Saturday, September 28, 2013

Toons After Dark: Undergrads (2001)

Ever since Beavis & Butt-Head ended its first run, MTV has had a poor track record with animated programming. In fact, Beavis had its 2nd run cut short after the relaunch in 2011.

10 years before that, MTV had tried a cartoon set at college. Undergrads had promise and a cushy time slot, airing on Thursdays, as Beavis would 10 years later, but was under-promoted, leading to dismal ratings and eventual cancellation after 1 season.

Series creator Pete Williams designed the everyman character of Nitz after himself, but because most folks assumed that actor David Duchovny (The X-Files) was the role model, well, maybe a case can be made of Williams & Duchovny being separated at birth? Williams, in fact, performed most of the male voices himself. 12 years later, he's still trying to get the series relaunched through any means necessary, but it seems that MTV and Canada's Teletoon aren't interested.

MTV would try a college-themed cartoon again 2 years later, but 3 South was worse.

Here's the Undergrads opener, "Party":



Rating: B-.

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