The Mask: Animated Series

Not to be confused with M.A.S.K. (TV series).
The Mask: Animated Series
Genre Superhero
Surreal humour
Action/Adventure
Based on The Mask
by John Arcudi
Doug Mahnke
Mike Richardson
Developed by Duane Capizzi
Voices of Rob Paulsen
Tim Curry
Jim Cummings
Tress MacNeille
Kevin Michael Richardson
Neil Ross
Heidi Shannon
Ben Stein
Mark L. Taylor
Frank Welker
Theme music composer Keith Baxter
Christopher Neal Nelson
Opening theme "The Mask"
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 54 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Joe Bacall
Tom Griffin
C.J. Kettler
Bob Friedman
Mike Richardson
Phil Roman
Producer(s) Dark Horse Entertainment
Film Roman
Sunbow Entertainment
New Line Television
Running time 30 minutes
Release
Original network VINT TV
CBS
Syndication
Original release August 12, 1995 – August 30, 1997
Chronology
Preceded by The Mask
Followed by Son of the Mask

The Mask (also known as The Mask: Animated Series) is an American animated television series based on the film of the same name. The show ran for three seasons, from August 12, 1995 to August 30, 1997 on CBS, and spawned its own short-run comic book series, Adventures of The Mask. John Arcudi, former writer of the original comics, penned two episodes of the cartoon. It originally was played during the CBS Kidshow line-up on Saturday mornings, but after being cancelled, it was moved to Cartoon Network (where the live-action films were also aired). The show also ran in syndication.

Overview

Much as with the Beetlejuice cartoon before it, The Mask: Animated Series took many elements from the source movie but dropped characters and changed certain other persona. Reporter Peggy Brandt (Amy Yasbeck's character from the movie) is the main female character in the show. Tina Carlyle (Cameron Diaz's character in the movie) is absent from the cartoon. However, the events of the movie are alluded to, as Charlie knows that Stanley was the Mask (though thinks Stanley threw it away), and Stanley is still upset over Peggy selling him out to the mob (given that Stanley and Peggy were never treated as a potential couple, there may have remained some bad feelings over that though The Mask himself sometimes tries to woo her). A gypsy named Madam Suspiria at one point claims that the Mask is the most powerful artifact in the world when she remarks "The most powerful artifact in the world and this idiot keeps it with his laundry". Unlike in the movie, Ipkiss is able to use the mask in daytime as well as at night.

Niko and Dorian Tyrell, the two primary antagonists of the 1994 film who died during the course of it, do not appear in the animated series. However, an early draft of one episode was to have the ghosts of Niko, Tyrell and their deceased henchmen to return to Edge City and wreak havoc. The plot was to involve both of the ghosts and their gangs to break the remaining gang members out of jail, regain their areas of influence and resume their war against one another. However, the script would determine that they join forces in an effort to exact revenge against Ipkiss. Both Matacena and Greene were approached in order to reprise their roles, but eventually the episode was scrapped.

The cartoon, despite having a "realistic" setting in the fictional town of Edge City, often relies more on Tex Avery-style humor and on occasion, breaks any meaningful laws of reality; one episode featured the Goofalotatots, parodies of the Animaniacs, treating them as if they were naturally alive. Another featured the Mask becoming a personal assistant to the President of the US, with the job merely handed to him (the president was a caricature of no real president; it should also be noted that former Mask comic writer John Arcudi wrote both example episodes, a stark departure from his usual writing). Police officers are portrayed as idiots who can't see even obvious clues.

Also continued from the movie was the consistent visiting by The Mask of the Coco Bongo; a fictional, glamorous night club frequented by the Edge City well-to-do, which was based on the Copacabana in New York City. In the episode "A Comedy of Eras", in which Dr. Chronos manipulates time so that the future Edge City becomes a corrupted, Nineteen Eighty-Four-like dictatorial society ruled by the villainess, features a Coco Bongo which has been destroyed – a development that horrifies and enrages The Mask and provides him with the motivation to ultimately defeat Dr. Chronos.

