Pig Goat Banana Cricket (also abbreviated as PGBC) is an American animated television series created by Dave Cooper and Johnny Ryan for Nickelodeon. The show follows the interwoven adventures of the titular quartet.
The show premiered on July 18, 2015, at 10:30 AM, with a sneak preview that aired two days before on July 16, after the 2015 Kids' Choice Sports Awards.
On June 25, 2015, Nickelodeon renewed Pig Goat Banana Cricket for a second season ahead of the series premiere.
Pig Goat Banana Cricket focuses on the titular quartet, a group of best friends and roommates: Pig, who is obsessed with pickles, Goat, who has musical dreams, Banana, who loves video games and Cricket, who is talented at mad science. The four embark on surreal journeys on their own, which are then interwoven together; the action is set in Boopelite City, a gigantic and whirring metropolis where many of the buildings look like archaic clockworks. The streets are constantly teeming with characters of intensely varied description, and the sidewalks are crammed with animals, robots, walking fruit, sea creatures, and more. The four roommates live in a treehouse, which sits in the middle of the city, surrounded by the forest, the seas and anywhere else the friends could possibly go.
Main characters
Pig (voiced by Matt L. Jones) – a dim-witted pig who has a large liking for pickles. Pig is the "fool" of the group and causes most of their problems. Pig is hardly able to read by himself. He says his catchphrase "that's my favorite!", often when he sees something or someone he likes. His name may be short for Pignatius. Pig is resistant to what would normally be life-threatening injuries.Goat (voiced by Candi Milo) – a sweet and cheerful goat woman who has been Pig's room-mate for the past 29 years. She is the "artist" of the group being able to play the guitar and having a penchant for acting. Goat can be very easily irritated by others' antics and often displays anger, causing her to babble, speak gibberish, and occasionally puff up her chest when angry (e.g. "Flib flabbin' flibble flubbin!"). Her catchphrase is "Totally goatally", which see says when she agrees with something. Goat has normal human-shaped ears (not goat-shaped) normally obscured underneath the locks of hair on the sides of her head. The horns on top of her head have holes in them.Banana (voiced by Thomas F. Wilson) – a lazy, selfish banana who enjoys playing video games. He has boy scouts for henchmen. Banana is the "wise-guy" of the group who loves to have fun and pull pranks. Banana is afraid of primates, because they eat his kind. Banana tends to cry when put into pressure but quickly stops. He says his catchphrase "Sweet mama's monkeys" when he is surprised or shocked, and "simpledy doo" after finishing a task.Cricket (voiced by Paul Rugg) – a cricket who is a genius inventor and speaks with a lisp. Cricket is the "brains" of the group. He is also the most responsible of the four and usually is forced to clean up their messes. Cricket has a crush on Goat, and while she has hugged him (and Banana/Pig simultaneously) and said she loves him, this can simply be behavior towards a pal. He sometimes says "Holy laser farts", when he is surprised or shocked.Burgerstein, Cricket's lab assistant. He has a burger for a head and is made up of machines and other things. As his name implies, he is based on Frankenstein's Monster.Goat's reflection (voiced by Candi Milo) is see in many episodes as Goat looks in the mirror often for self-admiration or grooming. She is eventually revealed to be a distinct entity, and she and Goat get into an argument when TJ gives the reflection the 'Customer of the Day' award even though it was Goat who got him a soufflé.Thomas Jefferson (later nicknamed TJ) debuts in "The Chronicles of Cutesachusetts" where he emerges from a nickel to battle Goat, and later saves the day by battling Lady Primavera. He later runs a smoothie café in "Zombie Broheims" where he prevents Goat from being Customer of the Day because he swore to hate her forever. While discussing cookies she made, he calls Betsy Ross a hag.Sleazy Beave (voiced by Jeff Bennett) – a male beaver who debuted in "Fudge-pocalypse". Sleazy Beave is open to pretty much anything as he is nearly homeless. He was willingly about to get married to Delooney Hamshank (by the force of Ma Hamshank) but was then pranked by Pig who was wearing the wedding outfit. He appears to have a secondary superhero personality named The Masked Maniac as well.Rasta Rat (voiced by Jeff Bennett) – Rasta Rat is a very laid-back rat who has dreadlocks and speaks in a Jamaican accent. He wears a green, red, and yellow beanie hat. A running gag is he constantly gets slammed onto the fourth wall.President of the Planet (voiced by James Adomian) – the dog who rules the entire planet. He can be a noble person when he wants to be, but can also be quite brute and honest in his opinions, like when he told Goat that her superpower was complete garbage without a second thought in "Super Space Meatball".Junior Rangers (voiced by Candi Milo, Yuri Lowenthal and Maile Flanagan) – the Junior Rangers are the "boy scout" division of the Boopelite park rangers. They are a group of children varying in species who do various activities like real life Boy Scouts. They are watched over by Banana, who often lazes on the job. Some of the rangers do work for Banana that differs from normal activities, such as pranking the Hamshanks or rescuing Banana from Big Ballah Koala.Barton is a rat.Tom and Tabitha are alligators or crocodiles.an elephant.Ranger Rhino (voiced by Jeff Bennett) – a rhinoceros who is