Ah, Animaniacs. A name known to generations, and discussed by many an animation fan. And with the new reboot on Hulu being fresh on everyone's minds, many have decided to check out the original out of either sheer curiosity or the buzz surrounding the franchise rejuvenating interest. However, with how much there is to the show and with how hit-and-miss it was in its prime (being one of those '65 episodes in one year' cartoons that were commonplace in the 90s), some people just don't know where to start apart from the original airing order. And with Early Installment Weirdness and all that, watching it that way may not necessarily make the series click right away.
So I'm going to list the 10 cartoons (mostly 7-10 minute segments, with a couple exceptions) that I think you should watch first, and in what order, to encompass as many of the series' strengths as possible. Keep in mind, these aren't necessarily my favorite Animaniacs segments - note that these all come from season 1 and several of the more popular entries are left out - but rather, what I think would leave the best first impressions.
1 - Hooked on a Ceiling (4A)
This may've been in episode 4, but while the cartoons that aired in the first three are pretty good, Hooked on a Ceiling is the first true masterpiece of the series and it's a perfect way to ease yourself into the series' sense of humor, giving this juxtaposition of all the different brands the series throws at you, almost on a whim. Genuine historical culture, with the background on Michelangelo at the beginning. Celebrity satire, with Michel himself being portrayed by a tough Kirk Douglas caricature. Irreverent and sometimes juvenile humor, with the emphasis on how the ceilings are full of naked people. Pop culture references, with the random Hunchback of Notre Dame and the genius final punchline. And finally, the downright contagious energy with gags coming a mile a minute.
It's also a great starting point to the Warners Brothers (and sister) both as characters and as a group. Their personalities all shine tremendously - Yakko's the fast, wise-talker that calls all the shots, Dot's the easygoing one who focuses on appearance, and Wakko is the more gluttonous one who embraces the wackiness around him. But the doses are just small enough to not get overwhelming - yet their shtick of being passionate about what they do, however misguided and annoying they may be, is always the central focus.
2 - Plane Pals (22B)
However, in case the Warners going after an exaggerated version of an art legend wasn't up your alley, try something much more grounded in reality. This is probably one of the best ever uses of the Warners' regular shtick, where their antagonist is such an obnoxious, self-important pain in the rear with practically everything he does. Exaggerated and childlike as the siblings' actions may be, you KNOW you would want to do at least half the things they do to the man with how immediately unreasonable he is, and you don't feel sorry in the slightest for how broken he gets by the end. And on top of that, they do virtually every single type of joke they could in this setting; there's an airline safety video that gets a lot of laughs even without the Warners' feedback. And despite being mostly kept in a plane, the camera angles and change of scenery always keep things visually interesting. It's amazing how much ground this cartoon covers, no pun intended.
3 - Chairman of the Bored (32A)
But of course, these three wacky, off-the-wall cartoon characters aren't unflappable entities blind to the world around them. Sometimes the Warners encounter someone or something that put them in a distinct position of weakness where *they're* the ones trying to escape. In this case, a Ben Stein-voiced man who means extremely well but rambles on for what feels like an eternity about the most mundane stuff ever. This is a prime example on how pitch-perfect the series' casting can get, with Stein hitting all the notes perfectly. Plus, the Warners are among their most relatable while still acting completely in-character, with their complete desperation to escape Pip Pumphandle as well as their means of freeloading off the gala. In addition, this is home to some of the series' best animation and expression work, courtesy of a small animation house in Chicago known as Startoons, with artists like Jon McClenahan and Spike Brandt, among others, pushing this already hilarious situation to a whole new level that you couldn't really get anywhere else.
4 - Ups and Downs (52A)
It's here where we get a good look at one of the Warners' most recurring foils, studio psychiatrist Otto von Scratchansniff, and his relationship with the trio - or Wakko, in this case - is immediately made clear: he doesn't *hate* them, and can share some friendly moments at the best of times, but he easily gets annoyed and mostly wants them to stay out of his way in fear they'll make everything worse (which they admittedly often do). This cartoon also expertly shows how they don't always have to be together to shine; Wakko has a just defined enough personality to be able to add a lot of the humor just on his own. And on top of it, "Ups and Downs" takes the most mundane and simplistic concept possible and manages to make it way more entertaining than it has any right to be in general, partly because of these two characters. This trifecta of distinctions makes this one a serious recommendation to any newcomer.
