Tonight your house will be invaded by little furry critters.
Original title
The Raccoons
Released
11/11/1985
Origin country
CA
Genre
Animation, Kids
Production companies
Hinton Animation Studios, Atkinson Film Arts, Evergreen Raccoons Television Productions, Gillis-Wiseman Productions
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
5
Number of episodes
60
The Raccoons is a Canadian animated television series which was originally broadcast from 1985 to 1991 with three preceding television specials from its inception in 1980 and one direct to video special in 1984. The franchise was created by Kevin Gillis with the co-operation of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
The Raccoons project - a Christmas special, with an environmentalist message, that introduced the three main Raccoons (Bert, Ralph, Melissa), Cyril Sneer, Cedric Sneer, Ranger Dan, Tommy, Julie, and Schaeffer. This is the only time in the whole franchise where the humans (Tommy and Julie) and the Raccoons met each other.
A second special which focused on a hockey game between the Raccoons and Cyril's team, for the fate of Evergreen Lake. Introduces Cedric's girlfriend Sophia Tutu, the Sneer's pet dog Snag, and Cyril's bear henchmen. The characters are all far-more closer in style to the final series' characterizations of them (notably Ralph and Melissa, who previously seemed to have the same personality as Bert rather than their calmer, more intellectual forms, seen later). The animation had also progressed significantly from the first special too, notably the images of both Cyril and Cedric.
Toyed with the series concepts and format, setting the action on an alien planet that Schaeffer the dog ends up on (possibly an early attempt to write-out the three human characters he had been seen with in the previous two specials). Also introduces Cyril's three pig flunkies and Broo the puppy. Considered by many to be closest to the regular series in terms of tone, characterization, etc. Also of note is that it was twice the length of the other specials. This special was separated into two parts for some TV broadcasts, with a couple of scenes edited out, due to timing.
A made-for-video "music video" consisting largely of clips from the previous specials set to songs (also from the previous specials), joined together with newly animated footage and a flimsy plot. When this special was produced, it is assumed that the series had already been planned.
Bert, Ralph, Melissa, and the rest of the gang plan a surprise for Cyril Sneer, which makes him paranoid when he thinks that the Raccoons are planning an uprising against him.
Bert Raccoon climbs Evergreen Mountain in order to prove to Melissa and Ralph that he can do something on his own. Meanwhile, Cyril Sneer plans to stop Bert in order to keep a dark family secret hidden.
Bert and Ralph take Cedric on a camping trip to a fort they built as kids, without the girls and Cedric must spend the night inside the local haunted house to join their club.
Cyril Sneer and Mammoth Motors plan to create a car factory in the Evergreen Forest, possibly ruining the beauty of the forest forever. In order to save it, Bert and his friends create a solar-powered car to race against Cyril's own Sneermobile.
Because he feels that his father doesn't appreciate him, Cedric Sneer runs away from home and lives with his friends, the Raccoons. Meanwhile, the human children Julie and Tommy run away from home as well, but get lost in the forest.
While fishing, Bert finds a treasure map in a boot. They make a ship out of barrels with Cedric and set out to find treasures. In the meantime, the pigs find out about their scheme and tell Cyril Sneer. Cyril, greedy for money, chases them. Bert and Cedric find the treasures, but Cyril shows up and claims possession of the land where they dug up the treasures. But Cedric recollects that Cyril never told him that the land was his, and he and Bert set out in pursuit of Cyril. During the pursuit, Cedric falls in the river and Cyril must choose if he loves Cedric or the treasure more dearly. He chooses Cedric, and the treasure chest is irrevocably lost in the river.
While Cedric shows Ralph the inside of Cyril's new vault, the pigs mistake the two for intruders, and time-lock the vault, sealing Ralph and Cedric in 'til next Groundhog Day. Cyril tries everything he can to get them out, even the promise of a master security key hidden in the vault, but it seems hopeless, until Melissa, Bert, Broo, Sophia, and Schaeffer find out. Pretty soon, Cyril, Bert, Broo, and Melissa are dodging the extra precaution systems as they make their way underground to get to the vault.
Dan the Forest Ranger is offered a job in the city, and has to choose the best life for his children. Ralph is offered the post of Editor of a paper, and makes ready to leave the Forest. However, Cyril Sneer needs putting in his place, and the first issue of the Evergreen Standard is printed. Also Bert gets sick when Ralph and Melissa plan to leave.
Bert uncovers a plot by Cyril to concrete over the Evergreen Forest. Unfortunately, Bert has been doing so much wild speculation and rumour-mongering lately that no-one will believe him.