in charge of the Junior Rangers. He often tells off Banana for not doing his duty but still has a soft spot for him, such as in "Wheelbarrow Full of Nachos" he asks Banana to hang out with him.Breakfast Burrito (voiced by John DiMaggio) – a very lazy burrito. For example, in "The Chronicles of Cutesachusetts", Banana simply asked him to put away a jar of peanut butter, only for him to immediately sit on his couch and fall asleep.Armpit Willy (voiced by John DiMaggio) – an alligator who wears a beanie and has thick, long armpit hairs. His catchphrase is "bushy bushy".Lady Primavera Van de Snuggles (voiced by Dyana Liu) debuts in "The Chronicles of Cutesachusetts" and returns in "Gauntlet of Humiliation", where she is visiting Armpit Willy at his pool when Pig makes a fast food delivery to him.Matt L. Jones as Pig, He So Crazy Squirrel, Dog Truck, Mama Cart, Cart PupsCandi Milo as Goat, JR Tom, JR Kyle, Owl Woman Lady, Back-up Singers, Geek, Dakota, Additional VoicesThomas F. Wilson as Banana, Bodybuilder, Chef, Beefy Teamster #2, Additional VoicesPaul Rugg as Cricket, Cricket's Brain, Pickle Statue, Man with Tie, Aide (1), Aide (2), Additional VoicesJeff Bennett as Rasta Rat, Pirate Leader, Sleazy Beave, Angler Fish, Mr. Manelli, Ranger Rhino, Pickle Mascot, Time Donut, Doctor, Clerk McGuirk, Additional VoicesVanessa Marshall as JR Kyle, Melba, Mary Louise Pizzagut, Woman, Angry Old Raisin's Mother, Additional VoicesMaile Flanagan as JR Barton, JR Elephant, Clerk, Dino Lady, Bruce, Additional VoicesJohn DiMaggio as Pig's Dad, Ranger Rhino, Burgerstein, Armpit Willy, Bank Robber, Breakfast Burrito, Additional VoicesTom Kenny as Pig's Mom, Quandarious Cooch, Gunk Knuckler, Steve, EarthwormJames Adomian as President of the Planet, Mailbox, Baby Hamshank Demon, Head Zombie, Digestive Enzymes, Additional VoicesFred Tatasciore as Thomas Jefferson, Mold, Ranger Rex, Weightlifter, Talking Pickle, Jehosephat, Additional VoicesJustin Roiland as Psychopath Giraffe, Radical Rick, CustomerCarl Faruolo as That's Messed Up Son Koala, Broccoli, Sun (1), Wanda, Additional VoicesNika Futterman as Junior Ranger, Fan on Bus, Sun (2), Girl (3), Mariachi PossumYuri Lowenthal as JR Sneezy, Prince Mermeow of Catlantis, Awesome Shoes, FoxGrey DeLisle as Sleeping KidEric Bauza as Avacado, Mantis, CowEric Edelstein as Timmy, Painting #2, Painting #3Echo Kellum as Guitar, Lil' Doctor DirtyRob Paulsen as Early Bird, Cousin Eel, Hands, Barbershop Quartet, Jebediah, Townsperson #1Danny Jacobs as Barbershop Quartet, Cuddles, Jr., Lasagna, Townperson #2James Urbaniak as Nose Picker FishDyana Liu as Lady Primavera Van de Snuggles, Tiny Goosey, B-GirlDebra Wilson as Nasty Cat, Mrs. Manelli, Lady FartNolan North as Lipstick Horse, P. Pickles Pickleman, Boy, Whale, Penguin, Santa, Big Balla Koala, Additional VoicesGary Anthony Williams as DJ Wheelbarrow Full of Nachos, Tubey Dude Stand, Cyborg, Coach McGinty, Additional VoicesKari Wahlgren as Ashley, Ranger Mom, Miss Smileybells, Tofu Jones, Wheat Germ, Sissy Salad, Additional VoicesMo Collins as Owl Contestant, Feral Ann, Sally Salad, Beautiful WomanMaria Bamford as Delooney, Ma Hamshank, B.A.R.F.Mindy Sterling as Brainy Jane, Brainy Jane's BrainDylan Saunders as Tooth, Fortune Cookie, Guy (1)Ashly Burch as Lila Twinklepipes, Sorority Girl #1Johnny Ryan as Alexander Hamilton, Brando, School BusPeter Giles as Wagon, Criminal, ZitKurtwood Smith as Angry Old RaisinSirena Irwin as Shlaverne Difozifini, Statue of LibertyDeveloped from Pig Goat Banana Mantis!, a pilot directed by the independent animator Nick Cross, the stories were described by Ryan as difficult to write, given their intertwined nature and the 11-minute running time. This process was smoothened by the running time being doubled and the direction from the network being clarified. The two had to adjust to the studio environment, and described their career in comics as preparing them for production. Jones, Milo, and Wilson reprise their roles from the original short, with Mantis, who had been previously voiced by James Urbaniak, retooled as Cricket due to a character of the same name in Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, another Nickelodeon show.
The series tends to go back and forth between hand-drawn animation and flash animation.
The series was picked up for a second season prior to its premiere.
Ratings for the series were initially favorable. However, ratings began to experience a steep drop mid-season (as an example, the episode "Mall Ya Later" only pulled in 0.79 million viewers) and the last episode aired on Nickelodeon, "It's Time to Slumber Party", was only viewed by 0.95 million viewers. Only the first 20 episodes of the show aired on Nickelodeon.
Following the broadcast of "It's Time to Slumber Party" on February 26, 2016, Nickelodeon removed the series from its schedule and the status of the show remained in limbo for 7 months until it was announced in September 2016 that the series would be moved to sister network Nicktoons on September 25, 2016.
Broadcast and reception
The series premiered on YTV in Canada on October 10, 2015. In Australia and New Zealand, it premiered on Nickelodeon on October 3, 2016.
The pilot, published by Cross and titled Pig Goat Banana Mantis!, was promoted to a Staff Pick on Vimeo. A writer for Juxtapoz praised the animation, calling it reminiscent for those of "the Ren and Stimpy generation". Andrew Wheeler of Comics Alliance noted that Ryan's billing as "J. Ryan" was likely to separate him from his controversial reputation in the underground comix scene. Heidi MacDonald of the Comics Beat wrote that it looked "wonderful".