During the late nineties, Rob Paulsen appeared on US TV talk show, Donny & Marie. When talking about his role as Stanley Ipkiss/The Mask, Rob said "I'd get to be Jim Carrey for a whole lot less cake".[1]

Characters

Main characters

Antagonists

Other characters

Other mask wearers

Stanley Ipkiss is the owner and wearer of The Mask, but there have been others who have worn the Mask (either accidentally or intentionally). Some episodes focus on this aspect; someone gets his/hers hands (or face) on the Mask and Stanley usually tries get it back with difficulty. The other wearers are:

Spoofs to other comics

Villains as well as the Mask's transformations were often DC Comics parodies, such as Supermask and Super Salad Man (a spoof of Superman). Some Marvel references were made too, like The Mask becoming Biclops (a spoof of Cyclops), Spiderhyny (alias Spider-Man), Green Surfer (alias Silver Surfer) and Toolverine (a spoof of Wolverine), and a villain that turned into a dinosaur like Sauron. Notable were Skillit (spoof of Mr. Mxyzptlk and Peter Pan, albeit much more malevolent in nature), Buzz Stingman (who was transformed by mutant bees in a similar manner to Swarm) and Putty Thing (spoof of the Batman: The Animated Series version of Clayface, portrayed as a dumb teenager rather than an angry, jaded actor). In Sister Mask episode Pretorius hunts meteorites that each give the power of a member of Fantastic Four

Episodes

Season 1 (1995)

No. Title Original air date
1"The Mask Is Always Greener on the Other Side (Part 1)"August 12, 1995
After causing him nothing but trouble, Stanley Ipkiss gets rid of his mask by burying it in quick-drying cement, but must retrieve it to save Peggy and Milo from Pretorius.
2"The Mask Is Always Greener on the Other Side (Part 2)"August 12, 1995
Pretorius tricks Stanley's friend and his co-worker, Charlie, into building a "house of tomorrow". The Mask must stop him and save Peggy, Charlie and Milo from Pretorius.
3"Baby's Wild Ride"August 19, 1995
A baby-sitting job turns difficult when the infant acquires the Mask and joins a biker gang with their chief Lonnie The Shark (who is posing as children's show host Barnaby the Dinosaur).
4"The Terrible Twos"August 26, 1995
When Kellaway tries to prove that Stanley is the Mask by handcuffing the two together, Stanley must go to elaborate lengths to get away from the detective when two mutants Putty Thing and Fish Guy (formerly two teenage slackers named Dak and Eddie who irradiated themselves so they can become supervillains) go on the rampage.
5"Sister Mask"September 2, 1995
Pretorius creates a sister Mask that turns the real Mask into a living puppet in order to use him to steal meteorite fragments with unusual properties.
6"Shadow of a Skillit"September 9, 1995
The youth-stealing Skillit has come to Edge City to steal the shadows of Charlie, Peggy, and Milo, and only the Mask can stop him.
7"Bride of Pretorius"September 16, 1995
Stanley dates a shy, quiet girl who works at his bank—and becomes a loud, man-hungry woman when she stumbles upon The Mask. Meanwhile, Pretorious looks for a female companion.
8"Double Reverse"September 23, 1995
A reverse therapy treatment helps Stanley deprive the Mask of its power by acting like the Mask in his normal state, but when a new criminal called Kablamus, capable of exploding and surviving, arrives in the city, Stanley must get the powerless Mask to work once again.
9"Shrink Rap"September 30, 1995
Stanley rids himself of the mask by giving it to his therapist, Dr. Neuman, who puts it on and starts going on a rampage and joins up with Pretorius, who's planning to nuke the city so he can use the flash of the explosion to photograph an alien race's planet.
10"Mayor Mask"October 7, 1995
Frustrated by Edge City's mismanagement, Stanley puts on the Mask hoping he will teach Mayor Tilton a lesson. Instead, The Mask announces his candidacy against Mayor Tilton as the new mayor of Edge City. Though Stanley naturally objects, he is then forced to make sure his alter ego wins the election when he discovers the real Mayor Tilton was captured and that Dr. Pretorius is masquerading as him so he can turn all of Edge City into subjects for toxic waste experiments.
11"Martian Mask"October 14, 1995
FBI agents mistakenly believe The Mask is actually an alien bent on world domination and do everything to capture him, while Putty Thing and Fish Guy go on a road trip.
12"How Much Is That Dog in the Tin Can?"October 21, 1995
Milo puts on The Mask to battle an insane dogcatcher named Willamina Bubask who is capturing dogs for a (somewhat) sinister purpose. Meanwhile, Walter starts stalking Stanley at Cheap Chucky's Chili Cook-Off.
13"All Hallow's Eve"October 28, 1995
On Halloween night, Skillit escapes from reform school determined to get revenge on the Mask for making him do homework and reanimates the corpses of three of Stanley Ipkiss' predecessors, Atilla the Hun, Billie the Kid and an evil Merlin, who had been transformed into a monstrous corruption of his former self when a magic spell blew up in his face.
14"Santa Mask"November 4, 1995
All the villains in Edge City (namely Kablamus, Walter, and the Terrible Twos) begin disguising themselves as Santa Claus and committing crimes. The Mask must save Christmas by proving Santa's innocence.
15"Split Personality"November 11, 1995
The Mask breaks in half during Walter's attempt to gain it, resulting in both Stanley and the Mask existing at the same time. When an old high school bully of Stanley's named Chet Bozzack gets the other half, the two personalities must work together to piece the mask together.

