2 Stupid Dogs

2 Stupid Dogs is an American animated television series, created and designed by Donovan Cook and produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, that originally ran from September 5, 1993, to May 15, 1995, on TBS (as a part of their Sunday Morning In Front Of The TV block) and in syndication. The main segments of the show featured two unnamed dogs, called "The Big Dog" and "The Little Dog" in the credits. They were voiced by Brad Garrett and Mark Schiff, respectively.[1]

2 Stupid Dogs
Created byDonovan Cook
Directed byDonovan Cook
Voices of
Theme music composerChris Desmond and Tom Seufert
Opening theme"2 Stupid Dogs Title Theme" by Chris Desmond and Tom Seufert
Ending theme"2 Stupid Dogs Ending Theme" by Chris Desmond and Tom Seufert
ComposersChris Desmond (episodes 1-4)
Vaughn Johnson (episodes 5-26)
Guy Moon (additional music)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26 (whole)
39 (segments) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerBuzz Potamkin
ProducersDonovan Cook (season 1, supervising producer, season 2)
Larry Huber
Running time22 minutes
(11 minutes per segment)
Production companyHanna-Barbera Cartoons
DistributorTurner Entertainment
Turner Program Services
Release
Original networkTBS
Syndicated
Audio formatStereo
Original releaseSeptember 5, 1993 (1993-09-05) –
February 13, 1995 (1995-02-13)

The show has been described as "Hanna-Barbera's answer to Ren and Stimpy",[2] a hit show that premiered two years earlier in 1991 on Nickelodeon. Like Ren and Stimpy, the Dogs characters are not very bright, the show is scored with jazz music, and the comedy style leans on gross-out body-secretion humor. Asked about the comparison, Hanna-Barbera CEO Fred Seibert was unconcerned, saying that it was "like Pearl Jam worrying about being compared to Nirvana."[2]

A backup segment, Super Secret Secret Squirrel (a remake of Secret Squirrel), was shown in between the main 2 Stupid Dogs cartoons in the first season's episodes, similar to early Hanna-Barbera cartoons in the 1960s.

Plot

The show is about two unnamed dogs—neither of whom, as the title states, are very intelligent—and their everyday misadventures. The animation style is unusual for the time: a very flat and simplistic style similar to the early Hanna-Barbera cartoons of the 1950s and 1960s, but with early 1990s humor and sensibility. The Big Dog tends to talk much less than the Little Dog. When the Big Dog talks, he usually talks about food.

Episodes
Main article: List of 2 Stupid Dogs episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
113September 5, 1993 (1993-09-05)November 28, 1993 (1993-11-28)
213September 5, 1994 (1994-09-05)February 13, 1995 (1995-02-13)

Characters
  • The Little Dog (voiced by Mark Schiff), a small tawny-colored Dachshund, is much more energetic and hyperactive than the Big Dog. The Little Dog is completely scared of cats, and when a cat (the very same cat every time) appears, it is the Big Dog who scares the cat away.
  • The Big Dog (voiced by Brad Garrett) is a large grey Old English Sheepdog with a purple nose. He is much stronger and significantly more stoic and reserved than the Little Dog, and speaks much less - on occasion he has also been shown to be surprisingly smarter than Little Dog. In one episode, an acquaintance refers to him as Jonathan.
  • The Cat is a small innocent cat which the Little Dog is terrified of, despite its being harmless. The Big Dog's bark causes the Cat to freeze in terror; however, the Cat is not afraid of the Big Dog unless he barks.
  • Mr. Hollywood (voiced by Brian Cummings) is a large man (who is both arrogant and loud) and likes to point out others' mistakes. He has a completely different job in each appearance, including teacher, farmer, casino manager, Noah and pet shop owner. When pointing out others' mistakes he will first say, "Well now, isn't that cute..." and then yell out, "...BUT IT'S WRONG!!!", usually accompanied by a blaring foghorn.
  • Kenny Fowler (voiced by Jarrett Lennon) is a small skinny kid with nerdy glasses, who is often pushed around by Buzz and often asks the dogs for help. He often falls down on the floor.
  • Buzz (voiced by Whit Hertford) is a school bully who picks on Kenny and says "What a Fowler!" whenever Kenny falls to the floor.
  • Cubby (voiced by Rob Paulsen) is a fat, spotty man with big glasses, blonde hair and blue lips. In the episodes that he appears in, he assumes the role of a different job, like Mr. Hollywood.
  • Buffy Ziegenhagen (voiced by Tawni Tamietti) is a girl in Kenny's class that he has a crush on and who has a secret crush on him.
  • Red (voiced by Candi Milo) is a small, meek little girl that the dogs often encounter. When she speaks, she shouts one word (sometimes two) in the sentence very loudly compared to the quiet tone of voice she usually has.

Voice cast

Additional voices played by: Greg Burson, Donna Cherry, Paul Eiding, Bernard Erhard, John Frost, Mark Hamill, Haven Hartman, Pat Lentz, Pat Musick, Stu Rosen, Neil Ross, Susan Silo

Crew
  • Stu Rosen - Voice Director; Super Secret Secret Squirrel
  • Jill Ziegenhagen - Talent Coordinator
  • Kris Zimmerman - Casting Director
  • Pierre DeCelles, Scott Mantaz - Animation Directors: Shanghai Morning Sun Animation Co., Ltd. (uncredited)
  • Horseman Cao, Huang Xingfang - Animation Directors: Shanghai Morning Sun Animation Co., Ltd. (uncredited)

Home media

On August 14, 2018, the Warner Archive Collection released the first season of the series as 2 Stupid Dogs/Secret Squirrel Show Volume One on DVD.[3]

Reception

Martin "Dr. Toon" Goodman of Animation World Magazine described 2 Stupid Dogs as one of two "clones" of The Ren & Stimpy Show, the other one being The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show.[4] The series was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award (but lost to Rugrats).

See also

References
  1. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 667. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 876–878. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  3. "2 Stupid Dogs/Secret Squirrel Show, Volume One". Archived from the original on 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
  4. "Cartoons Aren't Real! Ren and Stimpy In Review Archived 2001-12-27 at the Wayback Machine," Animation World Magazine
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