Taz-Mania

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Taz-Mania
Taz-Mania.png
Genre Animated sitcom
Based on Looney Tunes
by Warner Bros.
Developed by Jean MacCurdy
Tom Ruegger
Voices of Jim Cummings
Maurice LaMarche
Miriam Flynn
Debi Derryberry
Kellie Martin
Rob Paulsen
John Astin
Dan Castellaneta
Theme music composer Richard Stone
Opening theme"Come to Taz-Mania" by Jess Harnell and Jim Cummings
Ending theme"Come to Taz-Mania" (Instrumental)
ComposersJ. Eric Schmidt
Richard Stone
Mark Watters
Don Davis
Steve Bernstein
John Given
Carl Johnson
Harvey Cohen
Jerry Grant
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes65 (121 segments)
Production
Executive producersJean MacCurdy
Tom Ruegger
ProducerArt Vitello
Running time30 minutes
Production company Warner Bros. Animation
Original release
Network Fox Kids
ReleaseSeptember 7, 1991 (1991-09-07) 
May 22, 1995 (1995-05-22)
Related

Taz-Mania is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation from 1991 to 1995, broadcast in the United States on Fox Kids where it stars the Tasmanian Devil. [1]

Contents

Similar to other Warner Bros. cartoons of its time, such as Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures (both of which were created by Taz-Mania co-developer Tom Ruegger), Taz-Mania frequently broke the fourth wall, and often made jokes showing that Taz could actually speak perfectly normally when he wanted to. [2] The title song is performed by Jess Harnell and Jim Cummings.

Premise

The show follows the adventures of the Looney Tunes character Taz the Tasmanian Devil in the fictional land of Tazmania (based on Tasmania). [3] The intro indicates that in this rendering of Tasmania "the sky's always yellow, rain or shine".

Characters

Tazmanian Devil family

Hotel Tazmania staff

Outback characters

Looney Tunes characters

Episodes

Episodes are copyright 1991 (1–15), 1992 (16–47), or 1993 (48–65); note that this does not always correspond with when they originally aired. The series premiered on September 7, 1991, and ended on May 22, 1995.

SeasonSegmentsEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 2414September 7, 1991 (1991-09-07)December 7, 1991 (1991-12-07)
2 2613September 5, 1992 (1992-09-05)November 28, 1992 (1992-11-28)
3 2313September 4, 1993 (1993-09-04)December 25, 1993 (1993-12-25)
4 4825September 13, 1994 (1994-09-13)May 22, 1995 (1995-05-22)