Season 2 (1996–97)

No. Title Original air date
1"A Comedy of Eras"September 7, 1996
The Mask battles a mad female scientist named Dr. Amelia Chronos who sends Stanley to the era of the Salem Witch Trials where Stanley's only hope is to somehow relocate The Mask where he originally found it.
2"Goin' for the Green"September 14, 1996
After being humiliated by the Mask during an unveiling of his latest statue, Mayor Tilton recruits Colonel Beauregard Klaxon, a Southern businessman to create The Edge City Games as a distraction from The Mask's antics. What Mayor Tilton doesn't know is that Colonel Klaxon is using this opportunity to store nuclear waste underneath the stadium where the Edge Games are played which results in the creation of a swamp monster.
3"Flight as a Feather"September 21, 1996
Hours before a Swedish karaoke contest at the Coco Bongo, The Mask loses his lucky fedora feather and races through Edge City to get it — all the while trying to avoid Kellaway and Doyle and a string of eccentric characters, including Mayor Tilton's vengeful ex-girlfriend, a performance artist, Walter, and a mother eagle.
4"The Good, the Bad and the Fish Guy"September 28, 1996
Putty Thing and Fish Guy return, but with Fish Guy having acquired the Mask, Stanley must convince Putty Thing to work with him before the whole city is destroyed.
5"Malled"October 5, 1996
When Lonnie the Shark and his men rob a bank at the new mega-mall with Stanley caught in the crossfire, Milo must bring the Mask to Stanley.
6"Channel Surfin"October 12, 1996
The Mask ends up shifting through various television channels after being trapped inside the TV by a supervillain named Channel Surfer, who plots to brainwash the town into watching his favorite TV show, Pointy Peaks.
7"Mask au Gratin"October 19, 1996
Stanley is hired to show Mrs. Peenman's niece, Jennifer, around Edge City during her visit there—and discovers that Mrs. Peenman's niece has an old amulet which transforms her by the moonlight turning into a monster named Gorgonzola who turns anything and everything into cheese.
8"Jurassic Mask"October 26, 1996
A nuclear-powered laser regenerator invented by Dr. Horace T. Proctor brings three animatronic dinosaurs at Edge City's Museum of Natural History to life. It is up to The Mask to stop the three dinosaurs before they wreck Edge City.
9"You Oughta Be in Pictures"November 2, 1996
Sly Eastenegger, a famous action movie star, and his director choose Edge City to film his latest movie, and challenges The Mask into a competition over who will be the next action movie star. Meanwhile, Peggy discovers a nuclear bomb stolen from the U.S. government that Eastenegger is plotting to use in his latest movie.
10"For All Mask-Kind"November 9, 1996
Stanley is chosen to be the first average man to be sent into space with paranoid astronaut Gil Headstrong and The Mask comes along for the ride.
11"Up the Creek"November 16, 1996
After The Mask steals The Eiffel Tower following his encounter with the Phony Frenchman and Mrs. Peenman uses the apartment as a tourist attraction, Stanley's friend and co-worker Charlie invites him to a river rafting trip where the two become the unwilling grooms to two hillbilly brides.
12"Boogie with the Man"November 23, 1996
Stanley wishes he was as lucky as The Mask, and meets The Devil (disguised as a man named Bob), who gives Stanley his lucky break in exchange for his soul.
13"What Goes Around Comes Around"November 30, 1996
Dr. Amelia Chronos returns and puts Stanley (and the Mask) in a time loop where Stanley (and the Mask) are doomed to repeat the same half-hour.
14"All Hail the Mask"December 7, 1996
During a trip to a Pacific island, the Mask encounters a tribe who worship him as a god—and plot to sacrifice him.
15"Power of Suggestion"December 14, 1996
Stanley gets hypnotized by a magician during Edge City's Fluff Ball, but Kablamus crashes the party just before the hypnotist can reverse the spell, giving Kablamus the perfect opportunity to use Stanley (and the Mask) as his personal slave during the Fluff Parade to get back at Mayor Tilton for not choosing him as the grand marshal.
16"Mr. Mask Goes to Washington"December 21, 1996
After saving the President from being crushed by a chunk of an old building, The Mask becomes a Presidential bodyguard, yet the President's aide Greenfield doesn't trust him.
17"Rain of Terror"December 28, 1996
