Love everything about 'Tiny Toon Adventures', did so when younger and it gets better and better with every watch like a lot of other animated childhood favourites. The colourful animation. The infectious music. The smart and wonderfully wacky writing and references. The fun stories and portmanteau segments that often parody films and television. The hugely engaging and personality-rich characters. The great voice acting from some of the best voice actors in the business.
'Tiny Toon Adventures' did a lot of segment episodes mostly linked by a certain theme, though also having episodes with one single story. "Life in the 90s" is a triple bill and to me it is one of the better early triple bill episodes. It is made up of "Whining Out", "Paper Trained" and "Butt Out", all three working very well and handle their respective topical themes (covering fancy restaurants, extra pocket money and anti-smoking) in a way that is entertaining and relatable without ramming any messaging down the throat.
My least favourite perhaps is "Paper Trained", mainly because the lifestyle situations depicted in the other two interest me a little more and there are funnier and more interesting 'Tiny Toon Adventures' characters than Montana Max. It does deal with and depict though its extra pocket money situation entertainingly and accessibly and Max and Buster sparkle in their interaction together.
"Butt Out" is the best for me. From the title, it sounds as if it's preaching about the negative effects of smoking. The anti-smoking sentiment is strong sure, and can totally relate and am on Babs' side in the segment, but it does it with enough force but also tact and the typical razor sharp wit and wackiness is present.
Animation is vibrant and even, doing a great job as well with the reactions. 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. The writing is razor sharp and smart, with the references and parodies inspired and not random. Still have a lot of love for the characters and the voice acting from the immense talent on board is a delight with no exception, Tress MacNeille perhaps comes off best.
Overall, very well done. 8/10
