Dinosaurs made use of a system known as animatronics to express and alter the dinosaurs' facial movements, a process developed by Brian Henson and his team at the London Creature Shop. The show was an effective parody of human life and the American …
Dinosaurs was a half-hour sitcom which aired on ABC. The series, conceived just before Jim Henson's death, focused on a family of dinosaurs, the Sinclairs, and used ground-breaking full body, animatronic puppets.
The show was a joint venture that merged the talents and resources of Michael Jacobs Productions, The Jim Henson Company, and Disney's Touchstone Entertainment. Dinosaurs made use of a system known as animatronics to express and alter the dinosaurs' facial movements, a process developed by Brian Henson and his team at the London Creature Shop.
The show was an effective parody of human life and the American sitcom. Dinosaurs was set in the year 60,000,003 BC. Just a million years earlier, the dinosaurs behaved like animals, eating their offspring and living in swamps. But now they had evolved, raising families, living in houses, working, and paying taxes.
Earl Sneed Sinclair, a megalosaurus, works for the WESAYSO Development Corporation, under the direction of triceratops B.P. Richfield, leveling forests to make way for housing developments. Earl's wife Fran, an allosaurus, runs the house and family. The Sinclairs have three children: 14-year-old son Robbie a hypsilophodon; 12-year-old daughter Charlene a pachyrhinosaurus; and 1-year-old Baby Sinclair, whose birth is recounted in the pilot.
The series has been released on DVD by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. The first box set, Dinosaurs: The Complete First and Second Seasons, was released in May 2006. The second set, Dinosaurs: The Complete Third and Fourth Seasons, was released in May 2007.
Dinosaurs TV Show Intro
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom comedy television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs…
This article is about the TV series. For the comic book of the same name, see Dinosaurs. For the Disney movie of nearly the same name, see Dinosaur.
Family comedy-dramaComedy
Puppetry
Bruce Broughton
Ray Colcord
April 26, 1991 – July 20, 1994
The Sinclair family from left to right: Charlene, Fran, Baby, Earl, Robbie, and Fran's mother Ethyl
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom comedy television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Television and distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc.
The show utilized voice actors for the characters, which are performed by different actors and puppeteers.
Origins
News stories written at the time of the show's premiere highlighted Dinosaurs' connection to Jim Henson, who died the year before. "Jim Henson dreamed up the show's basic concept about 3 years ago," said a New York Times article in April 1991. "'He wanted it to be a sitcom with a pretty standard structure, with the biggest differences being that it's a family of dinosaurs and their society has this strange toxic life style,' said his son Brian Henson. But until The Simpsons took off, said Alex Rockwell, a vice president of the Henson organization, 'people thought it was a crazy idea.'"
In the late 1980s, Jim Henson worked with illustrator/designer William Stout on a feature film starring animatronic dinosaurs with the working title of The Natural History Project; a 1993 article in The New Yorker said that Henson continued to work on a dinosaur project (presumably the Dinosaurs concept) until the last months of his life.
The television division of the Walt Disney Company began working on the series in 1990 for CBS before the series landed on ABC.
Overview
Dinosaurs is initially set in 60,000,003 BC in Pangaea. The show centers on the Sinclair family: Earl Sinclair, the father; Fran Sinclair, the mother; Robbie Sinclair, the son; Charlene Sinclair, the daughter; Baby Sinclair, the baby; and Grandmother Ethyl Phillips.
Earl's job is to push over trees for the WESAYSO Corporation with his friend and coworker Roy Hess. Earl and Roy's boss is named B.P. Richfield.
The Sinclair name is a reference to the Sinclair Oil Corporation, which uses a dinosaur in its logo. The names Phillips, Hess, Richfield and B.P. (known as BP) are also the names of petroleum companies, further referencing the common belief that dinosaurs were one of the organic origins of petroleum.
Characters
The focus of the show's plot is the Sinclair family: Earl, Fran, Robbie, Charlene and Baby.
One of the show's most popular characters is the mischievous Baby (occasionally referred to as "Junior" until the 2nd season, where he was officially named "Baby Sinclair").
Baby's most famous catchphrase is "Not the mama!", shouted while hitting Earl repeatedly over the head with a frying pan. Frequently, when Baby should be hurt (such as after having been hurled through the air), he will throw his arms up enthusiastically and exclaim, "Again!" A music video was produced for a song based on another of Baby's catchphrases, "I'm the Baby, Gotta Love Me".
In 1992, a full music CD titled "Dinosaurios: Big Songs" was released in Mexico containing 12 song tracks related to the show and the characters. The CD contained the Spanish cover version of "I'm the Baby" titled "Soy el nene". In 1995, this song was also covered in Brazil by Maria Leal, Brazilian Dinosaurs' version voice for Baby. The song was titled "Eu sou o Baby, tem que me amar".
The Sinclair family members all appear to belong to wildly different species of dinosaurs. Humans have appeared in several episodes as caveman, and the dinosaur characters often expressed the belief that humans could never develop intelligence. Earl's favorite show on T.V. features a talking caveman named "Mr. Ugh" further expressing the dinosaurs' belief that humans are stupid. A recurring joke is that the dinosaurs do not know how to tell male and female humans apart and usually switch them in conversation. In one episode, "The Mating Dance", which zookeepers unknowingly pair two obviously male humans together and cannot figure out why they will not produce offspring. There are also other recurring characters, typically Earl's WESAYSO Corporation co-workers.
Broadcast History
- Friday at 8:30-9:00 PM on ABC: April 26—May 24, 1991
- Wednesday at 8:00-8:30 PM on ABC: September 18, 1991—February 26, 1992; June 1—July 20, 1994
- Friday at 9:00-9:30 PM on ABC: March 27, 1992—March 12, 1993; July 2, 1993
- Sunday at 7:30-8:00 PM on ABC: April 18—May 9, 1993
Topical issues
Topical issues featured in Dinosaurs include environmentalism, endangered species, women's rights, sexual harassment, objectification of women, censorship, civil rights, body image, steroid use, allusions to masturbation (in the form of Robbie getting caught doing a mating dance by himself), drug abuse, racism (in the form of problems between the biped dinosaurs and the quadruped dinosaurs), peer pressure, rights of indigenous peoples, corporate crime, government interference of parenting, allusions to homosexuality, and pacifism (in the guise of herbivorism).
The 2-part episode "Nuts to War", in which the two-legged dinosaurs go to war with the 4-legged dinosaurs over rights to pistachio trees, aired in February and March 1992, and was almost certainly in response to the Persian Gulf War. Dialogue in the episode addresses war profiteering (by the WESAYSO Corporation of B.P. Richfield, Earl's boss, which sells weaponry to both sides), the casualties of war (limited to one two-legger, which the Sinclair family thought for a time was Robbie), the war's use as a distraction from domestic issues during an election year, government suppression of information, and the harassment of the antiwar movement. The (politically) hawkish dinosaurs created a catchphrase for their political party: "We Are Right" (W.A.R.). Earl, originally a hawk but later disillusioned, takes to protesting the war with a sign reading "Pistachio Eaters Against the Chief Elder" (P.E.A.C.E.), a backronym.
In the episode "I Never Ate for My Father", in lieu of carnivorism, Robbie chooses to eat vegetables, and the other characters liken this to homosexuality, irreverence, vegetarianism, communism, and drug abuse.
In the final season, "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" (a take off of The Greatest Story Ever Told) even references religion when the Sinclair family becomes eager to learn the meaning of their existence. The Elders dictate a new system of beliefs, and the entire cast (with the exception of Robbie) abandons science to blindly following the newly popular "Potato-ism." The religion arbitrarily brings about a set of strange and pointless rules that they decree all dinosaurs must adhere to, possibly a parody of the Ten Commandments. Robbie and a reluctant Earl refuse to follow the rules leading to their punishment of being burned at the stake. Just as they are about to be executed, the fire mysteriously goes out. The dinosaurs realize they have been lied to, and the two are allowed to go free. The episode ends with Robbie asking where stars come from and Earl replies he had never thought about it but that he would now. Another religious-themed episode was "The Last Temptation of Ethyl", in which Ethyl willingly allows a televangelist to exploit her near-death experience to extort money from followers; she backs out after having a second such experience, where instead of heaven, she experiences a "place not so nice": an existence surrounded by nothing but multiple Earl Sinclairs.
In another episode, Earl switches bodies with a tree and raises the issue of conservation. This is more dramatically explored in the series finale.
Series finale
The series finale of Dinosaurs depicts the irresponsible actions of the dinosaurs toward their environment, and the ensuing Ice Age which leads to their demise. The episode "Changing Nature" begins with the failure of a swarm of Bunch Beetles to show up and devour a form of creeper vine. Charlene discovers that WESAYSO has constructed a wax fruit factory on the swampland that serves as the Bunch Beetles' breeding grounds, causing the extinction of the species (save for one male named Stan). Fearing a public relations fiasco more than any environmental threat, WESAYSO quickly puts Earl in charge of an attempt to destroy the vines, which have grown out of control without the beetles to keep them in check. Earl proposes spraying the planet with defoliant, which causes the destruction of the vines, but also kills off all plant life on the planet. Richfield assumes that the creation of clouds will bring rain, allowing the plants to grow back, and so decides to create clouds by dropping bombs in the planet's volcanoes to cause eruptions and cloud cover. The dark clouds instead cause global cooling, in the form of a gigantic cloudcover (simulating the effects of what the viewer would recognize as nuclear winter) that scientists estimate would take "tens of thousands of years" to dissipate. Richfield dismisses this as a cold snap and states that WESAYSO is currently producing blankets, heaters, and hot cocoa to help guarantee the dinosaurs' survival. Later, Earl apologizes to his family and Stan for his actions. The episode ends with Howard Handupme as he finishes his broadcast grimly saying "Good Night... Goodbye" to the audience.
