all different genres, most of the clips used are the traditionally violent clips from action and science-fiction shows. The program also doesn't define many uniquely anime/manga genres apart from giant robot/mecha. There's no mention of shoujo, for example. While the program does do a good job at talking about many of the shows that made anime popular in the U.S., it makes little mention of Cartoon Network beyond a passing reference to Adult Swim. For a whole generation of fans, Cartoon Network's Toonami block was one of the few places to reliably see anime that wasn't Pokemon. Also, the program's section about anime fans and the Internet is woefully underdone. This may be intentional, as issues of piracy (via fansubbing) would be interwoven into any real exploration of anime and the Internet.

Overall, “Anime: Drawing A Revolution” is a solid introduction to the world of anime to those who may not be familiar with it. It's one of the few (if not the first) television programs from a mainstream network to really deal with this phenomenon. There may be some things to nitpick for those of us who are longtime fans, but ultimately, this program wasn't really made with us in mind. It was made for people who may for people curious about anime and who had few places to turn for easy-to-understand information. Ideally, this program will help anime get more respect as an artform beyond perceptions of it being cheaply made kiddie programs and ultraviolent porn.

TV Movie Review: High School Musical 2

One of the most anticipated sequels of the summer is something made for the small screen. High School Musical 2 premiered on August 17, 2007 and is the follow-up to High School Musical, the blockbuster 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie that became a phenomenon.

The original film became the bestselling TV movie DVD ever and spawned not only the bestselling album of 2006 but a concert tour, tons of merchandise, and many, many theatrical productions. The movie put its stars on the map with three cast members releasing albums, one starring in his very own “DCOM,” one appearing in the big screen remake of Hairspray, and one strutting her stuff on Dancing With The Stars.

With months and months of hype and the future of a multi-million dollar franchise at stake, High School Musical 2 had a lot to live up to. Fortunately, the movie delivers with flying colors. High School Musical 2 is just as much fun as the original and should delight its target audience and beyond.

Everyone behind the original film is back including director/choreographer Kenny Ortega and writer Peter Barsocchini. The film picks up a few months after the conclusion of the original as the students of East High await summer vacation. Basketball player Troy (Zac Efron) and brainy Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) are a couple and look forward to spending time together. It's especially important to Gabriella, who is experiencing her first summer without moving. Troy and Gabriella, along with Chad (Corbin Bleu), Taylor (Monique Coleman), Zeke (Chris Warren Jr.), Martha (Kaycee Stroh), Kelsi (Olesya Rulin), and Jason (Ryne Sanborn), are having trouble finding summer jobs.

The antagonists of the original film are also back for more. Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) and her brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) are members of the exclusive Lava Springs Country Club. Sharpay is looking to win the country club's annual Talent Show and cement her dominance there. Her plot to win involves getting Troy to sing with her. She gets the club's manager to offer Troy a job at the club. Troy won't take the job unless his friends get jobs and thus, all the Wildcats end up working at the country club.

Where the first film dealt with the issue of cliques, this one deals with the issue of class. Sharpay and Ryan's family is very, very rich (they own the country club) and Sharpay wields the power her status provides like a knife. Far from the stuck-up girl in the original film, Sharpay is a mean, Paris Hilton-in-training here as she gradually turns Troy away from his friends and dangles the potential of a college scholarship as bait. At the same time, Ryan is depressed as Sharpay and even his parents take a liking to Troy and start to forget about him. While Troy moves up in status thanks to Sharpay (and becomes a jerk in the process), Ryan finds friendship in the very same people he looked down upon in the first film.

The performances in High School Musical 2 are pretty good. A couple in real life (at the moment), Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens have real chemistry as Troy and Gabriella. The other actors also do a good job and it's nice to see minor characters from the first film (especially Ryan) get beefed up parts. However, Ashley Tisdale steals the show. Her Sharpay is not only vicious and self-absorbed, but also hilarious. Tisdale's performance is over-the-top, but she gives the character enough depth that you can almost understand her actions by the end of the movie.

