2 Stupid Dogs

''2 Stupid Dogs'' is an American animated television series created by Donovan Cook and produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons for on TBS. It originally ran from September 5, 1993 to February 13, 1995, as part of TBS's ''Sunday Morning in Front of the TV'' block and in syndication. The show's main segments feature two unnamed dogs, called the "Little Dog" and the "Big Dog" in the credits (voiced by Mark Schiff and Brad Garrett, respectively). The show entirely used digital ink and paint in every episode.

The show has been described as "Hanna-Barbera's answer to '' Ren and Stimpy''", a hit show created by Hanna-Barbera alumnus John Kricfalusi (who served as a consultant on the series) and premiered two years earlier in 1991 on Nickelodeon. Like Ren and Stimpy, the titular ''Dogs'' are not very bright, the show is scored with jazz music, and the comedy style leans on gross-out body-secretion humor. It was the first show put into production by Hanna-Barbera's new president, Fred Seibert, in 1992, but asked about the comparison, Hanna-Barbera CEO Seibert was unconcerned, saying that it was "like Pearl Jam worrying about being compared to Nirvana."

A backup segment, ''Super Secret Secret Squirrel'' (a sequel series to '' Secret Squirrel''), is shown in between the main ''2 Stupid Dogs'' cartoons in the first season's episodes, similar to early Hanna-Barbera cartoons from the 1960s. The series served as a precursor to the programming of Cartoon Network, where Hanna-Barbera would earn more success with series similar in tone.

Plot

The show, as the title suggests, is about two unintelligent and unnamed dogs, and their everyday misadventures. The animation style in the first season 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 wilder, more absurd second season has more fluid and exaggerated character animation.

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 very scared of cats, and when a cat (usually the same cat) appears, it is the Big Dog who scares it 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 – when the Big Dog talks, he usually talks about food. On occasion, he has also been shown to be surprisingly smarter than the Little Dog.
* The Cat is a small innocent cat which the Little Dog is terrified of, despite it 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 salesman. 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.
* 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 works different jobs, like Mr. Hollywood.
* Kenny Fowler (voiced by Jarrett Lennon) is a small skinny kid with nerdy glasses, who is often pushed around by Buzz. He is on friendly terms with the dogs.
* Buzz (voiced by Whit Hertford) is a school bully who picks on Kenny and says "What a Fowler!" whenever Kenny falls or makes a mistake.
* Buffy Ziegenhagen (voiced by Tawni Tamietti) is a girl in Kenny's class who 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 sometimes encounter in the woods. When she speaks, she shouts one word (sometimes two) in the sentence very loudly compared to the quiet tone of voice she usually has. Trying to visit her grandmother, she ends up in trouble due to her bad eyesight and the dogs' stupidity.

Episodes

Series overview

Each episode consists of three segments, with two ''2 Stupid Dogs'' shorts bookending a '' Super Secret Secret Squirrel'' short. Cumulatively, each episode is approximately 22 minutes in length, which amounts to roughly 7 minutes per segment.

Season 1 (1993)

Note: All episodes in this season were directed by Donovan Cook.

Season 2 (1994–95)

Home media

On August 14, 2018, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (via the Warner Archive Collection) released the first season of the series as ''2 Stupid Dogs/Secret Squirrel Show Volume One'' on DVD.

Reception

Martin "Dr. Toon" Goodman of '' Animation World Magazine'' described ''2 Stupid Dogs'' as one of two "clones" of ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'' (despite Kricfalusi acting as a consultant on the series), the other one being Disney's '' The Shnookums & Meat Funny Cartoon Show''. The series was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award but lost to '' Rugrats''.

Accolades

See also

* List of works produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions
* List of Hanna-Barbera characters
* ''The Ren & Stimpy Show''
* '' Cow and Chicken''

Notes

References

External links

*
*
*
*

{{The Ren & Stimpy Show

1993 American animated television series debuts
1995 American television series endings
1990s American animated comedy television series
1990s American children's comedy television series
American children's animated comedy television series
Animated television series about dogs
Animated television series set in the United States
American English-language television shows
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
TBS (American TV channel) original programming
Television series by Hanna-Barbera
Animated characters introduced in 1993
The Ren & Stimpy Show
Children's television series about talking animals