I think the reason I keep coming back to The Nostalgia Critic is because I value his opinion and, like I said before, he's so smart and observant. That couldn't be better exemplified by this video. I usually disagree with his Top 11 lists and this one is no exception. But, it's usually the order I question and his choices are typically very good. Since the topic at hand is Animaniacs, the show itself was usually brilliant, and Doug is a big fan of it, of course he's at his best here. His argument begins with - the reason he's even looking at Animaniacs is that it was more intelligent than the average children's show. And culminates with - it was also so adult that it occasionally was dipping into big time controversy, only they got away with it because the censors didn't catch it. However, for example, the entire clip taken from the "Chalkboard Bungle" episode I got. Even as a kid. And I'm sure the censors got it too. Unless they didn't sit through the episode.
That's not the only thing funny here. I can admit that if the first two entries on Critic's list are as risqué as he claims, I don't get the implications they're making. #11 is from the "Hooked on a Ceiling" episode, where a feigning shocked Yakko says to Michelangelo, the infamous Renaissance painter, "You expect us poor, innocent children to climb up dangerous scaffolding and paint naked people all over a church? ...WE'LL DO IT!" Obviously, the combination of children and naked people in the dialogue isn't the only racy thing being implied in this joke if it's making this list. Doug made sure in his intro to mention that the jokes he chose were chosen for their sneakiness. And, as stated, there's nothing sneaky about that line. Neither is #9, which I believe is taken from the episode "No Pain, No Painting," where Dot shouts out at the end, "I've got the buns!" and proceeds to wiggle hers. Along with #'s 1 and 3, this is the funniest moment on the list.
#10 is the most confusing choice on the list for me. Just because we see a Madonna caricature in her Truth or Dare outfit doesn't imply anything naughty apart from the dialogue. Although, this was 1993 and her infamous Sex book had come out the year before. But even then, very few people ever thought of Madonna as much of a slut. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but there isn't a single censor at that time who was going to insist this moment be cut out of the cartoon. The most risqué thing about it is that she might have had big boobs, but so did the Hello, Nurse character as well as the Julie Bruin character from Tiny Toons. I think we have Who Framed Roger Rabbit? to thank for that, personally. #4 is also no big surprise or anything really naughty for any kind of children's TV show. Thanks to adult content becoming more accepted on other shows like The Simpsons and Ren & Stimpy.
That's not the only thing funny here. I can admit that if the first two entries on Critic's list are as risqué as he claims, I don't get the implications they're making. #11 is from the "Hooked on a Ceiling" episode, where a feigning shocked Yakko says to Michelangelo, the infamous Renaissance painter, "You expect us poor, innocent children to climb up dangerous scaffolding and paint naked people all over a church? ...WE'LL DO IT!" Obviously, the combination of children and naked people in the dialogue isn't the only racy thing being implied in this joke if it's making this list. Doug made sure in his intro to mention that the jokes he chose were chosen for their sneakiness. And, as stated, there's nothing sneaky about that line. Neither is #9, which I believe is taken from the episode "No Pain, No Painting," where Dot shouts out at the end, "I've got the buns!" and proceeds to wiggle hers. Along with #'s 1 and 3, this is the funniest moment on the list.
#10 is the most confusing choice on the list for me. Just because we see a Madonna caricature in her Truth or Dare outfit doesn't imply anything naughty apart from the dialogue. Although, this was 1993 and her infamous Sex book had come out the year before. But even then, very few people ever thought of Madonna as much of a slut. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but there isn't a single censor at that time who was going to insist this moment be cut out of the cartoon. The most risqué thing about it is that she might have had big boobs, but so did the Hello, Nurse character as well as the Julie Bruin character from Tiny Toons. I think we have Who Framed Roger Rabbit? to thank for that, personally. #4 is also no big surprise or anything really naughty for any kind of children's TV show. Thanks to adult content becoming more accepted on other shows like The Simpsons and Ren & Stimpy.
