The classic animated television series, Animaniacs, made a return Sept. 14, 2020, on the streaming service Hulu. 

The Animaniacs haven’t been around since 1998 when the original show ended. Notorious director Steven Spielberg is the one responsible for this reboot. The show revolves around three siblings, Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner. These three wreak havoc primarily on the Warner Brothers filming lot. This offers up numerous opportunities to showcase characters such as Batman and Superman without being in legal trouble.

While this is often called a reboot, the Warners are 100 percent aware that they have disappeared for 22 years. They often mention it and exhibit confusion when faced with modern technology, such as a drone in the first episode. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, “After 22 years off the air, Animaniacs is back with a whole lot of pent up zaniness.” For example, the first episode starts with the three being showcased in a “Jurassic Park,” with Steven Spielberg as Dr. John Hammond, the man responsible for the literal revival of these cartoons.

The basic setup for most original episodes is based on the Warners causing trouble around the Warner Brothers filming lot. These antics commonly involve Ralph, the security guard, who is simply attempting to do his job and stop the Warners. Dylan Head said, “I liked the show when I was a kid. It’s nice to see them continuing it.” The new version of the show even features a new intro song complete with updated pop- culture references and jabs. 

All in all, it seems the show is here to stay for the time being. Hopefully, it will prove to be as legendary as the original once was.