History WesternAnimation / ClerksTheAnimatedSeries

-->'''Kid:''' Grandpa, what's prejudice?\\

-->'''Leonardo:''' Or perhaps you'd rather visit our international coffee bar complete with its own little book department which has its own super teeny tiny coffee bar inside. And a selection of tiny adult magazines.

-->Randal's thought bubble spells out "Monkey + Burrito + Leonardo Leonardo - Burrito, a blank headshot with Creator/DustinHoffman written under it".
-->'''Narrator:''' Due to the recent lawsuit by Dustin Hoffman over the alleged unauthorized use of his likeness, the face of Dustin Hoffman in Randal's cartoon brain calculation will be played by... Creator/AlPacino!

-->'''Brit:''' Pack of fags?\\

-->'''Dante:''' Boy, it wasn't until years later that we found out what "fag" ''really'' meant. Right, mate?\\

-->'''Bailiff:''' All rise, the honorable Creator/JudgeReinhold presiding. ''(the gallery laughs)'' SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR JUDGE REINHOLD! I'm sorry, Judge.\\

--> I don't care for this show, either.

-->'''Leonardo Leonardo''': Oh, dear... something scared that monkey.

-->'''Dante:''' You're victims of an overactive imagination of a pop-culture junkie loudmouth [Randal].\\

-->'''Dante:''' It was a hoax played by an idiot with too much free time on his hands.\\

-->'''Randal:''' What did I do that was so wrong?\\

''Clerks: The Animated Series'' is a loose adaptation of the film ''Film/{{Clerks}}'' by Creator/KevinSmith, running from May to June, 2000 on Creator/{{ABC}}, and Smith helped co-develop the show with partner Creator/ScottMosier and Creator/DavidMandel. Dante Hicks is the much put-upon clerk of a Quick Stop convenience store in Leonardo, New Jersey. He is tormented by his friend, video clerk Randal Graves, as well as stoner hangers-out Jay and Silent Bob.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* SelfDeprecation: In Eipsode 4:
-->'''Bailiff:''' All rise, the honorable Creator/JudgeReinhold presiding. ''(the audience laughs)'' SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR JUDGE REINHOLD...I'm sorry, Judge.\\
'''Reinhold:''' That's okay, it's more laughs than I got in ''Film/HeadOffice''.

* ManOnFire: The "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQtM1syENmQ Is it safe?]]" guy from episode 1.

* LongTitle: Aside from episode 6 ("The Last Episode Ever"), every episode title is this, with the longest being episode 5:
--> "Dante and Randal and Jay and Silent Bob and a Bunch of New Characters and Lando Take Part in a Whole Bunch of Movie Parodies Including, But Not Exclusive To, ''Film/TheBadNewsBears'', ''Film/TheLastStarfighter'', ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', Plus a High School Reunion".

* OverlyLongTitle: The titles of episodes one through five. Each one gets longer and longer to the point that they're almost a paragraph long.

[[ShortRunners Only six episodes were produced]]. [[ScrewedByTheNetwork Episodes four and two made it to air, in that order]]. ABC ordered the series to capitalize on the success of primetime adult animation like ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', but after ''Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire'' became a hit, quickly dumped it because it didn't fit with their programming. Fortunately, it was released on DVD (and oddly VHS too, perhaps thanks to its short length[[note]]The six episodes come out to just over two hours.[[/note]]) and the show reran in full on Creator/ComedyCentral in 2002 and Creator/AdultSwim in 2008.

Smith had planned a DirectToVideo film, entitled ''Sell Out'', about Dante and Randal making a film in the Quick Stop, but when Harvey and Bob Weinstein left Creator/{{Miramax|Films}} in the hands of Creator/{{Disney}}, Smith refused to work with the Mouse House without the support of the Weinsteins. Miramax's later non-Disney owners briefly partnered with the Weinsteins, which brought a greater likelihood for the series to return in some form or another, but as of [[http://www.avclub.com/articles/clerks-the-animated-series-could-return-in-2013,71415/ 2013]], nothing happened -- and given Creator/HarveyWeinstein's criminal trials and fall from grace after 2017, seems somewhat unlikely. For what it's worth, the film's basic plot was recycled into what finally became ''Film/ClerksIII''.

''Clerks: The Animated Series'' is a loose adaptation of the film ''Film/{{Clerks}}'' by Creator/KevinSmith, running from May to June, 2000 on Creator/{{ABC}}, and Smith helped co-develop the show with partner Scott Mosier and David Mandel of ''{{Series/Seinfeld}}'' and ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm'' fame. Dante Hicks is the much put-upon clerk of a Quick Stop convenience store in Leonardo, New Jersey. He is tormented by his friend, video clerk Randal Graves, as well as stoner hangers-out Jay and Silent Bob.