Season 1 (1991)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byStoryboard byOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"The Dog the Turtle Story"Douglas McCarthy Bill Kopp Garrett Ho, Larry Scholl
and Douglas McCarthy
September 7, 1991 (1991-09-07)406–401
Taz rescues a turtle, which acts like a dog, from a trap and adopts him as a pet, but then Bull Gator and Axl visit Taz's outback family and they all rescue him from the pair.
2"Like Father, Like Son"Keith BaxterMark Saraceni and Art VitelloGarrett Ho and Larry SchollSeptember 14, 1991 (1991-09-14)406–402
"Frights of Passage"Keith Baxter and Bill KoppDouglas McCarthy
Hugh takes Taz out for a father-son bonding experience./Francis X. Bushlad of the Mudpeople sets out to hunt a Tasmanian Devil as his proof of manhood.
3"War and Pieces"Lenord RobinsonMark SaraceniWarren Greenwood and Todd KurosawaSeptember 21, 1991 (1991-09-21)406–403
"Airbourne Airhead"Kirk Tingblad
Taz and his younger siblings Molly and Jake are left to run the house while their parents visit Grandma. With help from the Platypus Brothers Daniel and Timothy, Taz attempts to climb Pointy Peak and to obtain giant bird eggs with which to make a Taz-sized omelet.
4"It's No Picnic"Greg Duffell and Gary HartleMark Saraceni and Art VitelloGreg DuffellSeptember 28, 1991 (1991-09-28)406–404
"Kee-Wee ala King" Henry T. Gilroy and Art VitelloEnnis McNulty
The Tasmanian Devil family heads out on a picnic, unaware that Bull Gator and Axl are looking to capture all of them. Taz and Buddy Boar go hunting for a Kee-Wee bird, which quickly turns into disaster for the pair.
5"A Devil of a Job"Douglas McCarthyGordon KentGarrett Ho, Larry Scholl
and Charles Visser
October 5, 1991 (1991-10-05)406–405
Taz gets a job at the Hotel Tazmania to earn the money for a motorcycle.
6"Battling Bushrats"Keith BaxterBill KoppFilmarion FerreiraOctober 12, 1991 (1991-10-12)406–406
"Devil in the Deep Blue Sea"Bill Kopp, Chris Otsuki and Art VitelloChris Otsuki
Taz must protect his mom's turkey dinner from both the Bushrats and an army of ants. Despite his hatred of water, Taz is manipulated by Digeri Dingo to scuba dive into the ocean and find a sunken treasure.
7"Woeful Wolf"Lenord RobinsonGordon KentHumberto Delefuente, Warren Greenwood,
Audu Paden and Al Zegler
October 19, 1991 (1991-10-19)406–407
The neurotic Wendal T. Wolf looks to Taz for friendship, but Taz just finds him to be an annoying and needy pest.
8"Devil with the Violet Dress On"Gary HartleGordon KentDaniel DangloOctober 26, 1991 (1991-10-26)406–408
"Kidnapped Koala"Mark SaraceniGary Hartle and Gabi Payn
Jean insists on spending the day with her son Taz, for better or for worse. Bull Gator and Axl attempt to capture Constance Koala.
Note: This episode was excluded from the first DVD volume Taz on the Loose.
9"Mishap in the Mist"Douglas McCarthyBill Kopp and Art VitelloGarrett HoNovember 2, 1991 (1991-11-02)406–409
"Toothache Taz"Bill KoppLarry Scholl
A woman studies the Tasmanian Devil family in their natural habitat. Taz gets a toothache and turns to the Platypus Brothers for help, but their cures end up being worse than the toothache.
10"Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty"Keith Baxter & Art VitelloChris Otsuki and Art VitelloKeith Baxter and Flamarion FerreiraNovember 9, 1991 (1991-11-09)406–410
"Enter the Devil"Henry Gilroy and Art VitelloVictoria Jenson, Chris Otsuki and Al Zegler
Molly gets a cute cat for a pet, but this new addition to the family quickly becomes Taz's worst nightmare that he tries to eliminate. Mr. Thickly trains Taz to be a kung-fu master.
11"Bewitched Bob"Lenord RobinsonGordon KentWarren Greenwood, Audu Paden,
Lou Scarborough and Al Zegler
November 16, 1991 (1991-11-16)406–411
A new visitor to the Hotel Tazmania has Bushwhacker Bob wrapped around her finger.
12"Instant Replay"Jon McClenahanHenry T. Gilroy and Art VitelloJon McClenahanNovember 23, 1991 (1991-11-23)406–412
"Taz and the Pterodactyl"Chris Otsuki and Art VitelloChris Otsuki
Bull Gator and Axl film their exploits to learn the best way to capture Taz. Taz meets a living pterodactyl and is taken on a flight across the outback.
13"Pup Goes the Wendal"Douglas McCarthyGordon Kent and Art VitelloGarrett HoNovember 30, 1991 (1991-11-30)406–413
"I'm Okay, You're Taz"Mark SaraceniLarry Scholl
Wendal Wolf kicks Dog the Turtle out of Taz's house and inserts himself as the new family pet. Buddy Boar tries to improve Taz's personality.
14"Comic Madness"Keith BaxterHenry Gilroy and Art VitelloFlamarion Ferreira and Victoria JensonDecember 7, 1991 (1991-12-07)406–414
"Blunders Never Cease"Bill KoppChris Otsuki
The family is worried that Taz is spending too much time with his comic books. Francis resorts to taking tribal potions in his quest to capture Taz.

