Undergrads (stylized as underGRADS) is an adult animated sitcom centered on the lives of four college undergraduate freshmen. Originally broadcast on MTV in 2001, only 13 episodes were created. It has since been shown on Teletoon's Adult Block in Canada, and Trouble in the United Kingdom.

History

The show was created by Pete Williams, who dropped out of New York University at the age of 19 during his sophomore year to work on the show in 1997 after winning an MTV animation contest. Williams performs most of the voices on the show. The series was produced by David McGrath.

Unsuccessful Revival and Undergrads: The Movie

After an unsuccessful revival attempt in 2004, Williams in 2018 announced a Kickstarter campaign for funding a feature-length series finale called Undergrads: The Movie. As of August 2023 the film is currently in development from Brain Power Studio, and is likely set for a 2025 release.

Overview

The show depicts a typical freshman college experience. Characters in the show represent stereotypical college types; including the everyman (Nitz), the "frat boy" (Rocko), the "ladies' man" (Cal), the nerd (Gimpy), the punk girl (Jessie), the "ditz" (Kimmy), and of course, the "duggler" (Duggler). Typical situations depicted in the show include student loans, bad cafeteria food, questioning of identity, fraternity rivalries, odd traditions, unpleasant RAs, money problems, peer pressure, and the "freshman 15". Few episodes depict the characters in class; the one exception is Rocko's ROTC class in the episode, Financial Aid. The location in the show has never been named. It appears to be a typical North American college town. However, it has been hinted in several episodes that the show takes place in New England, and Pete Williams, the show's creator, attended a university in this region. Episode 2, Traditions, features the "Xposed Xpo," a naked run, and a classic tradition of the University of Vermont. In episode 12, Risk, there is a free Ben & Jerry's day, as well as a Spring Fling, another UVM tradition. In the episode Drunks, both Jessie and Nitz hold fake New York state driver's licenses. The episode Identity Crisis takes place at the start of the second semester and reveals bare trees and snow, conditions more likely to be found in northern states in January. However, in episode 1 Gimpy disguises Mump as a California Highway Patrol Officer to follow Rocko.

Characters

Main

Supporting

Recurring

Episodes

Film

In June 2018, Pete Williams acquired the rights from MTV to produce a film based on Undergrads, to serve as feature-length series finale. The film, Undergrads: The Movie, is in development from Brain Power Studio, with a budget of $150,000 (acquired following a successful Kickstarter campaign), and is set for a 2025 release.

Music

The theme song, "The Click", is written and performed by the band Good Charlotte, who appear in the episode Risk. Much of the music featured in Undergrads include songs from various indie rock bands and Canadian artists, such as Vibrolux, Alkaline Trio, Knacker, Sam Roberts, Reggie and the Full Effect, Sloan, The Planet Smashers, The Brodys, and The Rosenbergs, among others. The score of the show was composed and produced by Jono Grant. A list of bands and songs used in each episode can be found at the show's official website. This style of music was also heavily featured in another Decode Entertainment series, Radio Free Roscoe, which had the same music directors as Undergrads. The American broadcast used different songs by artists such as Linkin Park, Madonna, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, and the Foo Fighters.