How The Looney Tunes Show Modernized a Classic Franchise

oh hey Grandma [Music] the release of Space Jam a new Legacy got me thinking about the current Legacy of the original Space Jam it was a cultural phenomenon when it was released but now I only remember it for the dated CGI and compositing every other shot looking like it wanted to be in 3D to your house in 3D Land yeah and how this mashup of two icons has become a staple of mashup culture y'all ever listen to the album that seamlessly tells the plot of the movie through Hamilton's musical numbers I can't get enough of these transitions I hate to be the bearer of bad news you're hearing this but if you don't find a fifth player your team will forfeit the game precisely sir altitude no way we'll find someone obviously the film has always had detractors but removed from the Nostalgia surrounding its debut Space Jam has become a joke although it's memorable enough to warn a sequel after 25 years this past spring I saw a Resurgence of popularity for the Looney Tune Show online which dropped the cast into a Suburban setting and ran on Cartoon Network for two seasons people were sharing loads of memes and clips on Twitter and YouTube and it made me wonder if this was another branch of the franchise that had aged poorly I remember watching almost every new episode as it aired but back then I saw it as a b grade show on the channel like I usually caught premieres because of what it was paired up with what I didn't realize at the time was how much history and backlash was behind this project before a single episode hit the airwaves prior to the Looney Tunes Show there was laugh Riot Warner Brothers animation's first attempt to help their classic characters stay relevant cause I wouldn't blame kids in the mid-2000s for thinking that Bugs Bunny looked like this what's up doc some elements from this pitch made their way into the final a product like roadrunner and Wiley Coyote shorts animated in CGI by the israel-based crew 972 and original music videos dubbed merry Melodies this was going to be a full-on sketch comedy with the characters taking on new personas in every segment kinda like the Muppet Show the only finished piece of Animation from this incarnation of the series was a four minute pitch pilot that was uploaded online in poor quality last year [Music] thank you the art style is pretty familiar give or take a few chibi proportions or wild Expressions but the upbeat music and chaotic tone make this feel like a weird alternate universe version of what we ended up with bugs and Daffy didn't live in a house Porky was Sylvester's owner Yosemite Sam managed a coffee shop characters like the witch gossamer Toro and Taz were going to be antagonists and Porky and daffy's love interests had drastically different designs Elmer fudge shotgun was kept intact but it shot glass of paint instead of bullets I guess that evolved into the paint splatter effect that was all over the backgrounds in season one between the fart joke and the admittedly annoying pop tune that plays throughout most of the 2D animated portions this feels like it was aimed specifically at kids trying hard to keep their attention the Roadrunner short that follows it is basically identical to the one that appeared in the series but it all begs the question of how something this simple was going to sustain a 22 minute block unfortunately we'll never get to know because once the first completed episode was screened to Executives they laid off most to the creative team behind this production [Music] the closest we got to seeing Laff Riot fully realized was the episode Casa de cama which was reworked from that original pitch the plot here is a string of shorts based around a new location foregoing the typical three-act structure bugs and Daffy are the only main characters featured there's more slapstick humor lots of moment-to-moment music cues and even a few fourth wall breaks all of which wouldn't be commonplace in the Looney Tune show gotta hand it to those minerals I look like a kid again [Music] this was aired as episode 7 of season one and at that point in my re-watch it was a breath of fresh air admittedly it probably would have flowed better if it was 7 or 11 minutes long but it had a clear identity as opposed to some of the early episodes as I think those struggle to figure out how to rework a classic cartoon into a sitcom the Looney Tunes are go-to examples of characters that can work in any scenario you put them in so theoretically seeing how they would function in a California City isn't a bad idea that's the way to go if you want a consistent setting without any Fantastical elements to distract from your cast for The Creative team it was important that the essence of the tunes remain the same so that they could develop relationships and show off their human sides when not faced with life or death scenarios they were also against aging down the characters so that they could explore adult situations it was refreshing to watch a show aimed at kids without a constantial Viewpoint that can tackle the fear of peaking in high school working a dead-end job or merging onto a highway that's it I'm going for it foreign on a similar note I know that toning down the violence was a point of contention for longtime fans but I'm a little shocked at how a PG rated program got away with characters firing realistic guns and having them pointed at someone this kind of danger hits different when the context is relatively realistic you rarely see that in cartoons like this Infinity train wishes it could be this hardcore mature having the Tunes in the current day could easily lead to an overabundance of pop culture and celebrity references but those are few and far between just as they were decades ago obviously it's still surreal to see Yosemite Sam sing a cheap trick song but the show holds up when it comes to feeling modern but not outdated you know there's a time and place for