Marked the first time the character designs of [[http://www.silvertoons.com/ Stephen Silver]] were added to the animation direction of Steve Loter and Chris Bailey. This team, with a distinct visual style, would come up again in a [[WesternAnimation/KimPossible much different place]]. Also had an impressive voice cast, most notably [[RoleReprise the four main actors in the original film]] (Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith) reprising their roles.

Smith had planned a DirectToVideo film, entitled ''Sell Out'', about Dante and Randal making a film in the Quick Stop, but when Harvey and Bob Weinstein left Creator/{{Miramax|Films}} in the hands of Creator/{{Disney}}, Smith refused to work with the Mouse House without the support of the Weinsteins. Miramax's later non-Disney owners briefly partnered with the Weinsteins, which brought a greater likelihood for the series to return in some form or another, but as of [[http://www.avclub.com/articles/clerks-the-animated-series-could-return-in-2013,71415/ 2013]], nothing happened -- and given Harvey Weinstein's criminal trials and fall from grace after 2017, seems somewhat unlikely. For what it's worth, the film's basic plot was recycled into what finally became ''Film/ClerksIII''.

* RecapEpisode: The very second episode parodied this. What compounded this even further was that, due to ExecutiveMeddling, this was actually the very ''first'' episode ever aired.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: From the pilot -- ''Series/TheSecretDiaryOfDesmondPfeiffer'' may sound like a show the writers made up to parallel the show, but it was all too real. It aired on Creator/{{UPN}} for four episodes -- two more than ''Clerks'' did.

* CourtroomAntic: Parodied in the courtroom episode.
** The trial is presided over by the honorable Creator/JudgeReinhold,[[note]] ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' would later do the same gag.[[/note]] and he lets Randal get away with his nonsense through open bias.

** The prosecuting lawyer has Dante questioned by a pair of giggling girls, and plays the tapes of a completely unrelated prank call made by Jay and Randal.

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: Dante, Randal, SilentBob and Jay. [[note]]Huh... thought SilentBob was taller...[[/note]]]]

[[ShortRunners Only six episodes were produced]]. [[ScrewedByTheNetwork Episodes four and two made it to air, in that order]]. ABC ordered the series to capitalize on the success of primetime adult animation like ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', but after ''Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire'' became a hit, quickly dumped it because it didn't fit with their programming. Fortunately, it was released on DVD (and oddly VHS too, perhaps thanks to its short length[[note]]The six episodes come out to just over two hours.[[/note]]) and the show reran in full on Creator/ComedyCentral and Creator/AdultSwim.

Smith had planned a DirectToVideo film, entitled ''Sell Out'', about Dante and Randal making a film in the Quick Stop, but when Harvey and Bob Weinstein left Creator/{{Miramax|Films}} in the hands of Creator/{{Disney}}, Smith refused to work with the Mouse House without the support of the Weinsteins. Miramax's later non-Disney owners briefly partnered with the Weinsteins, which brought a greater likelihood for the series to return in some form or another, but as of [[http://www.avclub.com/articles/clerks-the-animated-series-could-return-in-2013,71415/ 2013]], nothing happened -- and given Harvey Weinstein's criminal trials and fall from grace after 2017, seems somewhat unlikely. For what it's worth, the films basic plot was recycled into what finally became Film/ClerksIII.

* AreYouPonderingWhatImPondering; From the first episode:

* {{Bowdlerisation}}: Jay and Silent Bob are never shown or referred to as drug dealers here (though the first ep has them thinking Leonardo Tower and a random dog are bongs (the Quicker Stop being the "ugliest damn bong I've ever seen), and in the fourth episode, when he slips at the Quick Stop, he tells Silent Bob that the "stuff" may have kicked in), though in the first episode they ''are'' shown selling illegal fireworks and dynamite to children. Both this, and the fact that the show contains very little (if any) cursing were heavily lampshaded during the series.
-->'''Mewes (in the DVD):''' Because it was TV, we couldn't curse. So, on behalf of that... *cue ClusterFBomb*

* ClipShow: Parodied - ''The second episode (production and aired)''.
** Made even better by the fact that the series was shown out of production order and as such there are no clips or references to the fourth episode of the series which was actually the first to air.
** The same scene from the first episode is "remembered" multiple times. In a later episode, that scene is referenced by being reenacted.
** There is a flashback to a scene that happened earlier in the episode, only seconds before.

* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Rational, responsible Dante wears cool colors (blue and dark green) while carefree, audacious Randal wears warm colors (red and orange.)

* FailedFutureForecast: A major RunningGag is that ''Series/TheSecretDiaryOfDesmondPfeiffer'' is a major hit, with its own fast food chain, plots that go all over the place (involving TimeTravel and such) and it's Dante's favorite show. The real ''Secret Diary'', thanks to its AudienceAlienatingPremise, [[ShortRunners didn't last more]] [[EpicFail than four episodes]].

