'Tiny Toon Adventures' is one of those shows that has gotten better with each re-watch, and this is coming from someone who has always had a big soft spot for it (do slightly prefer similar shows 'Animaniacs' and 'Pinky and the Brain' though). It has plenty for both children and adults, especially young adults with the humour being more familiar and funnier to them, and it has a ball with its clever concept and its writing and characters.
One of the 'Tiny Toon Adventures' episodes to be divided into short segments, "Test Stress" (comprising of "Never Too Late to Loon", "Lil Sneezer" and "To Bleep or Not to Bleep") has always been to me one of the best of those type of episodes. Also one of the most consistent, one of the episodes where all the segments are about equal and not an episode where one segment is a little or significantly weaker than the other. Don't have a favourite of the three and all three are treats for anyone that loves 'Animaniacs', 'Pinky and the Brain' and Looney Tunes.
A large part of me found "Never too Late to Loon" relatable, as would anybody who gets stressed easily facing something pressurising, like preparing for exams. Know that exact feeling and how stressed to the point of illness it made me feel. Despite Plucky's actions, it is not a segment that encourages cheating but rather teaching youngsters early that it is not a good thing and has bad consequences which is a good lesson to learn early on.
Same goes with "To Bleep or Not to Bleep", even with the presence of Fowlmouth it does not treat swearing and its censoring of it as a good thing. With how Buster reacts to it, which is disapprovingly (an easy to relate to reaction for some), it's the opposite, like being told not to do it when it's done but in a way much better than a lot of those in authority. This educational aspect of both segments are done without laying it on too heavily so it doesn't become too much of a sermon and instead does it very entertainingly.
"Lil Sneezer" is every bit as great, if not as witty or as relatable as the other two, enlivened by the presence of Sylvester and being the segment to be closest to the spirit and style to the original Looney Tunes cartoons. Not just because of the presence of Sylvester, true to character, but also that it contains a Looney Tunes scenario, a formulaic one somewhat but one that's executed in a lively fashion.
"Test Stress" is very well animated. It is crisp, with bright colourful backgrounds, beautiful colours and well drawn characters. The reactions are also very imaginatively visually. The music is as good as the old Looney Tunes cartoons (prime-Looney Tunes, not most of the 60s ones) in being characterful and adding to the action, if not quite enhancing it in the same way. It always helps to have a memorable theme tune, and the one for 'Tiny Toon Adventures' is suitably hip and very catchy.
Writing here is wonderfully wacky and razor sharp in wit, as well as being smart and spot on in comic timing. The references are both inspired and cleverly inserted, none feeling random or misplaced. The 'Dumbo' reference in "Never Too Late to Loon" was especially clever. The episode handles serious subjects with maturity without trivialising, while also being accessible. Love the characters, with Buster and Plucky having the most to do of the regulars and Fowlmouth, a mix of a mini-Foghorn Leghorn and Joe Pesci, is the most colourful of the supporting characters. Of the character interactions, that between Buster and Fowlmouth stood out particularly. Joe Alaskey and Rob Paulsen are especially good of the uniformly great voice acting.
In conclusion, wonderful. 10/10
One of the 'Tiny Toon Adventures' episodes to be divided into short segments, "Test Stress" (comprising of "Never Too Late to Loon", "Lil Sneezer" and "To Bleep or Not to Bleep") has always been to me one of the best of those type of episodes. Also one of the most consistent, one of the episodes where all the segments are about equal and not an episode where one segment is a little or significantly weaker than the other. Don't have a favourite of the three and all three are treats for anyone that loves 'Animaniacs', 'Pinky and the Brain' and Looney Tunes.
A large part of me found "Never too Late to Loon" relatable, as would anybody who gets stressed easily facing something pressurising, like preparing for exams. Know that exact feeling and how stressed to the point of illness it made me feel. Despite Plucky's actions, it is not a segment that encourages cheating but rather teaching youngsters early that it is not a good thing and has bad consequences which is a good lesson to learn early on.
Same goes with "To Bleep or Not to Bleep", even with the presence of Fowlmouth it does not treat swearing and its censoring of it as a good thing. With how Buster reacts to it, which is disapprovingly (an easy to relate to reaction for some), it's the opposite, like being told not to do it when it's done but in a way much better than a lot of those in authority. This educational aspect of both segments are done without laying it on too heavily so it doesn't become too much of a sermon and instead does it very entertainingly.
"Lil Sneezer" is every bit as great, if not as witty or as relatable as the other two, enlivened by the presence of Sylvester and being the segment to be closest to the spirit and style to the original Looney Tunes cartoons. Not just because of the presence of Sylvester, true to character, but also that it contains a Looney Tunes scenario, a formulaic one somewhat but one that's executed in a lively fashion.
"Test Stress" is very well animated. It is crisp, with bright colourful backgrounds, beautiful colours and well drawn characters. The reactions are also very imaginatively visually. The music is as good as the old Looney Tunes cartoons (prime-Looney Tunes, not most of the 60s ones) in being characterful and adding to the action, if not quite enhancing it in the same way. It always helps to have a memorable theme tune, and the one for 'Tiny Toon Adventures' is suitably hip and very catchy.
Writing here is wonderfully wacky and razor sharp in wit, as well as being smart and spot on in comic timing. The references are both inspired and cleverly inserted, none feeling random or misplaced. The 'Dumbo' reference in "Never Too Late to Loon" was especially clever. The episode handles serious subjects with maturity without trivialising, while also being accessible. Love the characters, with Buster and Plucky having the most to do of the regulars and Fowlmouth, a mix of a mini-Foghorn Leghorn and Joe Pesci, is the most colourful of the supporting characters. Of the character interactions, that between Buster and Fowlmouth stood out particularly. Joe Alaskey and Rob Paulsen are especially good of the uniformly great voice acting.
In conclusion, wonderful. 10/10