Season 2 (1992)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
151"Amazing Shrinking Taz and Co."Keith BaxterBill Kopp, Art Vitello, Alan SwayzeSeptember 5, 1992 (1992-09-05)406–418
The latest invention of the Platypus Brothers shrinks Taz, Bull Gator, and Axl to microscopic size.
162"Oh, Brother"Lenord RobinsonHenry Gilroy, Mark Saraceni, Art Vitello, Glenn Leopold September 12, 1992 (1992-09-12)406–419
"Taz-Babies"
A giant gorilla is goaded by his little brother to attack Jake, but Taz does not take his attacks lightly. Taz-Mania is presented to the network vice-president, who has his own ideas on what Taz's show should be like.
173"Jake's Big Date"Douglas McCarthyHenry Gilroy, Mark Saraceni, Art Vitello, Mary Jo LudinSeptember 19, 1992 (1992-09-19)406–421
"Taz Live"
Jake is set up on a play date with his friend Heather. When Hotel Tazmania is unable to deliver its scheduled comedy act, Taz and his friends stall for time with their own acts.
184"A Midsummer Night's Scream"Douglas McCarthy Mark Zaslove, Art Vitello, Mark Saraceni, Timothy Williams September 26, 1992 (1992-09-26)406–434
"Astro Taz"
Lost in the mountains, Taz and Bushwhacker Bob are forced to spend the night in a creepy motel. Taz mistakes a space shuttle for an arcade game.
195"Tazmanian Lullaby"Keith Baxter, Art VitelloKeith Baxter, Chris Otsuki, Art Vitello, Brenda Lilly, Kristina MazzottiOctober 3, 1992 (1992-10-03)406–437
"Deer Taz"
"A Taz-Manian Moment"
Francis discovers Taz's love of accordion music and uses it to capture him. Taz must compete with other predators over an adorable baby deer that he cannot bring himself to eat. In an "unused" scene from "Ticket Taker Taz", Molly uses her paddleball to scam Taz out of the concert tickets.
206"The Outer Taz-Manian Zone"Keith BaxterChris Otsuki, Gordon Kent, Art Vitello, George AtkinsOctober 10, 1992 (1992-10-10)406–422
"Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty,"
Taz and Molly switch bodies after an argument over their personal lives. Molly's cat returns, and the feline wastes no time in terrorizing Taz out of revenge.
217"Taz-Mania's Funniest Home Videos"Lenord RobinsonBill Kopp, Henry Gilroy, Art Vitello, Bruce HowardOctober 17, 1992 (1992-10-17)406–423
"Bottle Cap Blues"
To win a trip to the Bora Bora Islands, Taz attempts to film some candid videos of his family. Taz and Dingo pursue a Kee-Wee Bird for the rare bottle cap it is carrying.
228"Hypnotazed"Douglas McCarthy, Jon McClenahanHenry Gilroy, Gordon Kent, Art Vitello, Earl KressOctober 24, 1992 (1992-10-24)406–438
"Mum's n' Taz's"
Bull Gator accidentally hypnotizes himself into thinking he is a Tasmanian Devil. Taz and Mum get trapped in an abandoned mine shaft.
239"Boys Just Wanna Have Fun"Douglas McCarthyMark Saraceni, Gordon Kent, Art Vitello, Mark YoungOctober 31, 1992 (1992-10-31)406–417
"Unhappy Together"
With Jean and Molly out at a swim meet, Hugh, Taz, and Jake have a guys' night at home. Taz's presence ends up driving a wedge between the Platypus Brothers.
2410"Food for Thought"Keith BaxterGordon Kent, Chris Otsuki, Art Vitello, Gary Greenfield, George AtkinsNovember 7, 1992 (1992-11-07)406–433
"Gone to Pieces"
Taz attempts to cross a piranha-filled lake to grab an egg for lunch. Taz's game of bottlecap tiddlywinks ends up breaking his mother's valuable vase. He tries to hide the accident from Mom.
2511"Kee-Wee Cornered"Lenord RobinsonGordon Kent, Art Vitello, Bill Kopp, Wayne Kaatz November 14, 1992 (1992-11-14)406–439
"But Is It Taz?"
Fed up with Taz eating all of her pet birds, Molly goes out and gets a Kee-Wee Bird. Taz quits the show out of anger for all of the abuse he takes every episode and gets a fast-food job, instead.
2612"Mall Wrecked"Lenord RobinsonHenry Gilroy, Mark Saraceni, Art Vitello, Tony BenedictNovember 21, 1992 (1992-11-21)406–415
"A Dingo's Guide to Magic"
When the car breaks down, Taz, Jean, and Molly are left stranded in an empty mall parking lot. Dingo uses a magic kit to trick the gullible Taz out of a giant gold nugget he found.
2713"The Man from M.A.R.S."Doug McCarthyBill Kopp, Art Vitello, Sindy McKay, Evelyn A-R Gabai, Betty BirneyNovember 28, 1992 (1992-11-28)406–442
"Friends for Strife"
After hearing a scary sci-fi program on the radio, Taz attacks a vacationing Marvin the Martian out of fear that he wants to conquer the Earth. Dingo shares with Taz all of the adventures they have shared since they first met.