The choreography in the film is top-notch. The musical numbers are bigger, bolder, and full of energy. The opener, “What Time Is It?” is massive as it combines elements of dances from the earlier films (there is a portion with basketballs) and new twists of its own (the seemingly neverending wave). “Work It Out” takes place in a kitchen and features a Stomp-esque portion with pots and pans. “I Don't Dance” is this film's “Get'cha Head In The Game” replacing basketball with baseball.

The music in the film is comparable to (and sometimes better than) the music of the first film. Unlike the first film, Zac Efron does all his own singing here. Two tracks stand out from the rest. “Fabulous,” a song for Ashley Tisdale's Sharpay is great fun with a sophistication that almost equals the ironic “Stick To The Status Quo” from the first film. However, “You Are The Music In Me” (performed by Efron and Vanessa Hudgens) is arguably the best song that's appeared in either movie. The ballad version (as opposed to the hilariously bad version performed by Ashley Tisdale) is a surprisingly good pop song. This is a song that, remade by the right artist, could possibly crossover beyond the tween demographic of the movie.

Overall, High School Musical 2 is a blast, a perfect capper to the summer of 2007. Although it's not better than the original, it's not worse either. Even though it's technically a “bigger” film than the previous one, it's also more focused on relationships. The relationships between Troy and Gabriella, Troy and his friends, Ryan and the Wildcats, and Sharpay and Troy are what ultimately drive the film. It goes for heavier issues than the last film such as the uncertainty of the future and the pressure to choose between friends/family and individual success.

It's going to be a treat to watch this film again during one of its many airings on Disney Channel. If the next frontier for the High School Musical franchise is the big screen (as long rumored), then I can't wait to see what the people behind these films can do with a bigger canvas and a bigger budget.

A Pleasant Surprise From MTV

I don't know why they decided to do it, but MTV decided to air a block of Undressed tonight. For those who aren't familiar with it, Undressed was a racy, late-night soap opera that was a guilty pleasure for me back when it aired from 1999-2002. It featured multiple stories and they only lasted for a few episodes at most. The show featured a slew of young unknowns and semi-unknowns. Since I watch a lot of TV, I would often recognize former child stars in their first adult roles on the show.

Even though there was no nudity, this show was as daring as anything to air on basic cable (well, before the likes of Nip/Tuck anyway). Nothing was off-limits sexually. The episodes I'm watching right now have featured a guy who wants to get circumcised because his girlfriend thinks his stuff looks strange, a guy (with a gay roommate) who decides to contribute to a sperm bank to help pay off his debts, and a girl who alienates her friends by wanting to break their pact of virginity.

I miss the MTV of shows like this. Maybe them randomly showing Undressed is a hint that they want to bring that MTV back.

URGE Channel In The Works?

I noticed something odd in the program guide for my cable system (Comcast) over the weekend. For the MTV Hits video channel, it showed something called “URGE TV” as being on. I turned to MTV Hits and found it still being its usual self.

Later on, however, the short name of the channel actually changed to URGE in my program guide. When I checked the guide today, it was back to being MTV Hits.

Many of you probably know that URGE is MTV/VH1's digital music store and given that MTV Hits is still doing that “Playlistism” thing, it probably makes sense to turn the Playlists idea and turn into its own channel. What better way would there to get the URGE name out there than to make a whole channel surrounding it?

If an URGE channel is in the works, I hope that it doesn't actually replace MTV Hits the way CMT Pure replaced VH1 Country or MTV Trés replaced MTV Español. MTV Hits was the place to catch a good combination of pop music videos and everything else that was popular. Just like VH1 Soul and MTV Jams, it was a place to see videos you couldn't see on MTV at all. I'm not against the idea of an URGE channel. I just hope MTV Hits doesn't have to disappear for that to happen.

Thoughts On The New Biker Mice From Mars

Way back in 2005, I wrote about the 1990's cartoon Biker Mice From Mars, which I enjoyed watching back in the day. In 2006, a new version of the show premiered in the UK. Recently, I was able to see the first two episodes of the new Biker Mice show. Overall, I have to say that it's a pretty good show.