bugs to become a hardcore gamer at the same time I get the feeling that these characters will never talk like this again you got my package it's the first three seasons of Ally McBeal before Robert Downey Jr ruined it while showrunners Tony cervone and Spike Brandt are notable for being the same driving force behind Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated around roughly the same time period I want to Spotlight the writing team the majority of episodes were credited to some combination of Ben Falcone Hugh Davidson Larry dwarf and Rachel ramras Falcon is known for co-writing and directing a few Melissa McCarthy films and left after season one while Davidson wrote on 25 episodes of Robot Chicken he dwarf Ian Ramirez were members of the Groundlings and they've collaborated on multiple projects together just off of their credits this core staff was more familiar with writing for improv comedy than animation which is completely fun but you can see how that affected their approach it's weird for a Looney Tunes series to not have much slapstick until episode 3. the first quarter of the Season or so is almost like a heightened sitcom something along the lines of Seinfeld or The Odd Couple with these iconic characters subbed in having dialogue driven stories completely fits the the brand it's not like the cast we're constantly hitting each other on the heads with mallets and anvils but the tunes feel like they're here to serve as stock plots instead of showcasing their personalities I've already seen shows do plots about an annoying girlfriend or an annoying roommate or getting handcuffed to an annoying roommate outside of a few funny or visually striking moments seeing Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck tackle these problems doesn't bring too much new to the table season 1 also has some annoying technical elements like the commercial break freeze frames that kill the energy of scenes music cues for establishing shots that repeat too often and awkward timing that seemingly has breaks for a non-existent laugh track but who would want to go to someone else's reunion me I want to go to your reunion you you the why didn't you say something earlier for me the Looney Tunes Show began to find its footing in the episode eligible bachelors bugs and Daffy both go on dates bugs goes on a date in Paris while Daffy has told a story that takes place in Paris except it's during World War II and Granny is a spy who punches Nazis and saves the Eiffel Tower it's weird and intense and genuine and only a story that this show could tell even though they take place on opposite ends of the world the two plots parallel each other nicely and that will become a Hallmark of the narrative structure especially in season two the characters began to take shape through the sitcom conventions instead of being defined by them creating a strong version of this cast that the series could call its own now let's turn this blimp around [Music] did it explode into a million pieces it exploded and killed you didn't it you're not very bright are you huh in our circle of friends we all have our roles you're the average Joe the Everyman Porky's the nerd the loser and I'm the jock the hunk that makes sense the Crux of the series is the friendship or lack thereof between Bugs Bunny Davy duck and Porky Pig bugs is the Everyman whose unconventional childhood and career as a Nobel prize-winning entrepreneur have made him successful enough that he can afford babysitting his roommate Daffy who pursues ego boosting get rich quick schemes on The Daily I don't think it's a stretch to say that he's the funniest character here didn't know you were a lawyer I am this week bugs being naturally gifted at almost everything receives less Focus over time but it's at the center of one of my favorites two bowl or not to bowl defy Feels overshadowed by bugs on his own bowling team so in a series of over dramatic close calls he tries to ensure that Daffy gets the attention he wants but doesn't deserve it kind of reminds me of their Dynamic and Looney Tunes back in Action I finally found a place where I feel good about myself and that place is right here these two are always butting heads over their contrasting priorities and attitudes but both are stubborn and easily frustrated the difference lies in how bugs tends to get worked up over wild circumstances while Daffy overreacts to minor inconveniences or misunderstandings like in the episode french fries bugs desperately tries to mend a rift in his friend group created when Daffy accuses Porky of stealing fries that he thought were meant for their table I thought they were for the table he thought they were for the table they were not for the table relax he just got his playoff tickets Porky is usually caught between these two flipping between serving the demands of the rabbit and Duck and often bringing out their selfish sides everyone ridiculous Porky for being single very gullible and living alone in a huge house Daffy even comes to believe that the pig is a murderer because his life lines up with the dark description given by the news there's some terrific atmosphere and a very silly mystery in that one I like it a lot until now the police have had little to go on other than the assumption that the Killer is agree who keeps to himself that's how I just described Porky Porky becomes less of a punching bag in season two but he's always a fun sidekick to have around even though he's usually at the mercy of the other protagonists quickly the Flyers out of here what I can't fly but you're a duck I'm not that kind of duck the straight man to this Trio is Speedy Gonzalez the fastest mouse in all of Mexico who runs a pizza place that's a frequent hangout spot it makes more sense in context find out the secret to a successful restaurant a mouse tell that to the health department I like how the absurdity of Speedy comes from his role in the series instead of Justice