MTV Animation

MTV Animation was the animation department of the television network MTV.

MTV Animation
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryAnimation
Founded1986
ProductsTelevision
Movies
ParentViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks

History

MTV's animation department was established in the late 1980s, when it made several of the animated shorts that aired as bumpers for the network. While MTV department is often grouped with that of Nickelodeon's, the two entities are completely separate. Most of MTV's cartoons are known for their dark humor, sexual jokes, graphic violence, pop culture references, and irreverence.

In an interview for the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America DVD, Mike Judge described MTV Animation as being very ad hoc: Beavis and Butt-Head didn't have an art director until the film was made, so until the film they'd never considered colour palettes from scene to scene. In the same interview, art director Yvette Kaplan said "everything was overlapping... we never had the luxury of one part [episode] finished" before another episode was finished.[1]

Many MTV animation productions do not survive a single season and in some cases are canceled before completion. Productions including Undergrads, Downtown, Station Zero, and Clone High have been highly acclaimed, yet none of them got renewed beyond their first season, usually due to lack of an audience or advertising. By 2001, the animation department was shut down, with the network's animated series now being outsourced to different studios. During the 2000s, MTV would phase out of producing original animation in favor of importing shows, usually reruns of shows from sister networks Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.

In 2011, MTV would return to adult animation. Its first production was a relaunch of Beavis and Butt-Head, which premiered in October 2011; this was quickly followed by Good Vibes, starting later in the same month. In November 2011, MTV said they plan a third cartoon, Worst Friends Forever by Thomas Middleditch, that Mike Judge would produce, about three teenage girls who hover on the outskirts of popularity and have to cope with cattiness and crushes; a pilot had been picked up and concept art of the characters was released.[2] The cartoons did not do as expected though. Good Vibes was cancelled in February 2012 due to low ratings, on the same day the DVD came out,[3] Beavis and Butt-Head was cancelled in December 2011, and Worst Friends Forever never aired. In a September 2012 interview on "Making It With Riki Lindhome", Middleditch said Worst Friends was "for all intents and purposes done" and "not in my hands anymore".[4] Mike Judge said in January 2014 that he might pitch Beavis and Butt-Head to another network.[5]

Productions

1980s

TitleCreator/Developer(s)Premiere dateFinale dateCo-production withNote(s)
Stevie and ZoyaJoe Horne19871989

1990s

TitleCreator/Developer(s)Premiere dateFinale dateCo-production withNote(s)
Liquid TelevisionJaphet AsherJune 2, 1991
May 15, 2014
March 6, 1994
June 12, 2014
Original series:
(Colossal) Pictures
BIG Pictures
Noyes & Laybourne Enterprises
BBC Enterprises
Revival series:
Titmouse, Inc.
Revived for the internet in 2014.
Æon FluxPeter ChungSeptember 1991October 10, 1995(Colossal) PicturesSpun-off from Liquid Television.
Beavis and Butt-HeadMike JudgeMarch 8, 1993;
October 27, 2011
November 28, 1997;
December 29, 2011
J. J. Sedelmaier Productions, Inc. (Season 1)
Tenth Annual Industries (Season 2–7)
Ternion Pictures (Season 8)
Inbred Jed's Homemade Cartoons (Pilot only)
Film Roman (Season 8)
Judgemental Films
Spun-off from Liquid Television.
Created by Mike Judge, creator of King of the Hill.
The Brothers GruntDanny AntonucciAugust 15, 1994April 9, 1995a.k.a. CartoonCreated by Danny Antonucci, creator of Ed, Edd n Eddy.
First MTV cartoon to features theme song vocalist.
The HeadEric FogelSeptember 1, 1994March 1, 1996
The MaxxOriginal character:
Sam Kieth
Series:
Sam Kieth
Bill Messner-Loebs
April 8, 1995June 19, 1995Based on the comic book series of the same name.
DariaGlenn Eichler
Susie Lewis
March 3, 1997June 25, 2001Tenth Annual IndustriesSpun-off from Beavis and Butt-Head.
Cartoon SushiDanny Antonucci
Keith Alcorn
19971998DNA Productions
a.k.a. Cartoon
Celebrity DeathmatchEric FogelMay 14, 1998;
June 10, 2006
October 20, 2002;
March 30, 2007
Cuppa Coffee Studios (2006–07)
Station ZeroTramp DalyMarch 8, 1999April 6, 1999Possible Worlds
C-Traze Studios
Upfront Entertainment
First MTV weekday cartoon
Phred on Your Head Show[6]Amy FriedmanJuly 26, 1999March 31, 2002Noggin
Tricky Pictures
Animated for MTV's sister channel, Noggin.
DowntownChris Prynoski
George Krstic
Anne D. Berstein
August 3, 1999November 8, 1999

