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Inspector Gadget (1983 TV series)

Inspector Gadget is an animated superhero science fiction comedy series co-created by Andy Heyward, Jean Chalopin and Bruno Bianchi,[4][5] and was originally syndicated by DIC Audiovisuel and Lexington Broadcast Services Company. The show revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, dim-witted detective named Inspector Gadget—a cyborg human with various bionic gadgets built into his body—who is sent on missions to thwart plans by his nemesis Dr. Claw, the leader of an evil organization known as "M.A.D.", while unknowingly being assisted by his niece Penny and their dog, Brain.[6]

Inspector Gadget
Title card
GenreScience fiction[1]
Superhero
Comedy
Created byBruno Bianchi
Andy Heyward
Jean Chalopin
Developed byJean Chalopin
Written byPeter Sauder (season 1)
Jean Chalopin (season 2)
Directed byBruno Bianchi
Voices ofDon Adams
Frank Welker
Cree Summer Francks
Holly Berger
Dan Hennessey
Maurice LaMarche
Theme music composerSaban Records[2]
ComposersShuki Levy[3]
Haim Saban[3]
Country of origin
  • United States
  • France
  • Canada (season 1)
Original language
  • English
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes86 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersJean Chalopin
Andy Heyward
Tetsuo Katayama
ProducersJean Chalopin[3]
Andy Heyward
Tetsuo Katayama
Patrick Loubert (season 1)
Running time22 minutes
Production companiesDIC Audiovisuel
Nelvana (season 1)
Field Communications (season 1)
TMS Entertainment (season 1)
Cuckoo's Nest Studios (season 1)
K.K. DIC Asia (season 2)
Release
Original networkFirst-run syndication (United States)
FR3 (France)
First Choice Superchannel (Canada; season 1)
Original releasePilot:
December 4, 1982 (1982-12-04)
Main series:
September 5, 1983 (1983-09-05) –
November 13, 1985 (1985-11-13)
Related

The series stars the voice of Don Adams as the titular character, and first premiered on December 4, 1982, as an exclusive pilot. It is the first cartoon show to be syndicated by DIC, who specifically created the series to help expand into the North American market, and the first animated series to be presented in stereo sound. The program originally ran from 1983 to 1985, broadcasting 86 episodes over two seasons, and remained in syndication into the late 1990s. The TV series proved to be a success for DIC, not only launching the Inspector Gadget franchise, including additional animated productions, such as a 2015 sequel series, and two live-action films, but also encouraging the company to produce additional programs such as Heathcliff. In January 2009, IGN named Inspector Gadget as the 54th best in the Top 100 Best Animated TV Shows.[7]

Since 2012, the rights to Inspector Gadget have been owned by (previously DHX Media) through its in-name-only unit, Cookie Jar Entertainment. Cookie Jar had purchased DiC and its library of shows in 2008, and was itself acquired by DHX Media in 2012.

Premise Edit

Inspector Gadget, the titular character of the series, is a world-famous cyborg police inspector who works for a secret police organization that combats crime across the globe, with each of his missions focused on thwarting the criminal schemes of M.A.D. (which stands for "Mean And Dirty")[8]—a criminal organization led by the nefarious Dr. Claw, and conducted by his agents. Missions that he undertakes often occur in a foreign locale, or within the fictional city of Metro City. Despite the fact that Inspector Gadget is equipped with numerous gadgets to help him, including a personal vehicle that can morph between a family minivan to a compact police car, he is ultimately incompetent and clueless on each mission, often uses a gadget that he did not call for, and is sometimes prone to causing trouble inadvertently for those around him - an example of this is a running gag, inspired by the "self-destruct" message, in which Inspector Gadget is given briefing messages from his boss Chief Quimby, who primarily hands them to him while in disguise, only to have them unintentionally returned to him before they detonate.

In reality, the investigations are often conducted by Inspector Gadget's niece Penny, who has a gifted sleuthing mind despite her young age and secretly operates behind the scenes to thwart M.A.D.'s plot and ensure that her uncle remains out of harm's way, as Dr. Claw frequently instructs his agents to get rid of Inspector Gadget before he can stop them, in denial that she is his real enemy. Even though Inspector Gadget is incompetent, he always escapes danger due to luck, either from a misfired gadget, or from the secret assistance of the family dog Brain, who usually shadows him in disguise; on most occasions, his disguise often causes Inspector Gadget to chase him in the mistaken belief that he is a M.A.D. agent. While Penny remains in contact with Brain during her investigation, she is often placed in danger and either escapes by recalling Brain to help, or using her own technology. Despite the pair's involvement, both make it certain that Inspector Gadget is seen to have completed the mission in Quimby's opinion; in some cases, Inspector Gadget actually completes a mission, though usually through his own luck. Dr. Claw always vows revenge on Inspector Gadget for thwarting his schemes, and flees the scene on most occasions having been on site to oversee his plans.

Like many cartoons made in the 1980s, Inspector Gadget always ended each episode with a public service announcement advising how to handle a situation, such as the danger of dealing with strangers.

Characters Edit

  • Inspector Gadget (Inspecteur Gadget in French) (voiced by Jesse White in the pilot (1st version), Gary Owens in the pilot (2nd version) and by Don Adams in the pilot (3rd version) and main series): Despite being laden with many gadgets in his body, he is frequently absent-minded and clueless, bungles his cases and gets himself into danger, only escaping from trouble and completing his missions with luck. (In the earliest produced episodes, Gadget was halfway brilliant, deducing that Dr. Claw is nearby and even became infuriated when he lost his nemesis in a high-speed chase) A policeman by nature, he is a caring family man that often takes risks to protect his niece Penny and their dog Brain, and has a firm disbelief in the supernatural. His character often utters four catchphrases during episodes—"Wowsers!", at times of shock and complete surprise; "Go-Go-Gadget", which is often spoken before Gadget names the gadget he intends to use; "Is that you, Chief? You're where?", uttered when Chief Quimby calls Gadget on his next assignment; and "I'm always on duty", which is also said to Quimby before Gadget leaves for his assignment. He often introduces himself with, "My name is Inspector Gadget", and otherwise it is implied that "Inspector" is his actual first name (rather than a title) and "Gadget" his surname.
  • Penny (Sophie in French) (voiced by Cree Summer in Season 1 and Holly Berger in Season 2): Inspector Gadget's smart niece. She is the true "brains" behind Inspector Gadget's investigations, and the one responsible for foiling M.A.D.'s schemes, a fact only known to Brain. Her investigations are conducted in secret, in which she uses two pieces of technology—a hi-tech computer disguised as a book; and a special utility wristwatch, which she frequently uses to communicate with Brain and monitor her uncle's activities with. Penny often gets kidnapped by M.A.D. when they catch her snooping into their affairs, but manages to escape with her technology or by calling on Brain for help.
  • Brain (Finot in French) (voiced by Frank Welker): The family dog, assists in investigations by secretly keeping Gadget out of danger, and on several occasions coming to Penny's aid when she needs him. The series' writers designed the character to be highly intelligent and resourceful, often becoming bipedal in order to operate under a number of disguises aimed at fooling Gadget and/or the M.A.D. Agents. A running gag is that Gadget will typically befriend M.A.D. Agents and remain oblivious to their attempts to kill him, while exclusively perceiving Brain as a M.A.D. Agent he needs to arrest. Brain is outfitted with a hi-tech collar that conceals a retractable video communications system linked to Penny's wristwatch, in which he communicates to her through a mixture of pantomime and physical gestures. By Season 2, Brain was using this video link to 'talk' to Penny in dog-talk reminiscent of Scooby-Doo.
  • Chief Quimby (Chef Gontier in French) (voiced by Dan Hennessey in Season 1 and Maurice LaMarche in Season 2): Inspector Gadget's short-tempered boss. The chief of police in Metro City, Quimby specialises in the use of disguises in order to pass on a message containing Inspector Gadget's briefing for his next message, a frequent plot element used at the beginning of each episode, as well as seeing him towards the end to congratulate him on a job well done, never realising that Inspector Gadget's niece is responsible for foiling Dr. Claw's plots or alerting him secretly to where he and the police need to be. As a running gag, Inspector Gadget is oblivious to the message's "self-destruct" element and returns it to his boss prior to it blowing up, always unintentionally and occasionally through sheer bad luck on Quimby's part. The character is frequently portrayed with a pipe in his mouth, is often on the receiving end of a mishap from Inspector Gadget's bumbling nature, and is accompanied by his own theme music during his main scene in the episode.
  • Doctor Claw (Docteur Gang in French) (voiced by Frank Welker and Don Francks): The leader of the evil M.A.D. organization. Dr. Claw often operates his schemes via a computer terminal, while accompanied by his pet cat M.A.D. Cat (a reference to James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld),[9] usually either within a base that is often depicted as an old castle, or from within his personal craft the M.A.D. Mobile—a black-and-red vehicle that can transform between a car, jet, and submersible, which he always escapes in when his latest scheme has failed whilst he is on location at or near where it is being conducted. Dr. Claw considers Inspector Gadget to be his greatest nemesis, despite being aware of his idiocy, but does know about Penny and Brain's involvement in his missions; however, both he and his M.A.D. agents presume they are simply under orders by Inspector Gadget to spy on their operations, and are never fully aware that they are the real brains behind his schemes being thwarted. The character always uses his catchphrase—"I'll get you next time, Gadget! Next time!"—at the end of each episode (during the end credits), often to illustrate his desire for revenge against Inspector Gadget. He is never seen, aside from his arms.
  • Corporal Capeman (voiced by Townsend Coleman): Inspector Gadget's sidekick, introduced in the second season. Capeman is a self-proclaimed superhero who acts in the manner of a stereotypical crime fighter, yet despite being more observant of details than the Inspector, he is equally as inept at interpreting them. Capeman dislikes Brain and is occasionally mean to him, despite Brain getting him out of trouble. Capeman is also obsessed with learning to fly and often mistakenly believes he has miraculously acquired the power of flight while in the midst of dire circumstances. Gadget almost always mispronounces Capeman's name as "Capman", while Penny calls him "Capey".

