I really adore the Alvin and the Chipmunks cartoon that went from 1983 – 1990. I was surprised to see a lack of “Best Of” websites for the show.
I keep thinking about how great it would have been, if the creators – Ross Bagdasarian, Sr, his son (Jr) and Junior’s wife, Janice Karman (who created the Chipettes!) had paired up the Chipmunks and the Chipettes, not by archtypes but with different pairings.
For anyone who doesn’t know, the proper pairings are –
Alvin – Brittany
Simon – Jeanette
Theodore – Eleanor
Imagine, instead, if we had
Theodore – Brittany
Alvin – Jeanette
Simon – Eleanor
Simon and Eleanor may be the boring or normal pair there but I like the idea of Theodore and Brittany together, as I imagine that they will bring out different aspects of each other. Instead, as of now, the traditional pairings are just putting up a mirror to each other and that is working.
Simon – Brittany
Theodore – Jeanette
Alvin – Eleanor
Isn’t a bad pairing, except now, Theodore & Jeanette are the normal pair. I guess I’m all about the energetic and the lovable members being paired and the smart characters are throwing me off. Though Jeanette and Alvin together, could be fun.
I’m a much bigger fan of the later episodes, with the change of the art direction, than the earlier ones. Also, making this list, I realize that I (apparently) am a big fan of when they parodied other shows.
What brought on all of these Chipmunk related thoughts? I keep trying to put Walker Dennis in front of music that I think he would like and that I haven’t listen to a thousand times. Then I remembered my love for the Chipmunks and threw up the best song from the film, The Chipmunk Adventure –
The Girls / Boys of Rock n Roll song!
Thanks to YouTuber Loren Sylvester for hosting this video!
Also great? That YouTuber hipped me to this –
Thanks to YouTuber Stuart Danaher for hosting this video!
It is crazy faithful to the original, seen above. It also looks like a lot of fun!
Here is my list of my favorite episodes of Alvin and the Chipmunks, in no real particular order, so I went with production order, according to this website –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Alvin_and_the_Chipmunks_episodes
Here are my Top 25 Episodes! I had a hard time hitting 25, 17 was easy but I figured a round number would be great and then I thought about going for 25 – but that would fill the list with just also rans and such.
YouTube doesn’t have all of these so I’m only able to provide the ones that I could find. When I couldn’t find the episode, I provided the handy link from the excellent Munkapedia website.
I had more videos but each time they go up, they are forced back down.
The Ruby-Spears Production Years
Season One
1B. The Chipettes
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chipettes_%28episode%29
The Chipettes first appearance!
4. The Chipmunks Story
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chipmunks_Story
The Origin story of the Chipmunks!
Thanks for Cartoons Fox
5B. Grandpa and Grandma Seville
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Grandpa_and_Grandma_Seville
We meet Dave’s parents!
(2nd Special) I Love the Chipmunk Valentine’s Day Special
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/I_Love_The_Chipmunks_Valentine_Special
I’ve always liked this episode for how it shows that Alvin really does like Brittany and it isn’t just that they are both chipmunks and are the leaders of their own bands, is the reason why he likes her. Him having to woo her is terrific.
Season Two
14B. Rich and Infamous
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Rich_and_Infamous
This episode is when I first heard Uptown Girl by Billy Joel and became a fan of the legend, so the episode always holds a special place in my heart.
15A. Don’t Be a Vidiot
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Don’t_Be_a_Vidiot
Thanks to Super Cartoons for hosting this video.
I’m a sucker for any reference to Putting on the Ritz, ever since I saw Young Frankenstein, I just love that song.
Season Three
34. The Chipette Story
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chipette_Story
The Chipette origin story!
Film – Chipmunk Adventure
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chipmunk_Adventure
Thanks to Ali Abd for hosting the video!
Their first and so far, only good, theatrical released film! I’m still a fan of this film that came out in 1987.
Season Four
37. Help Wanted : Mommy
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Help_Wanted:_Mommy
Miss Miller adopts the Chipettes!
44A. Chipmunk Vice
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Chipmunk_Vice
Homage to Miami Vice, though I didn’t know that at the time. I liked how rugged Alvin is in this episode. The cast really get into their side roles too.
