MovieChat Forums > Pinky and the Brain (1995) Discussion > The problem with this show..

The problem with this show..


Even though PaB was a hallmark animated series in the 90's, it can't be a classic. Most of the jokes are let's face it, political and pop culture. Obvisouly years from now, when the children of the original fans watch this, they laugh at Pinky's antics; however, they'll be asking questions like "who is Christopher walken? What do they men? I don't get it." So really, the parents will have to explain this jokes. It's kinda sad that future generations won't enjoy it as much as we did.

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Yeah, that's pretty much what I think.

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[deleted]

Just to add to what some people have said, I was watching an interview on the DVD with the producer (Andrea something) and Lamarche and Paulsen. They said Speilberg wanted the show to be one that not only kids could enjoy, but if their parents happened to walk into the room while the kids where watching they could get a laugh out of it and watch too. As a result they ended up with fans of all ages. As someone else mentioned, its great to go back and watch them now and get a lot of jokes you didnt get before. I was watching the Haloween episode, and the "Pinky you got chocolate on my Jackolantronic transponder" to which Pinky responds "You got Jackolantronic transponder on my chocolate" had me rolling. Some of the references are just totally obscure, I had to go and look up who Esther Williams was. I think 99% of the population probably wouldnt get that one, but that kind of makes it funnier.

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@mcreynolds29, It's "transmitter," not "transponder."

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Actually I watched it just last night, and I think I enjoyed it just as much if not more than when I was a child. And now I actually got the jokes. There was a commercial on for "Steppin' with Jean-Luc" which I wouldn't have got back then, but it had me cracking up last night. Its defiantly a classic for anyone who grew up watching it and their parents. I think you're confusing the shows ability to be timeless with it's status of being classic.

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"Pinky And The Brain", "Animaniacs" and others from the Warner Bros/Speilberg era are still classics and enjoyable, but I have to admit, those shows have WAY too many pop culture/celebrity satire (i.e. Bill Clinton playing the sax, Pinky mentioning Cher, etc). It's kids cartoons made for adults. Kids probably won't get some of the pop culture jokes at the time. I think that's the downfall of the Speilberg cartoons and why today's cartoons (like "SpongeBob" and "Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy") will always be different from the Animaniacs days. I mean, only "Family Guy" relies on endless (and pointless) supply of pop culture parodies.

Plus cartoons have changed. For example, now Disney only make cartoon shows about teens and high school.

"Shop smart...shop S-MART"

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I don't think the Spielberg cartoons had any "downfall". And most of the best parts of those shows did not deal with topical humor.

Supermodels...spoiled stupid little stick figures mit poofy lips who sink only about zemselves.

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That's probably right. It's just that I haven't seen "Animaniacs" for awhile. But I did see "Pinky And The Brain" recently (Now I get the jokes!).

"Shop smart...shop S-MART"

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Pinky and the Brain came along very shortly after the concept of cartoons for adults came along. I honestly don't think it belongs in the same category of Spongebob. It is more in the category of South Park, Family Guy, and King of the Hill. Honestly speaking to this day, of the best animated cartons for adults, this one ranks right before South Park.

The one problem with this show is that there are some references that are so obscure, or so high brow, that very few people are going to get them. Brain Noir comes to mind.

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[deleted]

I have to admit, some of the "hip" pandering to adult viewers (political and pop-culture references) seems dated and a little lame now.

But the other 85% of the show still holds up pretty darn well.

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Yeah, especially a certain Seth MacFarlane show.

"Shop smart...shop S-MART"

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i like this show


THESE TWO GUYS/ANIMALS WERE FUNNY TO WATCH WHEN I WAS YOUNGER


but yeah i see it sometimes now, AND ITS DATED


but still i like it though

CALL ME SNAKE-snake plissken
DROOG #60
THE WARRIORS

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[deleted]

I havenĀ“t got any problem whatsoever with that show. I simply love it! (and always did since I first saw it about ten years ago)



It's just me, myself and eye!

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Half the fun is getting the references now as an adult. I still love the show :o)

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm a man of wealth and taste......