A disrespected weatherman named Fritz Drizzle becomes a supervillain named The Tempest, who attacks the city with the elements — and interrupts the Mask's night out.
18"The Mother of All Hoods"January 4, 1997
After being humiliated by The Mask on a police reality show, Lieutenant Kellaway tries to prove to the Edge City police force (and his visiting mother, voiced by Estelle Harris) that he is a competent police detective by going on a stakeout to uncover a plot have Mayor Tilton kidnapped.
19"To Bee or Not to Bee"January 11, 1997
A disgraced apiculturist named Buzz Stingman becomes a half-man, half-bee mutant known as The Stinger, who has godlike power over bees, but constantly hungers for honey, prompting him to brainwash Edge City's citizens into building and manufacturing honey for him. Can The Mask stop him or will he feel the "sting" of defeat?
20"Love Potion No. 8 ½"January 18, 1997
After stopping the disgruntled Chef Luigi at a restaurant as the Mask, Stanley buys a love potion from the gypsy Madam Suspiria (who wants the Mask after learning that it was a part of her family's magic). He accidentally spills it on his curmudgeonly landlady, Mrs. Peenman, resulting in Stanley (and the Mask) falling in love with her.
21"Cool Hand Mask"January 25, 1997
The Mask is framed by Pretorius for stealing fundraising money from an orphan Little League team and gets sent to prison. With The Mask incarcerated, Pretorius finally puts his evil plans to rule Edge City to use by tampering with Edge City's electrical devices.
22"Broadway Malady"February 1, 1997
Sir Andrew Bedwetter, a famous Broadway musical director, creates a musical based on the "Mad Monkey" line of action movies, enraging The Mask (who was told that the "Mad Monkey" movies would no longer be made due to the change from film to stage) — and things get worse when Stanley cuts Bedwetter's budget, The Mask makes a surprise appearance during opening night, and Bedwetter goes insane and creates a new musical, featuring The Mask's past enemies (Channel Surfer, the Terrible Two, Walter, Kablamus, and Phoney Frenchman) and an animatronic monkey as the all-star cast.
23"Enquiring Masks Want to Know"February 8, 1997
Stanley works as a photographer for Peggy Brandt after her own photographer leaves following The Mask's fight with the Terrible Two. Meanwhile, Skillit unleashes his "toys" (a gang of mythical creatures) on Edge City. Peggy sees this as an opportunity to further her career.
24"Future Mask"February 15, 1997
The Mask travels in time to Edge City in the 23rd century to find the robot who ripped his trousers, but soon becomes involved in a war between a megalomaniacal future mayor known as Government Guy and a team of rebels over the Mask.
25"Sealed Fate"February 22, 1997
Stanley is forced to sell Putterware to pay off a bill (run up by The Mask), but Peggy learns that the Putterware Company run by Celia N. Airtight is bringing the disgusting leftovers to life.
26"(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Green Mask"March 1, 1997
The Mask and Lieutenant Kellaway die in an explosion caused by The Phony Frenchman's bomb and now face a council of angels who go over past events to see which one of them will get into Heaven. But when Kellaway unmasked The Mask and reveals once and for all that The Mask is Stanley Ipkiss, the angel council reveals a horrible secret about themselves as well.
27"Mutiny of the Bounty Hunters"March 8, 1997
Stanley is once again called upon to babysit his neighbor's baby boy, who runs away in pursuit of the neighbor's pet bird. Meanwhile, Pretorious hires two bounty hunters (Tex Clobber and Baxter Simon) to help him capture The Mask.
28"Convention of Evil"March 15, 1997
In this clip show episode, Pretorius, Gorgonzola, Lonnie the Shark and Pete, "Bob," The Tempest, and The Stinger discuss the many times The Mask has thwarted their heinous plans during a group therapy session held by Dr. Neumann.
29"The Green Marine"March 22, 1997
The Mask ends up in a court martial for his unorthodox actions while serving in the Marines.
30"Counterfeit Mask"March 29, 1997
Stanley is accused of counterfeiting money after picking up the luggage of a mysterious woman named Selina Swint at the airport. Meanwhile, Peggy gets her hands on The Mask and fulfills her dream of being glamorous — which also includes roping Lieutenant Kellaway into marriage.

