Hellooooooooo Nurse! Hulu has picked up the Animaniacs reboot for a third season! This before the second season has even dropped. Announced by the streamer in 2018, the animated series received a two-season 10 episode order. Hulu also has the streaming rights to the original 90s series.
The neo-classic Warner Brothers Animation series ran from 1993 to 1998. It started on the Fox Kids Network before moving to the Kids WB! Block in 1995. This was the second series produced by Steven Spielberg for Warner Brothers, after Tiny Toons Adventures, which was inspired by the classic cartoons from the 1930s and 40s.
Animaniacs is a bit more esoteric, taking inspiration from all sorts of pop culture and cartoon history. It also embraced a subversive tone, using innuendo and double entendre to play to both kids and older viewers. The series also led to the development of more “out there” series like Histeria (a variety show, teaching and having fun with world history) and Freakazoid! (a superhero comedy that became a cult hit).
Animaniacs introduced many original characters like Pinky and the Brain, the mouse duo who tried to take over the world, and Slappy Squirrel, an old tree squirrel and her nephew Skippy. Slappy plays the old grouch to Skippy’s youthful exuberance. Then there are the Goodfeathers, three pigeons modeled after Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci’s characters from Goodfellas.
Picking up the series for a third season before the second even airs is a strong sign of support. It also gives the animators plenty of time to prepare and produce material, which takes more time in animation than it does for live-action series. The series use of variety material, original songs, and parodies also create challenges for the show as it’s important to create a show that is relevant to its audience.
The renewal came as part of announcements from Hulu’s virtual presentation at the Television Critics Association’s press tour. Other announcements include the return of The Handmaid’s Tale (April 28 with three episodes). Also coming from Marvel, the animated comedy MODOK (all 10 episodes May 21):
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome back the stories and characters fans have connected with in The Handmaid’s Tale, Shrill, Animaniacs… and bringing animated but deeply human characters to life in Marvel’s MODOK.”
“With returning seasons of award-winning comedies and dramas, Hulu’s 2021 slate of original series truly has something for everyone,” said Craig Erwich, Hulu and ABC Entertainment president.
Source: THR
