Special Agent Oso

Special Agent Oso (/oʊˈsoʊ/) is an American children's CGI-animated TV series. The series was created by Ford Riley.[1] It premiered on April 4, 2009 with 2 episodes airing that day as part of Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney block,[2] and aired two seasons of 60 episodes through May 17, 2012.[3] After the original broadcast of the series finale on May 17, 2012, reruns continued to air through 2016.

Special Agent Oso
Special Agent Oso title card
Created byFord Riley
Directed byJamie Mitchell
Voices ofSean Astin
Meghan Strange
Gary Anthony Williams
Phill Lewis
Amber Hood
Cam Clarke
Jess Harnell
Theme music composerFord Riley and Mike Himelstein
ComposerMike Himelstein and Michael Turner
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes60 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersFord Riley
Jamie Mitchell
Running time24 minutes (2 12-minute segments per episode, except for episodes 35, 56, and 60)
Production companyDisney Television Animation
Release
Original networkPlayhouse Disney (2009–11)
Disney Junior (2011–12)
First shown inUnited States
Original releaseApril 4, 2009 (2009-04-04) –
May 17, 2012 (2012-05-17)
External links
Official website

Premise

Each episode begins with Special Agent Oso in the midst of a training exercise, which he usually fails on his first try, causing him to say "It's all part of the plan more or less" and Paw Pilot, his computerized assistant, which gives him a special alert by saying "Special Alert, Special Alert". Invariably, during the exercise, at least one child is confronted with a simple task which they have trouble completing, an event which a Shutterbug drone notices. Oso is always assigned to the case, and Paw Pilot, along with the unseen Mr. Dos, illustrate his client's plight and assign him a mission to help the child complete the task. To do so, Paw Pilot provides Oso with three special steps, a simplified step-by-step guide to completing the task. Oso is transported to the child's location and attempts to follow the steps as the three special steps are, in and of themselves, usually too vague to complete the task properly, Paw Pilot also gives further elaborations, including at least one helpful trick. On the third and final step, Paw Pilot senses the time limit on the task between 3 and 19 seconds and begins counting down when the time limit is near. Oso and the child usually complete the task just as the time runs out. Then Paw Pilot says "[Special] Assignment Complete".

Returning from the assignment, the helpful trick given during the assignment always turns out to be the same trick Oso needed to complete the interrupted training exercise, which he likewise completes and passes, getting a medal for both the training exercise and the special assignment.

Episodes
Main article: List of Special Agent Oso episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
124April 4, 2009 (2009-04-04)April 17, 2010 (2010-04-17)
236July 10, 2010 (2010-07-10)May 17, 2012 (2012-05-17)

The show has 60 episodes; 24 in the first season and 36 in the second. The episode names are usually references to the names of James Bond 007 films from Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions LTD, such as The World Is Not Enough and The Man with the Golden Gun. The two seasons contain at least one episode title that parodies all 22 of the existing Bond films at the time as Skyfall was released after the show finalized, same with Spectre and No Time to Die. Some episode titles also parody the Carly Simon song Nobody Does it Better which is the popular theme song to The Spy Who Loved Me. One episode references the non-Eon film Never Say Never Again.

Components

Each episode is composed of four components:

  • The Three Special Steps are the steps that Paw Pilot gives Oso to follow when he is on his special assignments. Oso has a matter of time to finish the three special steps. The third step is usually timed between 3 and 19 seconds.
  • The training exercises are Oso's training task assigned by Wolfie, Dotty or Buffo. Oso usually fails on his first try, but in the course of doing the special assignments he refers to the mistake he made in his training exercise, thanks to the person he is helping. He then returns to his training exercise and does it right, then earns a "Digi-Medal".
  • The special assignments are missions that Oso is requested to complete by the mysterious Mr. Dos, in order to help a child in need. Sometimes, Oso asks the audience to help him on his special assignments if it gets tricky and he needs some help. Oso tries to complete the Three Special Steps that Paw Pilot gives him. Then he earns a "Digi-Medal".
  • Audience participation or interaction with Oso. Sometimes, Oso will ask the audience to help him find something hidden or missing on the screen. Other times, Oso will ask the audience to try something physically demanding that he is doing.

Three Healthy Steps

Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps is a short series that airs in the United States during the Disney Junior programming block. It encourages children to use "three healthy steps" regarding eating, being healthy and exercising.

This series combined both animated characters and real life actors. The animated characters that are featured in the short series are Special Agent Oso, Paw Pilot, Special Agent Wolfie, Special Agent Dotty, and Professor Buffo.

Characters

Main
Character's name Voiced by in the English version Character description
Special Agent Oso Sean Astin The colorful special agent stuffed bear who predominantly works on helping children perform tasks such as blowing bubbles, making a card or cleaning their rooms; he is the main character of the series. His name oso is Spanish for bear. He and his friends work for UNIQUE. The United Network for the Investigation of Quite Unusual Events.[4]

The show was designed for encouraging and educational purposes.

Paw Pilot Meghan Strange Oso's computerized assistant who guides Oso through the three special steps he needs to accomplish his current mission. When she sings the song that features the codename for his assignment, the backgrounds she appears in are similar to the elaborate title sequences to James Bond films. Her name is a reference to the Palm Pilot series of handheld computers.
Mr. Dos Gary Anthony Williams Oso's Siri like boss. He is a talking smartwatch that assigns Oso missions.
Special Agent Wolfie Phill Lewis A blue stuffed wolf; one of the special agent animals that regularly oversee Oso's training.
Special Agent Dotty Amber Hood A spotted orange stuffed cat with a Southern accent; the other special agent animal that regularly oversees Oso's training. It's hinted that she may have feelings for Oso.
Professor Buffo Brad Garrett, later voiced by Jess Harnell A slightly clumsy and excitable Italian-speaking bison who is the inventor of Oso's gadgets. Introduced in the Season 2 episode, From China with Love.
Whirly Bird Cam Clarke Oso's talking bird-shaped autogyro, who takes Oso to wherever someone needs help. He doesn't hear very well and often misunderstands what Oso tells him, which usually leads to Oso's ejection at inopportune moments and places.
R.R. Rapide Oso's French-speaking train. Though his French accent would suggest a TGV, he is likely a reference to the Fastech 360, based on his shape and retractable speedbrake ears.
Special Agent Musa N/A A silent, dark brown squirrel ninja, the master of stealth and speed. Introduced in the Season 2 episode, Table Manners are Forever.
Shutterbug A ladybug-shaped robotic camera, who keeps an eye out for children who need help. She doesn't speak. Appears only in the English and Russian versions.

Guest voices

Additional voices

Broadcast

The first season of Special Agent Oso premiered in the United States and United Kingdom on April 4, 2009, and aired through April 17, 2010; the second and final season premiered on July 10, 2010 and the series finale aired May 17, 2012. In season 2, new characters were introduced, Professer Buffo & Special Agent Musa. The show has a crossover with Handy Manny called "The Manny with the Golden Bear".

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-10-09. Retrieved 2009-04-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Special Agent Oso". www.bcdb.com, May 13, 2012
  3. Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. pp. 174–175. ISBN 9781476672939.
  4. Special Agent Oso. Disney Junior Canada. . URL:http://www.disneyjunior.ca/en/shows/special-agent-oso. Accessed: 2014-05-11. (Archived URL:https://web.archive.org/web/20130306121009/http://www.disneyjunior.ca/en/shows/special-agent-oso)
Preceded by
Imagination Movers		 Playhouse Disney Shows
2009		 Succeeded by
Jungle Junction
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