Episodes Edit

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
PilotDecember 4, 1982 (1982-12-04)
165September 5, 1983 (1983-09-05)December 2, 1983 (1983-12-02)
221September 30, 1985 (1985-09-30)November 13, 1985 (1985-11-13)

Production Edit

Origin Edit

In 1981, Inspector Gadget creator Andy Heyward left Hanna-Barbera and traveled to Paris to work with DIC Audiovisuel after being proposed by the company to do so.[10] As the company wanted entertainment for the United States, Heyward combined ideas to originate Inspector Gadget.[10] Many ideas were inspired by Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, Get Smart, and The Six Million Dollar Man.[10] Due to concerns that the show would not appeal to girls, Penny was created for the show.[10] Brain was named to conceive the idea that "he is smart while Inspector Gadget [is the opposite]."[10]

Chalopin, who at the time owned the DIC Audiovisuel studio, helped develop the format and concept for the rest of the episodes together with Bruno Bianchi, who designed the main characters and served as supervising director.[citation needed] Part of the project's existence was to recoup costs incurred by DiC and TMS Entertainment when a planned collaboration, a spin-off of Lupin the Third called Lupin VIII, was cancelled due to financial disputes with the estate of Arsène Lupin creator Maurice Leblanc.[citation needed]

Designs Edit

During the start of production, the model of Inspector Gadget was broken down for gadgets that needed to be created.[10] The original design of Inspector Gadget was done in Paris.[10] It included helicopter blades and was based on Andy Heyward and one of the directors of the series.[10] It was scrapped from the writers' confusion of the design, and production assistant Mike Maliani and Andy Heyward simplified the designs to avoid confusion.[10] Gadget went through approximately 350 sketches before reaching his final design.[10] Inspector Gadget originally had a moustache (as shown in the pilot). It was removed after DIC received a letter from MGM (which already acquired United Artists) that he looked too similar to Inspector Clouseau from Pink Panther.[10]

Writers Edit

Nelvana writer Peter Sauder was the head writer for season 1, which was co-produced by DiC.[11][better source needed] As Nelvana was no longer part of the production by season 2, the show was written by the DIC studio employees Eleanor Burian-Mohr, Mike O'Mahoney, Glen Egbert, and Jack Hanrahan.[11][better source needed] Hanrahan and Burian-Mohr would later write the Christmas special Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas[12] as well as many episodes of the Gadget Boy spinoff series, and Burian-Mohr additionally wrote dialogue for the educational show Inspector Gadget's Field Trip.[citation needed]

Due to various recurring elements in the series, often the basic plot of each episode was the same. The geographic location of each episode differed, however, and provided for some variety in the series.[13] The series effectively provided viewers with both comedic and dramatic moments.[13] Despite the censorship standards for American animated series in effect during the 1970s and 1980s, the series also included elements of slapstick comedy.[13] This was nearly forbidden at the time, but the censorship was less strict for syndication series and the studio got away with it.[13]

Animation Edit

Along with The Care Bears Movie,[14] Inspector Gadget was Nelvana's first foray into animation outsourcing.[15] Most of episodes from the first season were animated in Tokyo, Japan by TMS Entertainment, while a few episodes were animated in Taiwan by Cuckoo's Nest Studio, before being finished in post production by DiC and Nelvana.[citation needed] The pilot episode, "Winter Olympics" (a.k.a. "Gadget in Wonderland"[11][better source needed]), was animated by TMS's subsidiary; Telecom Animation Film and had a slightly higher budget than the rest of the episodes.[citation needed] The additional production facilities for TMS-animated episodes are AIC, and Oh! Production. Sunrise, and Toei Animation (uncredited) helped with the ink and painting process for the TMS-animated episodes.[citation needed]

Nelvana was not involved with the show's 21-episode second season, in which pre-production was now moved to DiC's own Los Angeles-based headquarters.[citation needed] The animation and post-production was generally done at K.K. DiC Asia (later Creativity & Development Asia), a Japanese animation house Jean Chalopin co-founded that DiC had some ownership in at the time.[citation needed]

Voice cast Edit

The role of Inspector Gadget went through two different voice actors before Don Adams was cast.[16] The first voice of Inspector Gadget was provided by Jesse White, but his voice characteristics were not tested well.[16] Gary Owens auditioned the voice of Inspector Gadget with ad-libs, including his catchphrase "Wowsers!".[16] Eventually, producers decided to cast actor Don Adams in the role, re-recording all of Inspector Gadget's dialogue in the pilot from Jesse White and Gary Owens.[16][a]

Dr. Claw, M.A.D. Cat, and Brain were voiced by Frank Welker.[11][better source needed] Welker and Adams recorded their dialogue in separate recordings in Los Angeles, while the rest of the first season's cast recorded in Toronto.[citation needed] Don Francks initially replaced Welker as Dr. Claw for 25 episodes following the pilot before Welker was called in to replace him for those episodes. However, Welker was unable to re-record a few episodes, where Francks' voice remained.[17][failed verification] Francks remained with the show, however, and usually performed the voice of a henchman of Dr. Claw.[citation needed] Sometimes Francks would portray a secondary M.A.D. agent, with Welker (who usually performed the voices of the agents otherwise) as the other in episodes where Francks' voice was necessary.[citation needed] Penny was originally voiced by Mona Marshall in the pilot and was subsequently portrayed by Don Francks' daughter, Cree Summer, for the rest of the first season in her first voice acting role. Chief Quimby was voiced by John Stephenson in the original pilot, and later by Dan Hennessey for the remainder of the first season.[citation needed]