The episode was a marked change from the series' normal humor. "Changing Nature" merited a special parental warning in TV Guide's listings during the week that it aired, cautioning that its subject matter might frighten or disturb younger viewers.
The series finale was episode 58 ("Changing Nature"). Episodes 59 – 65 were filmed but never shown during the original broadcast. They were later shown in syndication.
Shows within the show
While Dinosaurs was a TV show, several jokes in the series were at the expense of television shows in general. Earl often wants to watch TV rather than do something more practical, and several jokes accuse television of "dumbing down" the population and making it lazy. Four episodes had themes related to television. In "Family Challenge", Earl gets the family to go on a game show in order to win a new TV when both of the household's televisions are destroyed. In "Fran Live", Fran gets a call-in show when she suggests that the host of the show "Just Listening With Frank" should give advice rather than just listen. In "Network Genius", Earl starts working for ABC (the Antediluvian Broadcasting Company) and recommends several "stupid" shows for the network; when these shows drastically reduce the IQ of the population, he recommends "smart" shows to save the world. In "Georgie Must Die", Earl attempts to thwart the evil plans of an orange hippo named Georgie reminiscent of Barney from the PBS series Barney & Friends and Barney and the Backyard Gang. "The Last Temptation of Ethyl" is a double spoof of Unsolved Mysteries and TV evangelists.
A few characters in the shows within Dinosaurs made repeat appearances. Howard Handupme, whose name was a reference to the fact that he was a hand puppet, was the standard news anchor for the Dinosaur News Network (DNN). DNN's news commentator, Edward R. Hero, is an obvious reference to legendary CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow. Mr. Lizard, a parody of Mr. Wizard, was a scientist demonstrating several dangerous aspects of nature and science for his child assistant, who inevitably died in each episode (by such methods as watching the effects of what happens when you put an open flame next to a mixture of sulfur, potassium nitrate, and charcoal (black powder); having Timmy see how a rocket engine works by sticking his head into the exhaust while Mr. Lizard turns it on; and the effects of putting nitroglycerine in a blender), prompting Mr. Lizard to quip, "We're going to need another Timmy!" Captain Action Figure shows up in children's programming that Fran mistakes for a commercial. Whenever Captain Action Figure mentions a product, the screen flashes "Tell Mommy I WANT THAT!". Before the appearance of Georgie, Dinosaurs used a puppet highly reminiscent of Barney named "Blarney" in 2 episodes. During his appearances, members of the Sinclair family commented on his annoying characteristics and failure to teach anything to children.
International screening
In the United Kingdom, the show was screened on ITV in 1992 and in reruns from 1995 to 2002 on Disney Channel. In Canada the show started airing reruns in 1992 and aired them until the late '90s. In Australia, the show started airing on the Seven Network from February 1992 through to 1995. In Ireland, in the mid-1990s, it was shown on a Sunday evening on RTÉ Two (known as network 2 back then).
DVD releases
On May 2, 2006, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Dinosaurs: The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons as a 4-disc DVD box set. The DVD set includes "exclusive bonus features including a never-before-seen look at the making of Dinosaurs". The complete 3rd and 4th seasons, also a 4-disc DVD set, were released May 1, 2007 with special features, including the episodes not aired on US TV. Both sets are currently available only in Region 1. As of September 2012, all seasons are available for streaming on Netflix, but are in the wrong order for some unknown reasons.
Notes
- Many of the dinosaur characters' names were based on the names of oil companies (Sinclair, Phillips, Hess, Richfield) or the categories of fuels they produced, like Ethyl. Sinclair Oil in particular is known for its dinosaur mascot.
- B.P. Richfield's first and middle initials were inspired by British Petroleum.
- Seven episodes of the show were filmed and produced, but did not air in the initial run of the series. They were however included in the syndication package.
- At one point a Dinosaurs movie was planned, but never produced.
- In 1993, Michael Jacobs produced a pilot for Fox, referred to as First Family and The Ooog Show, which would have focused on cavemen and essentially continued the same concept as dinosaurs with mammals. Jacobs and Dinosaurs staff writers Tim Doyle and Bob Young wrote the script. The cast included several Dinosaurs alums: Joe Flaherty starred as caveman patriarch Ooog, while guest actors in the pilot included Suzie Plakson as Zsa Zsa and Michelan Sisti as "4th Caveman." The series was not picked up.
Cast
Puppeteers:
- Dave Goelz - Earl Sinclair (head) (Season 1-2)
- Steve Whitmire - Robbie Sinclair (head), Bradley P. Richfield (body & face), Mr. Mason Dixon, Judge H.T. Stone (body & face)
- Kevin Clash - Baby Sinclair (body & mouth), Dinosaur Chief (face), Mr. Ashland
- Bill Barretta - Earl Sneed Sinclair (body)
- Rickey Boyd - Ethyl Phillips (body & face) (Seasons 3-4)
- Julianne Buescher - Ansel (face), Caroline Foxworth (face & voice), Baby Sinclair (arms) (Season 4), Wendy Richfield (face), Thighs of Thunder (face)
- Kevin Carlson - Various characters
- Mitchell Young Evans - Fran Sinclair (body) (Season 1; Season 2, episode 6 only)
- Tom Fisher - The Babysitter (body), Earl Sinclair (body) (occasionally), The Doctor (body), Glenda Molehill (body), Heather Worthington (body)
- David Greenaway - Roy Hess (face), Buddy Glimmer (face), Ed (face), The Doctor (face), Gus Molehill (face), Bob the DMV Worker (face), Mr. Myman (face), Jean-Claude (face), Officer Bettelheim (face), Zabar (face), Job Wizard (face)
- Terri Hardin - Baby Sinclair (arms) (Seasons 1-3), Heather Worthington (face)
- Brian Henson - Ethyl Phillips (body & face) (Seasons 1-2)
- John Kennedy - Baby Sinclair (eyes)
- Bruce Lanoil - Charlene Sinclair (face), The Babysitter (face), The Devil (face), Mel Luster (face), Walter Sternhagen (face), Dr. Ficus (face), Glenda Molehill (face), Al Harris (face), The Clerk (face), The Insurance Agent (face), UFO Host (face)
- Arlene Lorre - Charlene Sinclair (body) (Season 1, episode 1 only)
- Pons Maar - Roy Hess (body), Fran Sinclair (body) (occasionally), Ansel (body), Bert (body), Chef (body), Decker (body), The Devil (body), Dr. Ficus (body), Larry (body), Scabby (body), Walter Sternhagen (body)
- Noel MacNeal - Various characters
- Drew Massey - Various characters
- Rob Mills - Robbie Sinclair (face) (occasionally), Bradley P. Richfield (body & face) (occasionally)
- James Murray - Various characters
- David Rudman - Various characters
- Tony Sabin Prince - Fran Sinclair (body) (Seasons 1-2), Les (body)
- Michelan Sisti - The Folk Singer (body), General H. Norman Conquest (body), UFO Host (body), Zabar (body), Jean-Claude (body), The Dinosaur Chief (body)
- Jodi St. Michael - Clerk (body)
- Jack Tate - Andre (body), The Job Wizard, Bob, Dolf, Elder, Georgie, Gus Molehill, Hank Hibler, Jerry Valentine, Insurance Agent, The Job Wizard, Lucius, Mel Luster, Ray Gherkin, Richard, Sarge, Sexual Harris, Shelly, Solomon the Great, Stu Boombird
- Leif Tilden - Robbie Sinclair (body), Muse (body), Mr. Myman (body)
- Allan Trautman - Fran Sinclair (face), Bradley P. Richfield (body, occasionally)
- Mak Wilson - Earl Sinclair (face) (Seasons 2-4), Andre (face)
Regular Voices:
Guest and Support Voices: Jason Alexander, Shaun Baker, Jason Bernard, Pat Crawford Brown, Stephen Caffrey, Ken Hudson Campbell, Tim Curry, Michael Dorn, Conchata Ferrell, Joe Flaherty, George Gaynes, John Glover, Buddy Hackett, Jack Harrell, Sally Kellerman, Mimi Kennedy, Joyce Kurtz, David Leisure, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jessica Lundy, Edie McClurg, Kate McGregor-Stewart, Michael McKean, Susan Norfleet, Gary Owens, Robert Picardo, Glenn Shadix, Thom Sharp, Richard Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor, Fred Travalena, John Vernon, Paxton Whitehead, David Wohl, Mak Wilson,Christopher Meloni
Gallery
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was…
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Television and distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc..[1][2] The characters were designed by Henson team member Kirk Thatcher.[3]
Dinosaurs initially featured a laugh track: it was eventually dropped as the show grew in popularity.[4] The show utilized voice actors for the characters, which are performed by different actors and puppeteers.
Origins
News stories written at the time of the show's premiere highlighted Dinosaurs' connection to Jim Henson, an American puppeteer who died the year before. "Jim Henson dreamed up the show's basic concept about three years ago," said a New York Times article in April 1991. "'He wanted it to be a sitcom with a pretty standard structure, with the biggest differences being that it's a family of dinosaurs and their society has this strange toxic life style,' said [his son] Brian Henson. But until The Simpsons took off, said Alex Rockwell, a vice president of the Henson organization, 'people thought it was a crazy idea.'"[5]
In the late 1980s, Henson worked with William Stout, a fantasy artist, illustrator and designer, on a feature film starring animatronic dinosaurs with the working title of The Natural History Project; a 1993 article in The New Yorker said that Henson continued to work on a dinosaur project (presumably the Dinosaurs concept) until the "last months of his life."[6]
The television division of the Walt Disney Company began working on the series in 1990 for CBS before the series landed on ABC, which Disney eventually acquired.[7]
Plot
Template:Expand plotDinosaurs is initially set in 60,000,003 BC in Pangaea. The show centers on the Sinclair family: Earl Sinclair (the father), Fran Sinclair (née Phillips), the mother and Earl's wife, their three children—son Robbie, daughter Charlene, and Baby Sinclair—and Fran's mother, Ethyl.
Earl's job is to push over trees for the Wesayso Corporation with his friend and coworker Roy Hess where they work under the supervision of their boss B. P. Richfield.
Characters
| This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2015) |
The focus of the show's plot is the Sinclair family: Earl, Fran, Robbie, Charlene, and Baby. Character and family names throughout the series often referred to petroleum companies and/or petroleum products. For example: Sinclair, Phillips, Hess, B.P., Richfield, and Ethyl, among others.
- see: w:c:muppet:Category:Dinosaurs_Characters
Main characters
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Sneed Sinclair | Stuart Pankin | Bill Barretta Tom Fisher (occasional) | Dave Goelz (season 1), Mak Wilson (seasons 2-4) | Megalosaurus | The patriarch of the Sinclair family, Earl is the protagonist. He is a Megalosaurus and is depicted as being thick-headed and suggestible. Earl works as a "Tree Pusher" at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. |
| Frances "Fran" Sinclair née Phillips | Jessica Walter | Tony Sabin Prince | Allan Trautman | Allosaurus | The mother and homemaker of the Sinclair family. Fran is mentioned on the show as being an Allosaurus. Her four fins and wrists make her resemble a Dilophosaurus as well. On rare occasions, Fran wears Fuzzy House-Slippers. |
| Robert "Robbie" Mark Sinclair | Jason Willinger | Leif Tilden | Steve Whitmire | Hypsilophodon | The eldest of the Sinclair children, he is a Hypsilophodon. Robbie's Character stands out with his trademark Bright Red Sneakers. However, there are three other Dinosaur characters that also wear shoes in this series. |
| Charlene Sinclair | Sally Struthers | Michelan Sisti | Bruce Lanoil | Protoceratops | Earl and Fran's daughter and middle-child. She is designed to be a generic-looking dinosaur (some features resemble a Protoceratops). |
| Baby Sinclair | Kevin Clash | Kevin Clash (body), Terri Harden (arms, Season 1-3) and Julianne Buescher (arms, Season 4) | Kevin Clash (mouth), John Kennedy (eyes) | Megalosaurus | Baby is the youngest of the Sinclair children is supposed to be a Megalosaurus as stated by Earl. In the episode "Out of the Frying Pan," Baby is shown as a Ceratosaurus. His legal name is Baby Sinclair, which was given to him by the Chief Elder. |
Supporting characters
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl Phillips née Hinkleman | Florence Stanley | Brian Henson (seasons 1-2), Rickey Boyd (seasons 3-4) | Edmontonia | Ethyl is an Edmontonia who is Fran's mother, Earl's mother-in-law, and the grandmother of Robbie, Charlene, and Baby. Ethyl comes to live with the Sinclairs, and is revealed to have a son named Stan (Fran's brother). Ethyl always wears 'Granny' type House-Slippers. | |
| Roy Hess | Sam McMurray | Pons Maar | David Greenaway | Tyrannosaurus rex | Roy is Earl's co-worker at the WESAYSO Development Corporation and closest friend. He is a dull-witted Tyrannosaurus rex who also has a brother named Roy. |
| B.P. (Bradley P.) Richfield | Sherman Hemsley | Steve Whitmire | Steve Whitmire | Triceratops | Bradley P. Richfield is Earl's intimidating boss at the WESAYSO Development Corporation where he oversees the "Tree Pushers." He is a Triceratops, with the horns on the frill making him look like a Styracosaurus. In "Hungry for Love," it is revealed that B.P. Richfield has a daughter named Wendy. |
| Monica Devertebrae | Suzie Plakson | n/a | Julianne Buescher | Apatosaurus | An Apatosaurus and semi-regular character who is the only four-legged dinosaur on the show. She is usually seen from the neck up where it took up to three to four people to operate the neck and head. |
| Spike | Christopher Meloni | David Greenaway | N/A | Polacanthus | He is a semi-regular character who resembles a Polacanthus with a black leather jacket. Spike is one of 4 Dinosaur character that wears shoes. (Biker Boots). Spike is Robbie's friend who often refers to him as "Scooter." |
| Ralph Needlenose | Various | Various | Various | Troodon | A Troodon who is a co-worker of Earl Sinclair and Roy Hess at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. The Full-Bodied costume used for Ralph is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Gus Spikebake | Various | Various | Various | Ceratosaurus | A Ceratosaurus who is a co-worker of Earl Sinclair and Roy Hess at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. The Full-Bodied costume used for Gus is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Sid Turtlepuss | Michelan Sisti | John Kennedy | Michelan Sisti | Psittacosaurus | A Psittacosaurus who is a co-worker of Earl Sinclair and Roy Hess at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. Sid Turtlepuss is seen more than the other characters. He enjoys bagels and donuts. The Full-Bodied costume used for Sid is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Mr. Pulman | Allan Trautman | Bruce Lanoil (first time), Tom Fisher (later appearances) | Allan Trautman | Troodon | A bespectacled Troodon who is a teacher at Bob LaBrea High School. The Full-Bodied costume used for Mr. Pulman is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Mindy | Jessica Lundy | Star Townsend | Julianne Buescher | Corythosaurus | A female Corythosaurus who is the best friend of Charlene Sinclair. There are two different characters with the same name that are both friends of Charlene. There are also two unrelated characters called Mindy:
|
| Howard Handupme | Kevin Clash | N/A | N/A | Pachycephalosaurus | A Walter Cronkite-esque Pachycephalosaurus who is the newscaster for DNN (short for Dinosaur News Network). He is one of a few characters that isn't a Full-Bodied character. |
| Chief Elder | Various Voices | Various Performers | N/A | Various species | Also known as the Elder-in-Chief, the Chief Elder presides over all of the government in Pangaea. It is assumed that he is the head of the Council of Elders. There had been different Chief Elders in different appearances:
|
| Mr. Lizard | Allan Trautman | N/A | N/A | Iguanodon | Mr. Lizard is a gray Iguanodon who is the star of the TV series "Ask Mr. Lizard" (a parody of the television show Watch Mr. Wizard). His show helpfully taught generations of children about science that was vaguely related to scientific principles, but mostly existed as a way of ridding the world of young dinosaurs named Timmy. After the often violent death of his assistant, Mr. Lizard would cheerfully call off camera "We're going to need another Timmy!" |
Other characters
The following characters are not in the Unisaurs category below:
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary | Steve Landesberg | N/A | N/A | Dilophosaurus | Gary is a 50ft. Dilophosaurus dinosaur whose feet can only be seen. He appeared in the Dinosaurs episode "High Noon". He takes a romantic interest in Fran Sinclair, and challenges Earl for her. |
| Henri Poupon | Tim Curry | Allan Trautman (puppeteer) | N/A | Archaeopteryx | Henri Poupon is an Archaeopteryx appeared in the Dinosaurs episode "Getting to Know You." Henri is the father of Francois Poupon and husband of Simone Poupon. The Poupons are a family of birds who come from an unnamed country, clearly based on France. Henri is irritated by exchange student Charlene Sinclair. He is disappointed by the consumption of his own son, but feels that a big screen TV would help the healing process. |
| Blarney | Steve Whitmire | N/A | N/A | Deinonychus | Blarney is a red Deinonychus hand-puppet character on Dinosaurs, intended as a spoof of Barney the Dinosaur. He appeared in Dinosaur TV segments in two fourth season episodes -- "Terrible Twos" and "Into the Woods." Blarney is adored by young children but is less popular with older viewers. He appears on videotapes released as part of the Blarney Home Video Library. Parents who order will "get a new video delivered to their child every hour for the next decade." Titles spoof not only the Barney franchise, but other commercials for mail-order videos, from fitness and health tapes to bridge, computers, and semi-religious quests. |
| Georgie | Allan Trautman (normal voice), Edward Asner (evil voice) | Jack Tate | Allan Trautman | European hippopotamus | Georgie is an unknown dinosaur dressed as a full-bodied European hippopotamus. He is a children's TV icon who appeared in the Dinosaurs episode "Georgie Must Die." An obvious spoof of Barney the Dinosaur like Blarney, Georgie is actually a megalomaniac planning to take over the world through his financial empire and the devotion of the dinosaur children. After Earl was arrested for impersonating Georgie, Fran invited Georgie down to the police department to clear things up where he showed off his bad side when alone with Earl while stating that he was not pleased with Earl posing as him. Later that night, Earl learned about his motives from Jean-Claude and Brigitte upon them springing Earl from the police department. Earl later fought Georgie on his television show and ended up defeating him. During the credits, Howard Handupme reported that Georgie was arrested for tax evasion and racketeering following an investigation from what happened on his TV show. It was also mentioned that the Chief Elder has pardoned Earl of his crime of posing as Georgie and gave him the Key to the City. Roy Hess ended up taking his place on TV as the eponymous "Uncle Roy." |
Unisaurs
Outside of the recurring characters, there are a group of dinosaur characters called Unisaurs. They are customizable dinosaur characters similar to the Whatnots from The Muppet Show and the Anything Muppets from Sesame Street. Some of the Unisaurs are Full-Bodied while the others are hand-puppets. They come in different types.
The following are the Full-Bodied Unisaurs:
| Character | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Longsnout | Dryptosaurus | A generic green Dryptosaurus. This Unisaur was used for:
|
| Needlenose | Troodon | A tall dinosaur resembling a Troodon with an elongated snout. In addition to being used for Mr. Pulman and Ralph Needlenose, this Unisaur was used for:
|
| Spikeback | Ceratosaurus | A bulky Ceratosaurus with a striped back, striped tail, and a nose horn. In addition to being used for Gus Spikeback, this Unisaur was used for:
|
| Turtlepuss | Psittacosaurus | A brown turtle-headed Psittacosaurus that was used as Earl's co-worker Sid Turtlepuss. This Unisaur was also used for:
|
| Unnamed Female Unisaur Class | Corythosaurus | A female Corythosaurus with a short snout, eyelashes, hair-like crest, and lighter-hued skin that was often used for Mindy. This Unisaur was also used for:
|
| Unnamed Female Light Green Unisaur | Dryosaurus | A female Dryosaurus with a short snout, eyelashes, hair-like three crest. |
The Hand-Puppet Unisaurs are usually used for television personalities, elders, officials, audience members, and other characters that can be viewed from the waist up. Here are the following Unisaurs in that category:
| Character | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Frilled blue dinosaur | Protoceratops | A blue Protoceratops that was used for the first Chief Elder in "Nuts to War" and was also used for:
|
| Frilled green dinosaur | Leptoceratops | A green Leptoceratops with a large muzzle that was used for various characters. Sometimes has horns to make it look like a Triceratops. |
| Crinkly-green humanoid-faced dinosaur | Moschops | A crinkly-green humanoid-faced dinosaur that was used for the other Chief Elders and was also used for:
|
| Gray Iguanodon-faced dinosaur | Iguanodon | That was often used for Mr. Lizard and other background appearances. |
| Cleft-chinned Albertosaurus-esque dinosaur | Albertosaurus | That was often used for Captain Action Figure, various newscasters, and various reporters. |
| Timmy-type | Mussaurus | A child Unisaur that was often used for Timmy in the "Ask Mr. Lizard" TV show. Two variations of this Unisaur existed: a green one and a blue one. |
| Duckbilled blue dinosaur | Edmontosaurus | A blue Edmontosaurus that was used for:
|
| Brown needlenose | Coelophysis | A brown puppet version of a Needlenose that was used for Mr. Otto Lynch from "What "Sexual" Harris Meant" (performed by Allan Trautman). |
| Stegosaurus | Stegosaurus | A Stegosaurus puppet that was used for:
The Stegosaurus puppet was also used several times as a student at Bob LaBrea High School. |
| Crested brown dinosaur | Corythosaurus | A crested-brown Corythosaurus that was used for:
|
| Parasaurolophus | Parasaurolophus | The Parasaurolophus puppet was often used for female characters starting in "Slave to Fashion." |
| Velociraptor | Velociraptor | The Velociraptor puppet was used in the final season. |
| Styracosaurus | Styracosaurus | A Styracosaurus puppet that was used for "Earl's Big Jackpot" and "Changing Nature". |
Episodes
- see: w:c:muppet:Category:Dinosaurs_Episodes
Topical issues
Topical issues featured in Dinosaurs include environmentalism, endangered species, women's rights, sexual harassment, objectification of women, censorship, civil rights, body image, steroid use, allusions to masturbation (in the form of Robbie doing the solo mating dance), drug abuse, racism (in the form of a dispute between the two-legged dinosaurs and the four-legged dinosaurs), peer pressure, rights of indigenous peoples (in the form of the dinosaurs interacting with cavepeople), corporate crime, government interference in parenting, and pacifism.[8]
In the episode "I Never Ate For My Father," in lieu of carnivorism, Robbie chooses to eat vegetables, and the other characters liken this to communism, and drug abuse.[citation needed]
In the final season, "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" (a take off of The Greatest Story Ever Told) even references religion when the Sinclair family becomes eager to learn the meaning of their existence. The Elders dictate a new system of beliefs, and the entire cast (with the exception of Robbie) abandons science to blindly following the newly popular "Potato-ism".
Another religious-themed episode was "The Last Temptation of Ethyl," in which Ethyl willingly allows a televangelist to exploit her near-death experience to extort money from followers. She backs out after having a second such experience, where instead of heaven, she experiences a "place not so nice:" an existence surrounded by nothing but multiple Earl Sinclairs.
Several jokes in the series were at the expense of television shows in general. Earl often wants to watch TV rather than do something more practical, and several jokes accuse television of "dumbing down" the population and making it lazy.
Captain Action Figure shows up in children's programming that Fran mistakes for a commercial. Whenever Captain Action Figure mentions a product, the screen flashes "Tell Mommy I WANT THAT!". Before the appearance of Georgie, Dinosaurs used a puppet highly reminiscent of Barney the Dinosaur named "Blarney" in two episodes. During his appearances, members of the Sinclair family commented on his annoying characteristics and failure to teach anything to children.
The characters will sometimes break the fourth wall as well, especially Baby. An example of such is seen in the episode "Nature Calls" (Season 3, Episode 1) when Fran and Earl spell out words in front of Baby during an argument, who, after looking at the camera and saying "This could get ugly", proceeds to spell out "They think I can't spell" with his alphabet blocks.
Final episode
The series finale of Dinosaurs depicts the irresponsible actions of the dinosaurs toward their environment, and the ensuing Ice Age which leads to their demise. The episode "Changing Nature" begins with the failure of a swarm of Bunch Beetles to show up and devour a form of creeper vine. Charlene discovers that WESAYSO has constructed a wax fruit factory called FruitCo on the swampland that serves as the Bunch Beetles' breeding grounds, causing the extinction of the species (save for one male named Stan). Fearing a public relations fiasco more than any environmental threat, WESAYSO quickly puts Earl in charge of an attempt to destroy the vines, which have grown out of control without the beetles to keep them in check. Earl proposes spraying the planet with defoliant, which causes the destruction of the vines, but also kills off all plant life on the planet. B.P. Richfield assumes that the creation of clouds will bring rain, allowing the plants to grow back, and so decides to create clouds by dropping bombs in the planet's volcanoes to cause eruptions and cloud cover. The dark clouds instead cause global cooling, in the form of a gigantic cloud-cover (simulating the effects of what the viewer would recognize as nuclear winter) that scientists estimate would take "tens of thousands of years" to dissipate. B.P. Richfield dismisses this as a "4th quarter problem" and states that WESAYSO is currently making record-breaking profits from the cold weather selling blankets, heaters, and hot cocoa mix as the result of the "cold snap." Later, Earl apologizes to his family and Stan for his actions that led to the end of the world. Baby assures Earl that no matter what happens, they will always be a family. The episode (and series) ends with a snowy darkness settling over the TV set as Howard Handupme concludes his final broadcast by grimly quoting "And taking a look at the long range forecast, continued snow, darkness, and extreme cold. This is Howard Handupme. Goodnight. Goodbye." The end credits roll with the scenes of snow falling onto the Sinclair home.
International screening
In the United Kingdom, the show was screened on ITV in 1992 and in reruns from 1995 to 2002 on Disney Channel. In Canada the show started airing reruns in 1992 on The Family Channel and aired them until the late 1990s. In Australia the show started airing on the Seven Network from February 1992 through to 1995. In Ireland, in the mid-1990s, it was shown on a Sunday evening on RTÉ Two (known as network 2 back then).
DVD and streaming releases
On May 2, 2006, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Dinosaurs: The Complete First And Second Seasons as a four-disc DVD box set. The DVD set includes "exclusive bonus features including a never-before-seen look at the making of Dinosaurs". The complete third and fourth seasons, also a four-disc DVD set, were released May 1, 2007 with special features, including the episodes not aired on US TV. Both sets are currently available only in Region 1.
- see: w:c:muppet:Dinosaurs videography
References
- ↑ "`Dinosaurs' Takes Puppetry Into The Electronic Age". Chicago Tribune. 1994-02-03. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-02-03/features/9402030146_1_brian-henson-dinosaurs-david-barrington-holt. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- ↑ Cerone, Daniel (1991-11-17). "Primal Secrets From the World of 'Dinosaurs'". The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1991-11-17/entertainment/ca-492_1_prime-time-comedy. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- ↑ Interview with Muppet Writer Kirk Thatcher, Part 1 - The Muppet Mindset (Blog)
- ↑ tvtropes.org
- ↑ Kahn, Eve M. "All in the Modern Stone Age Family", The New York Times (Apr. 14, 1991). Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- ↑ Owen, David. "Looking Out for Kermit", The New Yorker (Aug. 16, 1993.)
- ↑ Grover, Ron. The Disney Touch. Homewood, IL: Business One Irwin, 1991. pp. 167-168.
- ↑ Rosenberg, Howard (1992-02-19). "Television: ABC series sinks its teeth into witty social commentary a la 'The Simpsons' and finds its metier.". The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1992-02-19/entertainment/ca-2281_1_social-commentary. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
External links
- Disney's Dinosaurs official DVD site
- Template:IMDb title
More FAQs for dinosaurs tv show wiki
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Why was dinosaurs cancelled?
10 Things You Didn't Know About The Cancelled Series Terra NovaIt Was Originally Called "Gondwanaland Highway" The original script for the show was penned by British screenwriter Kelly Marcel, who called it Gondwanaland Highway.The Show Had A Lot Of Problems Early On. The first bout of troubles with the show started long before a single scene was even filmed. ...Spielberg Refused To Shoot In Hawaii. ...More items...
With Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom hitting screens very soon, we thought it would be a good time to look back at Dinosaurs, one of the strangest sitcoms in TV history. The show was a collaboration between the Henson and Disney companies, ran for four seasons, and ended with the most devastating finale imaginable. It’s a very strange story.
The Birth of ‘Dinoaurs’
The Muppets and Sesame Streetcreator Jim Henson spent years trying to get a sitcom about dinosaurs off the ground, with little joy. Because — in spite of the success of The Flintstonestwo decades previous — TV folk couldn’t get their heads around a weekly programme set in prehistoric times.
Hope came in the shape of a very modern show, however. The success of The Simpsons— a sitcom about an average family that didn’t look like an average family — finally helped TV executives to see the potential. Sadly Jimdied before he saw his vision come to fruition, but Henson Productions collaborated with Walt Disney Television (and Michael Jacobs Productions) to get Dinosaurs on air in early 1991.
The show’s protagonists were brought to life via ground-breaking, full body animatronic puppets. But in spite of the fact that they were prehistoric creatures living in Pangaea in 60,000,003 BC, their story was a very modern one, revolving around a family of five — Megalosaurus Dad Earl Sinclair, Allosaurus Mum Fran, and their kids Robbie, Charlene and the undisputed star of the show, Baby. But more on him later.
They dealt with problems that average American families faced on a daily basis, to do with office politics, marital issues, growing pains, and many more sitcom staples. But Dinosaurs also tackled more serious issues like racism, religion and sexual harassment; unusual for a show that, on the surface at least, was squarely aimed at children.
Not the Mama
Dinosaurs debuted on April 26, 1991, and immediately became both a ratings and merchandising hit as part of the channel’s TGIF line-up, sandwiched between Full House and Family Matters. And that initial success wasn’t just because the show was a clever parody of everyday American life. It was also because of Baby.
The only character without a name was the cutest of the Sinclair clan, spouting a collection of adorable catchphrases that quickly caught on. “Gotta love me!” and “AGAIN!” were repeated on playgrounds and in households all over the world.
But it was “Non the Mama” that put the showon the map. Baby’s insistence on using this term — rather than Dad — caused Earl consternation. And was never not funny. So-much-so that if you now mention Dinosaurs to anyone who watched it, they’ll probably respond by quoting “Not the Mama” in Baby’s voice.
As the series progressed, Earl and co tackled ever-more-unexpected issues. A show about vegetarianism featured Bob Dylanosaurus performing ‘This Lamb is Your Lamb.’ “What ‘Sexual Harris’ Meant” touched on rape culture. And “Nuts to War” was a two-parter that attacked the Gulf War and mocked the President. All on ‘Prime Time’ TV.
But the success was short-lived. ABC moved the show to Wednesdays for Season 2, but the TGIF audience didn’t follow. They then pushed it back to Fridays, where the ratings further fell-off. Meaning that in 1994 Dinosaurs was cancelled. Ending in the most brutal way imaginable.
The Death of Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs tackled social and political issues, but when it came to serious stuff, the subject the show most frequently focussed on was the environment.
Many of the character names were inspired by oil companies — most obviously Earl’s boss B.P. Richfield. Similarly the show constantly hinted that the work Earl was doing clearing forests was having devastating consequences on the ecosystem. The WESAYSO Corporation that he worked for was also constantly doing things that were good for their bottom line, but bad for the planet.
It all comes to a head in final episode “Changing Nature”, during which WESAYSO decimates swampland where the Bunch Beetles live, building a wax fruit factory on their mating ground. This results in Bunch Beetle extinction and the vines they feast on growing out of control. Earl suggests using chemicals to kill said vines, but they also kill all plant life on the planet. And B.P.’s efforts to create clouds and rain to bring those plants back — by dropping bombs on volcanoes — effectively leads to a nuclear winter.
Meaning that the final scene — in a kids show, remember — played out with Earl delivering the following speech to a grieving Bunch Beetle, and his own family…
“Wax fruit’s important. But so are Bunch Beetles. I guess I owe the rest of you an apology too… for bringing on the end of the world and civilization and everything. I know I put too much faith in progress and technology and had too little respect for nature. It’s so easy to take nature for granted because it’s always there.”
The show doesn’t forget its comedy roots, with Earl’s mother-in-law chiming in with “I always knew you’d screw things up. I just didn’t know how bad.”
Then, before the the camera pans over an Ice Age forming outside his house, Earl signs off in devastating fashion, saying “dinosaurs have been on this earth for 150M years. It’s not like we’re just going to… disappear.” A truly tragic end to both the Sinclair story, and life on the planet.
Freelance writer. At this point my life is a combination of 1980s horror movies, Crystal Palace football matches, and episodes of I'm Alan Partridge. The first series. When he was in the travel tavern. Not the one after.
Why did they cancel Barney?
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Where can you watch dinosaurs?
Episodes(6)New BloodTime of the TitansCruel SeaGiant of the SkiesSpirits of the Ice ForestDeath of a Dynasty
Watch Walking with Dinosaurs Season 1
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What are the top ten dinosaurs?
Top 10 Coolest Dinosaurs Of All TimeAnkylosaurus. Meaning of the name: The name Ankylosaurus means ‘stiff lizard’ or ‘fused lizard’. ...Argentinosaurus. Meaning of the name: The name Argentinosaurus simply means ‘Argentina lizard’. ...Centrosaurus. ...Diplodocus. ...Edmontosaurus. ...Megalosaurus. ...Oryctodromeus. ...Parasaurolophus. ...Spinosaurus. ...Tyrannosaurus. ...
Paleontologists have named nearly 1,000 dinosaur genera, and there is something interesting about each one. However, only a handful of them are instantly recognizable by little kids and seasoned adults alike. Why is that? Here are some at-a-glance reasons on what makes these dinosaurs so appealing, along with some inspiration to seek out the lesser known ones.
The undisputed king of the dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex is immensely popular thanks to a fawning press, countless starring roles in movies such as "Jurassic Park" and TV shows, and a really cool name (Greek for "tyrant lizard king"). Impressive fossils and models of T. rex standing on two hind legs with short arms outstretched toward visitors is what excites kids of all ages at museums such as Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History, New York City's Museum of Natural History, and Hill City, South Dakota's Black Hills Museum of Natural History—to name a few. With an average body of 43 feet long (a typical school bus is 45 feet) and a 5-foot head teeming with razor-sharp teeth, it's got a face not easily forgotten. Based on its bone structure, it probably weighed about 7.5 tons (adult African elephants average about 6 tons), and despite its size, many paleontologists believe it could efficiently run after prey and certainly outrun a human.
LEONELLO CALVETTI / Getty Images
Probably the most instantly recognizable of all dinosaurs is the North American Triceratops (three-horned face), with its parrot-like beak and huge frill at the back of its head. It combined a gentle, plant-eating disposition with three fearsome-looking horns that were probably used both in courtship and keeping hungry tyrannosaurs and raptors at bay. This dinosaur is from the late Cretaceous period (68-66 million years ago), and the adults were big—about 26 feet long, 10 feet tall, and 12 tons. It's South Dakota's state fossil and Wyoming's official state dinosaur. It has held a spotlight in movies such as "Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb," and was later shrunken considerably to promote the film as a freebie in fast-food meals for kids. A dinosaur room at any museum is an awesome place for dinosaur lovers, and the Triceratops gets lots of attention at New York City's American Museum of Natural History—you can see the evidence of an injury from perhaps a fight with another Triceratops on the fossil at this museum. And in Washington, D.C., at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, kids of all ages still can't wait to see the museum's beloved Hatcher, a favorite Triceratops specimen enjoyed in a complete form by crowds since 1905 until it fell apart 90 years later to be displayed as a T. rex meal.
More than any other dinosaur, the Velociraptor can trace its popularity to two blockbuster movies: "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic World," in which this feathered raptor (ancestors of birds) was portrayed by the much bigger Deinonychus. Velociraptor, which actually means "swift or speedy thief," was small in size (about 3 feet tall and 6 feet long), smarter than most dinosaurs, and a fast runner on its two hind legs—up to 40 mph, which was great for hunting prey when it wasn't scavenging. Fossils that have been found in northern China, the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, and Russia showing sharp teeth and long, sickle-shaped claws always give crowds at dinosaur museums extra pause.
No one knows why Stegosaurus (which translates to "roof lizard") had such distinctive plates that on average were 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide, but that hasn't kept this tiny-brained dinosaur from holding a tight grip on the popular imagination. Some believe this dinosaur's spiky plates could have been brightly colored and could move, and the spikes on the tail may have actually been horizontal instead of vertical, which would help ward off predators. Thanks to its debut in "Jurassic Park" movies, theme parks, games, toys, and trading cards, this elephant-sized dinosaur from the late Jurassic period won the hearts of many as a peaceful plant-eater that roamed the plains in what is now North America.
An up-and-comer on the dinosaur popularity charts, Spinosaurus, or spine lizard, was distinguished by its vast size (59 feet long) and likely weight of a couple of tons more than T. rex. It has a mysterious 5.5-foot sail on its back—a fin-like fan that's purpose is richly debated. From the few fossils discovered in Egypt and Morocco, it is assumed that the Spinosaurus was mostly a fish-eating river dweller and perhaps one of the first dinosaurs that could swim. Although, its strong back legs have some believing it could run up to 15 mph.
Was it a bird, a dinosaur, or something in between? Whatever the case, the exquisitely preserved fossils of Archaeopteryx (meaning "ancient wing") are among the most famous of such artifacts in the world. Even though it had wings, the jury is still out on whether or not it could fly or also glide, and that, coupled with its scary-looking claws and razor-sharp teeth, gives the imagination something to run with. One such fossil found in Germany is a favorite at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, Wyoming.
ROGER HARRIS / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
Like the Velociraptor, the Brachiosaurus owes much of its current popularity to its featured cameo in the 1993 movie "Jurassic Park," munching placidly on tall trees and sneezing on actress Ariana Richards—but this huge giraffe-like dinosaur was fascinating in its own right. Based on fossils found in Algeria, Portugal, Tanzania, and the United States (Utah, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Colorado), it is believed that an adult Brachiosaurus could have had an 82-foot-long body with a 30-foot-long neck and a weight of 62 tons.
Smaller than Tyrannosaurus rex, but faster and more vicious with serrated teeth, Allosaurus was the all-purpose predator of the late Jurassic period—and may even have hunted its prey (including sauropods and stegosaurs) in packs. Most of the discovered fossils are from Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, but they've also been found in Portugal, Siberia, and Tanzania. It became Utah's state fossil after 46 of them were discovered in Utah's Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry.
Apatosaurus owes its popularity to the fact that it used to be known as Brontosaurus—a name that epitomized dinosaurs for generations of kids who watched "Flintstones" cartoons—but beyond that, it's one of the best-attested sauropods of the late Jurassic period. Its size makes it a favorite at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History and others. Apatosaurus, or "deceptive lizard," hatched out of eggs that were up to a foot wide. But it's their unique look in adulthood that's a marvel, as they likely grew to 70–90 feet long. Its neck towered above a wide body, which helped it graze on tall foliage, and the purpose of its whip-like, 50-foot-long tail is anyone's guess. Fossils have been discovered in Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah.
Corey Ford / Stocktrek Images / Getty Images
Despite what you saw in "Jurassic Park," Dilophosaurus didn't spit poison; it didn't have a neck frill, and it wasn't the size of a Labrador retriever. However, this dinosaur remains popular with dinosaur enthusiasts even after they learn the truth. After studying fossils from North America and China, scientists believe that the Dilophosaurus (which means "double-crested lizard" for its fancy head decoration) was about 20 feet long from head to tail and weighed about 1,000 pounds. And with a mouth full of sharp teeth, they are thought to have been scavengers, supplementing their diet by hunting for small animals and fish.
Top Ten Best Dinosaurs
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How many seasons of dinosaurs?
The number of dinosaur seasons in 4D. How Many Episodes Does Dinosaur Have? The number of dinosaur episodes is 65. Why Did Dinosaurs Get Cancelled? A feature film spinoff of Dinosaurs was considered by Disney during the fourth and final season of the show.
How Many Seasons And F Dinosaur?
The following is a list of episodes of Dinosaurs. 25 "Nuts to War (part 2)" March 3, 1992 A petty territorial dispute between our dinosaurs and the four leggers across the swamp escalates into the first war ever. Earl and all the other guys are …
The following is a list of episodes of Dinosaurs.
Season 1: 1991
| # | Title | Airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Mighty Megalosaurus" | April 26, 1991 | Harried Fran has one wish in life: a new set of pots and pans with mesh screens for lids--the better to keep dinner in the pot! Earl realizes that he can't afford to buy the simplest of pleasures for his family, which leads him to ask boss Richfield for a raise, with disastrous results. A chance meeting with the escaped "dinner" saves the day (and job) when dinner reappears as Earl's new supervisor at WESAYSO Development Corp. |
| 2 | "The Mating Dance" | May 3, 1991 | Earl shoulders household duties for a weekend, sending exhausted Fran to her mother's for R & R. When she returns to a frazzled Earl, singed baby and demolished household, Earl discovers that Fran's unhappiness doesn't stem from the kids--it's him! At Roy's suggestion, Earl takes a refresher course in The Mating Dance, attempting to once again woo and win his wife. |
| 3 | "Hurling Day" | May 10, 1991 | The ancient and solemn dinosaur tradition of flinging their elders off a cliff into a pit of tar is challenged by young Robbie, denying Earl the fulfillment of one of his life's greatest dreams --tossing Fran's acid-tongued mother, Ethyl, into the abyss. |
| 4 | "High Noon" | May 24, 1991 | Earl is challenged to fight to the death by Gary, a 50' Dilophosaurus who took a fancy to Fran in the frozen food section of the supermarket. Earl must decide whether or not to fight for what belongs to him, or follow the law of the jungle and run like hell. |
| 5 | "The Howling" | May 24, 1991 | When male dinosaurs turn 15 they go through a rite-of-passage known as "The Howling," during which the youngsters join the adults on top of the mountain to howl at the new moon. Robbie doesn't see the point, and rebels. This sets off a chain of events, including the dissolution of Earl and Roy's friendship, which causes Robbie to understand that rituals that get dismissed as superstition are actually designed to protect the tribe. Robbie gains a new appreciation for being a dinosaur. |
Season 2: 1991-1992
| # | Title | Airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | "The Golden Child" | September 18, 1991 | Baby, unappreciated by the family, inexplicably grows a golden horn from his forehead. Earl is appalled, until he learns from the dinosaur elders that the appearance of a golden-horned baby was foretold in the "Book of Dinosaurs." Baby becomes a cult object and Earl is a celebrity by association. The horn eventually comes off, but Earl comes to appreciate the treasure that his baby is all by himself. |
| 7 | "Family Challenge" | September 25, 1991 | Fran accuses Earl of not spending enough time with his family. When a meteor crashes through the roof of their home, the enormous cost of repair leads the family to try their luck as game show participants. Earl bones up on obscure areas of knowledge, but is humiliated when all the questions focus on how well he knows his family -- which is not well. |
| 8 | "I Never Ate for My Father" | October 2, 1991 | Robbie refuses to join a Young Carnivore Association and considers becoming a herbivore. Earl is appalled and hauls Robbie off to hunt in the wildemess, to reinforce the carnivore ethic: bigger eats smaller. When Robbie is eaten by an enormous dinosaur, Earl is forced to reconsider his philosophy. When Earl, too, is eaten, the father and son continue their argument inside the belly of the beast. |
| 9 | "Charlene's Tale" | October 9, 1991 | Charlene is despondent because she's the last girl in the eighth grade to grow a tail. Her outlook miraculously changes when her tail appears overnight. Earl's awareness of his little girl's budding womanhood drives him to distraction, but reassurance from Charlene that she'll always be her daddy's little girl cheers him up. |
| 10 | "Endangered Species" | October 19, 1991 | It's Earl and Fran's 20th wedding anniversary: the Grapdelite anniversary. Grapdelites are the sweetest tasting, most adorable little animals, who are also quickly disappearing from the earth. Earl's got a pair, and everyone else wants them, particularly Richfield. Robbie befriends the creatures, and soon father and son are at each other's throats over the fate of the Grapdelites. |
| 11 | "Employee of the Month" | October 23, 1991 | Richfield's institutes an Employee Suggestion Box, which has Earl and Roy racking their walnut-sized brains in an effort to impress the Boss. At Earl's suggestion, the employee coming up with the best suggestion each month will receive dinner with Richfield and their name on a plaque--with Earl named the first "Employee of the Month". Earl's big moment is somewhat tarnished, though, when Richfield forgets to show up for dinner. |
| 12 | "When Food Goes Bad" | October 30, 1991 | Earl and Fran's romantic night on the town leaves Robbie and Charlene in charge of the house for the first time. When Charlene is not paying attention, the baby opens the refrigerator door providing escape to moldy creatures gone bad. The creatures stage a full-scale revolution, and it is the dinosaurs vs. the refrigerator creatures for supremacy in the house. |
| 13 | "Career Opportunities" | November 6, 1991 | Robbie is assigned Tree Pusher as his life's vocation by the all-powerful Career Guru. In the process of showing an unenthusiastic Robbie how wonderful a job Tree Pusher is, Earl comes to realize instead how pointless his own life actually is, and retires to bed unable to move. When Robbie has to replace Earl at the worksite, he gets into trouble and Earl must rally to rescue his son. |
| 14 | "Unmarried... with Children" | November 13, 1991 | Earl and Fran's marriage license expires. And when Earl bungles the renewal test by displaying complete ignorance of the details of his marriage, Fran considers not picking up Earl's option. Earl is forced to move in with Roy, while the Sinclair's new next door neighbor, Monica -- an Apatosaurus and the first divorced female in history--shows Fran that the single life has possibilities. |
| 15 | "How to Pick Up Girls" | November 20, 1991 | Robbie hires Spike, a rebellious classmate, to teach him how to pick-up a girl that he has a brutal crush on, but Spike's unique advice gets Robbie grounded; a situation that Robbie finds not nearly as unbearable as the discovery that Spike, having refined his flirtatious technique, is dating the girl of Robbie's dreams. |
| 16 | "Switched at Birth" | November 27, 1991 | Planning for the Baby's first birthday, the Sinclairs discover evidence that their baby may have been switched with another baby while still an egg. Earl is tantalized by the notion that there is a polite, well- behaved baby out there somewhere who might be his son. Fran is unwilling even to consider the possibility until she meets the other baby -- who looks just like our Baby except he's green like Earl -- and the other Daddy who shares certain personality traits with our baby. |
| 17 | "Refrigerator Day" | December 11, 1991 | The happiest holiday in Pangaea is approaching and Earl, carried away by the commercial side of the occasion, overspends on presents for the family. When the traditional WESAYSO bonus fails to come through for Earl, the family is placed in financial jeopardy. Any hope for a joyous holiday is dashed when their refrigerator is repossessed. With no food, no refrigerator and no money, the family is forced to fall back on the spiritual side of the holiday. |
| 18 | "What "Sexual" Harris Meant" | December 18, 1991 | Monica becomes a media cause celebre by taking her case of sexual harassment to the Wesayso Board after Earl's foremen, Sexual Harris, overlooks Monica's natural talent for tree pushing in favor of her innate feminine allure. |
| 19 | "Fran Live" | January 8, 1992 | Fran calls a phone-in TV advice show with a suggestion for the host and ends up hosting the show herself. Fran's anecdotes over the air expose Earl to ridicule at work, and pressure builds for her to quit her job. |
| 20 | "Power Erupts" | January 15, 1992 | As a science project for school, Robbie comes up with an idea for tapping the geothermal energy of volcanoes to heat the homes of all Pangaea. The idea is taken seriously by the government and Robbie seems to be a hero, except that his plan for free energy threatens the business interests of the Wesayso Corporation which sell energy for a profit. When Wesayso puts the screws to Earl to squash his son's idea, Earl is put in conflict with Robbie. |
| 21 | "The Clip Show" | January 22, 1992 | Sir David Tushingham, a self-important archaeologist, attempts to shed light upon the mysterious world of the dinosaurs in a mock, 1991 documentary featuring clips from the first eleven episodes that proves the theories of modern science to fall far short of the real world in which Earl and his family inhabited millions of years ago. |
| 22 | "A New Leaf" | February 5, 1992 | Following a fierce argument with Earl, Robbie storms out of the house to meet Spike and discovers an appealing leaf that when ingested makes them both effusively happy. Upon returning home, Earl is surprised to find Robbie in such an elated state until he samples some of Robbie's leaves. Expecting to find father and son at war, Fran is puzzled when she discovers Earl and Robbie arm in arm. Suspicious of the tantalizing leaves, Fran exhibits cautious restraint and becomes increasingly concerned when her family happily decides to remain at home rather than go to work or school. Earl's lack of concern after discovering he's been fired forces Fran, who refuses to become co-dependent, to abscond from the house and leave a delirious Earl, Robbie and Charlene to hopelessly fend for themselves. Having run out of leaves, they are forced to recognize what they've become, but Spike tests their resolve when he uncovers fresh leaves. Will they choose their lives or the mysterious plant? |
| 23 | "The Last Temptation of Ethyl" | February 12, 1992 | Ethyl's near death experience lands her a television show pitching the afterlife. |
| 24 | "Nuts to War (part 1)" | February 26, 1992 | A petty territorial dispute between our dinosaurs and the four leggers across the swamp escalates into the first war ever. Earl and all the other guys are very gung ho about sending all the young males, including Robbie and Spike, off to what they think will be an easy rout. When the war drags on and reports of actual injuries begin to reach the home front, Earl decides to go get his boy. |
| 25 | "Nuts to War (part 2)" | March 3, 1992 | A petty territorial dispute between our dinosaurs and the four leggers across the swamp escalates into the first war ever. Earl and all the other guys are very gung ho about sending all the young males, including Robbie and Spike, off to what they think will be an easy rout. When the war drags on and reports of actual injuries begin to reach the home front, Earl decides to go get his boy. |
| 26 | "And the Winner is..." | March 20, 1992 | When the Great Elder dies in the process of naming Baby Sinclair, Earl becomes embroiled in an intense but unsurprisingly non-substantive campaign with Richfield for Great Elder of Pangaea; first as Richfield's patsy and later as a self-made, come-from-behind candidate bent on preventing a bleak homeland under, what appears to be, Richfield's imminent rule. |
| 27 | "Slave to Fashion" | March 30, 1992 | Feeling like a social outcast at school, Charlene begs her grandmother for money to buy an expensive fur coat none of the other girls have. The coat indeed makes Charlene the envy of her friends, but, unlike other status symbols, it talks (it's a live animal), and begins to make demands that cause Charlene to become alienated from her family and friends, especially her best friend Mindy. |
| 28 | "Leader of the Pack" | April 24, 1992 | Robbie gets drafted as the leader of a gang when the former leader disappears after a wild night with Robbie. |
| 29 | "WESAYSO Knows Best" | May 8, 1992 | To improve its public image, the Wesayso Corporation picks the perfect employee family to be featured in their company advertisement. Earl's dream comes true when his family is chosen, but Wesayso feels Roy has more audience appeal. When the ad campaign is a hit, Earl moves out of his own house so Roy can move in. Is Earl expendable? Will Roy crack under the strain of parental responsibility? Will Earl allow his family and best friend to be successful without him? Yep. Yep. Not a chance. |
Season 3: 1992-1993
| # | Title | Airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | "Nature Calls" | September 18, 1992 | Baby Sinclair runs away to the wilderness following Earl's unsuccessful attempts at civilizing him through toilet training. |
| 31 | "Dirty Dancin'" | September 25, 1992 | Having reached that awkward age where adolescent male dinosaurs find themselves breaking into the mating dance spontaneously and uncontrollably, Fran's open attempts at sexual education drive a confused and embarrassed Robbie to the Best Little Dancehouse in Pangaea, where he discovers what he really needs isn't a quick "dancing lesson" with a stranger, but a talk with his equally uncomfortable father. |
| 32 | "Baby Talk" | October 2, 1992 | As Baby Sinclair's vocabulary grows dirtier, Earl's resolve grows stronger to return "family values" to the permissive television landscape that fostered his child's newfound vulgarity -that is, until his efforts inadvertently create a repressive governmental atmosphere responsive to the slightest complaint from the fellow citizens of Pangaea. |
| 33 | "Network Genius" | October 16, 1992 | Earl becomes a network executive after being sent to the network as the average Joe to help pick the new series. But when Earl's favorite shows lead to a slowdown in Pangaea's brain power, will Earl sacrifice his first great job to program a television schedule smarter than he is, in hopes of saving what is rapidly becoming a dense dinosaur race? |
| 34 | "The Discovery" | October 23, 1992 | Earl's discovery of a pristine world inhabited by cavemen is the mark he's been waiting to leave in the history books -- until Robbie and Baby are kidnapped by the cavemen, intent on saving their land from the ruthless development of Wesayso's "Sinclair City." |
| 35 | "Little Boy Boo" | October 30, 1992 | In a special Halloween episode, Robbie is forced to baby-sit the Baby. Although the Baby succeeds in scaring his older brother, Robbie turns the tables and frightens the Baby into submission by weaving a scary tale based on the Wolf man fable using himself as the "Wereman," half dinosaur/half man. |
| 36 | "Germ Warfare" | November 6, 1992 | While medical science can't cure the Baby of a dangerous viral infection, it can bankrupt Earl and Fran with expensive experimental drugs that fail to cure as promised. In desperation, the Sinclairs decide to follow the advice Ethyl's been promoting from the onset of the sickness -go see the traditional dinosaur witch doctor in the forest who invents penicillin. |
| 37 | "Hungry for Love" | November 13, 1992 | Love is in the air when Robbie meets Wendy, a cute young girl who just happens to be Richfield's daughter. Romance turns to danger when it is rumored that Wendy is an eater who has made meals of her last four boyfriends. Robbie tries to avoid Wendy at all costs, but finally discovers that Richfield is the one who has been devouring Wendy's boyfriends. |
| 38 | "License to Parent" | November 20, 1992 | After Earl is repeatedly ticketed by an overzealous officer of the Parent Patrol, he is sent to "Parents Ed," but fails miserably and is ordered not to parent for thirty days until he retakes the test. The ticketing officer is assigned to live with the Sinclairs to observe Earl, making Fran the only authority figure in the house. A frustrated Earl points out Fran's parental inadequacies, causing her to lose her parental license too. Their home returns to normal after the officer "loses it" while trying to care for Robbie, Chariene, and the Baby while Earl and Fran realize that good parenting comes from the heart. |
| 39 | "Charlene's Flat World" | December 4, 1992 | When given a school assignment to come up with an original idea, a panicked Charlene is visited by a Muse who mistakes her for Copernicus and tells her that the earth is round, not flat. After giving her report, Charlene is arrested by the Police Classroom Squad and tried for heresy. Robbie tries to help by appealing to Charlene's teacher, but he, too, is arrested. After being found guilty, a confident Charlene asks that she and Robbie are sentenced to be thrown off the edge of the flat world, knowing its impossibility and proving her right. |
| 40 | "Wilderness Weekend" | December 18, 1992 | Traditional gender roles are reversed when Earl, Robbie and Earl's friends go to the forest for a male-bonding ritual known as "The Great Hunt," but end up discovering their feminine qualities. Meanwhile, back at home, Fran and her girlfriends get drunk, watch sports, and generally act like men. |
| 41 | "The Son Also Rises" | January 8, 1993 | Fed up with Earl's continuous nagging, Robbie challenges him for the title of "Supreme Male" of the house. During their physical battle, Earl is caught off guard and Robbie emerges victorious. Robbie now assumes all the responsibilities that accompany his new position providing food and clothes for the family, maintain the house, pay the bills, etc. Earl, conversely, acts like a teenager since he has been relieved of his parental duties. When Robbie can't bear the pressure any longer, Fran steps in and forces Earl to become the head of the house again. |
| 42 | "Getting to Know You" | January 15, 1993 | After Earl throws her a disastrous birthday party, Charlene feels totally alienated from her whole family and signs up for a Species Exchange Program at school. She lives with a family of squawking, arrogant, annoying, bird-like creatures, and runs away. In exchange, the Sinclairs' get a teenaged version of this hideous species. Pushed to the edge, the Baby eats the exchange student. Earl creates a fake kid and returns it to the family, and then discovers that he's brought home a Charlene impostor. When the real Charlene returns, father and daughter make a pact to get to know one another better. |
| 43 | "Green Card" | January 29, 1993 | With the Pangaean economy suffering from a bad recession, Earl and Roy lose their jobs. Meanwhile, the government blames its problems on all four-legged creatures in an effort to shift the blame away from them. Immediately, anti-four legger legislation is passed, causing Monica to also be fired and lose her home. Roy marries Monica to allow her to stay on the right side of the swamp. Earl protests the marriage and breaks his friendship with Roy for colluding with the enemy. After a major accident in which a four-legger saves his life, Earl repents for his bigoted ways and welcomes Roy back into his life. Public sentiment echoes Earl's attitude when the anti-four legged laws are repealed allowing Monica to resume her normal life without Roy. |
| 44 | "Out of the Frying Pan" | February 5, 1993 | The Baby becomes an overnight sensation hawking frying pans in a commercial. Both he and Fran get caught up in the glamour of show business - riding in limos, going on talk shows, and generally getting "bad" attitudes while neglecting the rest of the family. Earl confronts Fran, who realizes her mistakes, retreats from the "business" and returns the Sinclair home back to normal. |
| 45 | "Steroids to Heaven" | February 12, 1993 | Deciding that girls date only jocks, Robbie decides to get "buff." Earl puts Robbie on an exercise program, but when that fails to bring the desired results, Robbie turns to eating Thornoids, insult-spewing creatures that instantaneously add lots of muscle and bulk to his frame. Impressed with his new physique, Robbie cops a new attitude, bullies his family and friends, and gets a date with his dream girl. Robbie learns his lesson after his date rejects his aggressive behavior and tells him she has always liked him the way he was before. |