Season 3 (1993)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
281"Wacky Wombat"Gary HartleSindy McKay, Mark Zaslove, Art Vitello, Jim Ryan, Glenn LeopoldSeptember 4, 1993 (1993-09-04)406–440
"Molly's Folly"
Willie Wombat is cast as Taz's foil in a semiparody of the original Taz cartoons. Guest starring Greg Burson as Bugs Bunny & Maurice LaMarche as Yosemite Sam. Taz gets roped into taking ballet classes with Molly.
292"A Flea for Me"Keith BaxterChris Otsuki, Art Vitello, Keith Baxter, Mary Jo Ludin, Tony BenedictSeptember 11, 1993 (1993-09-11)406–445
"A Young Taz's Fancy"
Taz gets an unwelcome guest in his fur, a flea, which he tries to get rid of. Taz falls for a Tasmanian Shedevil, but is unaware that she is really Francis in disguise.
303"Never Cry Taz"Lenord RobinsonBill Kopp, Art Vitello, Larry Markes, Bruce HowardSeptember 18, 1993 (1993-09-18)406–451
"Bully for Bull"
The Platypus Brothers find the entrance to a new world in their attic during spring cleaning. Bull Gator falls into depression over his constant failures, leaving Axl to try to cheer him up.
314"Of Bushrats and Hugh"Doug McCarthyHenry Gilroy, Art Vitello, Arthur Alsberg, Don Nelson September 25, 1993 (1993-09-25)406–450
Taz and Hugh protect their precious orange tree from a hoard of hungry Bushrats.
325"Merit Badgered"Lenord RobinsonHenry Gilroy, Art Vitello, Barry E. Blitzer October 2, 1993 (1993-10-02)406–443
Taz accompanies Jake on a camping trip.
336"Devil Indemnity"Gary HartleGordon Kent, Art Vitello, Bill Matheny, Lane Raichert, Laren BrightOctober 16, 1993 (1993-10-16)406–460
Taz is at home and stuck in a full-body cast. While he struggles to answer the phone and win a TV contest, Jean fills in for his bellhop job at Hotel Tazmania and struggles with Bushwhacker Bob's abuse.
347"Willie Wombat's Deja Boo-Boo"Lenord RobinsonSindy McKay, Art Vitello, Gordon Kent, Barry E. Blitzer, Paul Dini October 23, 1993 (1993-10-23)406–455
"To Catch a Taz"
Willie Wombat tries to get roles in other cartoons, but cannot escape being typecast as Taz's foil. Taz is framed for the consumption of a birthday cake, and Wendal T. Wolf is the police officer determined to catch him.
358"The Thing that Ate the Outback"Keith BaxterChris Otsuki, Art Vitello, Mark Zaslove, David SchwartzOctober 30, 1993 (1993-10-30)406–449
"Because It's There"
Taz creates a blob monster with his new chemistry set, one that just keeps eating and growing. Taz and Dingo attempt to climb a mountain.
369"Antenna Dilemma"Gary HartleGordon Kent, Art Vitello, Sindy McKay, Mark Seidenberg, Laura Numeroff November 6, 1993 (1993-11-06)406–444
"Autograph Pound"
Taz visits the Platypus Brothers for some TV time when a thunderstorm cuts his cable. Constance is smitten with a wrestling champion staying at the hotel, but Taz is simply terrorized.
3710"Taz and the Emu Egg"Keith BaxterChris Otsuki, Art Vitello, Sindy McKay, John Semper, Bill AllenNovember 13, 1993 (1993-11-13)406–461
"Willy Wombat's Last Stand"
"K-Taz Commercial"
Taz hunts a surprisingly swift unhatched emu egg. Finally fed up with his typecasting, Willie Wombat takes his case to the network itself./Taz's "unique" singing talents are advertised as part of a CD collection.
3811"Doubting Dingo"Gary HartleHenry T. Gilroy, Art Vitello, Alan Katz, Earl Kress, Mark Evanier November 20, 1993 (1993-11-20)406–464
"Sub Commander Taz"
Dingo suspects that Taz is plotting to get rid of him. Taz places a mail order for a submarine, but the wait for its arrival tests his patience.
3912"Feed a Cold"Doug McCarthyHenry Gilroy, Art Vitello, Fred Freiberger, Jack Mendelsohn November 27, 1993 (1993-11-27)406–462
"Sidekick for a Day"
Taz is sick with a cold, and his sneezes become overwhelmingly powerful. However, the Platypus Brothers suffer the abuse of his illness even more when they try to find a cure for it. Bull Gator fires Axl and hires Taz as his new sidekick.
4013"No Time for Christmas"Doug McCarthyMark Zaslove and Art VitelloDecember 25, 1993 (1993-12-25)406–446
With everybody in Tazmania getting ready for Christmas, Taz makes a trip across the outback to deliver gifts to his friends.

