Depp Animaniacs Joke

This will kind of tie into the last blog with talking Johnny Depp. Before getting to the point, I'll get to Animaniacs first. It was announced a couple years ago to return and dropped on the 20th earlier this month. For the most part, its well received. A lot of split opinions on the political aspects, something that the original in 1993 did throughout its five season run. But the controversy isn't about tired old Trump jokes.

Keep in mind that the writing was from 2018. That being said, it's not a good excuse, either. Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures had loads of visual gags that you'll barely notice unless you go back and notice. One of the former's early new episodes included a small visual of Depp. Posters of him as an adult and a baby. A tagline for one being Johnny 2: Telling Lies. Confirmed by one of the voice actors, it was supposed to be a play on a nursery rhyme that was big when the writers were coming up with episode ideas.

I don't think Warner Brothers was being intentional in lieu of the outgoing battle between Depp and Amber Heard. But this is one of those things the writers themselves and the studio should have kept an eye on a little more. Meme jokes don't even last long either, so the datedness is already there. About as bad as South Park's pop culture incident episodes being dated long after they aired. I know the show understands they were being written for 2020 with 2018 stuff, but it's not an excuse. Yes, they attacked other figures, regardless of love or hate, but this is too far. On the other side, the Depp fans are only making themselves look way worse.

If this were to have come out last year, I don't think there would be anywhere the level of bashing from the untolerable Depp fans. This is adding fuel to a big wildfire that is still impossible to contain. It's not a boycott type of situation, but bad timing on bringing in the reboot. It leaves me with a little worry that Tiny Toons Looniversity may not show up on HBO Max due to reception on specific parts of Animaniacs. As I said, this I don't think was intentional, but this should have been left on the cutting room floor.