The Angry Beavers: The Complete Series

The title characters of this rambunctious Nickelodeon-aired 1997-2001 cartoon comedy are young beaver brothers Norbert (voiced by Nick Bakay) and Daggett (Richard Horvitz), who—after being abruptly ejected by their parents—build their own bachelor-pad dam and fend for themselves in episodes that are festooned with the siblings' nonsense-word vocabulary ("spooty") and pop-culture references (some so obscure that the writers seem to be joking with themselves). Norbert's smooth tones and lounge-guy delivery vs. Dag's impulsive recklessness adds a slight Martin/Lewis vibe to the all-over-the-map antics, as the duo vie to be the first beavers in space, compete with a squad of singing lumberjacks, sample the pampered life as housepets, babysit their nieces, and meet a hippie-ish Bigfoot creature legendary for its enormous butt. One of the highlights of this 62-episode set is "The Day the Earth Got Really, Really Screwed Up," a dazzlingly visualized sci-fi/horror tribute featuring the voices of William Schallert, Adrienne Barbeau, Peter Graves, and Jonathan Haze. Other guest voiceovers include Eric Idle, Morgan Fairchild, Ed Asner, Ed McMahon, Waylon Jennings, and Bronson Pinchot. A definitely spooty-ful collection, this is recommended. Aud: P. (C. Cassady)