the original show's trademark comedy and that "it has the seeds of a great show in it." Tom Ruegger, the creator of the original series who was not brought back to reboot, was also disappointed with the final product, stating in an interview with Rolling Stone that he found it "morally, ethically and professionally wrong", while at the same time, criticizing certain aspects of the reboot, most notably Warner Bros. not bringing back the original team and the absence of the other characters, stating about the former that the revival should not have used the title of Animaniacs, as he explains that it was an umbrella title for all of the characters, not only the Warners and Pinky and the Brain. Reception of the second season of the show was far more positive, currently having on Rotten Tomatoes a rare 100% "Fresh" rating out of six reviews with no critical consensus; the second season was considered an improvement over the first season by various critics and fans, while more mixed reviews felt that most of segments should've been released as part of the previous season, something that was attributed to the fact that both seasons were produced simultaneously. Controversy The show's first episode has attracted controversy for a background joke in the first episode. During the "Reboot It" song sequence, two posters are shown referencing the nursery rhyme and Internet meme "Johny Johny Yes Papa", Johnny 2: Telling Lies and Johnny: The Beginning, the former of which features Johnny Depp in the title role. The series had aired a few weeks after Depp lost in his lawsuit against The Sun related to publications of allegations of abusive treatment of his ex-wife Amber Heard, which led to Warner Bros. asking Depp to resign from the Fantastic Beasts franchise and replacing him with Mads Mikkelsen. People voiced their outrage on social media about the unfortunate juxtaposition of Depp's image and the "Telling Lies" subtitle, calling it an unfair jab at the allegations, leading to petitions and social media campaigns to boycott Animaniacs. According to Paulsen, the series had been animated before the legal battle among Depp, Heard, and The Sun had begun, and that the reference was only poking fun at the nursery rhyme. Awards and nominations Notes References External links 2020s American animated television series 2020s American children's comedy television series 2020s American musical comedy television series 2020s American surreal comedy