Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain (1998–1999) User Reviews

Not A Bad Spin off

[saxguygb · 7/10 · 13 September 2015]

I recently finished watching all of the episodes of this show and I don't think it's as bad as others are making it out to be. It's not as good as when it was just Pinky & The Brain, but it's entertaining and I enjoyed it.

I will admit that Elmyra is a little more painfully annoying than she was on Tiny Toons, but she still has her enjoyably annoying moments. Pinky and the Brain are still enjoyable characters as they were on Animaniacs and, well, Pinky & The Brain.

The only new character that I kind of liked was Rudy, mainly because a lot of the bully-ish stuff he does is over-the-top and kind of funny (Example: When he sues the Brain because the Brain wouldn't allow him to join a kids' club. He actually has lawyers that show up.)

If you like Elmyra on Tiny Toons and you like Pinky and the Brain, I would say this is worth checking out. Just don't be expecting a masterpiece, because this show is not that.

Kind of bad...

[Op_Prime · 2 March 2001]

I thought the original Pinky & the Brain series was excellent, but this spin off was pretty bad. Pinky and Brain were still funny, but everything else wasn't. For those that don't know, Elmyra was from Tiny Toons. Her character worked there, but in this show she was really just annoying. This show lacked a lot of the humor it's predecessor had. This show lasted only one season.

A Good Example Of How Executive Meddling Can Ruin A Classic

[jeremycrimsonfox · 2/10 · 17 April 2020]

So, Pinky, Elmyra, and The Brain is a continuation of Pinky and The Brain, a show that started off as a short in Animaniacs, and yeah, this is as bad as people say.

Basically, the show is the result of executive meddling at Warner Bros. wanting the show to get rid of the world domination plot and become more lighter. This was not received well, with Peter Hastings, one of the writers, writing one last episode about how such changes ruins a show before jumping ship to Disney (helping them create the One Saturday Morning block on ABC). However, those unlucky not to quit had to do what the executives wanted, lest they want to lose their jobs. Thankfully, the fans agreed with the writers so much, this only got thirteen episodes before cancellation.

So, the theme song explains the plot of why Pinky and The Brain are with Elmyra. The two are looking for a new home after ACME Labs burns down (although one episode says it was turned into a Dissy store, done as a stab at Disney since the two are rivals). To make matters worst, they are being chased by Wally Faust, a man who appears in one episode, and is part of an organization who wants the two lab mice because they have come close to taking over the world more times than they have. Soon, they are adopted by Elmyra while hiding in a turtle's shell at a pet store.

Yeah, this is a messed up show. While Elmyra is the same as she was in Tiny Toon Adventures (although she now punishes Brain for saying scientific terms, or as she calls them, naughty potty words), that is all the connection she gets, as this show basically has her in a new neighborhood and new school, with none of her shenanigans or any characters in Tiny Toon Adventures (the show she originated in) appearing or even being mentioned. Also, while some episodes retain Brain's plan for world domination, others either have Brain try to help Elmyra or a filler episode where either Brain or Elmyra tells a story or something random happens to them. While they are fresh ideas, Elmyra's annoyance ruins them, and the humor is not what it used to be. The only reason for the two star rating is the writers were not afraid to show their dissatisfaction to the changes by referencing it in the theme song (it's what the network wants. Why bother to complain?) Thankfully, this show only got six episodes out as its own show, with the remaining seven being put on another show, with all but one episode being split into one segment per episode, with one segment, Elmyra's Music Video, being unaired until the show was released on DVD). This is one series to avoid unless you are a hardcore fan of Tiny Toon Adventures and Pinky and The Brain or just don't care how bad the cartoon is.

the lowest point in the history of Animaniacs or Pinky and the Brain

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 3 March 2006]

This is a perfect example of a series that long outlived its usefulness. I loved Pinky and the Brain and watched the show almost religiously, but when some dunderhead at the WB decided to pair these mice with Elmyra, I was horrified. There was absolutely no reason to take them away from Acme Labs except that the show had just run out of ideas. This was an example of the expression "jumping the shark"--it was obvious it was all downhill for the show from then until its cancellation--and with crappy episodes without the original formula, it wasn't long before the show breathed its last. Frankly, I just found it embarrassing to watch towards the end. My recommendation is never watch this incarnation of the show and use massive amounts of denial. Convince yourselves and others it never occurred---the ONLY shows that ever existed were Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. They NEVER paired the mice with Elmyra--no, never!!

