Steven Spielberg presents Animaniacs was the second collaboration between Warner Bros. Animation and Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, after Tiny Toon Adventures. It was a variety show consisting of short skits featuring a large cast of characters, the most prominent being the Warner Brothers, Yakko and Wakko, and their sister Dot, three cartoon characters of indeterminate species. The trio live in the water tower on the Warner Bros. studio lot, where they often create havoc there. The show also featured rotating segments with other characters like the Goodfeathers (a parody of sterotypical mafia characters from movies such as Goodfellas and The Godfather), Mindy and Buttons, Slappy Squirrel, and most notably, Pinky and the Brain, a pair of laboratory mice who are bent on world domination.
Animaniacs premiered on Fox Kids on September 13, 1993, and ran there for two years, before switching over to the newly-formed Kids' WB! for its last three seasons. A total of 99 episodes were produced, along with a direct-to-video movie, titled Wakko's Wish, and a theatrical cartoon short film, "I'm Mad" (which debuted in theaters with Thumbelina and later appeared as part of an episode in the show's second season). Pinky and the Brain also spun off into their own TV series in 1995 (ironically, Pinky and the Brain itself has never aired on Cartoon Network in the United States).
Following Time Warner's 1996 merger with Turner Broadcasting, Animaniacs had its first Cartoon Network airing in a special 2-hour marathon broadcast in early 1997. Subsequently, just a few months before its final episode aired, Animaniacs became a regular part of Cartoon Network's line-up in August 1998; 45 episodes from the show's earlier seasons were moved to being aired on the network, while the remaining 54 episodes stayed on Kids' WB! for the 1998-99 season, after which all the episodes were brought over to Cartoon Network. Animaniacs remained a regular part of Cartoon Network's schedule until September 2001, when it was moved over to Nickelodeon. This show was also more popular in Italy.
As of 2018, Animaniacs was last seen in reruns on the Hub Network from December 2012 up until its rebranding as Discovery Family in October 2014. However, it has now been announced that the series was renewed for two more seasons exclusively for Hulu, with the new series beginning in 2020. It is unknown if the series will also air on network or cable television channels as well, for example Cartoon Network. This is a possibility as the series is an HBO Max exclusive in some countries.
Episode list[]
| # | Segments | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
Season 1: 1993-1994 | ||
| 1 | De-Zanitized / The Monkey Song / Nighty-Night Toon | September 13, 1993 |
| 2 | Yakko's World / Cookies for Einstein / Win Big | September 14, 1993 |
| 3 | H.M.S. Yakko / Slappy Goes Walnuts / Yakko's Universe | September 15, 1993 |
| 4 | Hooked on a Ceiling / Goodfeathers: The Beginning | September 16, 1993 |
| 5 | Taming Of The Screwy | September 17, 1993 |
| 6 | Temporary Insanity / Operation: Lollipop / What are We? | September 20, 1993 |
| 7 | Piano Rag / When Rita Met Runt | September 21, 1993 |
| 8 | The Warner's Lot Song / The Big Candy Store / Bumbie's Mom | September 22, 1993 |
| 9 | Wally Llama / Where Rodents Dare | September 23, 1993 |
| 10 | King Yakko | September 24, 1993 |
| 11 | No Pain, No Painting / Les Miseranimals | September 27, 1993 |
| 12 | Garage Sale of the Century / West Side Pigeons | September 28, 1993 |
| 13 | Hello Nice Warners / La Behemoth / Little Old Slappy from Pasadena | September 29, 1993 |
| 14 | La La Law / Cat on a Hot Steel Beam | September 30, 1993 |
| 15 | Space Probed / Battle for the Planet | October 1, 1993 |