After the pilot, all of the first season episodes were voice-recorded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Nelvana facilities.[citation needed] When production of Inspector Gadget moved from Nelvana in Toronto to DiC's headquarters in Los Angeles for the second season, all of the Canadian-based voice artists were replaced.[citation needed] Holly Berger replaced Cree Summer Francks as the voice of Penny while Maurice LaMarche replaced Dan Hennessey as the voice of Chief Quimby.[citation needed] Occasionally, LaMarche would fill in for Don Adams as Inspector Gadget whenever necessary.[citation needed]

Music Edit

The theme music was inspired by Edvard Grieg's movement "In the Hall of the Mountain King" and was composed by Shuki Levy.[18] For many years, Levy had a partnership with his friend Haim Saban, with Levy composing the music and Saban running the business. Their record company, Saban Records, (now Saban Music Group) has provided music for many DiC cartoons and children's shows in the 1980s and 1990s, and is still running today.[2] A soundtrack LP to accompany the series, named Inspecteur Gadget: Bande Originale de la Serie TV, was released in France in 1983 by Saban Records.[19] Wagram Music made it available on online services such as Spotify and iTunes.[20][21] An English-language soundtrack LP, entitled Inspector Gadget – The Music, was released in Australia in 1986 through ABC Records.[citation needed] While many of its tracks overlapped with those of the French LP, five tracks were exclusive to the Australian LP.[citation needed]

In her book Robot Takeover: 100 Iconic Robots of Myth, Popular Culture & Real Life, Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic says she considers the theme music to be widely recognized around the world. The series was a "global hit" and its theme song became "iconic". However, she notes that copies of the original television soundtrack had become extremely rare by 2010.[22]

Release Edit

Broadcast Edit

The original Inspector Gadget television series was the first production of DIC Entertainment intended for American television.[13] The series first premiered as an exclusive pilot on December 4, 1982.[23] On March 14, 1983, it was announced the series would be released in Fall 1983, consisting of 65 episodes.[24] The series' debut varies, depending on its affiliates.[citation needed] The earliest-known debut was on September 5, 1983, on WFSL-TV in Lansing, Michigan.[25] According to the Syndication Leaders chart in Electronic Media issued on March 1, 1984, the series was renewed for a second season.[26] On August 20, 1984, Television/Radio Age explained that the series was renewed for a second season due to its success, ordering 20 to 25 additional episodes.[27] On October 15, 1984, Broadcasting Magazine announced that the second season would begin in September 1985.[28] The second season debuted on September 30, 1985, and ended on November 13, 1985.[29]

Repeats of the series briefly appeared on CBS's Saturday morning cartoon lineup from 1991 to 1992.[citation needed] Nickelodeon also aired reruns of the show from October 1, 1987 until August 31, 1992, and again from November 4, 1996 until April 29, 2000. Internationally, it aired on various TV stations and remained in syndication into the late-1990s.[citation needed] Various stations, such as Global Television Network, and The Family Channel aired Inspector Gadget until the late-1990s.[30][31] Inspector Gadget was seen on Qubo from August 31, 2019 until the channel's shutdown on February 28, 2021.[citation needed]

Home media Edit

The Meier Group first released VHS tapes of the series in 1983, each containing a single episode.[citation needed] These releases continued on through companies such as Family Home Entertainment,[32][33][34] Kideo Video (distributed through Karl-Lorimar Home Video),[35][36] and Buena Vista Home Video.[citation needed] In 1999, Buena Vista Home Video released Inspector Gadget: Gadget's Greatest Gadgets, a direct-to-video feature that contained three episodes of the TV series. It was made to tie in with the Disney film, Inspector Gadget.[citation needed] On July 6, 2004, Sterling Entertainment released a VHS/DVD called Inspector Gadget: The Gadget Files. The release contains the show's pilot Winter Olympics alongside the first two episodes of the series, which are "Monster Lake" and "Down on the Farm". The DVD version contains "Gadget at the Circus" and "The Amazon" as bonus episodes, alongside an interview with Andy Heyward answering 10 questions voted upon by fans. The Sterling release of Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas contains the episodes "Weather in Tibet" and "Birds of a Feather" with "So It is Written" as a bonus episode.[citation needed]

In 2006, Shout! Factory acquired the rights to the series and subsequently released Inspector Gadget: The Original Series, a four-disc set featuring the first 22 episodes of the series on DVD on April 25, 2006, with Sony BMG Music Entertainment.[37] 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment would later acquire the home video rights for the series.[citation needed] On September 9, 2009, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released a single-disc DVD, Inspector Gadget: The Go Go Gadget Collection which features ten episodes from the series.[38] On May 24, 2013 TV Shows on DVD noted that New Video Group had acquired the home video rights to the series.[39] New Video Group released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time in four volume sets on October 8, 2013.[citation needed] They also re-released Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas on October 29, 2013.[citation needed]

The series is available on Amazon Prime Video for purchase.[40] As of September 11, 2023, Inspector Gadget can be streamed on Paramount+, The Roku Channel, and Pluto TV.[41][42][43]

Reception Edit

Critical response Edit

Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the series four stars out of five, writing, "Bumbling bionic detective offers worry-free laughs for kids."[44]

Ratings Edit

On November 28, 1983, Broadcasting Magazine reported that Inspector Gadget tied with Woman to Woman and Hour Magazine at No. 5 for Monday-to-Friday daytime programming in independent stations, with an average of a 7% share on each three stations.[45] On May 7, 1984, an advertisement revealed that Inspector Gadget appeared in 16 of the Top 20 markets and increased its Nielsen rating by 37% from October 1983 to February 1984.[46] On August 20, 1984, an advertisement from McNaught Syndication Inc. reported that Inspector Gadget was seen in the Top 20 of 19 markets and experienced an average increase of 56% in Kids 2-11 in 16 markets and 69% in Kids 6-11 in 17 markets from the previous year.[47] Television/Radio Age also reported that the series ranked at No. 8 in the kids' animation category, getting a 7.9 Nielsen rating with kids and a 2.1 Nielsen household rating with a share of 11%.[27] According to Henry Siegel, chairman of Lexington Broadcast Services, the series' success led to produce the 1984 animated adaptation of Heathcliff.[27]

On December 10, 1984, an advertisement from LBS Communications revealed that Inspector Gadget rose from being the No. 26 to No. 4 syndicated kids show in one year.[48] It was also revealed that since October 1983, it rose 156% in ratings, 189% in shares, 89% in homes, 100% in Kids 2-11, and 78% in Kids 6-11.[48] As of May 28, 1985, the original series was seen in 112 stations that covered 85% American households.[49] In May 1986, a "Fat Cats" advertisement from DIC Audiovisuel revealed that Inspector Gadget topped all other kids cartoons in Los Angeles, California, with an 18 Nielsen rating for kids.[50] It was also revealed that its rating for Kids 2-11 increased by 25% from November 1985 to February 1986.[50]

Franchise Edit

Live-action films Edit

Inspector Gadget was adapted into a 1999 live action film by Disney starring Matthew Broderick as the titular character, Dabney Coleman as Chief Quimby, Michelle Trachtenberg as Penny, and Rupert Everett as Dr. Claw, with Gadget's original voice actor, Don Adams, as Brain in a post-credits scene. It was panned by critics, fans and audiences, and because of it, the movie earned a 21% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[51]

A direct-to-video sequel was released in 2003. Broderick did not reprise his role as the title character; he was replaced by French Stewart. Elaine Hendrix was the lead female character as G2, and Caitlin Wachs portrayed Penny replacing Trachtenberg. D. L. Hughley reprises his role as the Gadgetmobile; he is the only star from the first film who appears in the sequel.