Rumours abound in the Evergreen Forest about the arrival of the royal family. Berts sets out on a number of arduous tasks with a Knighthood in mind, while Cyrils sees this as the ideal chance to clear his family's name.
There is gold in the Emerald [Evergreen] Forest and Cyril Sneer wants it.
The Mammoth Mudheads come to the Evergreen Forest. Bert and Cedric compete for a place on the team, putting a strain on both their friendship, and ultimately their chances of winning.
The Raccoons have formed a rock band and Cyril tries to enlist their help to promote a new brand of aftershave he has developed. But, although Ralph and Melissa decline, Bert can't resist the lure of starring in a tv commercial.
Cyril panics when he learns that a former business partner Karl Snarl - whom he walked out on years before - is going "to give him what he deserves" and steps up security at Sneer Mansion. When Bert and Cedric become trapped on a rapidly narrowing ledge, Melissa has to overcome her fear of heights in order to rescue them by helicopter. Also Melissa fights her fear of flying to save Bert and Cedric.
After having his electricity cut off for failing to pay his bills, Cyril Sneer decides to build a hydroelectric dam. Meanwhile, Ralph and Melissa have gone camping and Bert is playing host to adventurous Great Aunt Gertie.
Ralph's bookish young cousin Bentley Raccoon discovers how to have fun the Bert Raccoon way when he competes against Cyril Sneer in the Evergreen Forest Games. Bentley learns that you don't have to win to be a winner.
When Melissa Raccoon discovers valuable pre-historic cave paintings. Cyril Sneer plots to turn them into a moneymaking tourist trap. With the help of a mysterious cave dweller the Raccoon gang turn Cyril's destructive scheme around, transforming him into an unwitting patron of the arts.
Cyril is ill with a cold and, when the Pigs overhear the doctor on the phone about his clapped-out old car, they think he is talking about Cyril. Believing Cyril only has a few days to live and with Cedric at accounting camp, the Raccoons resolve to do whatever they can to make Cyril's remaining time his best. When Cyril learns the truth, he keeps up the pretence so that the Raccoons will spend the money they had earmarked for a new printing press on a memorial for him and force the Evergreen Standard out of business. However, he has reckoned without the Raccoons' choice of memorial . . .
When Cyril Sneer's plan to exploit the Evergreen Swamp for it's oil threatens to destroy Herman the hermit's home, the Raccoons step in to help their friend. Herman's painful admission that he cannot read helps the Raccoons save the swamp.
When the pigs mix up the Sneer Mansion's outgoing mail and send an invitation to 'merge' to Lady Baden Baden, and a 'thank you' to Mr. Knox, Cyril Sneer finds himself headed for the altar.
Crazed by an enormous bill for back-taxes, Cyril Sneer plans to go back in time to thwart every Raccoon victory of the past, hoping to enlarge his present fortune. Hurtling through time in the machine hastily assembled by his pigs, Cyril learns the hard way that tampering with history has some serious side effects.
When Cyril Sneer loses the priceless Prism of Zenda he is forced to offer a valuable reward for its return. In his role as ace detective Bert Raccoon thwarts Cyril's scheme to swindle the public and uncovers the Prism right under Cyril's nose.
Bert Raccoon is amazed when his storybook hero, Sir Malcolm Havelock arrives in the Evergreen Forest. Inspired by Sir Malcolm's popular adventure books, Bert prepares to fulfil his lifelong ambition of joining Sir Malcolm on a safari, until he discovers the disappointing truth about his hero.
When Bert Raccoon falls victim to a Cyril Sneer advertising campaign, his friends become worried about him. Obsessed and addicted, Bert sacrifices almost everything he cherishes to win the grand prize, only to discover that there is no greater prize than friendship.
Bert Raccoon risks his life and his friendship with Cedric, in an attempt to impress the tough Bix Wheelie and his gang. When faced with a real crisis, Bert's new found friends turn and run, leaving him in the lurch until Cedric saves the day. Bert learns a new respect for his old buddy and realizes that true friends are forever.
After Melissa snaps a blurry photo of a creature swimming in Evergreen Lake, unruly mobs of monster watchers descend on the Evergreen Forest. When Bert traps the monster it takes him on a hair raising race across the lake that ends in a spectacular crash. Everyone learns the difference between fact and fiction when the monster is revealed to be yet another Cyril Sneer tourist trap.
When the Pigs receive a surprise visit from their mother, they try to keep her from finding out that they are merely Cyril's servants.
