We have a takeoff on the comic opera "H.M.S. Pinafore" with our three heroes, Yakko, Wakko and Dot, tormenting a pirate, who looks a lot like "Yosemite Sam," the old Loony Tunes character. In fact, that's what this "Animaniacs" show reminds me off: the old 1950s cartoons. It's great to see this sort of thing again, and glad that entertainment moguls brought this art-form back to life in the mid 1990s.
Since the '60s, we had slowly lost the art of the great 5-8-minute cartoons with wacky characters, outrageous reactions, wild colors, overdone violence and sometimes disguised subtle humor. It's all back, thanks to this show (which I just discovered here on disc in 2009!).
That first segment of this third episode is fun to watch and the second segment is even better. introduced a new character: "Slappy Squirrel," a wise-butt old-lady squirrel who says some funny things and is getting crabby in her old age. She's got that New York-tough accent, and apparently used to be a star of cartoons when she was younger. She has a history of beating up anyone who gets in her way. In this case, it's "Doug the Dog," who is guarding a tree full of walnuts. She's looking for walnuts to complete her recipe for her little nephew who is in desperate need of "some brain food." Along the way, the not-so-innocent old lady makes a bunch of wise-cracks and even some sexual innuendos (i.e. see subject head above).
I especially appreciated the "asides" to us, the audience, by Slappy. She reminded me of Daffy Duck, in that regard. Anyway, she is real hoot and I hope I see more of her.
The finale is a little two-minute ditty about how we are all just specks in the universe.
"Slappy" was definitely the high point on this episode.