The animation studio was reinstated by Warner Bros following the sensational success of the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which featured prominent appearances by many of the classic Warner Bros. cartoon stars (including Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck). The studio worked with Spielberg to produce a new generation of cartoon stars for the 1990s, influenced by the classic Warner Bros. cartoons of old (and which Spielberg had long considered a major influence on his own career).
The series premiered in 1990, and it was an instant hit. It revolved around a group of young cartoon characters training at "Acme Looniversity" to be the next generation of Looney Tunes characters. Characters on the show include Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, Hampton Pig, Fifi Le Fume, Montana Max, and Dizzy Devil (modelled respectively on Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Pepe Le Pew, Yosemite Sam, and the Tasmanian Devil), and also Babs Bunny ("no relation").
The principal of the Looniversity (actually more like a high school than a university) is a giant floating head like the one in The Wizard of Oz, voiced by Noel Blanc (son of the late Mel Blanc).
Critics of the series considered the Tiny Toons characters to be little more than knock-offs of the original Termite Terrace creations, but the series' writers proved that new life could be breathed into the old formula of producing "kiddie versions of adult cartoon stars" (a formula that had been worn dry by Hanna-Barbera). The characters were given distinct personalities of their own, especially Babs Bunny.
A number of episodes of the show relied heavily on the plots of the original Warner Bros. cartoons, and they had varying degrees of success. Several homages to the original cartoons were hugely successful ("The Anvil Chorus," "Fields of Honey"), though quite a few episodes of the show seemed little more than re-treads of the original routines from the classic Looney Tunes. Still, this was enough to win the show a wide following, and attract an adult audience as well (especially among college students). The success of Tiny Toon Adventures inspired Warner Bros. to make further investments in high-quality animation for television, leading to the creation of Animaniacs and the smash hit Batman: The Animated Series.
One feature-length Tiny Toon Adventures "movie" was released directly to video in 1991, entitled Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation. This heavily gag-laden feature is considered by fans to be the crown jewel of the show.