Danger Mouse is returning

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Buzz Bumble

Danger Mouse is returning

Post by Buzz Bumble » June 17th, 2014, 9:46 pm

The animated British series Danger Mouse is returning (apparently it played in America on Nickleodeon). Hopefully it won't be yet another silly barely-recognisable "reboot" with lots of idiotic ill-fitting changes.

This is from the local newspaper ...
Hero rodent returns to entertain 21st century children
Crumbs, DM ... the much-loved animated TV hero Danger Mouse is to make a comeback.

The cartoon series, which ran for more than 10 years until 1992, will make its return next year when it is screened by CBBC in Britain.

The white-clad rodent who wore a patch over one eye was voiced by Sir David Jason, while his sidekick Penfold was played by the late Terry Scott, although there has been no confirmation of stars who will be in the new run.

The show, created by the Cosgrove Hall animation studios, originally ran in ITV and many viewers will recall Penfold's catchphrase "Crumbs, DM", as well as the title music which featured the lines: "He's the greatest, he's fantastic, wherever there is danger he'll be there."

Despite the rise of other postal service since the show ended, Danger Mouse and Penfold's HQ will still be a red public postbox, although it will be packed with technology as befitting any modern action mouse.

Programme-makers say the eye patch will be replaced by an "i-patch", with state-of-the-art functions. The new look for the character has yet to be unveiled.

FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment owns the global TV and licensing rights to Danger Mouse and is joining the BBC to produce the new series which forms part of the division's five-year partnership with BBC Children's.

Co-creator Brian Cosgrove of the original show is a consultant on the 52-episode series, being made by Boulder Media and FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment.

Cheryl Taylor, the controller of CBBC, said: "Danger Mouse is the last word in debonair and delightfully eccentric heroics and with Penfold at his side the much-loved duo will win over a whole new generation of fans."

Cosgrove said: "I am delighted that a whole new generation will be introduced to his daring deeds and thrilled to be part of this new 21st century series. I can't wait to find out what he's been up to for the last 23 years."
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Re: Danger Mouse is returning

Post by EricJ » June 18th, 2014, 3:49 am

The white-clad rodent who wore a patch over one eye was voiced by Sir David Jason, while his sidekick Penfold was played by the late Terry Scott, although there has been no confirmation of stars who will be in the new run.
The show WAS David Jason and Terry Scott (and writer Brian Trueman). Anything else would be the cheesy kids-comic stories they tried adapting into episodes in the last season.
Programme-makers say the eye patch will be replaced by an "i-patch", with state-of-the-art functions. The new look for the character has yet to be unveiled.
To quote DM...oh, good grief.

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Re: Danger Mouse is returning

Post by Ben » June 18th, 2014, 4:43 am

This is cool news which, truth be told, I have known about through some personal contacts (at Fremantle, where I worked for over five years in the early 2000s) for almost a year now. I had no idea they were this close to an announcement though, or were about to make one...only that they had been hoping for this to happen.

DM always had technology, so the iPatch is going to be cool and, if the original plans that I heard about still hold, fans should be pleased that many of the same cast and crew are involved, right down to the animation being done and the new incarnation of Cosgrove Hall (I forget the name right now).

I don't think they're going to screw this one up, anyway. :)

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Re: Danger Mouse is returning

Post by Buzz Bumble » June 18th, 2014, 5:36 pm

I can see Apple's lawayers already drafting the "Cease & Desist" letter about the i-patch. ;)

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Re: Danger Mouse is returning

Post by gaastra » June 18th, 2014, 7:16 pm

Nice to see him back. Watched this on nick as a kid. Hope it's good.

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Re: Danger Mouse is returning

Post by droosan » June 19th, 2014, 2:03 pm

Danger Mouse was the first full-half-hour cartoon series aired on Nickelodeon, several years before the rise of "Nicktoons" (prior to DM, there had been other short animated snippets from Europe and Canada which had aired as portions of their daytime staple, Pinwheel).

I loved the show. :) I spent a few years collecting the entire series as it was released, piece-meal, on DVD (by Fremantle Media, IIRC). I also have an extremely nifty resin figurine featuring DM and Penfold in his car:

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The sole major difference between the british and american versions of Danger Mouse is the voice of Stiletto (Baron Greenback's crow henchman). The character's comical italian accent was changed for the U.S. to a gruff 'cockney-ish' accent .. possibly to avoid offending viewers of italian descent, since 'italian character = mafioso' might've caused Nickelodeon some controversy. I was not even aware that Stiletto's dialogue had been 'dubbed' until viewing the show on DVD (which contains only the original british dialogue track) .. so, at least the change didn't detract from enjoyment of the show..!

While not all 're-boots' are necessary -- I am not of the opinion that they are automatically a 'bad' idea.

I am definitely heartened to see Brian Cosgrove will be a consultant .. and the fact that Robert Cullen will be directing the new show is very intriguing. The Amazing World of Gumball has been among my favorite 'fun-to-watch' cartoon series of the past few years; a similar approach to the visual style of Danger Mouse could be really cool (the original would occasionally delve into a 'mixed-media' look, as well .. using photographs as backgrounds, etc).

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Re: Danger Mouse is returning

Post by darla » September 16th, 2014, 5:09 am

It wouldn't surprise me. I read about a Japanese animated series not long ago where they suddenly (ad stupidly) changed the magical horses in to regular school girls, and yet they still had horse ears and tails. :roll:

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