Pretty much a wretched spin off of Pinky and the Brain

[TheLittleSongbird · 2/10 · 20 April 2010]

I love Animaniacs, I love Pinky and the Brain but I hate Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain. Sorry, I just don't like it. For me the only redeeming qualities are Pinky, Brain and the voice acting of Rob Paulson and Maurice LeMarche, merely because I find Pinky adorable and Brain funny in a deadpan sort of way. Other than that, it doesn't work, some of the earlier episodes have one or two laughs, but that is it. Personally I thought the animation was somewhat sub par here, Pinky and Brain don't look the same, and some the backgrounds are static sometimes. Secondly, the character of Elmyra is incredibly obnoxious, she was fine in Tiny Toons, but pairing her with Pinky and the Brain is like pairing a deer and a tiger, it doesn't work, plus the way she is written here makes her increasingly annoying as her role expanded throughout the show's run. Also, Cree Summer has done so much better work before, she is a great voice actress but she doesn't seem suited to the character of Elmyra at all. Even worse than Elmyra was the writing, some of it was very childish, clichéd and predictable, same with the story lines, and the music was forgettable and annoying. The show's concept didn't bode with me either, taking it out of the lab and still incorporating those iconic catchphrases that would only work if it was still in the lab, it had the same effect of Romeo and Juliet being completely updated yet the archaic language stayed the same. What I am saying is that the use of "narf" and "poit" didn't work in a new setting. Overall, I dislike this show, stick with Pinky and the Brain, which oozes with intelligence and smart writing, everything this tried to accomplish and failed. 2/10 Bethany Cox

Hilarious!

[minionking777 · 10/10 · 26 July 2022]

I never knew this existed! The dynamic between the three main characters is hilarious! Brain's caustic wit is the best part. Pinky's on-the-money random references are delightfully absurd, as usual. Elmyra adds a layer of wild calamity that gives the mice a lot to work with. Zingers and chaos!

Bad

[sarahthebaldifan · 2/10 · 29 November 2020]

I don't really like this show, because THEY REPLACED MONTANA MAX!!! I love Pinky and the Brain, Tiny Toons, and Animaniacs. But I don't like Elmyra, she is too overrated. Cree Summer is a good actress, but this show is bad.

I hated, hated, HATED this show!!

[sngbrd39 · 13 April 2001]

I know, I borrowed a little from Roger Ebert there, but that's just about the only way I can sum up my feelings about "Pinky, Elmyra, and the Brain" [shudder]. Oh, my gosh! How could they just go on and change such a wonderful show?? I only rarely found Elmyra all that funny myself (in fact, I find her kind of annoying), and it was really a kick in the pants to discover that she would be put together with Pinky and the Brain. That just spelled trouble right there. "Pinky and the Brain" was right up there with "Animaniacs" as my favorite cartoon. After their change of setting, though, Pinky's "narfs" and "poits" were never the same again. Mercifully, the show was soon put out of its misery, but it just signaled the end of Pinky and the Brain, the two funniest megalomaniacal lab mice ever on TV.

Good, then bad.

[luckybob1985 · 11 February 2002]

Okay, this show only lasted 2 seasons. The first one was pretty funny. The second one was just plain stupid. The WB had done what they had always mocked, the dumbing down of kids shows. Having those annoying songs in the second season, Pinky falling in love with a pig, and Elmyra's role getting increasingly bigger in each episode made the whole thing bomb. However, "The Man From Washington", and "The Ravin" was worth a laugh or two. Still, don't waste your time watching the other shows.

Cute...

[Ginger87 · 26 August 2004]

"Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain" was a cute show. I remember watching it Saturday mornings with my sister on Kids WB. I was a big fan of "Pinky and the Brain" and I knew Elmyra from the lovable "TinyToons" so I had no problem with this show.

My favorite episodes were: "Fun, Time and Space", "How I Spent My Weekend" and "Gee Your Hair Spells Terrific". Those episodes were hilarious and cute.

I was hoping this show would last as long as "Pinky and the Brain" did. But unfortunately it didn't. I wish it was still on the air so I could watch the reruns. I give this show 9/10 stars.

Absolutely amazing!

[FrANcE_it · 4 January 2005]

This cartoons came on air for the very first time here in Italy in Septmeber 2004 on the Italian satellite kids channel CARTOON NETWORK.

When I was younger I really loved the "Pinky and the Brain" original series and they were very popular here among the children, so for me the broadcasting of this spin-off with the irresistible Elmyra from the Tiny Tonns (they're not well known here in Italy, but I knew theme because of the comics) was a real guilty pleasure.

This series is fantastic, funny, deliberately crazy and purposely insane and made, so kitsch and totally non-sense and extravagant, showy, a real POP toon (the songs are crazy and beautiful).

My favorite episode was the one with the giant robot ROBERTO who was able to transform french cheese in what french people hate more then anything: stupid American visitors!!!really a crazy episode!!!