Undergrads

History

Pete Williams created the show after winning an MTV animation contest in 1997 with a short called The Click. He dropped out of New York University at age 19 during his sophomore year to work on the series. Williams performs most of the voices. David McGrath produced the series and Jerry Popowich directed it.

The show was cancelled after one season due to low ratings; Williams said it left the prime time slot by the third episode and stopped airing on MTV by the sixth episode, ending without warning. The series had a better following in Canada on Teletoon at Night. Williams realized the show was over when his MTV keycard stopped working, forcing him to file for unemployment and move back with his parents. He and his brother later sold spec scripts that were never produced.

A revival attempt in 2004 by Decode Entertainment failed because MTV still held the rights. In June 2018, after a legal dispute, Williams secured the rights and announced a Kickstarter campaign for a feature-length finale, Undergrads: The Movie. The campaign succeeded in February 2019, raising $150,000. The film is in development by Brain Power Studio, originally set for 2023 but delayed indefinitely due to personal issues with Williams.

Overview

The characters represent stereotypical college types: the everyman Nitz, the alcoholic frat boy Rocko, the dimwitted ladies' man Cal, the reclusive nerd Gimpy, the punk girl Jessie, the ditz Kimmy, and the resident advisor The Duggler. Situations depicted include student loans, bad cafeteria food, identity questions, fraternity rivalries, odd traditions, tyrannical RAs, money problems, peer pressure, and the freshman 15.

Almost no episodes show characters attending class; the exception is Rocko's ROTC class in the episode Financial Aid. The series location is never revealed. Fake New York State drivers licenses appear in the episode Drunks, and a California Highway Patrol officer disguise appears early in the series.

Characters

Rocko, also voiced by Williams, is a boorish, alcoholic, chain-smoking fratboy at Central State Junior Community College and a member of Alpha Alpha fraternity, though his fellow brothers view him as a nuisance. Cal Evans, voiced by Williams, is Nitz's dimwitted but handsome roommate who speaks in a high-pitched voice, drools, and calls people guy or lady. Jessie, voiced by Jene Yeo, is a laid-back punk girl at State U who often accompanies Nitz and develops a crush on him, though he remains oblivious. Kimmy Burton, voiced by Susan Quinn, is a clueless redhead at State U who is spacey and self-centered, oblivious to Nitz's affections, and romantically interested in a drama student named Mark who is gay.

Music

Good Charlotte wrote and performed the theme song "The Click," and the band also appeared in the episode "Risk." The show's soundtrack leaned heavily on indie rock and Canadian acts like Vibrolux, Alkaline Trio, and Sam Roberts. Jono Grant composed the score. For its American run, the series swapped in tracks from mainstream artists such as Linkin Park, Madonna, and the Foo Fighters.