Daniel's Inferno

**"Daniel's Inferno**" is the pilot episode of Big Group. Introducing the Cappies into half-hour television in this episode, the Cappies believe that a so-called "serial stealer" is stealing people's stuff when people's items go missing around Brookhaven Street, Sandwood Summers. The Cappies then try to hunt down the serial stealer, who is still presumably at large, and execute him to Daniel's brand-new mega furnace, before he makes his next move. Meanwhile, Lucas' sister Susan and her friend Timothy try to find evidence that Daniel stole their stuff.

The episode was originally intended to be the eighth episode of the first season in production order with "Last Day of School" being the first, but the original version of that episode had a lot of animation and coloring mistakes in its original version, resulting in that episode to be the season finale in the airing order, with this becoming the first aired episode of the series due to it being the only other episode to not feature Doctor Genesis, Thomas or Dexxen before their debut in the second episode "Scientist Doctors".

The episode originally aired on December 16, 1994 on Cartoon Time!, following the hour-long Alaina Gleen Christmas special "Alaina Saves Christmas" and was viewed by approximately 26.7 million people in its original airings, and was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards in 1995. Although Big Group became Cartoon Time!'s highest-rated and longest-running cartoon since its premiere and is considered one of the most critically-acclaimed and greatest cartoons of all time, the pilot with initially met with negative reviews for its weak story, animation, and humor. However, critical reception has improved over the years and has been now considered one of the best episodes of the series.

## Characters & Cast (in order of appearance)

* Daniel Davis - Nancy Cartwright (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Doofus the Dog - Vocal effects by Tom Kenny (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Charlie Davis III - Howie Mandel (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Rose Davis - Tress MacNeille (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Vanessa Davis - Mona Marshall (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Wendy Miles - Cheryl Chase (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Pervert the Poodle - Vocal effects by Cheryl Chase (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Tony Miles - Mike Judge (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Frank Turner - Mike Judge (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Foolish Frog - Vocal effects by Mike Judge (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Edward Turner - Jerry Seinfeld (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Paula Turner - Tress MacNeille (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Lucas Markman - Rob Paulsen (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Loser the Lizard - Vocal effects by Rob Paulsen (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Susan Markman - Cheryl Chase (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Randy Markman - William Ragsdale (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Sharon Markman - Melaine Chartoff (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Timothy Darwins - Tara Strong (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Martin Harolds Jr. - Mary Kay Bergman (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Alvin Testaburger - Pamela Hayden (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Greta Schwartzenegger - Mona Marshall (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* DeeDee Brown - Yeardley Smith (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Sabrina Terrens - Grey DeLisle (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Barbara Wolfcastle - Jodi Benson (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Izzy Warner - Catherine Cavadini (FIRST APPEARANCE)
* Video Game Guy - Phil Hartman (FIRST APPEARANCE)

## Trivia

### General

* This is the only episode of the series to air in 1994. Several Joe Locksman shorts aired from January 16, 1994 to May 15, 1994.

### Cultural references

* The title is a play on the 1935 film Dante's Inferno, the first feature film from Cartoon Time!'s parent company 20th Century Fox, which in turn is loosely based on Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.