Capitol Critters

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Capitol Critters
Format Animated series
Created by Nat Mauldin
Steven Bochco
Michael Wagner
Starring Neil Patrick Harris
Charlie Adler
Jennifer Darling
Patti Deutsch
Bobcat Goldthwait
Dorian Harewood
Frank Welker
Country of origin Flag of the United States United States
No. of episodes 13
Production
Running time 30 minutes per episode
Broadcast
Original channel ABC
Original run January 31, 1992 – March 14, 1992

Capitol Critters is an animated television series about the lives of mice, rats, and roaches who reside in the basement and walls of the White House in Washington, D.C. The series was produced by Steven Bochco and Hanna-Barbera Productions for the ABC Television Network, which aired 7 out of the show's 13 episodes from January 31, 1992 to March 14, 1992. Cartoon Network began airing all 13 episodes in 1995.

Contents

[edit] The story

The series began on a Nebraska farm, which was also home to a family of mice, including a young mouse named Max. While Max was outside the farmhouse basement to gather some corn, exterminators had just arrived to eliminate the mice of that basement. Once Max noticed the exterminators from a distance, he quickly returned to the basement only to witness the death of his entire family. Before Max's mother was killed after a failed rescue attempt, she told him to leave for Washington, D.C., where his cousin Berkeley resides. Upon his arrival in the nation's capital Max met a rat named Jammett. who resides along with Berkeley in the White House basement. After meeting Berkeley at last, Max met a former lab rat named Muggle and Jammett's mother Trixie, who allowed him to share her son's room as a place to sleep. When a new set of cats (presidential and vice presidential) were just beginning to be a nuisance for the mice before Max's arrival, the very familiar sight of rat poison returned into the mouse's life at his new home. When death appeared to be Max's fate, a cockroach named Moze came to his aid and brought him outside the White House basement. When Max returned to the basement, the sight of Muggle without conscience brought back terrible memories that caused him to run outside toward a presidential helicopter preparing to take off. Jammett managed to join Max on the helicopter before returning to the White House, giving the two plenty of time to know each other better.

[edit] Voice cast

[edit] Criticism and Reception

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The popular view of the show by television critics has been a negative one, perceiving it as an example of one of the many short-lived prime-time animated series of the 1990's which were lame imitations of the The Simpsons on FOX, being released on other networks hoping to emulate the same success in ratings before failing miserably with the shows later falling into obscurity.[who?] Other shows frequently mentioned in this category with Capitol Critters include Family Dog and Fish Police.[citation needed] There are many critics who have described Capitol Critters as one of the worst animated series ever made.[who?] Another common reason given for show's poor ratings and cancellation includes the view that it was too "kiddie" in its appearance and style to appeal to adults or teenagers yet too mature and heavy in its subject matter to appeal to children, dealing with such topics as politics, drug addiction, death, grief, romance, and dating.[citation needed] The show was rated TV-Y.[citation needed] Nevertheless, the show still has a small yet appreciative cult following by those who loved its characters, humor, and style.[who?] Some are still awaiting the show's release on video or re-airing on television again, but there has not yet been any plans by Cartoon Network or any other networks to do either.[who?]

[edit] Notes

  • The Steven Bochco Productions logo at the end of each episode featured a mouse playing violin instead of the regular live-action logo.
  • Burger King released a line of Capitol Critters figurines with characters along with famous Washington, D.C. attractions, such as Jammett as a disc jockey above the White House.
  • The first three episodes aired during the same week. The second episode aired Friday night at 8:00 p.m. EST before settling into the 8:30 p.m. slot on Saturday.
  • The series was put on hiatus twice before cancellation.

[edit] External links