Season 4 (1994–95)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
411"Road to Tazmania"Gary HartleMark Saraceni, Kerry Ehrin, Ali Marie MathesonSeptember 13, 1994 (1994-09-13)406–416
Taz's Uncle Drew comes to visit, and Hugh and he take Taz along on a trip to pick up some orange juice. However, only Taz seems to notice the spies that apparently want the juice they bought.
422"Taz-Manian Theatre"Gary HartleGordon Kent, Art Vitello, Bill Kopp, Mike Dirham, Cliff RobertsSeptember 14, 1994 (1994-09-14)406–420
"The Bushrats Must Be Crazy"
Taz and Wendal are stranded on a desert island in Mr. Thickly's thrilling tale of Taz-Manian Theatre. The Bushrats embark on a journey to retrieve their idol of worship – Jake's rubber duck.
433"Return of the Road to Taz-Mania Strikes Back"Keith BaxterMark Saraceni, Art Vitello, Barbara Levy, Marc PaykussSeptember 15, 1994 (1994-09-15)406–426
With Taz as their caddy, Hugh and Uncle Drew head out to the golf course to play against a pair of old golfing rivals, whose own caddy is another sneaky spy who is out to get them.
444"Taz Like Dingo"Lenord RobinsonHenry Gilroy, Art Vitello, Harvey Bullock September 16, 1994 (1994-09-16)406–427
Digeri Dingo finds a lamp that holds a genie. With his first wish, Dingo wishes for Taz to like him, no matter what, but this turns out to be a bad idea later.
455"The Pied Piper of Taz-Mania"Gary HartleMark Saraceni, Gordon Kent, Harvey Bullock, Earl KressSeptember 19, 1994 (1994-09-19)406–428
"The Treasure of the Burnt Sienna"
Hotel Tazmania faces a Bushrat infestation. Bushwhacker Bob drags Taz on a treasure hunt.
466"Not a Shadow of a Doubt"Keith BaxterChris Otsuki, Art Vitello, Sindy McKay, Alan Burnett, Jeff Hall September 20, 1994 (1994-09-20)406–429
"Nursemaid Taz"
Taz's shadow comes to life for a day. Dingo fakes a broken leg to get sympathy (and free food) from Taz and his family.
477"Home Despair"Doug McCarthyBill Kopp, Gordon Kent, Mark Saraceni, Earl KressSeptember 21, 1994 (1994-09-21)406–430
"Take All of Me"
Taz gets the Platypus Brothers to repair the house, but they only make things worse. Wendal pesters Bull Gator and Axl into capturing him so that he can relish the zoo life.
488"Bird-Brained Beast"Lenord RobinsonHenry Gilroy, Bruce M. Morris, Tony Marino, Rowby Goren September 22, 1994 (1994-09-22)406–431
"Ready, Willing, Unable"
Taz and the Platypus Brothers hit the road to catch a Kee-Wee Bird. Unaware of their true goal to capture Taz, Mr. Thickly lends his advice to Bull Gator and Axl.
499"We'll Always Have Taz-Mania"Gary HartleHenry Gilroy, Art Vitello, Bill Kopp, Mark Saraceni, Tom Ruegger, Barry O'Brien September 23, 1994 (1994-09-23)406–432
"Moments You've Missed"
With the TV broken, Hugh and Jean entertains the kids with the story of how they first met. Bull Gator and Axl host a show featuring "removed" segments from previous episodes.
5010"Sidekicked"Douglas McCarthyMark Saraceni, Art Vitello, Bill Kopp, Gordon Kent, Barry O'Brien, Gary GreenfieldNovember 7, 1994 (1994-11-07)406–425
"Gone with the Windbag"
Axl is forced to hunt Taz on his own when Bull Gator leaves for the Tazmania Hula-Hooping Championship finals. Hotel critic F.H. Leghorn has come to the Hotel Tazmania, and Bushwhacker Bob is determined to get a passing review from him.
5111"Driving Mr. Taz"Lenord RobinsonGordon Kent, Bill Kopp, Art Vitello, Richard Merwin, Mark YoungNovember 8, 1994 (1994-11-08)406–435
"Mean Bear"
"Taz Museum"
Taz is taken out for a driving lesson. The Bushrats call upon Taz to defeat a cruel bear. The show advertises the Boulder Museum.
5212"Ticket Taker Taz"Gary HartleSindy McKay, Mark Zaslove, Bruce HowardNovember 14, 1994 (1994-11-14)406–436
"Taz2"
Taz wins a pair of concert tickets, of which Molly wants to relieve him. The Platypus Brothers develop a cloning machine and use it on Taz, creating an army of Tasmanian Devils that are all hungry for platypus.
5313"Mutton for Nothing"Keith BaxterChris Otsuki, Art Vitello, Keith Baxter, Bob Smith, Barry O'Brien, David SchwartzNovember 15, 1994 (1994-11-15)406–441
"Dr. Wendal and Mr. Taz"