Season Five
45A. Back to Dave’s Future
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Back_to_Dave’s_Future
This one took a while to figure out which episode it was. One of my favorite Dave centric episodes, as I sort of like learning about the man who discovered the Chipmunks. I couldn’t remember how they went back in time, who would have thought it was with the aid of a merry-go-round?
51A. Big Dreams
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Big_Dreams
This is one of those episodes that I still think about, the route not taken. I really like how they explored all of the different routes.
52A. Just One of the Girls
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Just_One_of_the_Girls
The only good use of Ms. Miller? Most likely.
DiC Enterprises Years
Season Six
53. Dream Lightning
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Dreamlighting
My love for Moonlighting always keeps this episode close to my heart. Another great use of the characters in different roles.
54. Elementary, My Dear Simon
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Elementary,_My_Dear_Simon
Great spotlight on Simon episode and Alvin being the villain is a nice touch.
55. Brunch Club
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Brunch_Club
A homage to the Breakfast Club but I never really view it as such. It is a far better mystery Roshomon concept, so to dismiss it as a simple homage, I feel is a disservice. Probably my favorite episode of the series.
56. Food For Thought
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Food_for_Thought
This is one of those that I remember fondly as Simon tries to get Theodore to remember history, through the use of food. I want to say this helped me remember key dates and such but really, the stuff Theodore is trying to remember, is pretty simple facts.
59. Chipmunkmania
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Chipmunkmania
Great use of continuity and clips from previous episodes. The whole “We’re bigger than Mickey Mouse” line is pretty awesome, homaging John Lennon’s belief that the Beatles have surpassed Jesus Christ’s fame.
61. Alvie’s Angels
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Alvie’s_Angels
A homage to Charlie’s Angels, which I would have known at the time but I never watched that show. I saw the two films but they are only okay. Another great use of the characters in other roles, and the Chipettes really come off well, as they are the focus of the episode. Eleanor’s fear of high heels has stuck with me to this day.
62. Cadet’s Regrets
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Cadet’s_Regrets
One of those that I added to the list to get to 25. I mostly remember the episode fondly and how the stakes were pretty high. Is it just me, or does the in-universe reality of the Chipmunks not make any sense. They are suppose to be mega-successful rock group. I can see their high school, just being cool with it but then we get episodes where they worry about money and such. Like, couldn’t Dave just bail them out of the problem with a little cash? I get that their earnings may be placed in a trust account, which probably explains Alvin’s get-rich schemes, so that he can get more money now – but couldn’t they access that money for emergencies?
68. The Phantom
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Phantom
I like this episode, as it shows that Dave may not want to go down in history as a producer or a stage dad, he wants to see if he can make the cut on his own.
Chipmunk Reunion (3rd Special) / 69. Vinny’s Visit
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/A_Chipmunk_Reunion
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Vinny’s_Visit
I always think of these as one episode but for the sake of the list, I made it two (so that I could get to 25 episodes). The Chipmunks finally meet their mother! I love the emotional balance beam the special walks. Poor Dave is afraid of losing his boys. Poor Vinny, can’t keep her boys as they are city chipmunks and are use to a certain way of life. Poor Chipmunks, having to realize that they can’t live in the woods with their mother. The sequel, essentially, just proves why she can’t live with them in the city.
72A. The Wall
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Wall
This is probably the episode I reference to, the most. So that probably makes it my second favorite episode. The Chipmunks to Berlin, and it is eleven months before it will come down – which I can only imagine that they wrote and created the episode probably a year and a half before Germany becomes one country again. This episode gets pretty real. Shame that it ends with the adventure being an imaginary tale.
Chipmunks Go to the Movies
Every episode of this season is a homage to a known film property.
90. Back to Our Futures
http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Back_to_Our_Future
I don’t really recall this, I must have stopped watching at some point, but I love the idea of how much this is like a comic book plot. The Chipmunks of the 90s meet their original counterparts from the 1950s.
That’s my list, the Top 25 episodes of the series!
Just due to me wanting to add this somewhere in the blog –
Cartoon All Stars to the Rescue
Thanks to YouTuber Ryan Willey for hosting the video!
Shadow and Flame with Magik 