Anybody who watched Nickelodeon in the late ’90s and early 2000s likely has fond memories of watchingThe Wild Thornberrys. The series followed a family of wildlife documentarians, with the main character being Eliza Thornberry. Eliza can talk to animals, a power she uses to communicate with the family pet Darwin as well as other animals the family encounters.
The Wild Thornberrysran for five seasons and was an incredibly popular series for Nickelodeon. It earned positive reviews from critics. It got a feature film,The Wild Thornberrys Movie, which was released in 2002. A year later it got a crossover sequel with theRugratstitledRugrats Go Wild. Even without a reboot likeRugrats, revivals likeRocko’s Modern LifeandInvader Zim, or even still ongoing series likeSpongebob Squarepants,The Wild Thornberrysremains a classic andone of the best Nickelodeon series. Here is what made it such a great series.
The Series Has An All-Star Cast
One element that madeThe Wild Thornberrysstand out was the all-star nature of the cast. Eliza Thornberry was voiced by Lacey Chabert, who at the time was known for projects likeParty of FiveandLost in Space. FollowingThe Wild Thornberrys,she starred inMean Girlsand has continued as a voice actor in projects likeThe Spectacular Spider-ManandYoung Justice.
Voice actress Jodi Carlisle voiced Marianne Thornberry, Eliza’s mother. Eliza’s sister Debbie Thornberry was voiced by scream queen Danielle Harris, famous for the role of Jamie Loyd inHalloween 4andHalloween5. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea lent his vocal talents to the role of Donnie, the wild child that the family adopted. Having a horror icon and a popular musician from a famous rock band lent the series a certain level of credibility to older audiences.
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Two of the greatest stars ofThe Wild Thornberrysare Tim Curry and Tom Kane. Tim Curry was already famous for his roles inThe Rocky Horror Picture Show,Legend,Clue, and the miniseriesIt.Then he landed the role of Nigel Thornberry, the father of the Thornberry family and the face of the wildlife series the family is filming. Curry’s distinct voice has made him a go-to for vocal performance. In 2012 the actor suffered a stroke which left him bound to a wheelchair, and the actor has essentially retired. Tom Kane voiced Darwin, the family chimpanzee, and Eliza’s best friend. Tom Kane is one of the most well-regarded voice actors and notably voiced Yoda in everyStar Warsappearance that Frank Oz did not. In 2020, Kane suffered a stroke and, in September 2021, officially retired from voice acting.
The Wild Thornberrys Was Not Meant to Be a Children’s Series
Part of what makesThe Wild Thornberrysuch a great series that could be enjoyed by the whole family was that it was not originally intended as a children’s series. The series was pitched as an adult animated sitcom titledNigel Thornberry’s Animal Worldfor Fox. Fox passed on it, but Nickelodeon picked the series up, with the emphasis shifting from Nigel to his daughter Eliza and giving her the ability to talk to animals.
While still a series aimed at kids, the series original idea of being a series for adults can still be felt in the creative DNA. A great deal of the series is still given to Eliza’s parents and her sister Debbie, dealing with themes that are relatable to adults and older teenagers but still enjoyable for young kids.The Wild Thornberryshada little something for everyone.
Educational and Entertaining
The Wild Thornberrysglobal setting and focus on animals lent itself to be both entertaining and educational. The series was designed with the potential of being used in science curriculums, and the creative team brought on experts to craft the series. The experts were responsible for giving the writers details on the different locations, animals, and cultures the Thornberry family would explore.
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Whereas a lot of children’s series designed to be educational can feel flat,The Wild Thornberrysstill managed to craft interesting stories with fun characters that organically weaved the educational elements in. The educational elements were subtle and enforced the story. This helped makeThe Wild Thornberrysmore than just an entertaining cartoon that lacks substance like someother animated series from Nickelodeonand its competitors. Even after all these years,The Wild Thornberryscan still be enjoyed by families, particularly now that the kids who grew up with it may have families of their own.