The first thing that makes the 2006 Biker Mice show stand out from other reboots of 1980's and 1990's series like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers is the fact that it's not exactly a reboot. It's a continuation of the original series. The new show picks up 10 years after the old show ended (the old show ended in 1996, so the 10 year gap is in real time too).

The Biker Mice are on Mars and are fighting new aliens called Catatonians. I don't want to give too much away since the show hasn't yet aired in America but needless to say, circumstances happen that end up with the Biker Mice returning to Earth. The mice reunite with friend/gear jockey Charley in Chicago, which is more or less ruled by the real-estate mogul Ronaldo Rump. Rump and the Catatonians (who are led by the brawny Cataclysm and his nutty brother Hairball) join forces to stop the mice and capture General Stoker, the mice's mentor and key to their nefarious plans (and the survival of Mars).

The original show had a very good voice cast and featured a variety of talented actors including a pre-Everybody Loves Raymond Brad Garrett and a pre-King Of Queens Leah Remini. The voices of the three Biker Mice, Rob Paulsen (Throttle), Ian Ziering (Vinnie), and Dorian Harewood (Modo) all return for the new show. Peter Strauss, who played Stoker in the original show, also reprises his role. All of them slip back into their characters like they never left. With the new characters, we also get some more great voice talent. Clancy Brown does a nice job with Cataclysm and Jess Harnell (aka Wakko from Animaniacs) is hilarious as Ronaldo Rump.

The animation for the new show is very nice and takes advantage of the advances in technology in the 10 years between shows. The show is mostly 2D but uses 3D for bikes and vehicles. The 2D and 3D meld pretty well and the show doesn't look awkward. The character designs are quite different than the original show and take a little getting used to. However, the overall design of the show is nice. The show has a somewhat futuristic look to it now. The animation is pretty good and the show is animated in widescreen. I'm betting that it was done in HD, so it will probably look great on DVD.

The writing in the episodes I watched was good as well. The dialogue takes full advantage of the chemistry between the voice actors. Some of the jokes were a bit lame but for the most part, none of it made me cringe. It seems a little less violent than the original show but the story is better. The original show did a lot of multi-part storytelling (it had two three-part episodes) and this time around, the writers have created an overarching story.

I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of this show when it eventually comes to the U.S. It's a fun action show that doesn't take itself too seriously. Also, it's not anime. Don't get me wrong, I love anime but I really miss the days of good, American action shows. The new version of Biker Mice From Mars is sort of a throwback to those days and that's why I hope it finds a home whether it's on Jetix, Cartoon Network, or 4Kids TV.

TV Review: Friday Night Lights - "Pilot"

The book and 2004 movie Friday Night Lights told the true story of a small town Texas high school football team and their quest for the state championship. Now, that story is the inspiration for NBC's new drama of the same name. Friday Night Lights the TV show also deals with a small town Texas high school football team as they strive to win a state championship and adopts a lot of the stylistic cues from the film. It certainly makes for compelling television, but it also runs the risk of becoming a movie stretched to season length.

Set in the present-day in the fictional small town of Dillon, Texas, Friday Night Lights begins at the start of the high school football season. The Dillon Panthers are considered the best high school team in Texas and we see the team getting treated almost like celebrities. A local NBC news crew follows the team in the days leading up to their first game of the season. The season is a pivotal one as it is the first for new head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler), the team's former offensive coordinator. He receives pressure from multiple sides from town leaders to ordinary people worried about his ability to lead the team to a state championship.

We're introduced to some of the key players on the team. Jason Street (Scott Porter), is the team's starting quarterback, a phenom being scouted by Notre Dame. He's in love with cheerleader Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly), whose father is a town big shot with his own car dealership. In comparison, there is Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford), the team's backup quarterback, who lives with his grandmother and doesn't look to see one minute of playing time. Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) is the team's premier fullback but he has issues both with alcohol and black teammate “Smash” Williams (Gaius Charles).