After Ralph Raccoon convinces Melissa she should accept a job as photographer for a famous magazine, she realizes that maybe the job is not for her. When given the choice of taking a great picture or pitching in to help a friend, Melissa helps her friend and loses her job. With a big smile she announces to the Gang she's been fired, and that her choice, for now, is to stay in the Evergreen Forest.
Determined to have at least one competent individual in his household, Cyril sends Cedric to get some assertiveness training. But, when Cedric returns, it becomes clear that he has learned his lesson a little too well . . .
Bert & Cedric find an abandoned steam train on an unmapped train track. If the legends about an infamous train robber are true, this train could solve Cyril's financial problems. The Raccoons set about restoring the train to its former glory, unaware of Cyril's scheme.
Bert & Cedric find Bentley hiding in the club house, and it turns out that he has run away from home. At Sneer Mansion, the pigs install a state of the art computer system, to make their lives easier and to keep a watchful eye on The Boss. The computer malfunctions, and only Bentley's knowledge of computers can save their bacon when the computer decides it is under attack.
Cyril Sneer's pigs are very surprised when their Mom shows up anannounced at Sneer mansion, expecting to stay with her wealthy tycoon sons. Unaware of their true job status as Cyril's servants she is kept from meeting him until his interest in her ancient automobile brings them together in a runaway car chase. Mrs. Pig's heroic effort saves Cyril's life and prompts her embarassed sons to confess all to their forgiving mother.
An unepected visitor arrives at Sneer mansion, claiming to be Cyril's long lost brother, Simon. Cyril is not convinced, and Bert sets out to discover the truth with a bit of detective work.
Bert, Cedric, and the gang surprise Cyril with a tv appearance on a game show. All he has to do is identify voices from his past to win big money. (Flash back episode.) Cyril isn't safe from the tax man, hot on his tail.
Cyril Sneer's childhood friend Woodchuck Berry shows up in the Evergreen forest. When Woodchuck is hired to play at Schaeffer's cafe, Cyril is given another chance to play with his friend onstage.
When Troy Malone comes to visit Melissa, Ralph tries to win back Melissa's affection by entering a flight contest.
To get a contract signed, Cyril Sneer agrees to look after Mr. Knox's nephew. This results in Cedric becoming the nephew's new bullying target.
Lady Baden-Baden decides to work at the Blue Spruce Cafe, much to Mr. Knox's dismay.
Bert and Cedric go exploring on an island to find a fallen meteorite, but they don't tell anyone where they're going and get stranded. Soon everyone else is desperately scouring the forest, and consulting Lady Baden-Baden's astrology, to find them.
Bert falls in love with Lisa, Bentley's older sister, when she comes to visit the Evergreen Forest. After much procrastination, he gets a date with her. Meanwhile, Cyril Sneer must choose to attend a camp reunion with Cedric or meet up with a famous billionaire.
When searching the family archives for one of Lady Baden-Baden's literary projects, Bert and Cedric find papers for the adoption of a Sneer and believe Cedric has been adopted.
When a famous magician shows up in the Evergreen forest, Bert is bent on becoming his apprentice. Meanwhile, Cyril Sneer tries to sell Knox his new $750,000 secure vault.
When Bentley comes for his annual visit to the forest, Bert and Cedric take him to see the old Evergreen Schoolhouse. There, they meet their old teacher, Ms. Primrose, and learn the school is too small for government regulations, and must be closed.
Prof. Smedley-Smythe holds a science contest for young people, who are to prepare any kind of scientific projects and present them to a jury. Bert's digging for dinosaur fossils, while Cedric and his father build a flight device resembling a pedal-driven helicopter. After not too long, Bert finds a promising tar pit and prepares to examine it more closely. But the pigs, thinking they'd improve Cedric's chances in the contest by sabotaging Bert's project, sink a heap of fresh bones in the pit, and thus cause confusion as usual.
Bert and Cedric have gone skate-crazy. Cyril and Mr. Knox are trying to settle in the skateboard market; they have both developed their own product line and each of them equips a team for a coming race in order to prove the quality of his boards. There seems to be no place in the forest for two skateboard brands - they agree that the looser has to retreat from this market. At the pigs' place... Lloyd and Pink are huge comic book fans and members of a ""Mudman"" fan club, and feel quite elitary, scorning Floyd, who can't afford these books. In order to gain their respect, he begins to steal them from Willow's, and suffers from his bad conscience. In the end, he's going to be discovered and punished. During the race, Cyril's and Knox's race teams behave rather unfairly, trying to throw their opponent out of the race, but don't care for Bert and Cedric, which enables them to win the race (using neither Cyril's boards nor Knox's).
