Halloween specials: A Pinky and the Brain Halloween

Updated on October 8, 2022

In 1995, “Pinky and the Brain” got their own spinoff from “Animaniacs.” The lab mice’s series came complete with its own Halloween special, titled “A Pinky and the Brain Halloween.”

Background

The special‘s plot: Brain, frustrated by his latest attempt at world conquest going wrong (hypnotic Jack O’Lanterns), notes he’s tried everything short of selling his soul. On cue, who should appear but, well, “Mr. Itch” (aka Satan himself), promising Brain world domination in exchange for his soul. Refusing to sign Itch’s contract, Brain states he can take over the world without anyone’s help, and walks away.

Pinky (having been previously chewed out by Brain over the Jack O’Lantern plan’s failure), decides to sell his soul to Itch, granting Brain total world domination… but at the cost of Pinky forced to go to Hades for eternity. Brain briefly enjoys his new power, but quickly feels guilty about how it happened. Upon Snowball the hamster’s urging, Brain decides to rescue Pinky, and soon heads to Hades. Hades, of course, is conveniently accessed via the Department of Motor Vehicles!

Like the rest of the series, this was an amusing Halloween episode, with the usual witty writing. Some of my favorite parts:

The opening scenes, with references to “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” as well as parent series “Animaniacs” (the Warners are very briefly seen for a split-second).
“You got chocolate on my Jack O’Lantronic transmitter!” “You got Jack O’Lantronic transmitter on my chocolate… yummy! ZORT!”
The various references to going to, well, Hades (Snowball: “…I could tell you where to go [Brain]…”) (Brain: “*YES*! [Pauses] What am I celebrating?! I’m in [falls through a trap door, screaming] helllllllll—“).
“John Tesh here, coming to you from Mile-Down Stadium…”
“…the same thing we do every night: try to take over the world! Without supernatural assistance.”