Comic books Edit

In 2011, a new Inspector Gadget comic book was published in the United States by Viper Comics. Written by Dale Mettam and illustrated by José Cobá, the style of the book is based on the original 1983 television show. A preview comic was released on May 7, 2011, as part of the Free Comic Book Day, before the entire story was officially published as a 48-page book in August.[52]

CGI reboot Edit

A new CGI animated Inspector Gadget TV series was developed in 2012. It was commissioned by Teletoon and put into pre-production by Cookie Jar Entertainment. It was mentioned by Ray Sharma, the CEO of XMG Studio, in January 2012. Sharma described how the success of the game had resulted in a new TV series being in the making: "We did 1 million downloads in a week, and it's reinvigorated the TV brand with a new TV series in production."[53] In September 2012, Cookie Jar issued a short press release about the upcoming series, as part of the advertising for it during the MIPCOM market that October, stating: "Cookie Jar Entertainment is celebrating Inspector Gadget's 30th anniversary with the launch of a brand-new series with its Canadian broadcast partner Teletoon. The series will again revolve around the iconic bionic bumbling detective."[54] On June 9, 2013, Teletoon officially announced the reboot series with two press pictures of Inspector Gadget's new look as well as a press release.[55] The TV series is produced by DHX Media, which purchased Cookie Jar Group in 2012.[56] The series premiered on Boomerang in Australia on January 5, 2015.[57][58]

Live-action reboot Edit

In May 2015, it was announced that a new film with a rebooted version of the character was in the works. Like the live-action movies, it would be by Disney, with Dan Lin producing it.[59] In October 2019, Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell were hired to write the film.[60]

See also Edit

Notes Edit

  1. ^ In the DVD commentary Wowsers! A Retrospective Look At Inspector Gadget, Andy Heyward stated that Gary Owens was the first to voice Inspector Gadget before it went to Jesse White. It is unknown which source has accurate information.[10]

References Edit

  1. ^ Scott 2014, p. 151.
  2. ^ a b . Saban.com. Saban Capital Group, Inc. Archived from the original on March 4, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
  3. ^ Arrant, Chris (December 2, 2011). "Animator Bruno Bianchi ("Inspector Gadget") Passes Away". Cartoon Brew. from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  4. ^ Rowan 2016, pp. 101–102.
  5. ^ . Cookie Jar Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 27, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
  6. ^ . IGN.com. January 23, 2009. Archived from the original on January 19, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
  7. ^ . PostIMG.org. Lexington Broadcast Services Company, Inc. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  8. ^ Martens, Todd (March 28, 2015). "Spectre trailer reinvents a famous Bond rival". Los Angeles Times. from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Heyward, Andy; Maliani, Mike (2006). Wowsers! A Retrospective Look At Inspector Gadget (DVD). Shout! Factory.
  10. ^ a b c d "Inspector Gadget (TV Series) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.com. Internet Movie Database. from the original on December 16, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  11. ^ Inspector Gadget saves Christmas. OCLC 861014208.
  12. ^ a b c d e Perlmutter 2014, pp. 208–209.
  13. ^ Stoffman 2002, p. 56.
  14. ^ Stoffman 2002, p. 52.
  15. ^ a b c d Heyward, Andy (2004); Ask Andy? (DVD). Sterling Entertainment.
  16. ^ . Frankwelker.net. March 1, 2013. Archived from the original on August 28, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^ . kickassclassical.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  18. ^ Inspecteur Gadget: Bande Originale de la Serie TV Vinyal
  19. ^ "L'inspecteur Gadget (Bande originale de la TV)". Spotify. 1981. from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  20. ^ "L'inspecteur Gadget (Bande originale de la TV)". Apple Music. January 1981. from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  21. ^ Matronic 2015, p. 142.
  22. ^ Weekly Variety; November 17, 1982 issue; Page 52
  23. ^ "Lexington Broadcast Services Co., Inc". Television/Radio Age. March 14, 1983. p. 218. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  24. ^ "Here's the new WFSL slate". Lansing State Journal. September 3, 1983. p. 20. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  25. ^ "Syndication Leaders". Electronic Media. March 1, 1984. p. 3. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  26. ^ a b c Sobel, Robert (August 20, 1984). "Syndicators unleash flood of first-run kid product". Television/Radio Age. pp. 33–35. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  27. ^ "Telecastings: In the marketplace" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine. October 15, 1984. p. 54. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  28. ^ "Inspector Gadget: Broadcast Schedule". LBS Communications Inc. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  29. ^ "Inspector Gadget | History of Canadian Broadcasting". www.broadcasting-history.ca. from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  30. ^ Jayne, Charlotte (September 12, 2017). "Apple Watch about to go even more Inspector Gadget with LTE". from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  31. ^ "Briefly Noted". Electronic Media. August 9, 1984. p. 20. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  32. ^ "Briefly Noted". Electronic Media. October 18, 1984. p. 43. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  33. ^ "Children's Entertainment" (PDF). Billboard. July 30, 1988. p. 46. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  34. ^ Bessman, Jim (April 19, 1986). "Children's" (PDF). Billboard. pp. 58, 60. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  35. ^ "1987 is on the way and, to start you off right, here comes... The Bratpack" (PDF). Billboard. Karl-Lorimar Home Video. December 20, 1986. p. 56. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  36. ^ . TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  37. ^ . TVShowsOnDVD.com. August 4, 2009. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  38. ^ . TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  39. ^ "Watch Inspector Gadget Season 1". Amazon Prime Video. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  40. ^ "Inspector Gadget - Watch on Paramount+". Paramount+. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  41. ^ "Inspector Gadget (1983) Online For Free". The Roku Channel. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
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Sources Edit

Further reading Edit

Go Go Gadget: The Creation of Inspector Gadget by Andy Heyward; 2016. ISBN 978-0-692-77628-5