It wouldn't be a drama if things went exactly as expected and when the Panthers finally play, they find that their opponents are tougher than they expected. After a brisk start, things go downhill as the Panthers' play gets sloppy. Just when they think they'll be able to bounce back, quarterback Jason Street gets badly injured. Matt, nervous as hell, comes into the game and somehow does enough for the Panthers to win. However, things are uncertain for the team as it looks like Street may not be playing again anytime soon...if ever.

This pilot episode was written and directed by Peter Berg, the director of the movie version. Overall, the episode feels exactly like the movie from the camera work to suffocating way it portrays small town life for a football coach. The dialogue feels realistic and I like that you get to see simple things absent from some dramas like people praying. Kyle Chandler, a solid TV veteran, does a very good job with the role and doesn't imitate Billy Bob Thornton. The young cast is also quite good. There are a lot of characters in this show, so it will take future episodes to really see how good all of them are.

If there is one problem with Friday Night Lights it is that it's a little too close to the movie. Anyone who has seen the film could've guessed that the star player would get injured since that also happened in the movie. I'm glad they decided to give one of the players an alcohol problem (instead of a player's father like in the movie), but it is still too similar to what was done before. I'm really hoping that in future episodes, the show takes steps to separate itself more from the movie. It is not going to be worth watching every week if it's just going to take a portion of the film and stretch it to an hour's worth of TV.

Friday Night Lights has the potential to become one of the best new drama series this season, and the best family drama on TV. As evidenced by MTV's popular (and acclaimed) documentary series Two-A-Days, high school football can be the backdrop for plenty of drama. If this show can step out of the shadow of the movie it's inspired by, it could be a staple of NBC's drama lineup for years to come.

Attack Of The One-Word Show Titles

Bones.
Vanished.
Standoff.
Justice.

Is the preceding some kind of random poem? Nope. Those are the titles of real FOX dramas. If you add House and 24 to the list, you see an odd trend at FOX...one-word show titles. Even though 24 is the older show, I think this trend really started with House. Even though the full name of the show is actually House, M.D., no one ever refers to it by that name. FOX just calls it House. Then, Bones came on last season and became popular. Now, FOX has added three new dramas that have only one word in their titles to its fall schedule. Let's speculate at what's next for FOX:

Truth: A show about journalists who actually act like journalists.

Honor: Either a show about a military academy, a mafia family, or a group of thieves.

Attitude: A comedy-drama set at an entertainment magazine.

Flavor: A drama dealing with hip-hop in some way.

Trapped: A group of friends are trapped underground and spend the whole season trying to get out.

Wealth: A drama about a rich family.

Sanctuary: Supernatural drama involving a church.

FOX isn't the only channel to like one-word titles for their shows. The WB/CW put Smallville and Supernatural together on one night. ABC has Lost and last season had a show called Invasion. CBS also has had a ton of them and adds shows like Shark and Smith to its lineup next season. NBC, whose shows always seem to have long titles, had a one-word drama title in Surface and has a new one in its upcoming Heroes.

I guess networks like short titles because they are easy to remember. At the same time, though, unless a show really stands out, they can be confusing. You'd never confuse Lost with House but how many people are going to know what the difference is between Standoff and Justice? Both of them really sound like cop shows even though only one of them is.

What works best, in my opinion, is a title that is unique and really sums up the show. My Name Is Earl is a perfect title, for example. There are no other shows on TV that begin with “My Name Is.” The show is about Earl and he narrates it. That title made the show stand out from the beginning and its quality made it continue to do so. Maybe FOX should learn from that.

About A Certain Challenge...

About this time last year, I attempted something bold for me...to watch the first episode of every new primetime network TV show. Unfortunately, after about a couple of weeks, I gave up seeing as it was becoming difficult to be able to see and watch all those shows. Now, with FOX's early season starting this past Monday, you might be wondering whether or not I will attempt the New TV Show Review Challenge again. The answer is...not this year.

