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Template:Infobox Series
The Looney Tunes Show is a television series that aired on Cartoon Network (and on Boomerang overseas). It was created by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone, who also created the 2003 series Duck Dodgers.
This show debuted May 3, 2011 and ran until August 31, 2014. The show was cancelled to make room for a new reboot show called Wabbit- A Looney Tunes Production.
Plot
The concept of The Looney Tunes Show revolves around Bugs and Daffy living in the suburbs of Los Angeles with "colorful neighbors" including Sylvester, Tweety, Granny, Yosemite Sam and Speedy Gonzales. Other classic characters such as Lola Bunny, Tina Russo, Porky Pig, Petunia Pig, Elmer Fudd, Marvin The Martian, Gossamer and many others also appear.
In the show, Bugs and Daffy live in the same house and they have to solve problems that arise. The show's plots contain less visual gags, and are more adult-oriented and dialogue-driven than has been seen in past Looney Tunes shows. Topics that are explored include dating, love triangles, employment, and rooming.
In the original Looney Tunes, Bugs and Daffy are rivals, but are roommates in The Looney Tunes Show. However, Daffy still seems to retain his envious, greedy, ego-centeric personality he always had. Many of the characters who originally rivaled Bugs and/or Daffy, including Marvin the Martian, Yosemite Sam, Witch Hazel, Gossamer, and Pete Puma now mingle with them. The Tasmanian Devil even serves as Bugs' "pet dog." For example, Elmer Fudd was a hunter and a farmer, but now he is a news reporter who has little to no current connection to any of the Looney Tunes Show characters.
The show also features Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote shorts as well as two-minute music videos showcasing classic characters singing original songs. These music videos are called Merrie Melodies in honor of the classic series of Merrie Melodies shorts.
Gallery
Episodes
Fifty-two episodes were produced over the show's two seasons.
- Main article: List of The Looney Tunes Show episodes
Merrie Melodies
Season 1:
- Grilled Cheese (performed by Elmer J. Fudd)
- I'm a Martian (performed by Marvin The Martian)
- Blow My Stack (performed by Yosemite Sam)
- Chickenhawk (performed by Henery Hawk, and Foghorn Leghorn, ft. Barnyard Dawg)
- Cock of the Walk (performed by Foghorn Leghorn, with Pepe Le Pew and Penelope Pussycat making cameo appearances)
- Queso Bandito (performed by Speedy Gonzales)
- We Are In Love (performed by Lola and Bugs Bunny)
- Be Polite (performed by Mac and Tosh ft. Marvin the Martian)
- Yellow Bird (performed by Holland Greco)
- Tasmanian Meltdown (performed by Damon Jones)
- Skunk Funk (performed by Pepe Le Pew)
- Daffy Duck The Wizard (performed by Damon Jones ft. Daffy Duck)
- Pizzarriba (performed bySpeedy Gonzales, Gustavo, and Porky Pig)
- Presidents' Day (performed byLola Bunny)
- Giant Robot Love (performed byDaffy Duck and Porky Pig)
- You Like / I Like (performed by Mac and Tosh)
- Chintzy (performed byDaffy Duck and Porky Pig)
- Table For One (performed by Speedy Gonzales)
Season 2:
- Laser Beam (by Marvin the Martian)
- Moostache (by Yosemite Sam's Mustache)
- Drifting Apart (by Mac and Tosh, and Pete Puma)
- Stick To My Guns (by Yosemite Sam)
- I Love to Sing-A (by Gossamer)
- Parade Float (by Daffy)
- Daffy's Legacy (by Daffy)
- Wonderful Bugs (by Walter Bunny)
- Long Eared Drifter (by Damon Jones ft. Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck)
- Sit Down (by Pete Puma)
- Season of the Turtle (by Cecil Turtle)
Characters
Cast | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Bugs Bunny Foghorn Leghorn Daffy Duck Sylvester The Cat Tweety Bird |
Jeff Bergman | |||
Lola Bunny | Kristen Wiig | |||
Tina Russo Duck | Jennifer Esposito Annie Mumolo | |||
Yosemite Sam | Maurice LaMarche | |||
Gossamer | ||||
Ben Falcone | ||||
Cecil Turtle | Jim Rash | |||
Pepé Le Pew | Rene Auberjonois | |||
Elmer Fudd | Billy West | |||
Witch Hazel | Roz Ryan | |||
Wile E. Coyote | Daran Norris (unc.) | |||
The Road-Runner | Frank Welker (unc.) | |||
Jim Cummings | ||||
Slowpoke Rodriguez | Hugh Davidson | |||
Pete Puma | John Kassir | |||
Marvin The Martian | Eric Bauza | |||
Mac and Tosh | Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell | |||
Granny | June Foray | |||
All singing characters | Damon Jones | |||
Porky Pig | Bob Bergen |
Reception
The show received mixed reviews from critics. Though the voice acting has received praise, the series has been criticized for its infrequent use of slapstick, its lack of cartoon gags, character designs, and the "sitcom-styled" format that consists of the characters living in a suburban neighborhood. The show, however, remained consistently popular, garnering an average of 2 million viewers every episode.