External links Edit

inspector, gadget, 1983, series, 2015, series, inspector, gadget, 2015, series, inspector, gadget, animated, superhero, science, fiction, comedy, series, created, andy, heyward, jean, chalopin, bruno, bianchi, originally, syndicated, audiovisuel, lexington, br. For the 2015 series see Inspector Gadget 2015 TV series Inspector Gadget is an animated superhero science fiction comedy series co created by Andy Heyward Jean Chalopin and Bruno Bianchi 4 5 and was originally syndicated by DIC Audiovisuel and Lexington Broadcast Services Company The show revolves around the adventures of a clumsy dim witted detective named Inspector Gadget a cyborg human with various bionic gadgets built into his body who is sent on missions to thwart plans by his nemesis Dr Claw the leader of an evil organization known as M A D while unknowingly being assisted by his niece Penny and their dog Brain 6 Inspector GadgetTitle cardGenreScience fiction 1 SuperheroComedyCreated byBruno BianchiAndy HeywardJean ChalopinDeveloped byJean ChalopinWritten byPeter Sauder season 1 Jean Chalopin season 2 Directed byBruno BianchiVoices ofDon AdamsFrank WelkerCree Summer FrancksHolly BergerDan HennesseyMaurice LaMarcheTheme music composerSaban Records 2 ComposersShuki Levy 3 Haim Saban 3 Country of originUnited States France Canada season 1 Original languageEnglishNo of seasons2No of episodes86 list of episodes ProductionExecutive producersJean ChalopinAndy HeywardTetsuo KatayamaProducersJean Chalopin 3 Andy HeywardTetsuo KatayamaPatrick Loubert season 1 Running time22 minutesProduction companiesDIC AudiovisuelNelvana season 1 Field Communications season 1 TMS Entertainment season 1 Cuckoo s Nest Studios season 1 K K DIC Asia season 2 ReleaseOriginal networkFirst run syndication United States FR3 France First Choice Superchannel Canada season 1 Original releasePilot December 4 1982 1982 12 04 Main series September 5 1983 1983 09 05 November 13 1985 1985 11 13 RelatedInspector Gadget Saves Christmas Inspector Gadget 2015 The series stars the voice of Don Adams as the titular character and first premiered on December 4 1982 as an exclusive pilot It is the first cartoon show to be syndicated by DIC who specifically created the series to help expand into the North American market and the first animated series to be presented in stereo sound The program originally ran from 1983 to 1985 broadcasting 86 episodes over two seasons and remained in syndication into the late 1990s The TV series proved to be a success for DIC not only launching the Inspector Gadget franchise including additional animated productions such as a 2015 sequel series and two live action films but also encouraging the company to produce additional programs such as Heathcliff In January 2009 IGN named Inspector Gadget as the 54th best in the Top 100 Best Animated TV Shows 7 Since 2012 the rights to Inspector Gadget have been owned by previously DHX Media through its in name only unit Cookie Jar Entertainment Cookie Jar had purchased DiC and its library of shows in 2008 and was itself acquired by DHX Media in 2012 Contents 1 Premise 2 Characters 3 Episodes 4 Production 4 1 Origin 4 2 Designs 4 3 Writers 4 4 Animation 4 5 Voice cast 4 6 Music 5 Release 5 1 Broadcast 5 2 Home media 6 Reception 6 1 Critical response 6 2 Ratings 7 Franchise 7 1 Live action films 7 2 Comic books 7 3 CGI reboot 7 4 Live action reboot 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 Sources 12 Further reading 13 External linksPremise EditInspector Gadget the titular character of the series is a world famous cyborg police inspector who works for a secret police organization that combats crime across the globe with each of his missions focused on thwarting the criminal schemes of M A D which stands for Mean And Dirty 8 a criminal organization led by the nefarious Dr Claw and conducted by his agents Missions that he undertakes often occur in a foreign locale or within the fictional city of Metro City Despite the fact that Inspector Gadget is equipped with numerous gadgets to help him including a personal vehicle that can morph between a family minivan to a compact police car he is ultimately incompetent and clueless on each mission often uses a gadget that he did not call for and is sometimes prone to causing trouble inadvertently for those around him an example of this is a running gag inspired by the self destruct message in which Inspector Gadget is given briefing messages from his boss Chief Quimby who primarily hands them to him while in disguise only to have them unintentionally returned to him before they detonate In reality the investigations are often conducted by Inspector Gadget s niece Penny who has a gifted sleuthing mind despite her young age and secretly operates behind the scenes to thwart M A D s plot and ensure that her uncle remains out of harm s way as Dr Claw frequently instructs his agents to get rid of Inspector Gadget before he can stop them in denial that she is his real enemy Even though Inspector Gadget is incompetent he always escapes danger due to luck either from a misfired gadget or from the secret assistance of the family dog Brain who usually shadows him in disguise on most occasions his disguise often causes Inspector Gadget to chase him in the mistaken belief that he is a M A D agent While Penny remains in contact with Brain during her investigation she is often placed in danger and either escapes by recalling Brain to help or using her own technology Despite the pair s involvement both make it certain that Inspector Gadget is seen to have completed the mission in Quimby s opinion in some cases Inspector Gadget actually completes a mission though usually through his own luck Dr Claw always vows revenge on Inspector Gadget for thwarting his schemes and flees the scene on most occasions having been on site to oversee his plans Like many cartoons made in the 1980s Inspector Gadget always ended each episode with a public service announcement advising how to handle a situation such as the danger of dealing with strangers Characters EditInspector Gadget Inspecteur Gadget in French voiced by Jesse White in the pilot 1st version Gary Owens in the pilot 2nd version and by Don Adams in the pilot 3rd version and main series Despite being laden with many gadgets in his body he is frequently absent minded and clueless bungles his cases and gets himself into danger only escaping from trouble and completing his missions with luck In the earliest produced episodes Gadget was halfway brilliant deducing that Dr Claw is nearby and even became infuriated when he lost his nemesis in a high speed chase A policeman by nature he is a caring family man that often takes risks to protect his niece Penny and their dog Brain and has a firm disbelief in the supernatural His character often utters four catchphrases during episodes Wowsers at times of shock and complete surprise Go Go Gadget which is often spoken before Gadget names the gadget he intends to use Is that you Chief You re where uttered when Chief Quimby calls Gadget on his next assignment and I m always on duty which is also said to Quimby before Gadget leaves for his assignment He often introduces himself with My name is Inspector Gadget and otherwise it is implied that Inspector is his actual first name rather than a title and Gadget his surname Penny Sophie in French voiced by Cree Summer in Season 1 and Holly Berger in Season 2 Inspector Gadget s smart niece She is the true brains behind Inspector Gadget s investigations and the one responsible for foiling M A D s schemes a fact only known to Brain Her investigations are conducted in secret in which she uses two pieces of technology a hi tech computer disguised as a book and a special utility wristwatch which she frequently uses to communicate with Brain and monitor her uncle s activities with Penny often gets kidnapped by M A D when they catch her snooping into their affairs but manages to escape with her technology or by calling on Brain for help Brain Finot in French voiced by Frank Welker The family dog assists in investigations by secretly keeping Gadget out of danger and on several occasions coming to Penny s aid when she needs him The series writers designed the character to be highly intelligent and resourceful often becoming bipedal in order to operate under a number of disguises aimed at fooling Gadget and or the M A D Agents A running gag is that Gadget will typically befriend M A D Agents and remain oblivious to their attempts to kill him while exclusively perceiving Brain as a M A D Agent he needs to arrest Brain is outfitted with a hi tech collar that conceals a retractable video communications system linked to Penny s wristwatch in which he communicates to her through a mixture of pantomime and physical gestures By Season 2 Brain was using this video link to talk to Penny in dog talk reminiscent of Scooby Doo Chief Quimby Chef Gontier in French voiced by Dan Hennessey in Season 1 and Maurice LaMarche in Season 2 Inspector Gadget s short tempered boss The chief of police in Metro City Quimby specialises in the use of disguises in order to pass on a message containing Inspector Gadget s briefing for his next message a frequent plot element used at the beginning