It would take a mountain of VCRs and a TiVo or two for a normal person to attempt something like that. TV critics usually get screeners, so they can easily check out new shows. I don't have that luxury so I am going to do what most people already do...skip any show that looks like it's bad. That being said, there are some shows I'm really looking forward to (Heroes, Studio 60), some that I will watch out of sheer curiosity (The Nine, Six Degrees), and some that I am only looking at because I like the people in them (30 Rock, Twenty Good Years, Ugly Betty). I will probably review a ton of new shows that are premiering this season but I am not going to make an empty promise to look at all the new shows.

Thoughts on Spike Lee's When The Levees Broke

Broadcast over two nights on HBO, Spike Lee's Hurricane Katrina documentary When The Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Acts ranks among the most powerful things I've ever seen on television.

Through home movies, photos, TV news footage, and interviews with everyone from hurricane survivors to the governor of Louisiana, Lee tells the story of the worst natural disaster in American history. Even though this documentary is over four hours long in total, you just can't take your eyes away from it. All the bases are covered here including the overwhelming human tragedy of the hurricane and storm surge, the anger and frustration of the survivors, the failure of government on all levels, as well as historical context.

Spike Lee makes himself pretty invisible for this film and that's a good thing. There is no narrator or anything like that. The people and the various images speak for themselves. There is no shying away from talking about anything. Urban myths about Hurricane Katrina such as reports of children being raped in the convention center are talked about and debunked. People like Governor Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin are criticized but also get the chance to explain themselves. While there is much talk about how the government messed up their reaction to Katrina, time is taken to acknowledge the excellent work done by the U.S. Coast Guard. White people and black people share their stories.

Overall, When The Levees Broke is an amazing and compelling film. I'm glad that it was shown across two nights (Acts I & II will leave you drained) but if you missed the premiere, I highly encourage you to watch the full film on Monday, August 29th on HBO. This is a work that needs to be seen and it will open your eyes about the Hurricane Katrina tragedy and its aftermath. If this doesn't win an award of some kind when the time comes, it would be a damn shame.

TV Review: Thugaboo - "Sneaker Madness"

When I first heard about Thugaboo, the new animated project for kids from the Wayans brothers, I wasn't sure what to make of it. On one hand, the Wayans' over-the-top and sometimes cartoony humor seems like a perfect fit for a kids' show. However, given that most everything they've done has been for a decidedly adult (or at least teenage) audience, I wasn't all that confident that they could make something where they would have to really limit themselves. Now that I've watched the first installment of it...I still don't know what to make of it. As an adult, I kind of enjoyed it. However, I'm not sure if this is really something for kids.

Created by Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Keenen Ivory Wayans, Thugaboo combines elements of shows such as Fat Albert, Peanuts, and Hey Arnold. It takes place in a fictional version of New York called Boo York and revolves around a large cast of kids. The main character of this first of three planned specials is D-Roc (George Gore). D-Roc is an aspiring rapper who lives with his mother (Kim Wayans), unseen father, and little sister Dee Dee (Countess Vaughn). Summer is about to end in Boo York and D-Roc really wants a new pair of sneakers for back to school...a pair of sneakers that cost $150. When his mother won't let him get the shoes and buys him cheap ones from the market instead, D-Roc enlists the help of his friend Soo Young (Nancy Lee) to make him a bootleg version of the shoe he wanted. The kids at the school are impressed and continually ask him where he got his shoes. Seeing an opportunity, D-Roc starts making and selling bootleg shoes for his classmates. Everyone's shoes are so low quality that people come back to him complaining. At the end, D-Roc gives everyone their money back and learns that he should be himself.