personality and he's voiced by Fred Armisen as well I have no problems with the celebrity casting because admittedly I'm biased towards the voice cast of The Looney Tune show everyone sounds right to me because these are the voices that I'm used to but I think these standout performance was Christian Wiig as little bunny now the character debuted in Space Jam where her personality traits for being a girl being over sexualized and being good at sports all which screams strong female character now she finally has proportions and a zany overbearing personality that actually fit the Looney Tunes Universe however girl as stable as me there are a few moments where Lola is conventionally sexy but those are either references or played for Laughs one can be found in the episode double date where she gives Daffy relationship advice that backfires causing her to fall in love with the duck bugs feels insecure over not being able to get Lola's attention while she's smitten with Daffy leading to a moment that defines their relationship gaffy's not your boyfriend I'm your boyfriend [Music] say that again that's okay I have it right here oh boy I appreciate how low-key bugs his affection for her is like no one else is patient enough to put up with Lola but he'll also do whatever it takes to make her happy Daffy goes out with Tina Russo a no-nonsense New Yorker who makes him a whole lot more likeable but also deals with the demanding retail job I'm just so sick of my job um she's a good new addition but it's strange how there's barely any other anthromorphic animals besides the tune characters out of every reinterpretation Yosemite Sam is probably the most familiar he can't keep a steady job he can't maintain his yard and he has to attend group therapy to overcome his gun Obsession his characterization feels authentic to his classic counterpart and Sam brings a similar Vibe with him whenever he has back and forth with bugs [Music] oh not again on the other hand witch hazel is now a sassy black woman and single mother to gossamer these changes are funny on paper and make them more than horror themed antagonists but most of the time they're just plot devices so they don't have the opportunity to justify these major changes same goes for the Tasmanian devil who is now bugs his dog he still growls and spins but never leaves the backyard the character loses potential by being relegated to a house pet if you want more from The Supporting Cast or characters who otherwise weren't present then maybe you'll like the merry Melodies I might have been spoiled by the standard of quality set by shows like Phineas and Ferb because these songs are pretty cringe if I do say so myself ah that is disgusting there's a lot of repeated lyrics or singing about what's happening on screen plus if this is your first exposure to Looney Tunes you'll be led to believe that the Goofy Gophers are really important based on how frequently they appear or that Elmer Fudd is a regular guy who eats grilled cheese sandwiches and drives in the wrong lane [Music] I prefer the songs that really capture the personalities of the characters like Lola's President's Day number where she names a bunch of celebrities that aren't actually president at least not yet a few of these include callbacks to one of the main stories like Debbie duck the wizard a few early episodes joke about Daffy thinking he's a wizard and getting that profession printed on a business card and that leads to this overly detailed rock opera where fantasy and reality Collide the art Direction on this is stellar and I'm glad that the merry Melodies allowed the storyboard on us to show off and occasionally switch up the visual style as I mentioned before the roadrunner and coyote shorts switched up the animation entirely using CGI that allowed for assets to be easily recycled camera angles that will be tricky to do in 2D and I didn't need to worry about lip sync since no one talks you may feel the urge to skip them because of how intentionally similar each short is but adding a new dimension to this classic setup did a decent job keeping things fresh they were a nice breather from the heavy drop Shadows colored outlines and washed out colors of C season one the lead character designer for the Looney Tunes show was Jessica borutsky who also developed the bunnicular cartoon for Warner animation a few years later she wanted to exaggerate features like bugs's feet and play around with the color palettes the designs were slightly streamlined between the promotional art and the final character models but you can still find remnants of their looks in the merchandise and some of the merry Melodies especially the ones boarded by barotsky herself the entire Series has strong exaggerated opposing environments that look lived in and humans that aren't out of place standing next to a rooster but one of the first pictures were released people hated the way this looked I feel bad for the artists who were harassed over things they were paid to draw ten years later and this crap still happens every other week I can at least understand the backlash when considering how this show would basically become the face of the Looney Tunes brand burning a few smaller projects plus the rough early episodes probably didn't make the best first impression for those who gave it a chance it is a little funny to see people jump to conclusions about a cartoons animation based on a still image people like Mike mate like Angry Video Game Nerd Mike mate like dress up as Bugs Bunny Mike mate like beat up the Angry Video Game Nerd dressed up as Bugs Bunny Mike mate [Music] it's probably a different Mike mate speaking of changing with the times I always find it interesting whenever cartoons that run for only two or three seasons get a sudden overhaul and that was the case with season two of The Looney Tune show while the character designs are the same the colors and backgrounds are much more saturated however the