of each episode as well as seeing him towards the end to congratulate him on a job well done never realising that Inspector Gadget s niece is responsible for foiling Dr Claw s plots or alerting him secretly to where he and the police need to be As a running gag Inspector Gadget is oblivious to the message s self destruct element and returns it to his boss prior to it blowing up always unintentionally and occasionally through sheer bad luck on Quimby s part The character is frequently portrayed with a pipe in his mouth is often on the receiving end of a mishap from Inspector Gadget s bumbling nature and is accompanied by his own theme music during his main scene in the episode Doctor Claw Docteur Gang in French voiced by Frank Welker and Don Francks The leader of the evil M A D organization Dr Claw often operates his schemes via a computer terminal while accompanied by his pet cat M A D Cat a reference to James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld 9 usually either within a base that is often depicted as an old castle or from within his personal craft the M A D Mobile a black and red vehicle that can transform between a car jet and submersible which he always escapes in when his latest scheme has failed whilst he is on location at or near where it is being conducted Dr Claw considers Inspector Gadget to be his greatest nemesis despite being aware of his idiocy but does know about Penny and Brain s involvement in his missions however both he and his M A D agents presume they are simply under orders by Inspector Gadget to spy on their operations and are never fully aware that they are the real brains behind his schemes being thwarted The character always uses his catchphrase I ll get you next time Gadget Next time at the end of each episode during the end credits often to illustrate his desire for revenge against Inspector Gadget He is never seen aside from his arms Corporal Capeman voiced by Townsend Coleman Inspector Gadget s sidekick introduced in the second season Capeman is a self proclaimed superhero who acts in the manner of a stereotypical crime fighter yet despite being more observant of details than the Inspector he is equally as inept at interpreting them Capeman dislikes Brain and is occasionally mean to him despite Brain getting him out of trouble Capeman is also obsessed with learning to fly and often mistakenly believes he has miraculously acquired the power of flight while in the midst of dire circumstances Gadget almost always mispronounces Capeman s name as Capman while Penny calls him Capey Episodes EditSee also List of Inspector Gadget 1983 TV series episodesSeasonEpisodesOriginally airedFirst airedLast airedPilotDecember 4 1982 1982 12 04 165September 5 1983 1983 09 05 December 2 1983 1983 12 02 221September 30 1985 1985 09 30 November 13 1985 1985 11 13 Production EditOrigin Edit In 1981 Inspector Gadget creator Andy Heyward left Hanna Barbera and traveled to Paris to work with DIC Audiovisuel after being proposed by the company to do so 10 As the company wanted entertainment for the United States Heyward combined ideas to originate Inspector Gadget 10 Many ideas were inspired by Dynomutt Dog Wonder Get Smart and The Six Million Dollar Man 10 Due to concerns that the show would not appeal to girls Penny was created for the show 10 Brain was named to conceive the idea that he is smart while Inspector Gadget is the opposite 10 Chalopin who at the time owned the DIC Audiovisuel studio helped develop the format and concept for the rest of the episodes together with Bruno Bianchi who designed the main characters and served as supervising director citation needed Part of the project s existence was to recoup costs incurred by DiC and TMS Entertainment when a planned collaboration a spin off of Lupin the Third called Lupin VIII was cancelled due to financial disputes with the estate of Arsene Lupin creator Maurice Leblanc citation needed Designs Edit During the start of production the model of Inspector Gadget was broken down for gadgets that needed to be created 10 The original design of Inspector Gadget was done in Paris 10 It included helicopter blades and was based on Andy Heyward and one of the directors of the series 10 It was scrapped from the writers confusion of the design and production assistant Mike Maliani and Andy Heyward simplified the designs to avoid confusion 10 Gadget went through approximately 350 sketches before reaching his final design 10 Inspector Gadget originally had a moustache as shown in the pilot It was removed after DIC received a letter from MGM which already acquired United Artists that he looked too similar to Inspector Clouseau from Pink Panther 10 Writers Edit Nelvana writer Peter Sauder was the head writer for season 1 which was co produced by DiC 11 better source needed As Nelvana was no longer part of the production by season 2 the show was written by the DIC studio employees Eleanor Burian Mohr Mike O Mahoney Glen Egbert and Jack Hanrahan 11 better source needed Hanrahan and Burian Mohr would later write the Christmas special Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas 12 as well as many episodes of the Gadget Boy spinoff series and Burian Mohr additionally wrote dialogue for the educational show Inspector Gadget s Field Trip citation needed Due to various recurring elements in the series often the basic plot of each episode was the same The geographic location of each episode differed however and provided for some variety in the series 13 The series effectively provided viewers with both comedic and dramatic moments 13 Despite the censorship standards for American animated series in effect during the 1970s and 1980s the series also included elements of slapstick comedy 13 This was nearly forbidden at the time but the censorship was less strict for syndication series and the studio got away with it 13 Animation Edit Along with The Care Bears Movie 14 Inspector Gadget was Nelvana s first foray into animation outsourcing 15 Most of episodes from the first season were animated in Tokyo Japan by TMS Entertainment while a few episodes were animated in Taiwan by Cuckoo s Nest Studio before being finished in post production by DiC and Nelvana citation needed The pilot episode Winter Olympics a k a Gadget in Wonderland 11 better source needed was animated by TMS s subsidiary Telecom Animation Film and had a slightly higher budget than the rest of the episodes citation needed The additional production facilities for TMS animated episodes are AIC and Oh Production Sunrise and Toei Animation uncredited helped with the ink and painting process for the TMS animated episodes citation needed Nelvana was not involved with the show s 21 episode second season in which pre production was now moved to DiC s own Los Angeles based headquarters citation needed The animation and post production was generally done at K K DiC Asia later Creativity amp Development Asia a Japanese animation house Jean Chalopin co founded that DiC had some ownership in at the time citation needed Voice cast Edit The role of Inspector Gadget went through two different voice actors before Don Adams was cast 16 The first voice of Inspector Gadget was provided by Jesse White but his voice characteristics were not tested well 16 Gary Owens auditioned the voice of Inspector Gadget with ad libs including his catchphrase Wowsers 16 Eventually producers decided to cast actor Don Adams in the role re recording all of Inspector Gadget s dialogue in the pilot from Jesse White and Gary Owens 16 a Dr Claw M A D Cat and Brain were voiced by Frank Welker 11 better source needed Welker and Adams recorded their dialogue in separate recordings in Los Angeles while the rest of the first season s cast recorded in Toronto citation needed Don Francks initially replaced Welker as Dr Claw for 25 episodes following the pilot before Welker was called in to replace him for those episodes However Welker was unable to re record a few episodes where Francks voice remained 17 failed verification Francks remained with the show however and usually performed the voice of a henchman of Dr Claw citation needed Sometimes Francks would portray a secondary M A D agent with Welker who usually performed the voices of the agents otherwise as the other in episodes where Francks voice was necessary citation needed Penny was originally voiced by Mona Marshall in the pilot and was subsequently portrayed by Don Francks daughter Cree Summer for the rest of the first season in her first voice acting role Chief Quimby was voiced by John Stephenson in the original pilot and later by Dan Hennessey for the remainder of the first season citation needed After the pilot all of the first season episodes were voice recorded in Toronto Ontario Canada at the Nelvana facilities citation needed When production of Inspector Gadget moved from Nelvana in Toronto to DiC s headquarters in Los Angeles for the second season all of the Canadian based voice artists were replaced citation needed Holly Berger replaced Cree Summer Francks as the voice of Penny while Maurice LaMarche replaced Dan Hennessey as the voice of Chief Quimby citation needed Occasionally LaMarche would fill in for Don Adams as Inspector Gadget whenever necessary citation