Season 3 (1997)

No. Title Original air date
1"Magic"June 28, 1997
Stanley reunites with his high school crush, Davida Steelmine, who is now a magician/master thief
2"Little Big Mask"July 5, 1997
The Mask creates an anti-aging cream, which makes him (and Stanley) younger by the minute.
3"Fantashtick Voyage"July 12, 1997
A computer virus named Cybermite infects Milo, and The Mask goes inside Milo's body to get rid of him.
4"They Came from Within"July 19, 1997
The Mask gets sucked into a comic book world, where the evil Dark Star Trio mistakes Lieutenant Kellaway for their archenemy Galactic Avenger.
5"To Have and Have Snot"July 26, 1997
Pretorius uses Peggy's phlegm from her cold to create a giant mucus monster that infects the people of Edge City. Unfortunately, Stanley learns that having a cold while wearing the Mask has unpredictable and ultimately fatal consequences.
6"Mystery Cruise"August 2, 1997
Stanley, Milo, Peggy Brandt, Charlie Schumaker, Mrs. Peenman, Lt. Kellaway, and Doyle are tricked into boarding a cruise by The Mask in order to celebrate The Mask's birthday. Unfortunately, Pretorius plans to use the ship to test his latest weapon that will create a tsunami that will destroy Edge City.
7"The Goofalotatots"August 9, 1997
Stanley as The Mask meets his favorite cartoon characters The Goofalotatots (a parody of the Warners from Animaniacs) Stinko, Pinko, and Snot. What he doesn't know is that they're evil robot duplicates built by Pretorius in a plot to disable Edge City's officials.
8"When Pigs Ruled the Earth"August 16, 1997
The Mask and Peggy get sent to a future where pigs rule over man.
9"The Aceman Cometh"August 23, 1997
In the series finale of The Mask (and part one of a two-part Ace Ventura crossover episode), Stanley's dog Milo is kidnapped by Pretorious and Stanley summons the help of Ace Ventura, Pet Detective (from the movie and animated series of the same name) to find him.
10"Have Mask Will Travel"August 30, 1997
In the second half of The Mask and Ace Ventura crossover (which aired as an episode of "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"), Ace is called upon by NASA to travel to a space station where a hamster—one that knows the entire Elvis Presley catalogue—is missing. When Stanley Ipkiss arrives to retrieve his mask (taken by Spike in the Mask episode), he becomes the Mask and joins Ace on his mission.

Crossover

In the final episode "The Aceman Cometh" the Mask teamed up with Ace Ventura, another Jim Carrey movie character. At the time of the original airing Ace Ventura: Pet Detective was running in the adjoining time slot in CBS's Saturday morning lineup. During the crossover Stanley/Mask and Ace keep their own respective animation style while within the other's show.

