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[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alvin-and-the-chipmunks.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:210:Left to right: Theodore, Alvin and Simon.]]

''Alvin and the Chipmunks'', later renamed ''The Chipmunks'', was an American animated television featuring The Chipmunks produced by Bagdasarian Productions (formally known as Bagdasarian Film Corporation) in association with [[Creator/RubySpears Ruby Spears Enterprises]] from 1983-1987 and Creator/DICEntertainment from 1988-1990.

The show, airing on Creator/{{NBC}}, lasted eight production seasons. It also introduces the Chipmunks’ {{Distaff Counterpart}}s, The Chipettes:
* '''Brittany''', who is vainer like Alvin.
* '''Jeanette''', who is smart like Simon;
* And '''Eleanor''', who is caring like Theodore
* Then in season four, their own human guardian, the myopic '''Miss Beatrice Miller''', was introduced.

The outline of the 80s show closely paralleled its 1961 {{animated series}} predecessor, ''WesternAnimation/TheAlvinShow'', reflecting contemporary trends and popular culture; the Chipmunks sang recent hits, and wore contemporary clothing.

During the show’s fifth season, ''The Chipmunks'' first animated feature film, ''WesternAnimation/TheChipmunkAdventure'' was released to theatres by The Samuel Goldwyn Company to theaters in 1987. Directed by Janice Karman, produced by Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and written by both, the movie features ''The Chipmunks'' and ''The Chipettes'' in a contest traveling around the world.

There were also three Bagdasarian Production produced [[DirectToVideo direct-to-videos]]:
The first two, ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunksMeetFrankenstein'' & ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunksMeetTheWolfman'' were horror-themed films released under [[UniversalStudios Universal Studios Home Entertainment]].

The third and (thus far) final direct-to-video film, ''Film/LittleAlvinAndTheMiniMunks'' was released under [[Creator/{{Paramount}} Paramount Home Entertainment]]. This film has Ross Bagdasarian Jr. as the [[LiveActionAdaptation live action]] Dave Seville and wife, Janice Karman as his friend, Lalu. It also features puppetry used for ''The Chipmunks'' and ''The Chipettes''.

The series also had eight specials in all. It is also worth noting that the first special, ''A Chipmunk Christmas'' drawn by Creator/ChuckJones came two years before the show, nine years after the passing of the ''Chipmunks'' creator. The special formed the basis for the series.

The show was rebooted for the eighth season, which was called ''The Chipmunks go to the Movies'', which parodied movies, shows and such.

Also, in 1990, Alvin, Simon and Theodore starred in a [[DrugsAreBad drug abuse prevention]] special with other [[{{Crossover}} popular Saturday morning shows]][[note]]Papa Smurf, Hefty Smurf & Brainy Smurf as well as a handful of other Smurfs (Harmony Smurf makes a brief [[TheCameo cameo]] in the comic book laying on the floor) from ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs''; Alf from ''[[Series/{{Alf}} ALF: The Animated Series]]''; Garfield from ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends''; Baby Kermit, Baby Piggy & Baby Gonzo from ''WesternAnimation/MuppetBabies''; Slimer from ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters''; Pooh Bear & Tigger from ''WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh''; WesternAnimation/BugsBunny & WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck ([[WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadrunner Wile E. Coyote]]’s mentioned and his time machine’s used) from ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes''; [[Characters/DisneyDucksComicUniverse Huey, Dewey and Louie]] from ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' and Michelangelo from ''WesternAnimation/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|1987}}''[[/note]] called ''WesternAnimation/CartoonAllStarsToTheRescue''.

The show ultimately vanished from the airwaves in the 1990s, though Creator/CartoonNetwork aired the 65-episode syndication package from 1993 to 2001 and Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} aired the show from 1995 to 1997.

In the last couple of years however, a [[Film/AlvinAndTheChipmunks live-action adaptation]] with computer-generated (and realistically sized) chipmunks and Creator/JasonLee as the new David Seville, has revived the characters somewhat. So much so, in fact, that it has spawned two sequels, at least one of which averts {{Sequelitis}}.