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[deleted]

I understand the discussion, but for you folks who contend that "Pinky and the Brain" and "Animanics" (love both shows!) were the first cartoons to mix contemporary (i.e. adult) humor with slapstick (for kids) -- and as a result are funny on a number of levels -- should take a closer look at the history of television animation. Back in the late 50s and early 60s, there was a show called "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" (AKA -- "Rocky and His Friends," "The Bullwinkle Show," and "Rocky and Bullwinkle), which used the same concept of mixing humor that would appeal to both adults and kids. When I was young, I watched the show for the funny antics (yes, I know I'm dating myself), but when I rediscovered the show years later, I laughed even harder, because I finally got what the writers were driving at.

One particular incident that sticks in mind was in an episode of "Fractured Fairy Tales." (These were parodies of traditional fairy tales). It was about Sleeping Beauty, although told from the prince's point of view. When the prince discovers Sleeping Beauty -- instead of waking her up, he turns the castle into a giant amusement park, and charges people to see the princess.

Although I saw the episode many many times when I was a kid, it wasn't until I was watching it years later -- after many years of not seeing it -- that it struck me the whole episode was a parody of Walt Disney and Disneyland -- which had just been set up a few years earlier.

Concerning the contentions that humor doesn't travel well over the years -- yes, that's true. Topic references are a real bane of humor. But one can still enjoy these episodes at this time, and they'll probably remain funny for a few more generations at least.

"I think so Brain. But if we get Sam Spade, how will he have any puppies."

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THANK YOU! Someone who understands that cartoons weren't invented in the 1990's... Your Bullwinkle example is spot on, but let's examine further--look at the guest stars on the old Scooby-doo episodes, and also the original WB cast of characters. Plenty of 'old stars' of the classic era of Bugs Bunny make appearances in Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.

The worst case scenario, is that kids down the line might have to jump on youtube or imdb to figure out something, and have to use their brains to figure out a joke. Heaven forfend.

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No problem, Barsoomian. If people would check out many examples of animation through the years, they'd discover that a lot of the classic cartoons from both film and television relied on a combination of topical humor and slapstick. Perhaps the best example would be the referencing to World War II in Warner Brothers, MGM, and even Disney cartoons from the 1940s. ("Hey, put out that light!)

Much humor is rooted in the times we live in. There's no getting around it. But as you say, if a person is willing to work at it a bit, there's no reason why anyone can't enjoy the funny moments, even if they do have to dig out the facts.

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I'm afraid I'm going to have to prove you wrong, Cann428. I was born in the middle 90's, so I did not grow up knowing who Christopher Walken, Regis Philbin, or even Bill Clinton were. I only really "got" who they were and registered they existed after I started watching this show (excepting Bill Clinton). I still find it hilariously amusing even though many of the 90's references go over my head. I hope if I have a child/children and show them "Pinky and the Brain", they will find it just as funny as I do now (once they're my age, anyhow). It's like Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, even though we don't get so many of the references to Hollywood actors and actresses, we still find it hilariously amusing and get all the other jokes.

<<Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world!>>

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Well a lot of shows are like that... The Simpsons, Family Guy (I don't really care for Family Guy anyways) but at least we still enjoy it. I mean Looney Tunes has TONS of pop culture but it is still considered a classic.

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Very true, rickystickyman.

<<Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world!>>

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As a child of the 90s (born 1991), I watched this show all the time when I was little and had NO IDEA about the pop culture references at the time. For example, when Brain pretends to be Napoleon and after they leave it turns out that Napoleon is meant to be Orson Welles, as a child I had so understanding of why adults found this funny but still I found Pinky And The Brain hilarious.

I find it funny on a whole other level now that I'm in my 20s that I never understood as a child so I get to enjoy it in a fresh way all over again.

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I don't see this as a problem, but rather a way to keep the shows fresh for a long time. Things I didn't get when I was little suddenly make sense and give me a laugh. For example, when Dolly Parton asks Brain, "I'm your biggest fan! Whaddaya say to that?" and he says, "I think puberty was inordinately kind to you." I bust out laughing just as hard as I do at shows like Red Dwarf.

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