| 16 | Chalkboard Bungle / Hurray for Slappy / The Great Wakkorotti: The Master and His Music | October 4, 1993 |
| 17 | Roll Over, Beethoven / The Cat and the Fiddle | October 5, 1993 |
| 18 | Pavlov's Mice / Chicken Boo-Ryshnikov / Nothing but the Tooth | October 6, 1993 |
| 19 | Meatballs or Consequences / A Moving Experience | October 7, 1993 |
| 20 | Hearts of Twilight / The Boids | October 12, 1993 |
| 21 | Four Score and Seven Migraines Ago / Wakko's America / Davy Omelette / The Flame[2] | October 11, 1993 |
| 22 | Guardin' the Garden / Plane Pals | October 13, 1993 |
| 23 | Be Careful What You Eat / Up the Crazy River / Ta Da Dump, Ta Da Dump, Ta Da Dump Dump Dump | October 15, 1993 |
| 24 | Opportunity Knox / Wings Take Heart | October 18, 1993 |
| 25 | Hercule Yakko / Home on De-Nile / A Midsummer Night's Dream | October 19, 1993 |
| 26 | Testimonials / Babblin' Bijou / Potty Emergency / Sir Yaksalot | October 21, 1993 |
| 27 | You Risk Your Life / I Got Yer Can / Jockey for Position | October 25, 1993 |
| 28 | Moby or Not Moby / Mesozoic Mindy / The Good, the Boo and the Ugly | October 26, 1993 |
| 29 | Draculee, Draculaa / Phranken-Runt | October 29, 1993 |
| 30 | Hot, Bothered and Bedeviled / Moon Over Minerva / Skullhead Boneyhands | October 28, 1993 |
| 31 | O Silly Mio / Puttin' on the Blitz / The Great Wakkorotti: The Summer Concert | November 1, 1993 |
| 32 | Chairman of the Bored / Planets Song / Astro-Buttons | November 2, 1993 |
| 33 | Cartoons in Wakko's Body / Noah's Lark / The Big Kiss / Hiccup | November 3, 1993 |
| 34 | Clown and Out / Bubba Bo Bob Brain | November 4, 1993 |
| 35 | Very Special Opening / In the Garden of Mindy / No Place Like Homeless / Katie Ka-Boo / Baghdad Cafe | November 5, 1993 |
| 36 | Critical Condition / The Three Muska-Warners | November 8, 1993 |
| 37 | Dough Dough Boys / Boot Camping / General Boo-Regard | November 9, 1993 |
| 38 | Spell-Bound | November 10, 1993 |
| 39 | Smitten With Kittens / Alas Poor Skullhead / White Gloves | November 11, 1993 |
| 40 | Fair Game / The Slapper / Puppet Rulers | November 12, 1993 |
| 41 | Buttermilk, It Makes a Body Bitter / Broadcast Nuisance / Raging Bird | November 15, 1993 |
| 42 | Animator's Alley / Can't Buy a Thrill / Hollywoodchuck | November 16, 1993 |
| 43 | Of Nice and Men / What a Dump / Survey Ladies | November 17, 1993 |
| 44 | Useless Facts / The Senses / The World Can Wait / Kiki's Kitten | November 18, 1993 |
| 45 | Windsor Hassle / ...And Justice for Slappy | November 19, 1993 |
| 46 | Turkey Jerky / Wild Blue Yonder | November 22, 1993 |
| 47 | Video Review / When Mice Ruled the Earth | November 23, 1993 |
| 48 | Mobster Mash / Lake Titicaca / Icebreakers | November 24, 1993 |
| 49 | A Christmas Plotz / Little Drummer Warners | December 6, 1993 |
| 50 | Twas the Day Before Christmas / Jingle Boo / The Great Wakkorotti: The Holiday Concert / Toy Shop Terror / Yakko's Universe | November 29, 1993 |
| 51 | The Warners & the Beanstalk / Frontier Slappy | February 10, 1994 |
| 52 | Ups and Downs / The Brave Little Trailer / Yes, Always | February 11, 1994 |
| 53 | Drive-Insane / Girlfeathers / I'm Cute | February 14, 1994 |
| 54 | Brain Meets Brawn / Meet Minerva | February 15, 1994 |
| 55 | Gold Rush / A Gift of Gold / Dot's Quiet Time | February 16, 1994 |
| 56 | Schnitzelbank / The Helpinki Formula / Les Boutons et le Ballon (Buttons and the Balloon) / Kung Boo | February 17, 1994 |
| 57 | Of Course, You Know This Means Warners / Up a Tree / Wakko's Gizmo | February 18, 1994 |
| 58 | Meet John Brain / Smell Ya Later | February 28, 1994 |
| 59 | Ragamuffins / Woodstock Slappy | March 1, 1994 |
| 60 | Karaoke-Dokie / The Cranial Crusader / The Chicken Who Loved Me | March 2, 1994 |