5 - Bubba Bo Bob Brain (34B)
But of course, Animaniacs is far more than just the titular trio, and it's by this point where it's best to get acquainted with some of the several different subseries, starting with the most famous: Pinky and the Brain. You've all heard of them at some point, the two lab mice trying every night to take over the world through all these inventive but eccentric schemes. And the Pinky and the Brain formula is at its most clearest and finest in "Bubba Bo Bob Brain", where Brain aims to become a country music star to hypnotize the world into his command. You get a little bit of almost everything - the two personalities superbly contrasting off each other, the biting social satire, the absurdity stacked on top of more absurdity, and fantastic use of foreshadowing and payoff. It's a textbook example on how to present a comedic rise and fall.
6 - Puppet Rulers (40B)
With how popular Pinky and the Brain have become (getting their own series and being prominently featured in the reboot), watching one of their cartoons can only do so much justice. Thus, here's my choice for a second one to look at because it takes much more advantage on who Pinky and the Brain are as characters and is more laser-focused in nature. A huge part of the charm behind the mice's dynamic is how much nuance there is to both personalities, despite what the basic setup would have you believe. Pinky's addiction to pop culture, for instance, is put to genuinely effectively use, while Brain is blissfully unaware of how the world actually works - both of which become extremely consistent the more you watch of them. And this is ingeniously displayed in the ending, which is simply too humorous to mention.
7 - Critical Condition (36A)
And now we reach another big player of the original series, and one of the more unique ideas: Slappy Squirrel, a retired cartoon star who uses her old tricks to (quite literally) blow up any problem that comes her way, all while looking over her chipper nephew Skippy. This cartoon encompasses literally everything that makes a Slappy cartoon great: a strong love for her nephew, Skippy being very proactive, supportive, and full of attitude, her cartoon history being contextualized as part of the Looney Tunes cast in-universe, super-expressive and impactful animation courtesy of Startoons, and a target that resembles something we know and joke about in real life - in this case, movie critics in the form of Siskel and Ebert parodies - that are just nasty enough to make their torment all the more hilarious and cathartic. As for further Slappy cartoons, if you find yourself gravitating toward the bond between the squirrels, look at "Bumbi's Mom"; or, if you prefer Slappy's attitude and subsequent response to the madness around her, see "Woodstock Slappy".
8 - Les Miseranimals (11B)
And now for something completely different. This cartoon takes the stray animals Rita and Runt, stars of mostly forgettable to moderately enjoyable cartoons that didn't last past season 1, into a full-blown, passionate parody/homage to... duh... Les Miserables. I personally know virtually nothing about the source material, but man does this one sound and look nice. The atmosphere seamlessly conveys both the somber lows and relaxing highs, and it's fascinating how well this cartoon is able to tell a very sincere story while still staying true to the show's comedic roots. Broadway legend Bernadette Peters provides the voice of Rita the cat, and her singing is just as beautiful as you'd think it would be, with this cartoon making excellent use of that with the multiple musical numbers. And even her more general acting proves spot-on, working off the dim-witted but kind-hearted Runt exceptionally well. On top of all that, being a musical, it's one of the best ever displays of Richard Stone's magnificent orchestration, and it'll make you want to listen to more of the series' many, many amazing songs. It's a great one, definitely-definitely a great one.
9 - Twas the Day Before Christmas (50A)
This relatively simple, holiday short is on this list for how it uses several side and tertiary cast members that otherwise aren't anywhere in this selection, allowing for a sample of who else you can expect to see across the show. From the dysfunctional comrades the Goodfeathers, to the slow-witted but charming guard Ralph, and the Baby Herman/Roger Rabbit-esque Buttons and Mindy... some of their appearances may be brief, but a lot manages to be communicated about each of them. And of course you'll still get more of the characters you've already become acquainted with, some of which you've hopefully come to love, so there's basically something for everyone here - all along a humorous but still memorable take on the classic holiday poem. Even if you don't watch this around Christmas time, it's still a must-watch to anyone who really wants to get a taste of the ensemble as a whole.
10 - The Warners' 65th Anniversary Special (65)
And of course, you have the big season 1 finale - the full-length 65th Anniversary Special of the Warners. It gives the full backstory on who they are as characters, complete with a massive (if artistically-licensed) slam at one of Warner Bros' most infamous characters, while providing all the gags you could want out of these characters. Joke about their legacy as cartoons, jokes about the people who made and worked with them, references to past episodes (while still being funny enough to those unfamiliar with the original context) and jokes that are just complete, random nonsense - all complimented with some top-tier TMS animation and a certain celebratory feel that made this season finale feel so much more special than any other 65-episode cartoon of the time.
Maybe the series still doesn't click with you for one reason or another. Obviously, not everything appeals to everyone. But sometimes, giving something as fair a shot as possible is what matters the most, and this selection - in my opinion - certainly is.