needed Music Edit The theme music was inspired by Edvard Grieg s movement In the Hall of the Mountain King and was composed by Shuki Levy 18 For many years Levy had a partnership with his friend Haim Saban with Levy composing the music and Saban running the business Their record company Saban Records now Saban Music Group has provided music for many DiC cartoons and children s shows in the 1980s and 1990s and is still running today 2 A soundtrack LP to accompany the series named Inspecteur Gadget Bande Originale de la Serie TV was released in France in 1983 by Saban Records 19 Wagram Music made it available on online services such as Spotify and iTunes 20 21 An English language soundtrack LP entitled Inspector Gadget The Music was released in Australia in 1986 through ABC Records citation needed While many of its tracks overlapped with those of the French LP five tracks were exclusive to the Australian LP citation needed In her book Robot Takeover 100 Iconic Robots of Myth Popular Culture amp Real Life Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic says she considers the theme music to be widely recognized around the world The series was a global hit and its theme song became iconic However she notes that copies of the original television soundtrack had become extremely rare by 2010 22 Release EditBroadcast Edit The original Inspector Gadget television series was the first production of DIC Entertainment intended for American television 13 The series first premiered as an exclusive pilot on December 4 1982 23 On March 14 1983 it was announced the series would be released in Fall 1983 consisting of 65 episodes 24 The series debut varies depending on its affiliates citation needed The earliest known debut was on September 5 1983 on WFSL TV in Lansing Michigan 25 According to the Syndication Leaders chart in Electronic Media issued on March 1 1984 the series was renewed for a second season 26 On August 20 1984 Television Radio Age explained that the series was renewed for a second season due to its success ordering 20 to 25 additional episodes 27 On October 15 1984 Broadcasting Magazine announced that the second season would begin in September 1985 28 The second season debuted on September 30 1985 and ended on November 13 1985 29 Repeats of the series briefly appeared on CBS s Saturday morning cartoon lineup from 1991 to 1992 citation needed Nickelodeon also aired reruns of the show from October 1 1987 until August 31 1992 and again from November 4 1996 until April 29 2000 Internationally it aired on various TV stations and remained in syndication into the late 1990s citation needed Various stations such as Global Television Network and The Family Channel aired Inspector Gadget until the late 1990s 30 31 Inspector Gadget was seen on Qubo from August 31 2019 until the channel s shutdown on February 28 2021 citation needed Home media Edit The Meier Group first released VHS tapes of the series in 1983 each containing a single episode citation needed These releases continued on through companies such as Family Home Entertainment 32 33 34 Kideo Video distributed through Karl Lorimar Home Video 35 36 and Buena Vista Home Video citation needed In 1999 Buena Vista Home Video released Inspector Gadget Gadget s Greatest Gadgets a direct to video feature that contained three episodes of the TV series It was made to tie in with the Disney film Inspector Gadget citation needed On July 6 2004 Sterling Entertainment released a VHS DVD called Inspector Gadget The Gadget Files The release contains the show s pilot Winter Olympics alongside the first two episodes of the series which are Monster Lake and Down on the Farm The DVD version contains Gadget at the Circus and The Amazon as bonus episodes alongside an interview with Andy Heyward answering 10 questions voted upon by fans The Sterling release of Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas contains the episodes Weather in Tibet and Birds of a Feather with So It is Written as a bonus episode citation needed In 2006 Shout Factory acquired the rights to the series and subsequently released Inspector Gadget The Original Series a four disc set featuring the first 22 episodes of the series on DVD on April 25 2006 with Sony BMG Music Entertainment 37 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment would later acquire the home video rights for the series citation needed On September 9 2009 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released a single disc DVD Inspector Gadget The Go Go Gadget Collection which features ten episodes from the series 38 On May 24 2013 TV Shows on DVD noted that New Video Group had acquired the home video rights to the series 39 New Video Group released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time in four volume sets on October 8 2013 citation needed They also re released Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas on October 29 2013 citation needed The series is available on Amazon Prime Video for purchase 40 As of September 11 2023 Inspector Gadget can be streamed on Paramount The Roku Channel and Pluto TV 41 42 43 Reception EditThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it September 2023 Critical response Edit Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the series four stars out of five writing Bumbling bionic detective offers worry free laughs for kids 44 Ratings Edit On November 28 1983 Broadcasting Magazine reported that Inspector Gadget tied with Woman to Woman and Hour Magazine at No 5 for Monday to Friday daytime programming in independent stations with an average of a 7 share on each three stations 45 On May 7 1984 an advertisement revealed that Inspector Gadget appeared in 16 of the Top 20 markets and increased its Nielsen rating by 37 from October 1983 to February 1984 46 On August 20 1984 an advertisement from McNaught Syndication Inc reported that Inspector Gadget was seen in the Top 20 of 19 markets and experienced an average increase of 56 in Kids 2 11 in 16 markets and 69 in Kids 6 11 in 17 markets from the previous year 47 Television Radio Age also reported that the series ranked at No 8 in the kids animation category getting a 7 9 Nielsen rating with kids and a 2 1 Nielsen household rating with a share of 11 27 According to Henry Siegel chairman of Lexington Broadcast Services the series success led to produce the 1984 animated adaptation of Heathcliff 27 On December 10 1984 an advertisement from LBS Communications revealed that Inspector Gadget rose from being the No 26 to No 4 syndicated kids show in one year 48 It was also revealed that since October 1983 it rose 156 in ratings 189 in shares 89 in homes 100 in Kids 2 11 and 78 in Kids 6 11 48 As of May 28 1985 the original series was seen in 112 stations that covered 85 American households 49 In May 1986 a Fat Cats advertisement from DIC Audiovisuel revealed that Inspector Gadget topped all other kids cartoons in Los Angeles California with an 18 Nielsen rating for kids 50 It was also revealed that its rating for Kids 2 11 increased by 25 from November 1985 to February 1986 50 Franchise EditFurther information Inspector Gadget Live action films Edit Main article Inspector Gadget film Inspector Gadget was adapted into a 1999 live action film by Disney starring Matthew Broderick as the titular character Dabney Coleman as Chief Quimby Michelle Trachtenberg as Penny and Rupert Everett as Dr Claw with Gadget s original voice actor Don Adams as Brain in a post credits scene It was panned by critics fans and audiences and because of it the movie earned a 21 approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes 51 A direct to video sequel was released in 2003 Broderick did not reprise his role as the title character he was replaced by French Stewart Elaine Hendrix was the lead female character as G2 and Caitlin Wachs portrayed Penny replacing Trachtenberg D L Hughley reprises his role as the Gadgetmobile he is the only star from the first film who appears in the sequel Comic books Edit In 2011 a new Inspector Gadget comic book was published in the United States by Viper Comics Written by Dale Mettam and illustrated by Jose Coba the style of the book is based on the original 1983 television show A preview comic was released on May 7 2011 as part of the Free Comic Book Day before the entire story was officially published as a 48 page book in August 52 CGI reboot Edit Main article Inspector Gadget 2015 TV series A new CGI animated Inspector Gadget TV series was developed in 2012 It was commissioned by Teletoon and put into pre production by Cookie Jar Entertainment It was mentioned by Ray Sharma the CEO of XMG Studio in January 2012 Sharma described how the success of the game had resulted in a new TV series being in the making We did 1 million downloads in a week and it s reinvigorated the TV brand with a new TV series in production 53 In September 2012 Cookie Jar issued a short press release about the upcoming series as part of the advertising for it during the MIPCOM market that October stating Cookie Jar Entertainment is celebrating Inspector Gadget s 30th anniversary with the launch of a brand new series with its Canadian broadcast partner Teletoon The series will again revolve around the iconic bionic