2000s

TitleCreator/Developer(s)Premiere dateFinale dateCo-production withNote(s)
Spy GrooveMichael Gans
Richard Register
June 26, 2000July 13, 2002
UndergradsPete WilliamsApril 1, 2001August 12, 2001Click Productions
Decode Entertainment
Helix Animation
Teletoon Original Production
First MTV cartoon co-produced with Teletoon.
Clone HighPhil Lord and Christopher Miller
Bill Lawerance
November 2, 2002April 13, 2003Doozer
Lord Miller Productions
Nelvana
Touchstone Television
Teletoon Original Production
Second MTV cartoon co-produced with Teletoon.
3-SouthMark Hentemann
Steve Callaghan
November 7, 2002January 3, 2003Warner Bros. Animation
Rough Draft Korea
Video ModsTony ShiffSeptember 16, 2004July 22, 2005Big Bear Entertainment
IBC Entertainment
First animated show for MTV2
Wonder ShowzenVernon Chatman and John LeeMarch 11, 2005May 19, 2006PFFR
Augenblick Studios
Where My Dogs At?Aaron Matthew Lee and Jeff RossJune 10, 2006July 29, 2006Enough With The Bread Already Productions
Six Point Harness
The Adventures of Chico and GuapoOrlando Jones, P. J. Pesce, and Paul D'AcriJune 10, 2006July 29, 2006One Red Room
Alejo & ValentinaAlejandro Szykula20062010
Friday: The Animated SeriesIce CubeJune 24, 2007July 8, 2007New Line Television
Cubevision
Adapted from the Friday film series.
DJ & the FroDave Jeser
Matt Silverstein
June 15, 2009July 2, 2009Double HemmSecond MTV weekday cartoon
PopzillaR.J. Fried
Tim Hedrick
Jared Miller
Kevin Pedersen
Dave Thomas
September 27, 2009October 16, 2009Animax Entertainment

2010s

TitleCreator/Developer(s)Premiere dateFinale dateCo-production withNote(s)
Good VibesDavid Gordon Green
Brad Ableson
Mike Clements
October 27, 2011December 29, 2011Werner Entertainment
Rough House
Not the QB Pro.
Six Point Harness
Good Humor Television
Greatest Party Story EverJanuary 14, 2016December 22, 2016Four Peaks Media Group
Den of Thieves
ShadowMachine

1990s

TitleDirectorRelease dateDistributorCo-production withNote(s)
Beavis and Butt-Head Do AmericaMike JudgeDecember 20, 1996Paramount PicturesGeffen Pictures
Judgemental Films
MTV's only theatrically released animated feature to date.

References

  1. Beavis and Butt-head Do America DVD (2006 version): Making Of feature
  2. TV Guide: "Exclusive: MTV Developing Another Animated Series with Beavis and Butt-head Producers"
  3. Deadline: Animated Comedy ‘Good Vibes’ Cancelled By MTV After One Season
  4. Making It #61: Thomas Middleditch, 58:25 to 59:09
  5. "Mike Judge: 'Beavis and Butt-Head' Trapped in Limbo". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  6. Kilmer, David. "DMA, Possible Worlds and MTV Animation put Phred on your head". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on March 28, 2002. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
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