'''NOTE:''' ''Tropes under here are '''specifically''' for the [[TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation '80s cartoon]] series''.
* Tropes exclusively for the [[SeriesFranchise whole franchise]] go [[Franchise/AlvinAndTheChipmunks here]];
* Tropes exclusively for the [[TheDarkAgeOfAnimation '60s cartoon]] series go [[WesternAnimation/TheAlvinShow here]];
* Tropes exclusively for the [[AnimatedAdaptation 1987 animated]] film go [[WesternAnimation/TheChipmunkAdventure here]];
* Tropes exclusively for the DirectToVideo movies go either to:
** WesternAnimation/{{Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein}};
** WesternAnimation/{{Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman}};
** [[Film/LittleAlvinAndTheMiniMunks Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks]];
* Tropes exclusively for the [[LiveActionAdaptation live action/CGI]] movies go [[Film/AlvinAndTheChipmunks here]].

Now has a [[ShoutOut/AlvinAndTheChipmunks shout out]] page.

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!!'''''Alvin and the Chipmunks'' provides examples of:'''
* TheAbridgedSeries: TheChipmunksParodyShow
* AccidentalMisnaming: In the episode "Snow Job", Alvin wishes to enter John Colorado's Celebrity Ski Tournament; a RunningGag throughout the rest of the episode is Colorado not remembering Alvin's name, refering to him as Alfred, Irvin, Melvin, Elmo, and engraving his trophy with, "First Place to Marvin Seville".
* ActorAllusion: Creator/AlanYoung voices Grandpa Seville, who is a [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs farmer]].
* AdultFear: In the episode “''Help Wanted: Mommy'',” having siblings being split up into different foster houses is something a lot of parents don’t want to happen.
* AllJustADream: There were some episodes, like when Alvin had a fever or when [[spoiler:Dave thought [[IncredibleShrinkingMan he’d shrunk]] where’s he able to stand in someone’s a palm]].
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Alvin encountered one of these in the person of a boy named Apollo Jones, who kept beating him at everything. [[spoiler:It turned out that Apollo genuinely envied Alvin because Alvin had one thing he himself lacked - [[WhenYouComingHomeDad a family that could be bothered with him]]. Apollo's parents were rarely home and sent him extremely generic postcards from wherever they went]].
* AttackOfThePoliticalAd: The episode "''May the Best Chipmunk Win''." at one point, Alvin rides around the playground in a wagon pulled by a donkey, while Simon and Theodore proclaim, "Don't be a donkey, vote for Alvin!" THEN, in comes Brittany, riding on the back of a elephant asking for votes.
* {{Auction}}: In one of the '80s episodes, Alvin gets in over his head bidding on expensive items to impress a rich girl he likes.
* AutobotsRockOut: The opening/closing themes of season 6.
* BeautifulAllAlong: Jeanette -- SheCleansUpNicely. Confirmed and done in the episode "My Fair Chipette", to the point that even Brittany was threatened.
-->'''Brittany:''' Jeanette looked beau-beau-\\
'''Eleanor:''' Beautiful?\\
'''Brittany:''' I've '''got''' to find a real show stopper for the talent contest!
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Averted with Theodore, who (surprisingly to some) is a big fan of [[SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan soap operas and crime dramas]].
* BeYourself: The Aesop for aforementioned episode "''My Fair Chipette''."
* BiggerThanJesus: One cartoon formatted as a documentary on the rise and popularity of the group shows one segment where Alvin shocks everyone at a press conference, including Simon and Theodore, by shouting, "We're bigger than MickeyMouse!" People start destroying their Chipmunks merchandise as Alvin is forced to make an apology to the press soon after.
* BruceWayneHeldHostage: In the ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' parody episode.
* {{Crossover}}: With ''Mr. T''! Both their cartoons premiered simultaneously and are made by the same production company.
** And the 80s chipmunks with their 60's incarnation
* CelebrityStar: The '80s installment "''Urban Chipmunk''" has a guest appearance by DollyParton, unusual for Saturday morning cartoons of the time.
