The Emperor's New School (jan 27, 2006 – nov 20, 2008)
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The Emperor's New School is an American animated television series created by Mark Dindal that aired on Disney Channel for two seasons between January 2006 and November 2008. It is the second sequel to the 2000 film The Emperor's New Groove, following the direct-to-video release of the film Kronk's New Groove in 2005. The series centers on Kuzco, who must graduate from Kuzco Academy to become emperor of the Kuzconian Empire. Yzma, his former advisor, schemes to sabotage him so she can be empress instead. She is aided by her henchman Kronk, while Kuzco is aided by the villager Pacha and fellow student Malina. The series combines physical comedy with a self-aware tone, illustrated by Kuzco frequently addressing the viewer directly.
The Walt Disney Company developed the series after The Emperor's New Groove received high ratings in syndication. Most of the film's cast reprised their roles for the series. J. P. Manoux replaced David Spade as Kuzco, and Fred Tatasciore played Pacha until the original actor, John Goodman, returned for the second season. New School used traditional 2D animation to preserve elements of the film's distinctive art style. The choice of a high school setting was made to explore Kuzco's lack of social etiquette and provide for storylines based on the everyday challenges of adolescence.
In January 2006, New School premiered on four platforms: Disney Channel, ABC, Toon Disney, and Disney Channel On Demand. The series was canceled after Eartha Kitt's death in 2008. Both seasons have been distributed via digital download on the iTunes Store and streaming through Disney+. New School received mixed reviews from critics; several reviewers praised the humor and voice acting, but others found the characters unlikable and critiqued the sexist objectification of Malina. Advocacy groups criticized New School for its lack of educational value and frequent displays of socially aggressive behavior.
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