Taz arrives at the sheep meadow to fill in for Ralph Wolf, where Sam Sheepdog performs his usual predator-pounding job on him. Wendal Wolf mistakes a gamma-radiation chamber for a tanning booth, causing him to transform into a violent monster whenever Taz gets him upset.
5414"Taz-Mania Confidential"Lenord RobinsonAlan Katz, Art Vitello, Sindy McKay, George Atkins, Mark YoungNovember 21, 1994 (1994-11-21)406–447
"The Platypi Psonic Psensation Psimulator"
A film crew has arrived to expose every humiliating detail of the Tasmanian Devil family, even those that they make up. The Platypus Brothers use their new invention to probe Taz's memories for "unused" episode segments.
5515"The Not-So-Gladiators"Gary HartleGordon Kent, Art Vitello, Sindy McKay, Carol Corwin, Kim CampbellNovember 22, 1994 (1994-11-22)406–448
"One Ring Taz"
Taz and Jean go on "Grub Gladiators" (a food-themed spoof of American Gladiators ). Taz wants to join the circus, so Mr. Thickly "helps" him find an act.
5616"Retakes Not Included"Gary HartleSindy McKay, Art Vitello, Gordon Kent, Christopher Brough, Jim RyanFebruary 6, 1995 (1995-02-06)406–452
"Pledge Dredge"
The latest episode is filled with animation errors, and director Buddy Boar does not seem to grasp the concept of retakes. Mr. Thickly hosts a telethon to raise money for the show.
5717"Bushlad's Lament"Keith BaxterKeith Baxter, David SchwartzFebruary 13, 1995 (1995-02-13)406–453
"Taz-Mania Comedy Institute"
An elderly Francis, still having not achieved his manhood, is forced to pursue an equally elderly Taz. A documentary on 16-ton weights is featured.
5818"Heartbreak Taz"Gary HartleGordon Kent, Bill Kopp, Glenn Leopold, Timothy WilliamsFebruary 14, 1995 (1995-02-14)406–424
"Just Be 'Cuz"
Constance Koala develops a very one-sided infatuation with Taz. Francis is stuck watching his little cousin Edgar, so he takes him along on his hunt for Taz.
5919"The Taz Story Primer"Douglas McCarthyAlan Katz, Art Vitello, Mark Zaslove, Gary Marks, Brenda LillyFebruary 20, 1995 (1995-02-20)406–454
"Ask Taz"
Molly is called on by the network to provide the plot for the week's episode. Everybody seems to find great wisdom in Taz's frequent line "Taz hate water", so Bushwhacker Bob exploits it as a way to make money.
6020"It's a Taz's Life"Gary HartleGordon Kent, Art Vitello"February 27, 1995 (1995-02-27)406–456
"Gee Bull!""Mark Zaslove, Rich Fogel, Fred Freiberger
Taz gets chosen by a TV host to have his life examined in retrospect. Bull Gator resorts to extreme teaching methods to knock some sense into Axl.
6121"Taz in Keeweeland"Keith BaxterChris Otsuki, Art Vitello, Gary Warne, Ron Friedman May 1, 1995 (1995-05-01)406–457
"Stuck for Bucks"
"A Philosophical Taz Moment"
Taz finds himself in a world filled with Kee-Wee birds, though it proves more dangerous than it looks. The need for immediate funds brings Taz into battle with his seemingly indestructible piggy bank. Taz contemplates nature and his enslavement for food.
6222"The Origin of the Beginning of the Incredible Taz-Man"Keith BaxterKeith Baxter, Henry T. Gilroy, Chris Otsuki, Gary Greenfield, Rich FogelMay 2, 1995 (1995-05-02)406–465
"Francis Takes a Stand"
Taz takes advice from Mr. Thickly on how to become a real-life superhero. Taz and Francis set up competing lemonade stands in hopes of making big money.
6323"Yet Another Road to Taz-Mania"Douglas McCarthyHenry Gilroy, Art Vitello, Charles M. Howell IVMay 8, 1995 (1995-05-08)406–458
Once more, Taz is stuck on a road trip with Hugh and Uncle Drew. This time, they are going bowling, and the spies are after their new bowling ball.
6424"Bad Luck Bottlecap"Lenord RobinsonSindy McKay, Art Vitello, Alan Katz, Steve Brasfield, Glenn LeopoldMay 15, 1995 (1995-05-15)406–459
"A Story with a Moral"
Dingo tries to get rid of a cursed bottlecap by passing it on to Taz, but his attempts continue to backfire. An injured Taz is being nursed back to health by an overbearing (and clumsy) Scotsman.
6525"One Saturday in Taz-Mania"Lenord RobinsonSindy McKay, Art Vitello, Mark Zaslove, Steve Brasfield, Timothy WilliamsMay 22, 1995 (1995-05-22)406–463
"Platypi on Film"
Taz's lazy Saturday is continuously interrupted by Jake. The Platypus Brothers critique their favorite movies (all of them Taz-themed parodies of famous films).