* CharacterDevelopment: Very, ''very'' rare for an animated children's series. Simon, especially, is more of a well-rounded character as the series progresses.
* TheCityVsTheCountry: Played with in both episodes featuring The Chipmunks' mother Vinny. "Vinny's Visit" especially puts this into perspective, as she still tries to carry on with her woodland lifestyle, despite being a guest at the Seville house.
* ClassTrip
* ClipShow: The episodes "Chipmunkmania" and "Alvin in Analysis".
* ClumsyCopyrightCensorship: As of this writing, at least three episodes had their original respective songs replaced on DVD collections: The Clovers' "Love Potion No. 9" (From "Theodore and Juliet"), The Beach Boys' "Surfin' USA (from "The Curse of Lontiki"), and The Beatles' "When I'm Sixty-Four" (from "The Picture of Health).
* ConspicuousConsumption
* CourtroomEpisode: "Tell it to the Judge" from Season Five, in which Alvin sues Brittany, claiming she totalled Dave's new bicycle; Brittany counter sues, claiming Alvin ruined her new pair of roller skates.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Some surprising moments...
** "Cookie Chomper III".
** A Halloween special in the mid-90s features a boy named Michael who [[TheGrotesque has a deformity]] that other kids ridicule him for, but Theodore quickly becomes good friends with him and realizes he's really no different from other kids.
** Some episodes from the last season (''The Chipmunks Go to the Movies'') are only slightly more mature than the rest of the series, probably considering they did parody some more "grown-up" movies.
** One episode actually dealt with the Berlin Wall!
* DeathByNewberyMedal: "Cookie Chomper III"
* DepthDeception: A bug mistaken for an alien.
* DontSplitUsUp: The first episode of season four that introduces Miss Miller did this with the Chipettes.
* DoorstopBaby: The Chipmunks, when left by their mother, Vinnie, in Dave's forest cabin.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Actually, it's more like ''Later'' Installment Weirdess. Since the DiC episodes (including ''The Chipmunks Go to the Movies'') were not seen in reruns for a long period of time, and have had limited episodes released on DVD, it can be a rather disorienting experience for those who are most accustomed to the Ruby-Spears, and the Murakumi-Wolf-Swenson episodes. Also considering the storylines by the DiC era were becoming far more over-the-top cartoony and less believable ("Dear Diary" is a good example). ''The Chipmunks Go to the Movies'' especially are just ''Plain Weird'' Installment Weirdness.
* EvilUncle: Charlatan "Uncle" Harry, who pretended to be the brother of their mother so he could scam them.
* FantasticVoyage: The episode "Inner Dave".
* FieryRedhead: Brittany Miller qualifies.
* FirstGrayHair: Alvin, Simon and Theodore once painted a small portion of Dave's hair white to give them an excuse to treat him like he was treating his Uncle Willie (a.k.a. Uncle Adventure). Namely, treating him like he couldn't do anything by himself.
* GetBackToTheFuture: "Back to Dave's Future">
* GirlsNightOutEpisode: A handful of episodes during the 2nd half of the shows run focus exclusively on the Chipettes; most prominently the final [[Creator/RubySpears Ruby-Spears]] produced episode.
* GirlPosse: Brittany tries to initiate herself in one in the episode "Sisters".
* TheGrotesque: Michael in "Trick or Treason".
* HairTriggerAvalanche: In "Mind Over Matterhorn".
* HaveAGayOldTime: The TV show's theme contains quite a bit. The series's TotallyRadical pretensions don't help matters. "We'll give you action and satisfaction" indeed...
* HighSchoolHustler: Alvin. Though the proper term would be ''Elementary School'' Hustler.
* IllTellYouWhenIveHadEnough: Spoofed with Theodore drinking carrot juice at a bar.
* ImaginaryLoveTriangle: An episode had one involving a GirlOfTheWeek, Simon, and a biker boy. Alvin convinced Simon to try out for a bike competition to impress the girl, only to find out that the biker was her cousin.
** Played with VERY briefly at one point where both Alvin and Simon try to impress a GirlOfTheWeek (Alvin with his athletic abilities, Simon with his manners and chivalry).
* IncredibleShrinkingMan: The ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' episode "''Funny We Shrunk the Adults''," is one where Dave and Miss Miller are shrunken by Simon's "matter compacting" ray. At the same time, the Chipmunks and some neighbor kids who they are trying to impress are wrecking the house with their rowdy playing and bringing in things like a circus, including the animals. In fact, it was the rowdy playing that made the shrink ray turn on and zap Dave in the first place.
