can you create animated versions of shows and release it to the app store w/o getting sued as long as said familiar looking characters are named differently?
Not when you've just admitted publicly your intent. Which seems to me to profit on the tails of the popularity of the show.
And, will you get sued? Who knows? It depends on whether somebody decides to sue you. And then, they may or may not win.
I wouldn't advise it, and am sure you already know the answer. You wouldn't be asking for "permission" if you didn't already know.
Parody is a very specific form of humor, poking fun at a famous public figure, product, idea, etc. Simply changing names of characters doesn't make it a parody. You can parody the President. You probably can't legitimately parody your next-door neighbor, unless they happen to be a famous figure. They might sue you, and win, but not on copyright (for defamation/libel/slander) as parody can be a defense in that case as well. Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton aren't a written work, a music score, a public performance, etc. They are people. Copyright just doesn't apply. You can't copyright yourself!
How does SNL get away with spoofing people without getting sued? Well, first of all, copyright generally doesn't enter into the equation for them. Only very occasionally - for example, they might parody a book or a movie. But usually it is people, and then there are different laws. (The above-mentioned defamation/libel/slander). Our laws (at least in the U.S.) protect the right to poke fun at public figures. In some other countries, it can mean the death penalty.
How does SNL get away with spoofing people without getting sued? Another reason is they have very, very, very good lawyers, and a legal budget. Do you?
Apple may or may not object themselves. If they are smart, they will. Apple doesn't like to get in the middle of nasty squabbles.
Copyright protects against "derivative works". Look it up.
Have an attorney talk you out of this.