bumbling detective 54 On June 9 2013 Teletoon officially announced the reboot series with two press pictures of Inspector Gadget s new look as well as a press release 55 The TV series is produced by DHX Media which purchased Cookie Jar Group in 2012 56 The series premiered on Boomerang in Australia on January 5 2015 57 58 Live action reboot Edit In May 2015 it was announced that a new film with a rebooted version of the character was in the works Like the live action movies it would be by Disney with Dan Lin producing it 59 In October 2019 Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell were hired to write the film 60 See also EditList of French animated television seriesNotes Edit In the DVD commentary Wowsers A Retrospective Look At Inspector Gadget Andy Heyward stated that Gary Owens was the first to voice Inspector Gadget before it went to Jesse White It is unknown which source has accurate information 10 References Edit Scott 2014 p 151 a b Saban Music Group Saban com Saban Capital Group Inc Archived from the original on March 4 2009 Retrieved June 29 2009 a b c United States Copyright Office Public Catalog Archived June 29 2012 at archive today Search title Inspector Gadget produced by Jean Chalopin and Andy Heyward directed by Arrant Chris December 2 2011 Animator Bruno Bianchi Inspector Gadget Passes Away Cartoon Brew Archived from the original on January 9 2014 Retrieved December 20 2011 Rowan 2016 pp 101 102 Inspector Gadget Cookie Jar Entertainment Archived from the original on September 27 2009 Retrieved June 29 2009 54 Inspector Gadget IGN com January 23 2009 Archived from the original on January 19 2009 Retrieved January 24 2009 Watch Out Evildoers and Bad Guys Here Comes Inspector Gadget PostIMG org Lexington Broadcast Services Company Inc Archived from the original on July 28 2017 Retrieved December 21 2016 Martens Todd March 28 2015 Spectre trailer reinvents a famous Bond rival Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on November 17 2015 Retrieved November 7 2015 a b c d e f g h i j k l Heyward Andy Maliani Mike 2006 Wowsers A Retrospective Look At Inspector Gadget DVD Shout Factory a b c d Inspector Gadget TV Series Full Cast amp Crew IMDb com Internet Movie Database Archived from the original on December 16 2016 Retrieved December 21 2016 Inspector Gadget saves Christmas OCLC 861014208 a b c d e Perlmutter 2014 pp 208 209 Stoffman 2002 p 56 Stoffman 2002 p 52 a b c d Heyward Andy 2004 Ask Andy DVD Sterling Entertainment Frank Welker Homepage Frankwelker net March 1 2013 Archived from the original on August 28 2013 Retrieved October 7 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Composers A Z GRIEG Edvard 1843 1907 kickassclassical com Archived from the original on September 5 2008 Retrieved December 21 2016 Inspecteur Gadget Bande Originale de la Serie TV Vinyal L inspecteur Gadget Bande originale de la TV Spotify 1981 Archived from the original on January 2 2018 Retrieved January 1 2018 L inspecteur Gadget Bande originale de la TV Apple Music January 1981 Archived from the original on January 2 2018 Retrieved January 1 2018 Matronic 2015 p 142 Weekly Variety November 17 1982 issue Page 52 Lexington Broadcast Services Co Inc Television Radio Age March 14 1983 p 218 Retrieved September 10 2023 Here s the new WFSL slate Lansing State Journal September 3 1983 p 20 Retrieved September 12 2023 Syndication Leaders Electronic Media March 1 1984 p 3 Retrieved September 10 2023 a b c Sobel Robert August 20 1984 Syndicators unleash flood of first run kid product Television Radio Age pp 33 35 Retrieved September 10 2023 Telecastings In the marketplace PDF Broadcasting Magazine October 15 1984 p 54 Retrieved September 10 2023 Inspector Gadget Broadcast Schedule LBS Communications Inc Retrieved September 10 2023 Inspector Gadget History of Canadian Broadcasting www broadcasting history ca Archived from the original on August 22 2019 Retrieved August 22 2019 Jayne Charlotte September 12 2017 Apple Watch about to go even more Inspector Gadget with LTE Archived from the original on August 22 2019 Retrieved August 22 2019 Briefly Noted Electronic Media August 9 1984 p 20 Retrieved September 10 2023 Briefly Noted Electronic Media October 18 1984 p 43 Retrieved September 10 2023 Children s Entertainment PDF Billboard July 30 1988 p 46 Retrieved September 10 2023 Bessman Jim April 19 1986 Children s PDF Billboard pp 58 60 Retrieved September 10 2023 1987 is on the way and to start you off right here comes The Bratpack PDF Billboard Karl Lorimar Home Video December 20 1986 p 56 Retrieved September 10 2023 Inspector Gadget DVD news Shout Factory issues press release TVShowsOnDVD com Archived from the original on November 13 2013 Retrieved November 13 2013 Inspector Gadget Fox s Formal Press Release for The Go Go Gadget Collection TVShowsOnDVD com August 4 2009 Archived from the original on November 13 2013 Retrieved November 13 2013 Inspector Gadget DVD news Release Date for Inspector Gadget Season Sets TVShowsOnDVD com Archived from the original on November 12 2013 Retrieved November 13 2013 Watch Inspector Gadget Season 1 Amazon Prime Video Retrieved September 11 2023 Inspector Gadget Watch on Paramount Paramount Retrieved September 11 2023 Inspector Gadget 1983 Online For Free The Roku Channel Retrieved September 11 2023 Inspector Gadget on Pluto TV Pluto TV Retrieved September 11 2023 Inspector Gadget TV Review www commonsensemedia org February 16 2023 Syndicated rankings show old favorites topping the list PDF Broadcasting Magazine pp 50 54 56 Retrieved September 10 2023 Kid Kaper Success PDF Broadcasting Magazine May 7 1984 p 36 Retrieved September 10 2023 LBS has more treats for kids than anybody else Television Radio Age August 20 1984 p 29 Retrieved September 10 2023 a b Hit Strips For Kids Going Up Up Up PDF McNaught Syndication December 10 1984 Retrieved September 10 2023 Akst Daniel May 28 1985 DIC Enterprises Emerges as Animation Industry Giant Studio City Firm Changing Saturday Mornings Los Angeles Times p 2 Retrieved October 14 2023 a b Fat Cats PDF Channels of Communications McNaught Syndication Inc May 1986 pp 2 3 Retrieved September 10 2023 Inspector Gadget 1999 Rotten Tomatoes Archived from the original on September 2 2013 Retrieved September 6 2013 Henrickson Eric August 16 2011 Go go Gadget comic book Geek Watch The Detroit News Digital First Media Archived from the original on July 20 2014 Retrieved May 24 2012 MGF 2012 XMG s Sharma on the potential for transmedia and kickstarting augmented reality gaming with Ghostbusters PocketGamer biz January 26 2012 Archived from the original on November 13 2013 Retrieved November 13 2013 The New Inspector Gadget TV Series Is Scheduled For 2013 NextTime Gadget blogspot no November 13 2012 Archived from the original on November 13 2013 Retrieved November 13 2013 Inspector Gadget Reboot Tops Off TELETOON Canada s Latest Original Production Slate Teletoonmedia com Press release June 9 2013 Archived from the original on June 15 2013 Retrieved November 13 2013 DHX MEDIA TO ACQUIRE COOKIE JAR ENTERTAINMENT CREATING THE WORLD S LARGEST INDEPENDENT LIBRARY OF CHILDREN S ENTERTAINMENT CONTENT WildBrain Archived from the original on October 24 2020 Retrieved October 7 2020 Higgins D January 5 2015 NEW THIS WEEK Grimm Pretty Little Liars The 100 America s Next Top Model People s Choice Awards Hello Ladies The Movie 2015 AFC Asian Cup and live sport Foxtel Retrieved January 7 2015 Boomerang Channel Go Go Gadget relaunch Foxtel Insider Foxtel December 19 2014 Retrieved September 18 2015 Disney will produce a new Inspector Gadget Film Archived from the original on July 29 2019 Retrieved October 5 2019 Kit Borys October 4 2019 New Inspector Gadget Live Action Movie in the Works From Disney Exclusive The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on October 5 2019 Retrieved October 4 2019 Sources EditMatronic Ana 2015 Inspector Gadget Robot Takeover 100 Iconic Robots of Myth Popular Culture amp Real Life Hachette ISBN 978 1 84403 869 5 Perlmutter David 2014 Sweet and Sour 1980 1990 America Toons In A History of Television Animation McFarland amp Company ISBN 978 1 4766 1488 5 Rowan Terry M 2016 Inspector Gadget Character Based Film Series Part 1 Lulu ISBN 978 1 365 42105 1 Scott John 2014 Cyborg Dictionary of Sociology Fourth Edition Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 968358 1 Stoffman Daniel 2002 The Nelvana Story Thirty Animated Years Nelvana Publishing Limited Kids Can Press ISBN 1 894786 00 9 Further reading EditGo Go Gadget The Creation of Inspector Gadget by Andy Heyward 2016 ISBN 978 0 692 77628 5External links Edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Inspector Gadget 1983 TV series Inspector Gadget at DHX Media Inspector Gadget at IMDb Inspector Gadget at epguides com Inspector Gadget at The Big Cartoon DataBase Inspector Gadget at Don Markstein s Toonopedia Archived from the original on September 17 2016 Portals nbsp Television nbsp United States nbsp Cartoon nbsp Animation nbsp 1980s Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Inspector Gadget 1983 TV series amp oldid 1180197426, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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