Video games

Five video games based on the show were made, two by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Master System, and Game Gear, and three by Sunsoft: one for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and two for the Game Boy.

Home media

Three VHS tapes were released in 1993. After the show ceased running on Fox Kids, it was rerun on TNT, for a short time on TBS in 1996–1997 (before and after the Time Warner/Turner merger) as part of their Disaster Area block, and has also been rerun on Cartoon Network, making it the first Warner Bros. Animation series to air on that network.

A DVD containing the first four episodes of the series was released in Europe in April 2010, whilst later released in the UK in 2011 under the title "Taz and Friends" as part of the Kids' WB "Big Faces" series.

A DVD containing the 5 to 8 episodes of the series was released in Europe in July 2019, whilst later released in the UK in 2019 under the title "Taz and Friends, Volume 2" as part of the Cartoon Network "Big Faces" series.

On May 14, 2013, Warner Home Video released Taz Mania – Season 1, Part 1: Taz on the Loose on DVD in Region 1 for the first time. [5] Season 1, Part 2 was released on August 6, 2013. [6] On June 19, 2020, the third season was announced for a DVD release on August 25 under the company's Warner Archive Collection division. [7]

Taz-Mania home video releases
SeasonEpisodesRelease dates
Region 1
1 199113 (excluded "Devil with the Violet Dress On" / "Kidnapped Koala")May 14, 2013
2 199213August 6, 2013

Other appearances

In the Duck Dodgers episode "M.M.O.R.P.D.", one of the forms that Duck Dodgers turns himself into Axl gator. In this brief appearance, Axl gator's vocal effects are reprised by Rob Paulsen. Taz himself appears with Duck Dodgers in the episode "Deathmatch Duck".

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Teressa Claire MacNeille (née Payne) is an American voice actress, whose credits include voicing Dot Warner on the animated television series Animaniacs and its reboot, Babs Bunny on Tiny Toon Adventures, Chip and Gadget Hackwrench on Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, and Daisy Duck in various Disney media since 1999. She has also worked on animated series such as The Simpsons, Futurama, Disenchantment, Rugrats, and Hey Arnold!

<i>Tiny Toon Adventures</i> American animated television series

Tiny Toon Adventures is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger that was broadcast from September 14, 1990, to December 6, 1992. It was the first animated series produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. The show follows the adventures of a group of young cartoon characters who attend Acme Looniversity to become the next generation of characters from the Looney Tunes series.

Tasmanian Devil (<i>Looney Tunes</i>) Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

The Tasmanian Devil, commonly referred to as Taz, is an animated cartoon character featured in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. Though the character appeared in only five shorts before Warner Bros. Cartoons shut down in 1964, marketing and television appearances later propelled Taz to new popularity in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice LaMarche</span> Canadian voice actor (born 1958)

Maurice LaMarche is a Canadian voice actor and comedian. He has voiced The Brain in Animaniacs as well as its spin-off Pinky and the Brain, Big Bob in Hey Arnold! (1996–2004), the title character from Inspector Gadget, and a variety of characters in Futurama, including Kif Kroker. He also voiced Egon Spengler in The Real Ghostbusters and its follow-up Extreme Ghostbusters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Cummings</span> American voice actor (born 1952)

James Jonah Cummings is an American voice actor. Beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in almost 400 roles. Cummings has frequently worked with The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., including as the official voice of Winnie the Pooh since 1988, Tigger since 1989, the Tasmanian Devil since 1991, and Pete since 1992. Other notable roles include Fat Cat and Monterey Jack on Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (1989–1990), the title character of Darkwing Duck (1991–1992), Kaa on Jungle Cubs (1996–1998) and The Jungle Book 2 (2003), Cat on CatDog (1998–2005), and Police Chief Gluteus on Ozzy & Drix (2002–2004).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Paulsen</span> American voice actor (born 1956)

Robert Frederick Paulsen III is an American voice actor and voice director, known for his roles in numerous animated television series and films. He received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program and three Annie Awards for his role as both Yakko and Pinky in the Animaniacs franchise. His other voice roles include Hadji in The New Adventures of Jonny Quest (1986–1987) and The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (1996–1997); Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987–1996); P.J. Pete in Goof Troop (1992), A Goofy Movie (1995), and An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000); Jaq in Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002) and Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007); and Mac in The Looney Tunes Show (2011–2013) and Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run (2015).