color stylist was probably hated purple because bugs is now gray and every outfit containing that color is now blue or white the drop Shadows were toned down and the grimy paint splatters are gone I know that texture detail may have been distracting to some but I miss how dedicated the visuals were to that Motif overall season 2 looks more on model in terms of being in line with the Looney Tunes brand and I don't think the animation is quite as Snappy either however I still think that this is the better season mostly because it wastes less time there aren't as many Toronto jokes the pausing between act breaks isn't as awkward the Roadrunner shorts are gone and the merry Melodies aren't as common although they really love to have two characters make the same joke individually and it got old when they did it every few episodes or so dead hillbilly leprechaun stole my Nobel Prize you know a hillbilly leprechaun Yosemite dispatch it's just a neighborhood dispute between a rabbit and a uh sort of like a hillbilly Leprechaun the downside of only having half as many merry Melodies is that we see less of characters like Marvin the Martian and the unique settings that they bring making each individual episode less memorable as a whole but the nine songs produced for this season generally felt more in line with the spirit of the tunes there's no more POV shots of Pepe Le Pew's sexually harassing woman the only Spotlight for the most minor characters is the ridiculous Journey a road trip episode with Sylvester Tweety Taz and a slew obscure classic characters they encounter along the way making the protagonists three pets who the audience barely has a connection with in this continuity leads to a plot I personally found dull I'd only recommend this one if you're a big fan of one of these three or anyone else who makes a cameo there's more important new additions Like Walter Bunny and Cecil Turtle which which give depth to Lola or highlight bugs mischievous side and both bring more continuity or slapstick to the table big chungus himself also makes an appearance thanks Looney Tunes mobile game for making that name Cannon season two is definitely stronger in the story Department especially when they inject a little sappiness into the endings it came off as cliche when they tried it in season 1 but it solidifies outings like Daffy Duck Esquire and especially you got hate mail as some of my favorites from the whole series by this point you care enough about everyone that even a duck literally named Devi can be a compelling character so I guess you're not going to get that respect and admiration you wanted what are you talking about I'll get it by hanging out with you here you're giving me your Tiara loaning you my tiara looks better on me and that's the end the Looney Tunes Show didn't receive a proper ending a few of the last episodes brought closure to characters like Yosemite Sam Porky and Daffy but the series finale was Super Rabbit this weird Superman parody with classic characters taking up the roles of heroes and villains it expects you to know a lot about the source material coming in and barely has anything to do with the Dynamics or setting established in the rest of the series although I'll give it credit for looking like it came straight out of a DC cartoon none of the main writers worked on this and it aired a year after the penultimate episode so I wonder if Super Rabbit was always meant to be a part of this reboot there's also the rabbits run direct to DVD movie that shared some of the same writers and voice actors but had different characterizations and another change to the art style let me know if I should cover it because that film is kind of its own thing although it's not a bad watch if two seasons wasn't enough for you is that my little hillbilly leprechaun that tried to kidnap us it looks like production on this series was cut short since two Mary Melodies were released online but never made it to air and a few characters featured in the intro were never featured in an episode I can't find a concrete Source on why there wasn't a third season but less than two years later Warner Brothers would launch another series that brought the characters back to their Roots wabbit later known as New Looney Tunes not to be confused with the new Looney Tunes man both of these titles suck barely any of Warner animations franchise shows last for more than two or three seasons nowadays that's just how the studios run but I'm glad that the Looney Tunes Show lives on through headcanons about the cast being lgbtq sure not all of it holds up and it could have been a funnier or more faithful reboot but you know what I like it all things considered I think this is a good watch while the series doesn't measure up to the original theatrical shorts it was never trying to for me it made stuff like smartphones seem kind of normal for these characters something most reboots or long-running franchises could only dream of in that way I think it was successful if you want to introduce a kid to sitcoms or you're in the mood for a clever and Charming hangout cartoon then give it a chance on HBO Max I mean you got Bugs Bunny going to the doctors and asking what's up doc now that's good writing That's all folks [Music]

Channel: NICKtendo

Views: 572,229

Keywords: Looney Tunes, The Looney Tunes Show, Space Jam, Space Jam 2, Space Jam A New Legacy, Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Lola Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Looney Tunes Show, Looney Tunes Show Review, Looney Tunes Show Retrospective, The Looney Tunes Show Review, The Looney Tunes Show Retrospective, NICKtendo, The Looney Tunes Show Daffy Duck, The Looney Tunes Show Lola Bunny, Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network Looney Tunes, Animation Review, Cartoon Review, Animation Retrospective

Id: zTCUJbhbAK0

Length: 22min 54sec (1374 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 21 2021