The Wild Thornberrys

Plot

Episodes

Characters

Main Characters

• Eliza is the 11-year-old daughter of the Thornberrys. She has red hair in braids, glasses, braces, and freckles. She has four visible teeth connected by two braces. She is able to communicate with animals, especially her chimpanzee sidekick Darwin. She must keep this gift secret or she will lose her powers.
• Nigel is Eliza's father. Sir Nigel Archibald Thornberry KBE is the son of Radcliffe and Cordelia Thornberry, an aristocratic British couple. Born in the United Kingdom and having attended Harrow School near London, he travels around the world with his own family making wildlife documentaries. He is eccentric, enthusiastic, and cheerful even in the face of danger, and is also known for his exaggerated facial features.
• Marianne is Eliza's mother and Nigel's wife. She is the daughter of Frank and Sophie Hunter. She mentions that she attended the University of California, Berkeley.
• Donnie is a feral boy adopted by the Thornberrys, who was raised by orangutans in Borneo. Donnie is 4, turning 5 in "The Origin of Donnie".
• Debbie is Eliza's 16-year-old older sister. She becomes the only family member to know about Eliza's power but is warned that she will be turned into a baboon if she ever tells anyone. Debbie dresses in grunge clothing and has peekaboo hairstyle.
• Darwin is the Thornberrys' pet chimpanzee. He usually wears a tank top with horizontal blue and white stripes and blue shorts. He speaks with a distinct, upper-class British accent.

  Recurring Characters

• Neil Biederman, a poacher & The Thornberrys’ sworn enemy who poaches and kidnaps animals from above it, with his partner Kip O'Donnell.
• Tyler Tucker, Eliza and Debbie's cousin. He is Marianne and Nigel's nephew through Marianne's sister Nancy Tucker nee Hunter. He is a year older than Eliza but acts more immaturely than Eliza does. He doesn't really understand the dangers of living in the wild. He's a big know-it-all but generally has a good head on his shoulders, and he really cares about his cousins Debbie, Eliza, and Donnie. His parents are Dennis and Nancy Tucker.
• Shane G. is a pop superstar who travels with the Thornberry Family for five episodes whilst they are filming in Alaska. The Foundation orders Nigel and Marianne to take him with the family to promote Wildlife preservation among young people and Shane's fans. Both Eliza and Debbie gain a crush on the boy, however Debbie loses interest when Shane shows to have more similarities with Eliza than herself.
• Santusa, a Llama first seen in Nigel Knows Best. She can carries both of her. Darwin doesn’t have to go. And Nigel Thornberry had left them back to Cusco tomorrow. When she gave her a walk so she makes noise in Nigel Knows Best.
• Bim, a Koala whose British accent and befriended by Eliza, Darwin, & Donnie.
• Shango, an African Elephant who Eliza first met.
• Phaedra, a female African Elephant who appears in the episode, Forget Me Not, and who Eliza and Darwin were riding at the beginning of The Wild Thornberrys Movie.
• Zita, an African Elephant who was Rebecca’s daughter and the mother of Shango, from the episode, Forget Me Not.
• Mali leader of the Massai legend between his wise Grandfather Makai
• Ben
• Franz Fensterkopt
• Dr. Jomo, a police officer who is a friend of Nigel Thornberry.
• Sri Mayasandra, a scientist who had found Donnie in the TV special.
• Baru, a young Proboscis monkey who helps Eliza get back to her family, and his father, Baduk.
• Lugan, who was in the TV special.
• Saiful, which was in the TV special. and Adlon voiced Tano, a Cheetah Cub who Eliza tries to help find and who she, Darwin and Donnie help try to find his mother in the episode, Cheetahs Never Prosper.
• Shi Shou, a baby panda, and Mei-Mei, a mother panda.
• Conal, a Hawk, and her wife Brianag.

  Guest Stars

• Candi Milo as Emily, a female wombat from the episode, Chew if by Sea.
• Susanna Voltaire, Russi Taylor, Melissa Fahn are Anna, Igna, and Katrina
• William H Macy as Skoot, a male reindeer who Eliza raced with in On the Right Track.
• Bill Fagerbakke as Dank, a black reindeer who appeared in On the Right Track.
• Cree Summer as Rosie, a "teenage" asian elephant.
• Georg Stanford Brown as Kito, the leader jaguar from the episode.
• Danny Cooksey as Wanuug, a polar bear who appeared in Polar Opposites.
• David Ogden Stiers as Karroo, an Aye-aye.
• Ron Fassler, Anne Lambton, & Jimmie Wood are Tak a little rat, Sheeba the eye patch wearing cat, & Bone, the three legged dog who helped Eliza find the Bangaboo in The Great Bangaboo.
• Marion Ross as Rebecca, an elephant whom Eliza saved in Forget Me Not. She was originally saved by Nigel from poachers many years ago. At the end of the episode, the elephant dies of natural causes which makes Eliza cry after she passes away and her daughter Zita takes over the herd.
• Robert Morse as Jake, a male tortoise who Eliza helped in Two's Company.
• Phyllis Diller as Samantha, a female tortoise who Eliza helped in Two's Company.
• Kelly McGillis & Peter Onorati are Winema and Pava, the leader Gray Wolves that appeared in the episode, Pack of Thornberrys.
• Chris Demetral as Mato, a Gray Wolf who apppeared in the episode, Pack of Thornberrys.
• Bill Brochtrup as Collin, a Common dolphin who Eliza swam with in the episode, Hello, Dolphin!.
• Jane Goodall as Herself, appears in the episode, The Trouble With Darwin.

  Production

Home media

Broadcast

Video Games

Films

• The Origin of Donnie : This prequel was released as a television film, and explores Donnie's life before he was found by the Thornberrys.
• The Wild Thornberrys Movie : This theatrical film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
• Rugrats Go Wild : This theatrical film was also the final Rugrats film, and a crossover between Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys.
• "Sir Nigel" : Nigel gets knighted.

  Reception

Box office performance

Critical response

Accolades