<i>Histeria!</i> American animated series

Histeria! is an American animated series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Unlike other animated series produced by Warner Bros. in the 1990s, Histeria! was an explicitly educational program created to meet FCC requirements for educational/informational content for children.

<i>The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat</i> American animated television series

The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat is an American animated television series produced by Film Roman. The series first aired on September 16, 1995 on CBS Saturday mornings lasting for two seasons with the final episode airing on April 12, 1997. The first season consists of 13 episodes and the second and final season consists of 8 episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Ruegger</span> American animator

Tom Ruegger is an American animator and songwriter. Ruegger is known for his association with Disney Television Animation and Warner Bros. Animation. He also created Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Histeria!, and Freakazoid!.

Ducking The Devil is a 1957 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated cartoon directed by Robert McKimson. The short was released on August 17, 1957, and stars Daffy Duck and the Tasmanian Devil.

<i>Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain</i> American animated television series

Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain is an American animated sitcom featuring characters from the television series Tiny Toon Adventures and Pinky and the Brain, both created by Tom Ruegger. Serving as a spin-off and crossover to the two series, the series was executive produced by Steven Spielberg and produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Amblin Television. It aired from 1998 to 1999 on Kids' WB, running for 13 episodes. This show would be Spielberg's final collaborative effort with Warner Bros. Animation until the 2020 revival of Animaniacs.

<i>Taz-Mania</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Taz Mania is the name of several video games based on the Taz-Mania cartoon series. A 2D side-scrolling platform/adventure video game developed by Recreational Brainware and published by Sega on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1992. Different games were also developed by NuFX and released on the Game Gear and by Technical Wave on the Master System. Other different Taz-Mania games were also published by Sunsoft in North America and by THQ in PAL terrotories and released on the SNES and 2 games on the Game Boy were made too. One from David A. Palmer Productions and published by Sunsoft and another one called Taz-Mania 2 from Beam Software and published by THQ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foghorn Leghorn</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Foghorn Leghorn is a cartoon rooster who appears in Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and films from Warner Bros. Animation. He was created by Robert McKimson, and starred in 29 cartoons from 1946 to 1964 in the golden age of American animation. All 29 of these cartoons were directed by McKimson.

<i>Pinky and the Brain</i> American animated television series

Pinky and the Brain is an American animated sitcom created by Tom Ruegger for the Kids' WB programming block of The WB. It was the first animated television series to be presented in Dolby Surround and a collaboration of Steven Spielberg with his production company Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation. The characters first appeared in 1993 as a recurring segment on the animated television series Animaniacs. It was later spun off as a series due to its popularity, with 65 episodes produced. The characters later appeared in the series Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain, and later returned to their roots as an Animaniacs segment in the 2020 revival of that series.

<i>The Looney Tunes Show</i> 2011 American animated series and sitcom

The Looney Tunes Show is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and aired on Cartoon Network for two seasons from May 3, 2011, to November 2, 2013. The series differed from others featuring characters from the Looney Tunes, by focusing on stories conformed around a sitcom format involving the characters of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, who live a surburban life together within a neighborhood of fellow cartoon neighbors, dealing with various issues in their own way. Both the characters from the Looney Tunes, as well as the Merrie Melodies theatrical cartoon shorts, were given a 21st century update, with episodes also including a musical short; the first series also included computer-animated shorts involving new antics between Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.

<i>New Looney Tunes</i> American animated television series

New Looney Tunes is an American animated television series from Warner Bros. Animation based on the characters from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. The series debuted on January 26, 2015, on Cartoon Network, and continued with new episodes beginning on March 14, 2015, on Boomerang. Part way through the first season, new episodes would premiere on Boomerang's video on demand service before airing on television.

References

  1. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 627. ISBN   978-1538103739.
  2. Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 423. ISBN   978-0823083152 . Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  3. Trusdell, Brian (May 28, 1995). "Focus : Warner's Toon Factory for the '90s". The Los Angeles Times . USA. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
  4. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 829–830. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  5. "Taz-Mania DVD news: Announcement for Taz-Mania - Season 1, Part 1: Taz On The Loose - TVShowsOnDVD.com". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013.
  6. "Taz-Mania DVD news: Announcement for Taz-Mania - Season 1, Pt 2: Who Let the Taz Out?! - TVShowsOnDVD.com". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2013.
  7. "TV Shows On DVD". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022.