The Sneer Theatre is about to be re-opened; just in time for Cedric, who has written a play (""The secret of the cursed treasure""). Lady Baden-Baden appears to the casting and gets crazy for the main role. In order to make sure she gets the role, Knoxie puts Cyril under pressure, who in turn tries to convince Cedric to modify the play in favour of Lady B.B. Cedric agrees to 'improve' the script, and from this moment, odd things start to happen - Cyril has a series of utterly improbable accidents each time he tries to take influence in Cedric's writing. When they hear the phantom's threatening voice and realise there's someone behind the events, Bert and the pigs unpack their ghostbusting equipment (they've got the will, they've got the technology!) After a chase and fright sequence, the phantom is revealed to be another author formerly employed and exploited by Cyril, who wanted to take revenge, while saving Cedric from suffering the same fate.
The pigs, mightily discontented with their living and working conditions, get in contact with scandal reporter Ms. Barbara LaFrame: a TV talker specialized in interviewing and tormenting rich people who keep their personnel as their slaves... The pigs discredit their boss and she promises to pay him a surprise visit with a camera team that would ruin his reputation. But they soon regret this idea when they learn that her last victim, Milton Midas, utterly destroyed and ruined by her, had to fire all of his staff. Fearing for their jobs, they now try to get rid of her again, describing her boss as a wonderful, friendly father, rather than an employer. But she's not so easily convinced and tries to get her interview. Cyril flees from her, ending up on a roof, from where he crashes through a window and lands right in a ""bachelors auction"", where the reporter has to ""buy"" him for a large amount.
Cedric and Bert take sky diving lessons and Cyril falls in love with a film star.
Cyril has a short stay in hospital and makes a new friend. Bert realises he's been lied to by an advertisment and tries to get a refund from the unscrupulous Mr. Midas.
Ralph's brother George moves into the Evergreen Forest with the rest of his family. George has been offered the job of presenter of a cooking program on K.N.O.X. TV. The pigs try out a career in television after being fired for shredding money by mistake. Lisa finds it difficult to adjust to the change.
Sneer needs a product to sell to Mammoth and puts Cedric in charge of the factory. The product is a failure, but a trainload of garbage arrives at the Forest and sets Cedric to thinking about recycling plastics. A new business venture is born, while Ralph learns the unsettling truth about the source of the rubbish.
Bentley accidentally breaks Bert's new remote controlled car. Thinking he can find buried treasure is a cave system, he and the pigs end up trapped. Lisa and Bert must rescue them before the air runs out.
Sneers new factory production line has teething troubles. Bentley breaks for the summer, and the pigs soon talk him into working for them. Bert is appalled. After Bentley's early sucess, the pigs feel threatened, and destroy Bentley's work. When he's fired, Bentley is despondant about losing the job. Then, Cyril finds out the truth.
Bert makes more promises than he can keep. The pigs try their han at jam making and things get decidedly sticky when their Mom turns up.
After being bullied by his classmates, Bentley is set on revenge. It soon transpires that Schaeffer is a black belt in the martial arts, and is persuaded to teach Bert, Bentley and Cedric.
Cyril launches a new sattelite channel while Bentley is looking after Broo. The pigs leap at the oppurtunity to send their mother a mother's day gift she'll never forget! When Broo's face appears on the monitors just before lift off, a race ensues to save him.
Cyril wants to join a golf club after losing a client to Knox at another club. Lisa sees an old friend from the City, and is pressured into smoking to fit in. Cyril is surprised when he finds out the final task he needs to obtain membership.
Cyril and Bert compete for the mayorship of the Evergreen Forest. Finding out about a deal Cyril struck with Lady Baden-Baden, the pigs rig the election, but the outcome is completely unexpected.
A real tear jerker. Bert and Cedric show Bentley their secret fishing hole, and are dismayed to see it feature in one of Cyril's advertising campaigns. Soon after, the pigs moonlight for Mr. Midas, and dump some barrels in the river upstream of the waterhole. The next day, it becomes apparent that the barrels conained poisonous chemicals, and the waterhole is dying.
Cyril is taken ill and is advised to retire. Cedric is intimidated into sponsoring a televised sports event by a very shady character. Lisa and Bert fall out while training for the events, and too late Cedric discovers the scam he's walked into. It's up to the gang to win the event, or Cedric loses one million dollars.
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