| 61 | Baloney & Kids / Super Buttons / Katie Ka-Boom: The Driving Lesson | May 2, 1994 |
| 62 | Scare Happy Slappy / Witch One / MacBeth | May 3, 1994 |
| 63 | With Three You Get Eggroll / Mermaid Mindy / Katie Ka-Boom: Call Waiting | May 9, 1994 |
| 64 | Lookit the Fuzzy Heads / No Face Like Home | May 16, 1994 |
| 65 | The Warners 65th Anniversary Special | May 23, 1994 |
Season 2: 1994 | ||
| 66 | Take My Siblings Please / The Mindy 500 / Morning Malaise | September 10, 1994 |
| 67 | Miami Mama-Mia / Pigeon on the Roof | November 5, 1994 |
| 68 | We're No Pigeons / Whistle Stop Mindy / Katie Ka-Boom: The Broken Date | September 17, 1994 |
| 69 | I'm Mad / Bad Mood Bobby / Katie Ka-Boom: The Blemish / Fake | November 12, 1994 |
Season 3: 1995-1996 | ||
| 70 | Super Strong Warner Siblings / Nutcracker Slappy / Wakko's New Gookie / A Quake, a Quake! | September 9, 1995 |
| 71 | Variety Speak / Three Tenors and You're Out / Bingo | September 16, 1995 |
| 72 | Deduces Wild / Rest in Pieces / U.N. Me | September 9, 1995 |
| 73 | A Hard Day's Warner / Gimme a Break / Please Please Please Get a Life Foundation | September 23, 1995 |
| 74 | The Tiger Prince / All The Words in the English Language / The Kid in the Lid / Method to Her Madness | September 30, 1995 |
| 75 | The Presidents Song / Don't Tread on Us / The Flame Returns, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow | November 11, 1995 |
| 76 | Gimme the Works / Buttons in Ows / Hercules Unwound | October 21, 1995 |
| 77 | This Pun for Hire / Star Truck / Go Fish / Multiplication Song | November 4, 1995 |
| 78 | The Sound of Warners / Yabba Dabba Boo | November 18, 1995 |
| 79 | My Mother the Squirrel / The Party / Oh! Say Can You See / The Twelve Days of Christmas Song | December 21, 1995 |
| 80 | Dot's Entertainment / The Girl with the Googily Goop / Gunga Dot | January 4, 1996 |
| 81 | Soccer Coach Slappy / Belly Button Blues / Our Final Space Cartoon, We Promise / Valuable Lesson | January 18, 1996 |
| 82 | Wakko's 2-Note Song / Panama Canal / Hello Nurse / The Ballad of Magellan / The Return of the Great Wakkorotti / The Big Wrap Party Tonight | May 3, 1996 |
Season 4: 1996 | ||
| 83 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock | September 7, 1996 |
| 84 | Cutie and the Beast / Boo Happens / Noel | September 7, 1996 |
| 85 | Jokahontas / Boids on the Hood / Mighty Wakko at the Bat | September 14, 1996 |
| 86 | A Very Very Very Very Special Show / Night of the Living Buttons / Soda Jerk | September 21, 1996 |
| 87 | From Burbank with Love / Anchors A-Warners / When You're Traveling from Nantucket | September 28, 1996 |
| 88 | Papers for Pappa / Amazing Gladiators / Pinky and the Ralph | October 19, 1996 |
| 89 | Ten Short Films About Wakko Warner / No Time for Love / The Boo Network | November 2, 1996 |
| 90 | Pitter Patter of Little Feet / Mindy in Wonderland / Ralph's Wedding | November 16, 1996 |
Season 5: 1997-1998 | ||
| 91 | Back in Style / Bones in the Body | September 8, 1997 |
| 92 | It / Dot- The Macadamia Nut / Bully for Skippy | September 13, 1997 |
| 93 | Cute First (Ask Questions Later) / Acquaintances / Here Comes Attila / Boo Wonder | October 11, 1997 |
| 94 | Hooray for North Hollywood (Part 1) | January 3, 1998 |
| 95 | Hooray for North Hollywood (Part 2) | January 3, 1998 |
| 96 | The Carpool / The Sunshine Squirrels | February 21, 1998 |
| 97 | The Christmas Tree / Punchline (Part 1) / Prom Night / Punchline (Part 2) | April 25, 1998 |
| 98 | Magic Time / The Brain's Apprentice | May 9, 1998 |
| 99 | Birds on a Wire / The Scoring Session / The Animaniacs Suite | November 14, 1998 |
| Looney Tunes compilation shows | |
| Bugs and Daffy Tonight • ToonHeads • The Tex Avery Show • Acme Hour • The Bob Clampett Show • The Chuck Jones Show | |