RUGRATS: A RUGRATS KWANZAA (TV)
Summary
One in this series of animated children's programs about one-year-old Tommy Pickles and his group of baby pals, who frequently embark on mischievous adventures right under the noses of their oblivious parents. Susie flees in fear when her great-aunt T. arrives one rainy night from Zanzibar around Christmastime. She introduces herself to the children, most of whom have never met her before. Aunt T. suggests that they all celebrate Kwanzaa together, although they do not usually observe that holiday and most of the children are unaware of what it is. Susie learns a little about its history and invites her friends over to help celebrate. Aunt T. attempts to get Randy to join in, but he is busy writing a script and is unimpressed with her Kwanzaa celebrations. Aunt T. gives presents to her grand-nieces and nephews. Susie receives an old book, although she and her friends are unimpressed with it. Phil and Lil arrive as Aunt T. arranges a Kwanzaa feast for the family, getting the children to help out.
Susie misinterprets several of Aunt T.’s statements about Kwanzaa, becoming convinced that she is being excluded since she has not done anything “great” with her life. She bases this on the fact that her other family members have been awarded trophies for their various accomplishments, whereas she has not. Tommy offers to make Susie a trophy in order to cheer her up, but she explains that she must do something noteworthy in order to earn it. She attempts to imitate her other family members in her own fashion, but each attempts meets with failure. At the suggestion of her friends, she decides to make Aunt T. a gift for Kwanzaa in the form of a clay bust of her own head. This also ends in failure and Susie is distraught at the notion of being left out of her family’s celebrations. However, Aunt T. appreciates Susie’s efforts and tells her that “greatness” is not dependent on awards or trophies, comforting her. She leads her and the rest of her friends elsewhere, but suddenly there is a power outage caused by the thunderstorm outside.
As everyone gathers around, Aunt T. explains that the book she gave Susie is a scrapbook she has kept for the past fifty years. Inside are photographs of and news articles about important figures in African-American history, such as Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall. Aunt T. explains that fame does not always reflect greatness and talks about her husband Charles, recounting an incident which occurred on their way to the March on Washington 1963. She claims that they spotted a car by the side of the road and helped its driver repair it, and that the driver was none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself. Aunt T. also relates a story from when Susie’s mother was a very young child and sang her first solo in a church choir. Susie’s mother takes the opportunity to recall a time when she was about to attend Harvard Medical School but lost her financial aid, and Aunt T. wrote her a check to allow her to continue her education and eventually graduate. The power goes back on and the family begins their Kwanzaa dinner; Aunt T. assures Susie that much of her life is before her, and she has plenty of time to realize her “greatness.” Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: Nickelodeon
- DATE: December 11, 2001 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:23:18
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:93609
- GENRE: Animation
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: Nickelodeon - TV series, 1992-2003
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Arlene Klasky … Executive Producer, Created by
- Gabor Csupo … Executive Producer, Created by
- Eryk Casemiro … Executive Producer
- Cella Nichols Harris … Supervising Producer
- Jim Duffy … Supervising Producer
- Jill Gorey … Producer, Writer
- Barbara Herndon … Producer, Writer
- Susan Ward … Producer
- Pernelle Hayes … Producer
- Lorraine Gallacher … Co-Producer
- Anthony Bell … Director
- Keythe Farley … Voice Director
- Charlie Adler … Voice Director
- Anivision Korea … Animation
- Sunwoo Digital International … Animation
- Paul Germain … Created by
- Lisa D. Hall … Writer
- Mark Mothersbaugh … Theme Music by
- Bob Mothersbaugh … Theme Music by
- E.G. Daily … Voice, Tommy
- Christine Cavanaugh … Voice, Chuckie
- Kath Soucie … Voice, Phil, Lil, Betty
- Cree Summer … Voice, Susie, Edwin
- Dionne Quan … Voice, Kimi
- Bettina Bush … Voice, Alisa
- Ron Glass … Voice, Randy
- Irma P. Hall … Voice, Aunt T.
- Crystal Scales … Voice, Buster
- Hattie Winston … Voice, Lucy, Lucy's Mom
- Kimberly Brooks … Voice, Young Lucy
- Bill Cobbs … Voice, Uncle Charles
- Erv Immerman … Voice, Radio Announcer
- Kevin M. Richardson (See also: Kevin Michael Richardson) … Voice, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Cynthia Kaye Hunt … Voice, Choir Soloist