Now, that storyline doesn't sound all that bad so why am I questioning whether or not it's for kids? Because of everything else about it. Let's start with the supporting cast of characters. You name the stereotype and it's probably found in Thugaboo. There is the already mentioned Asian character Soo Young who just happens to also be adept at making bootlegs. There is a white character named DJ (Michael Rapaport) who acts black, a fat kid named Slim (Shawn Wayans), and two Latino characters including a "baby" who raps in Spanish at the end of the special. There are also race-related jokes to be found throughout the special. There were two jokes at the expense of Africans who were sent things that characters in the show didn't want. Another joke had DJ referring to himself as mixed and being laughed at for being confused. I was also surprised at a sequence of gags that dealt with God and Jesus Christ. One of these gags had Jesus Christ with a pair of cheap sneakers noting that he "can't walk on water in these."

A lot of the things associated with the humor of the Wayans appears in Thugaboo. There are some grossout gags that are funny (like when the Pigpen-esque Dirty goes into the swimming pool) and unfunny (the aforementioned Dirty using his snot to help make D-Roc's bootleg sneakers). Hip-hop references are present as well. Jay-Z (Mad TV veteran Aries Spears) appears a couple of times in the special while D-Roc's talking dog Money (Spears) is a spot-on parody of rapper DMX. There are also some funny, off-the-wall elements that really stand out. First, there's Ms. Attitude (Kym Whitley), the unseen person behind every P.A. When the swimming pool closes for the summer, she tells the kids to get out of the pool and mentions that she has own kids to take care of. When the kids at school “model” their back to school clothes, she tells one white kid that his jeans are tight...too tight to be wearing. Then, there is D-Roc's mother. She likes to spend tons of time on the phone with hilarious results. She chats up a wrong number like they're family and in one scene, is still on her corded kitchen phone even when she's at the mall.

Thugaboo isn't a terrible show. The voice cast is pretty decent and there are a good amount of laughs to be found. However, this show is really confused about who it's supposed to be appealing to. The character designs make it look like a show for kids younger than 10. The dialogue and situations make it feel like a show for older kids and teens. The use of tired stereotypes to define characters makes it feel more like a Family Guy ripoff than something intended for kids of any age. I guess the Wayans feel that it's never too early to learn that fat kids eat all the time, Asians make the best bootlegs, and white kids with black attributes are phonies who should be laughed at. I'm hoping that the next Thugaboo special will figure out what audience to appeal to but I'm not all that optimistic.

The hourlong Thugaboo special, "Sneaker Madness" will debut on Nickelodeon proper on Saturday August 12th at 9 p.m. ET. It will also air again on Nicktoons Network on Sunday August 13th at 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. ET.

DVD Review: Animaniacs Volume 1

In 1990, Steven Spielberg helped usher in what some would later call the "Silver Age" of Warner Bros. Animation with the animated kids' show Tiny Toon Adventures. With Spielberg as executive producer and a talented crew of animators, writers, voice actors, and composers behind the scenes, it became a big success. The next Spielberg/WB collaboration to follow that hit was Animaniacs. Premiering in 1993, Animaniacs took everything Tiny Toon Adventures did to the next level. This animated gem is finally available on DVD and fortunately, it is just as great as it was 13 years ago.

The stars of Animaniacs are the Warner brothers Yakko and Wakko and their sister Dot. This trio of kids are cartoon characters that were created in the 1930's. They caused so much havoc at the studio that they get locked up in the Warner Bros. water tower. They escape in the present time and cause havoc for studio psychiatrist Dr. Scratchnsniff, CEO Thaddeus Plotz, Ralph the Security Guard, and the studio nurse (or "Hello, Nurse!" as Yakko and Wakko like to call her). Part zany cartoons and part Marx Brothers, the Warners are the most prominent part of Animaniacs.

However, the Warners are just one part of a menagerie of characters. These other characters star in their own cartoons as well and give the show a variety and flexibility that few animated comedies have today. These characters include:

Pinky & The Brain: The only Animaniacs characters to spinoff and get their own show, they are genetically altered lab mice who try to take over the world in each cartoon. The Brain is a hilarious sendup of Orson Welles while Pinky is kind-hearted but incredibly dim.