In a 2010 interview with CBC News, series animator Jessica Borutski said in response to fan criticism of the series' new character designs, that the original designs were intended for adults and that "[it is] time for a new generation to meet the characters." Borutski said, "a fresh, new design is the only way to keep characters alive." Cartoon historian Chris Robinson noted also that the mark the original characters have on fans is indelible, and that fans are not receptive to change. "[Fans] just really become attached to these things," Robinson said. "It's just so strongly rooted in their childhood that they're unable to separate themselves."
Brian Lowry of Variety wrote: "The Looney Tunes Show certainly isn't dethpicable, but it has to go down as a disappointment — more for adults than kids who aren't as acquainted with the full-strength shorts. Because while puns and wordplay have always had a place in 'Tunes'-ville, building an animated show around sitcom-style one-liners is looney for all the wrong reasons."
Robert Lloyd of Los Angeles Times wrote: "Pity the poor cartoon character. Unable to speak for himself against those who would redraw or rewrite him, he is the slave and plaything of whomever owns the copyright. The human fan can only watch or not and note that in most cases the better work is not usually the latest, and that theatrical versions of old cartoons are almost invariably superior to their television revivals."
Matthew Hunter of Golden Age Cartoons written: "The Looney Tunes Show, Cartoon Network's current series featuring the iconic Warner Bros. characters, is a radical departure from the classic shorts we all know and love. The producers "updated" the characters a bit and placed them in a suburban sitcom setting. The show is popular, but many fans of the classics have been very vocal in their displeasure with it. While the original Looney Tunes are known for physical comedy, slapstick and gags, "The Looney Tunes Show" relies much more on wry, verbal humor and characters finding themselves in awkward situations. It's an interesting approach, but the results are very hit-or-miss."
Devin D. O'Leary of Alibi wrote: "Change is scary. So it's not surprising to see people scared, confused and downright rassafrassin' angry over the prospect of Warner Bros. applying a reboot to the ass of venerable cartoon series Looney Tunes. “The Looney Tunes Show” attempts to rebrand Bugs Bunny and pals for a new generation—by putting them in a standard TV sitcom format. It sounds downright sacrilegious. But it's probably not as bad as you're imagining. In fact, it may be the best thing to happen to these characters in a generation."
Nancy Basile, the animated TV Expert of about entertainment written: "The Looney Tunes Show is an attempt to re-imagine Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the other Looney Tunes characters, bringing classic cartoon characters into the modern world. However, the show falls short of capturing the wonderful humor and true nature of the original Looney Tunes cartoons. At times The Looney Tunes Show is funny, because even a blind Chip and Dale find an acorn sometimes, but overall The Looney Tunes Show is too slick for its own good."
Brandon Nowalk of A.V. Club reviewed the show and wrote: "The Looney Tunes Show is the most off-putting version of Looney Tunes I've ever seen. Instead of a universe where anything could happen, here the plots are standard sitcom tropes. Instead of a universe spanning eons and continents and galaxies, here all the characters live on the same cul-de-sac."
Trivia
- The CGI Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts were discontinued for Season 2 of the show. Wile E. and Road however still appear in cameos in the show in 2D animation. This was due to the cost of producing CGI shorts along with with the show's 2D animation.
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