Milo, Stanley's dog, has his brain switched with that of a scientist and is then dognapped. Stanley in turn hires Ace Ventura to help get him back. Upon the end of the episode, Spike, Ace's pet monkey, steals the mask. Stanley travels to Florida to get the mask back. The crossover is concluded in the Ace Ventura: Pet Detective episode "Have Mask, Will Travel".

Controversy

The second season episode, "Flight as a Feather," has never been broadcast on FOX Family channel (now ABC Family), the North American version of Cartoon Network, and CBS (though CBS only aired seasons one and three of the show) due to the sequence in which Mayor Tilton signs a deal between Edge City and Bavariaville, which includes heavily implied nudity and references considered too adult for a TV-Y7 audience. This episode has been seen in syndication (namely on local affiliates for The WB and UPN and part of the Big Kids Network, a syndicated line-up of cartoons from the late 1990s) and on international broadcasts in both English and non-English speaking countries (particularly in Mexico, the UK, Australia, and Eastern Europe).

During the ceremony, a black woman in a trenchcoat by the name of Cookie BaBoom (who, according to the Mayor's aide, the Mayor dated at one point, though she was never seen or mentioned in the episodes that aired on CBS, and is an exotic dancer [the mayor's aide nearly calls her a "stripper"]) crashes the ceremony and throws off her trenchcoat to reveal two megatons worth of explosives strategically strapped across her bust and waist like a tube top and an micro-mini-skirt, respectively, and implies that she's going to kill herself along with Mayor Tilton because the Mayor dumped her. The Mask (only interested in retrieving his feather) thwarts Cookie's plan by impersonating a Cockney British bartender who creates a drink called The Bikini Cocktail, using the dynamite strapped to Cookie's body as the main ingredient. Before Kellaway and Doyle can capture The Mask, he distracts them by turning Cookie (who had been spinning around in a blur after The Mask ripped the dynamite off her body) around so her now naked front (which the spectator is unable to see) faces them, causing the two to react sexually to her nude body and collapse. The Mask then asks Cookie if he knows her from traffic school, but the rest of the line cuts immediately to the Bavariavillian woman freaking out over The Mask harassing Mayor Tilton (it's not known whether the jump cut is a sign that a suggestive punchline has been edited, but some fans have theorized that it is).

Principal cast

Additional voices

Crew

Home releases

VHS

A VHS cover

Six VHS volumes of the series were gradually released from 1995 to 1996, all of which are now out of print.

Title Episodes featured
The Mask is Always Greener on the Other Side Pilot: "The Mask is Always Greener on the Other Side" Parts 1 and 2
Baby's Wild Ride "Baby's Wild Ride" and "The Terrible Twos"
S-s-somebody Stop Me! "Sister Mask" and "Shadow of a Skillit"
Milo Mask "How Much Is That Dog in the Tin Can?" and "Martian Mask"
Mayor Mask (Released only in Australia and Russia) "Mayor Mask" and "Double Reverse"
Split Personality (Released only in Australia and Russia) "Shrink Rap" and "Split Personality"

DVD

Upon the initial DVD release of Son of the Mask, Wal-Mart stores sold an exclusive 2-pack of the movie with the two-part pilot episode of the animated series.[2]

Syndication

After the series ended its run on CBS it started airing in syndication, mostly on local affiliates and Cartoon Network from 1997-1998. Then it aired on FOX Family from 1998–2000 (with "Flight as a Feather" removed due to risqué content). Since 2000 it hasn't been seen in the United States. In Australia, it has been rerun sporadically on Boomerang.

Merchandise

Taco Bell distributed toys based on the cartoon for a short period of time in 1997. In South Africa, the Spur franchise used to give out Mask toys with the kiddies burger.

References

  1. "Rob Paulsen (Animaniacs) on "Donny & Marie"". YouTube. 2007-04-02. Retrieved 2013-08-19.
  2. "The Mask DVD news: Walmart Exclusive Release". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved 2013-08-19.

External links

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