Slappy Squirrel: Slappy is a retired Looney Tunes star who takes care of her nephew Skippy. Featuring great voice work and dialogue by writer/creator Sherri Stoner, Slappy Squirrel cartoons skewer both old Hollywood and old cartoon conventions.

Buttons & Mindy: Mindy is a cute but overly inquisitive child and Buttons is the faithful dog who is always put in charge of her safety. These cartoons are somewhat of a parody of Lassie but they also work as a none-too-subtle jab at parents who don't parent.

The Goodfeathers: This parody of Goodfellas paints the three main characters from that film as pigeons. The quality of these cartoons are hit-or-miss.

Rita & Runt: These cartoons revolve around Rita, a sassy cat voiced by Bernadette Peters, and Runt, a dog who doesn't realize that Rita is a cat. These cartoons are almost always musical.

Chicken Boo: These bizarre cartoons revolve around Chicken Boo, a human-sized, non-anthropomorphic chicken who tries to blend in with humanity.

Katie Kaboom: Katie is a teenage girl who literally becomes a monster when she gets angry.

The Hip Hippos: These cartoons about a couple of rich endangered hippos are the only ones that are consistently unfunny.

In addition to the regular cartoons, there are interstitials that keep things fresh and interesting. They range from the Warners figuring out new ways to escape their water tower to a boy telling stories about his friend, a mime that has bad things happen to him, and the Goofus and Gallant-esque "Good Idea/Bad Idea." You really never know what to expect in each episode and the only things you're guaranteed to see in each episode are the Warners.

Animaniacs is really more of a family show than a kids one. Kids will love the slapstick humor and parents will like that this show even has its educational moments (the great "Yakko's World," for example). At the same time, there is plenty for the adults to enjoy including pop culture references and sly dialogue that will fly right over the kiddies' heads.

Volume 1 of Animaniacs contains the first 25 episodes of the first season across five discs. The packaging of this release is very well-done. The front cover nicely combines the flat and the glossy while the digipak containing the discs features a lot of brand-new artwork. My only complaint with the packaging is with the overlapping style trays that contain discs 1-2 and discs 3-4. In order to get to disc 2, for example, you have to take disc 1 out.

The audio on this release is very nice. Each episode has been remixed in 5.1 channel sound and the remix especially highlights the show's wonderful music. However, the video leaves a little to be desired. It's dirtier than you'd expect and some episodes may not look that good if you play them on a computer or a HDTV. I hope that on the next release, Warner cleans up the video a little better.

The biggest disappointment of the set is the special features. Apart from some trailers on disc 5, there is only one special feature. That special feature is "Animaniacs Live!", an interview of the various voice artists of the show presided over by Maurice LaMarche, the voice of The Brain. This 20-plus minute featurette appears on disc 3 and is a joy to watch. The voice actors seem to all like each other and it's fun to see the faces behind the characters. However, this featurette also reminds you of what could've been. Why is there not a single commentary to be found on this set? I'd kill for just one commentary with the voice actors behind Yakko, Wakko, and Dot.

From its stellar writing and voice acting to its excellent orchestral score and refreshing variety, Animaniacs is certainly one of the best animated TV shows of the 1990's, if not one of the best ever. This is a high-class production that certainly belongs in the collection of any animation or comedy lover. If you haven't seen the show before and want to check it out before you think of buying the DVD set, then go to AOL's free In2TV service where you can watch streaming versions of many of the episodes contained on the DVD. With Animaniacs (and Pinky & The Brain) finally on DVD, I hope to see the other Spielberg/WB shows (especially the cult classic Freakazoid!) on their way to DVD soon.

New Biker Mice Show In Action

The opening of the new version of the animated show Biker Mice From Mars is now available to watch on Google Video. There is also another clip of the show available there as well. I talked about the original Biker Mice From Mars show a while ago and the new version is set to appear on UK TV next month. Even though the character designs will take a little getting used to, the animation looks pretty nice. I hope a network in America picks it up soon and maybe, just maybe, the original show will finally make it to DVD.