* AnimationAgeGhetto: Arguably what killed the show. Despite having some very mature themes and being marketed and conceived as a prime-time series for older audiences, it was designed, written and paced like a SaturdayMorningCartoon. This was in stark contrast to [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons the show it was competing with]], then known for taking chances in deconstructing conventional cartoon and sitcom tropes, while ''Critters'' and its fellow DuelingShows played them straight.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeArt: The show has some gorgeous, fluid character animation and lovingly detailed background design.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: The show took great advantage of having a live orchestra to perform its score, something more and more shows were beginning to do in the wake of ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures''' success. (Bruce Broughton providing the theme music for both series, and scored the first episode of ''Capitol Critters''.)
* CultClassic: It has a small but dedicated fanbase. Its reruns on Creator/CartoonNetwork earned it something of a "I (vaguely) remember this show exists" reputation among 90s kids and [[PopularWithFurries furries]].
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Muggle and VP Cat are very well-liked by the small fanbase. To a lesser extent, Felix as well.
* FanPreferredCouple: Max X Miko.
* HilariousInHindsight: The president elected in 1992 (UsefulNotes/BillClinton), when this show first ran, ''was'' the first President to actually ''have'' a cat (Socks).
** The fact that there's a character named Muggle, which would later be associated with the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' franchise.
** The word "Capitol" being in the title, as it would later be associated with ''Literature/TheHungerGames''.
* IronWoobie: Max definitely qualifies, being rather level-headed and sane for someone who just watched his own family gassed to death and was nearly murdered by a drug dealer.
* JerkassWoobie: Jammet, he's an obnoxious, loud, self-centered prick but when you see the episode where he gets a girlfriend and has to break up with her, you'll want to hug him yourself when you see him crying in his mother's arms.
* MoralEventHorizon: The drug dealers in "Opie's Choice" cross this when they try to force Max into an overdose.
* NightmareFuel:
** Within the first few minutes of the pilot episode, Max's whole family is brutally killed by exterminators. Sleep well, kiddies.
** When Max is mistaken for a doped up squirrel's drug pusher, a pair of rats decide to retaliate by force feeding him enough caffeine to induce an overdose and you see him barely conscious afterward and he almost dies.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Felix shares a voice actor (Patric Zimmerman) with [[VideoGame/MetalGear Revolver Ocelot]].
* StrangledByTheRedString: Max has only known Miko for a day and suddenly calls her his world and wanting to go to Tokyo with her. However, Jammet, Trixie and even Miko herself tell him that they barely know each other and Trixie tells Max the real reason he wants to leave with them is so he can feel like part of a family again.
* UncertainAudience: The biggest contributing factor of the show's premature demise. The creators aimed for it to be a prime-time show aimed at adults, but with MultipleDemographicAppeal like ''The Simpsons''. The weightier topics covered on the show (like racism and drug addiction) were lost on kids, and adults were turned off by the cartoonish slapstick worthy of a SaturdayMorningCartoon and lack of biting satire.
* ValuesResonance: Many of the topics discussed in the show, such as gun control and fair trials, are still being discussed years after the show's cancelation.
* TheWoobie: Max, he watched his entire family die in the first episode and in another episode he almost dies from a forced drug overdose. Poor little guy.
** Muggle becomes one in the episode The Kilowatts Riots.
** Berkeley has her moment in The Lady Doth Protest to Munch.
** Opie and his family in Opie's Choice.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: From all outward appearances, it looks like something that should have aired on Saturday morning, complete with its own Burger King kids meal [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJwsgbCbmI4 tie-in]]. In reality, this was one of three early 1990s cartoons (joining ''WesternAnimation/FamilyDog'' and ''WesternAnimation/FishPolice'') that was made for primetime and had adult content as a [[DuelingShows competitor]] to ''The Simpsons''. Cartoon Network airing the show during the morning/afternoon time didn't help its adult appeal either.

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