** Inverted in an earlier episode with [[spoiler:Dave waking up from a dream about him shrinking]].
* InterSpeciesRomance: The whole show was full of this, considering the Chipmunks (and Chipettes) interacted with humans. More so Alvin with his constant flirting. In one episode, Brittany wants to ask the most popular boy in school to the dance.
* ItsAWonderfulPlot: "Dave's Wonderful Life".
* LongRunners: While most Saturday Morning cartoons lasted a season or two at best, this cartoon lasted for eight seasons, with over 100 episodes, and spawning a number of TV specials associated with it.
* MayTheFarceBeWithYou
* MediumAwareness: "Quick! Cut to a commercial!" in the 80s cartoon episode "''Food for Thought''."
** The entire episode of “''Back to our Future''” was practically this trope personified, from the Chipmunks talking about the year they were created (not born, as in previous episodes) to them meeting their original designs, to the dramatic shift in animation, which both the 60's and 80's Dave notices. They even complain about how flat everything is in the 60's, a time when cartoon backgrounds were as simple as possible and things like proper perspective were not established as a standard.
* MeetYourEarlyInstallmentWeirdness: An episode that was a parody of ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' called "''Back to Alvin's Future''" in which the 80s Chipmunks meet the 60s Chipmunks and try to stop them from quitting music and preventing the 80's Chipmunks from being created. It was complete with a LimitedAnimation ArtShift.
* MissingMom: The Chipmunks' mother, who they search for in a special episode.
* MistakenAge
* NeverSayDie: Subverted rather often. One episode even has a frustrated Eleanor shout in anger, "I swear, if we don't get to UsefulNotes/NewOrleans soon, I'm going to KILL her!" as she was sick of Brittany's constant whining. ELEANOR of all people!
* NewTransferStudent: When The Chipettes join the Chipmunks at their school in "May the Best Chipmunk Win".
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: When it was revealed that the Chippettes came from Australia, none of the girls spoke with an accent.
* OrphanageOfFear: The Chipettes and their original human caretaker, Olivia, lived in one of these in Australia, as seen in their backstory episode.
* PaperThinDisguise: The episode "Ask Alvin".
* [[spoiler:ParentalAbandonment]]: [[spoiler:Alvin felt this way when he wonders why their mother, Vinnie, left them with "a stranger". Vinnie revealed that during the great winter migration, there wasn't enough food to feed her children; she gave them up to David Seville, [[FriendToAllLivingThings whom she knew was friendly to the animals]]. She later tried to come back for them, but she sees how happy they are with him. Alvin feels guilty for thinking otherwise.]]
* PrettyInMink: Given that the Chipmunks and Chipettes frequently try mingle with, or get into, high society, quite a few furs appear, usually by {{Socialite}}s.
** The show ''This is Your Father'' in the episode "Some Entrancing Evening".
* RashomonStyle: The episodes "Every Chipmunk Tells a Story" and "Once Upon a Crime".
* ReadingIsCoolAesop
* TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation
* RoadShow
* RogerRabbitEffect: The episode "Home Sweet Home."
* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Theodore[[labelnote:*]]justified since he’s voiced by [[CrossDressingVoice Janice Karman]]...[[/labelnote]].
* SeparateSceneStorytelling: In an episode where Dave reads ''Literature/TreasureIsland'', the story is (loosely) shown this way.
* SeriesContinuityError:
** The episode "Miss Miller's Big Gamble" established Miss Miller's first name as Beatrice, but the animated movie says her name was Rebecca.
** "A Dog's Best Friend Is His Chipmunk" shows that Dave is allergic to dogs, but in "Cookie Chomper III", he only starts developing an allergy to dogs once the Chipmunks brought Lilly in at the end.
** Dave's parents are established as farm people in "Grandpa and Grandma Seville", but "Back to Dave's Future" showed that they lived in the city when Dave was a kid, and his father was an accountant.
** Throughout the first season of the series, The Chipmunks are regarded as well-known celebrities who are almost instantly recognized by the public wherever they go. Afterwards, they are depicted as your average and ordinary school-aged kids who just happen to also be rockstars. In fact, some episodes have them, particularly Alvin, having trouble convincing someone that they are, indeed, celebrities.
* ShoutOut: See the main [[ShoutOut/AlvinAndTheChipmunks shout out page]] for the franchise.
* ShowAccuracyToyAccuracy: In their debut episode, The Chipettes don matching pleated yellow dresses for concerts and public appearances. It was the only episode of the series to feature them in these dresses. However, when The Chipmunks Posable Play Pals line was released, figures of The Chipettes wearing the dresses were released.
* ShowWithinAShow:
** Theodore watches ''The Young and the Anxious'' in "Whatever Happened to Dave Seville?"
** Dave appeared on ''This Is Your Father'' in "Some Entrancing Evening".
** and in "Unidentified Flying Chipmunk", the Chipmunks watched ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial''.
** [[ShowWithinAShow Play within a Show]]: ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' in "Snow Wrong".
** and "The Brunch Club" has Brittany and Eleanor as the two leads for ''[[Theatre/TwoGentlemenOfVerona Two Gentlewomen of Verona]]''...
* SiblingSenioritySquabble: It's mentioned a couple of times during the series (probably as a reminder to somewhat confused viewers) that Alvin and Brittany are the oldest of their litters. It's also confirmed that there's a five minute difference between Alvin, Simon, and Theodore; while not confirmed, the common idea is that the same applies to The Chipettes, except for a ten minute difference between Brittany and Jeanette, which makes the age order: Brittany, Alvin, Simon, Jeanette, Theodore, and Eleanor.
* SoapOperaDisease: Parodied in "Whatever's Happened to Dave Seville?"
* SomethingCompletelyDifferent
* StalkerWithACrush: Juliet to Alvin in the episode "Love Potion #9".
* StandInParents: Played straight in the Season Four opener, where Brittany decided to pose as the mother parents day at school, to keep school officials from finding out the girls are orphans and live by themselves.
* SuspiciouslyAproposMusic: Happens very often. For example, the Chipettes sing "It's My Party" after Brittany gets upset at her birthday party.
* SyndicationTitle: ''The Chipmunks''.
* TakeThat: Elwy and the Tree Weasels, which was used in an episode of Ralph Bakshi's WesternAnimation/MightyMouse show. Their manager/surrogate dad was Sandy Bottomfeeder.
* TimeTravel: Though [[spoiler:a couple of them were [[AllJustADream just a dream]]]].
* AVerySpecialEpisode:
** Both "A Chipmunk Valentine" and "A Chipmunk Reunion" were exactly this, though they were also produced specifically for inclusion with the series itself (and are therefore included in the syndication package, whereas other specials, like "Trick or Treason" or "Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration" for example, are separate specials from the series).
** "Back to Alvin's Future" was intended to be the 100th episode of the series, but since a lot of networks have a tendency to broadcast episodes out of order, it ended up being the 92nd episode to be aired during the series' first run.
* VoiceActor:
** Creator/NancyCartwright
** Creator/PeterCullen
** Creator/JuneForay
** Creator/PatFraley
** Creator/TressMacNeille
** [[JulieMcWhirter Julie [=McWhirter=] Dees]]
** KenSansom
** Creator/JanetWaldo
** Creator/BJWard
** Creator/FrankWelker
** R. J. Williams
** Creator/AlanYoung
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In their debut episode, The Chipettes don matching pleated yellow dresses for concerts and public appearances. It was the only episode of the series to feature them in these dresses, however, when The Chipmunks Posable Play Pals line was released, figures of The Chipettes wearing the dresses were released.
* YetAnotherChristmasCarol: "Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll".

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