Smith had planned a DirectToVideo film, entitled ''Sell Out'', about Dante and Randal making a film in the Quick Stop, but when Harvey and Bob Weinstein left Creator/{{Miramax|Films}} in the hands of Creator/{{Disney}}, Smith refused to work with the Mouse House without the support of the Weinsteins. Miramax's later non-Disney owners briefly partnered with the Weinsteins, which brought a greater likelihood for the series to return in some form or another, but as of [[http://www.avclub.com/articles/clerks-the-animated-series-could-return-in-2013,71415/ 2013]], nothing happened -- and given Harvey Weinstein's criminal trials and fall from grace after 2017, seems somewhat unlikely. For what it's worth, the films basic plot was recycled into what finally became Clerks 3.

* LighterAndSofter: Even when this wasn't exactly a show for children, it contains much less sexual humor and profanity than the films that precede it.

Smith had planned a DirectToVideo film, entitled ''Sell Out'', about Dante and Randal making a film in the Quick Stop, but when Harvey and Bob Weinstein left Creator/{{Miramax|Films}} in the hands of Creator/{{Disney}}, Smith refused to work with the Mouse House without the support of the Weinsteins. Miramax's later non-Disney owners briefly partnered with the Weinsteins, which brought a greater likelihood for the series to return in some form or another, but as of [[http://www.avclub.com/articles/clerks-the-animated-series-could-return-in-2013,71415/ 2013]], nothing happened -- and given Harvey Weinstein's criminal trials and fall from grace after 2017, seems somewhat unlikely.

Smith had planned a DirectToVideo film, entitled ''Sell Out'', about Dante and Randal making a film in the Quick Stop, but when Harvey and Bob Weinstein left Creator/{{Miramax|Films}} in the hands of Creator/{{Disney}}, Smith refused to work with the Mouse House without the support of the Weinsteins. Though, since Miramax's current non-Disney owners have partnered with the Weinsteins, there is now a greater likelihood for the series to return in some form or another, but as of [[http://www.avclub.com/articles/clerks-the-animated-series-could-return-in-2013,71415/ 2013]], nothing has happened yet.

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: In episode 3, Jay and Bob get a monkey solely so they can teach it to smoke.

* InsufferableImbecile: Jay; Randal was flanderized into this, being more of a bad friend to Dante and willing to sell him out at the first opportunity, while also being a big Cloudcuckoolander.

* InsufferableImbecile: Jay; Randal was flanderized into this.

* FailedFutureForecast: A major RunningGag is that ''Series/TheSecretDiaryOfDesmondPfeiffer'' is a major hit, with its own fast food chain, plots that go all over the place (involving TimeTravel and such) and it's Dante's favorite show. The real ''Secret Diary'', thanks to its AudienceAlienatingPremise, [[ShortRunners didn't last more]] [[EpicFail than four episodes]].

* FailedFutureForecast: A major RunningGag is that ''Series/TheSecretDiaryOfDesmondPfeiffer'' is a major hit, with its own fast food chain, plots that go all over the place (involving TimeTravel and such) and it's Dante's favorite show. The real ''Secret Diary'', thanks to its AudienceAlienatingPremise, [[ShortRunners didn't last more]] [[EpicFail than four episodes]].

* DeweyDefeatsTruman: A major RunningGag is that ''Series/TheSecretDiaryOfDesmondPfeiffer'' is a major hit, with its own fast food chain, plots that go all over the place (involving TimeTravel and such) and it's Dante's favorite show. The real ''Secret Diary'', thanks to its AudienceAlienatingPremise, [[ShortRunners didn't last more]] [[EpicFail than four episodes]].

Marked the first time the character designs of [[http://www.silvertoons.com/ Stephen Silver]] were added to the animation direction of Steve Loter and Chris Bailey. This team, with a distinct visual style, would come up again in a [[WesternAnimation/KimPossible much different place]]. Also had an impressive voice cast, most notably [[RoleReprise the four main actors in the original film]] (Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith) reprising their roles.

* DisproportionateRetribution; Leonardo Leonardo vows to do this at the end of episode 1:
-->'''Leonardo:''' I vow that my vengeance won't be swift or entertaining! I will draw it out over a decade in such a subtle fashion, that you will have to wonder if the misery in your life was either manifest or the machinations of Leonardo Leonardo! Or... [[BuffySpeak a third thing]].

It was very funny, [[ShortRunners but only six episodes were produced]]. [[ScrewedByTheNetwork Episodes four and two made it to air]], ''[[OutOfOrder in that order]]''. ABC ordered the series to capitalize on the success of primetime adult animation like ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', but after ''Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire'' became a hit, quickly dumped it because it didn't fit with their programming (one wonders why they [[WhatAnIdiot greenlit the show at all]]). Fortunately, it was released on DVD (and oddly VHS too, perhaps thanks to its short length[[note]]The six episodes come out to just over two hours.[[/note]]) and the show reran in full on Creator/ComedyCentral and Creator/AdultSwim.

!This show contains examples of: