Meet the Raisins!

Meet the Raisins! is a 1988 claymation television special directed by Will Vinton, featuring the advertising characters The California Raisins. The show was broadcast November 4, 1988, on the U.S. television network CBS during primetime. It was the Raisins' second appearance in a primetime special and their first dedicated feature. "Meet the Raisins!" was followed by a sequel in 1990, "" This special premiered after one of the "This is America, Charlie Brown" specials.
For the first time, the California Raisins were given individual names and characterizations: A.C. (vocals), Beebop (drums), Stretch (bass), and Red (guitar/piano).
The 24-minute special shortly followed its similarly titled soundtrack album released on August 8, 1988 on Atlantic Records. Aired during the characters' peak in popularity, "Meet the Raisins!" is presented in a mockumentary style depicting the Raisins' musical career. It was nominated for the 1989 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program.
Plot.
"Meet the Raisins!" spoofs musical documentaries with its use of anthropomorphic produce characters. Through its historical perspective, the special also provided an opportunity to elaborate on the personalities and introduce names of the simple yet popular characters. It follows the California Raisins' humble beginnings, rise to musical success, fall from stardom, and eventual comeback. This includes "home movie" clips, scenes of the group's early days as the Vine-Yls, concert footage, and interviews with the people behind the success of the California Raisins, including manager Rudy Bagaman. The group is also shown performing various hit songs.
Reception.
The special gained praise for its witty, family-friendly humor, as well as its impressive clay animation, which was state-of-the-art at the time.
Soundtrack.
Meet the Raisins! is the official soundtrack to the CBS television special of the same name. It consists of early rock & roll as well as R&B hits largely from the Motown era.
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine," the group's signature song, reached #84 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in 1988. The soundtrack received praise from Allmusic's Peter Fawthrop who named it an AMG Album Pick.
Releases.
"Meet the Raisins!" was released on VHS on March 14, 1989. It was re-released on September 12, 1990 with a California Raisin plush doll.
The special was released on DVD November 15, 2011. Included in the set is the sequel to the claymation special, "The Raisins: Sold Out!: The California Raisins II" along with all 13 episodes of the animated series, "The California Raisin Show" and 4 original TV ads.
"The Raisins Sold Out!: The California Raisins II".
The Raisins Sold Out!: The California Raisins II is a 1990 claymation television special directed by Will Vinton, featuring the advertising characters The California Raisins. The show was broadcast August 29, 1990, on the U.S. television network CBS during primetime. It was the sequel to the Emmy-nominated special "Meet the Raisins!" in 1988.
This special has the band hiring a slick-talking new manager, Leonard Limabean, in an attempt to make a comeback. Under his guidance, the Raisins try their hand at various new musical genres, including Disco Polka, Country Rap, and Demolition Rock, to humorous effect. The group's troubles begin to manifest, however, upon the replacement of singer A.C. with their manager's young protégé, Lick Broccoli.
Reception.
Valerie Monroe of "Entertainment Weekly" gave the special a mediocre C+ review. She described it as "a lot like traditional Saturday-morning cartoon fare: harmless, but not especially enriching."
Releases.
As was its predecessor, "The Raisins: Sold Out!" was released in VHS.
The special was released on DVD November 15, 2011. Included in the set is the original claymation special, "Meet the Raisins!" along with all 13 episodes of the animated series, "The California Raisin Show" and 4 original TV ads.