| 46 | "Honey, I Miss the Kids" | February 19, 1993 | Fran, feeling inadequate as a housewife, decides to get a volunteer job. Earl is opposed to the idea but acquiesces when he takes Roy's advice to manipulate Fran into believing he is supportive of her by offering to work the night shift. Earl will stay home during the day with the kids, and hopefully Fran will miss the kids so much she'll quit her job. However, the plan backfires when Fran returns home and announces that she is going to work full time. Horrified at the thought of staying home with the kids, Earl again takes Roy's advice to bond with his kids believing Fran will get jealous at being replaced and return home. Again, Fran reacts the opposite way and causes Earl to inadvertently reveal his failed plans. Initially angry, Fran empathizes with Earl and agrees to a compromise that allows Earl to return to the day shift while she cuts back on her work hours. |
| 47 | "Swamp Music" | February 26, 1993 | Spike, who can't stand Robbie's choice of music, decides to expose Robbie to a whole different world and different style of music by taking him to the Swamp Shack. The swamp and this club are home to blue-hued mammals who have been restricted from contact with dinosaurs and lead difficult, depressing lives. Initially fearful of this different species, Robbie is completely taken with this new music and band members Howlin' Jay and his son, Sonny. Robbie plans to bring this new sound to the dinosaurs, who he believes will go crazy for it. Howlin' Jay is reluctant due to his previous contact with dinosaurs but Robbie and Sonny take a demo of their music to the head of Volcanic Records. The executive isn't interested in the music but changes his mind after listening to the tape and signs Howlin' Jay and his band to a loophole filled deal allowing the record company to steal the songs and style of the swamp and have them re-recorded by mainstream dinosaur singers and reap the profits. Robbie has to break the news to Howlin' Jay that they have been ripped off again by dinosaurs. Instead of being angry, Howlin' Jay decides to start his own record label created for and run by mammals. |
| 48 | "If I Were a Tree" | April 18, 1993 | It's story time for the Baby, and Grandma Ethyl reads him a tale about a dinosaur (Earl) who is pushing down trees when a thunderstorm approaches. Just as he is about to push down a large tree, lightning simultaneously strikes him and the tree causing them to exchange souls. The Tree is excited to learn it has become a dinosaur, able to move freely. In the Sinclair home, the Tree, as Earl, is thoughtful and kind causing confusion amongst his family. Meanwhile, the real Earl is besides himself being stuck in a Tree's body with pesky birds and animal living in him. The Tree, as Earl, confronts Richfield about the ruination of the Earth and Richfield commits him to a mental institution. This, coupled with the daily hardships of dinosaur life, causes the Tree to return to the forest. During this time, Earl is in a race to save the creature living in him because he is marked for clearing. Both realize they have to return to their original forms and unite in trying to save the forest. |
| 49 | "We Are Not Alone" | May 2, 1993 | Robbie tries to get his family to attend an environmental rally with him but everyone declines. Robbie is especially upset with Earl, who prefers to watch his favorite TV reality show about alien sightings. At work, Richfield, in an effort to fool the environmentalists who named Wesayso a top corporate polluter, orders Roy and Earl to take home barrels of toxic waste and bury them in the Sinclair's backyard. While digging, Earl and Roy are visited by an "alien" (Robbie) who tells Earl that what he is doing is wrong. The "alien" also tells him that he has been chosen to spread the word to other dinosaurs that they must respect and care for the environment or else the planet will be vaporized. Earl immediately changes his ways and sets out to rally the masses to help clean up the environment. He even badmouthes Wesayso and quits his job to devote all of his energies to his new mission. Robbie tries to point out to Earl that what he has done is of real value but Earl will have none of it and returns to his job and watching TV. |
| 50 | "Charlene and Her Amazing Humans" | May 9, 1993 | Feeling ignored by her family, Charlene becomes an instant celebrity after winning her school talent show with trained cavilings (humans) she saved from a trap in the forest. Charlene gets an agent and is booked on a top variety show. Consumed by her new status and pushed by her agent, Charlene employs inhuman tactics to get her cavilings to perform dangerous tricks. On show night, Charlene realizes the error of her ways and, feeling guilty, she refuses to go on with the show and gives an impassioned speech about respect and family. Charlene's speech prompts Earl and Fran to realize their error in ignoring their daughter. |
| 51 | "The Clip Show II" | July 2, 1993 | Scenes from various episodes are interspersed with pitches by paleontologist Sir David Tushingham that try to lure customers into the glamorous, high-paying world of paleontology by getting them to buy the Famous Paleontologists' Home Study Course. In true informercial style, there's a deal-a-dinosaur wheel and comic testimonials from satisfied customers. |
Season 4: 1994
| # | Title | Airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | "Monster Under the Bed" | June 1, 1994 | The Baby complains of a monster under his bed, but the family doesn't believe him. One night while Fran and Earl are out, Charlene humors the baby by investigating his claim and is dragged into the monster's hole. Robbie and the Baby try to rescue Charlene, but they, too, are kidnapped. Just as they are about to be eaten, Robbie learns that the monster is angry at having his home (hole) built upon by the Sinclair's house. The whole crisis is resolved after the Baby suggests moving the house and the Sinclairs oblige. |
| 53 | "Earl, Don't Be a Hero" | June 8, 1994 | Earl's accidental exposure to toxic waste transforms him into "Captain Impressive," a mysterious Super Hero committed to fighting crime and righting wrongs. Earl also sees his chance to outshine "Captain Action Figure," Baby's current hero, by using his newly acquired superpowers against the forces of evil. -- until Richfield discovers Earl's hidden talents. Determined to use "Captain Impressive" for Wesayso's benefit., Richfield quickly changes Earl from Super Hero to Super Huckster. Faster than you can say "shoddy merchandise," Earl decides to hang up his tights and retire from his career as a crime fighter. |
| 54 | "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" | June 22, 1994 | The Council of Elders is convened to determine answers to the Great Question of Life, and the answer is found to be Potatoism. Soon it's stake-and-potatoes for Robbie and Earl, when Robbie rejects the elders' wisdom and the duo is sentenced to be burned as infidels. But a gust of wind extinguishes the fire, and with it dies the people's belief in the message of the Great Potato. |
| 55 | "Driving Miss Ethyl" | June 29, 1994 | Fran forces Earl to drive Ethyl to her 60th year high-school reunion. During the drive, their normal fighting and bickering ensue. Once at the reunion, Ethyl discovers that she is the only person from her class still living. Earl senses Ethyl's hurt and softens toward her. The family is in shock once Earl and Ethyl return being polite to one another. Meanwhile, with Earl gone, Fran tries to gather the rest of the family for a family portrait, and they end up at each others' throats. |
| 56 | "Earl's Big Jackpot" | July 6, 1994 | When Earl is injured on the job and asks for a few days off, Richfield refuses and fires him instead. Robbie and Fran trick Earl into suing the Wesayso Corporation for his 0 medical expenses. After a brief trial, Earl is ecstatic at the jury's award of 0 million. Earl begins to spend lavishly and behaves badly. Stung by the judgment and blaming Earl, Richfield announces massive layoffs and raises consumer prices. Earl doesn't see it that way and is happy with his new life, but finally he is forced to give back the money in order to return things to normal. |
| 57 | "Terrible Twos" | July 13, 1994 | The Baby enters the Terrible Twos and his behavior becomes horrendous. Desperate times require desperate measures, and the Sinclairs enlist the aid of "The Babysitter" to exorcise Baby's demons. When neither the exorcist nor doctors can cure the baby, Robbie hatches a plan for the family to fool Baby into believing he's three. |
| 58 | "Changing Nature" | July 20, 1994 | In our final episode, Earl causes the extinction of the Dinosaur species, when at the prodding of Richfield and the Wesayso Corporation, he poisons all plant life. In an effort to bring the plants back, he blocks the sun from the planet, sending global temperatures below freezing. Earl realizes that his mistake was to put too much faith in progress and not have enough respect for nature. |
| 59 | "Into the Woods" | Unaired | The Baby is taken into the forest for the dinosaurs' traditional Wilderness Rite of Passage, which teaches the value of the family. But when Earl, Robbie and Roy get stuck in a tarpit, their only hope for survival is the Baby. |
| 60 | "Scent of a Reptile" | Syndication | Fran and Charlene are thrilled when Charlene gets her adult scent, which will attract her perfect mate. Charlene's euphoria turns to horror when her match turns out to be not only the school janitor-- but also just like Earl. Fearful that she will lead an ordinary domestic life like her mom, Charlene decides to go against tradition and change her scent and her life. |
| 61 | "Working Girl" | Syndication | Under pressure from the government to hire women, Richfield hires the first female who walks through the door to be the new supervisor. It turns out to be Charlene. Earl, refusing to take his daughter seriously, takes advantage of his new boss, until Charlene asserts herself. |
| 62 | "Variations on a Theme Park" | Unaired | The Sinclairs vacation at WESAYSOLAND, with its lovable mascot, Moola the cash-cow. The family is engulfed in the usual horrors and frustrations associated with amusement parks: unbearably long lines, rides that aren't working or are under construction, overpriced merchandise, food, hotels, etc. Miserable, the Sinclairs decide to leave, but discover they are trapped since they purchased a 14-day vacation package. Instead of returning to the park, From insists that the family stay in the hotel and bond. Much to their surprise, they find they actually enjoy each other's company. |
| 63 | "Life in the Faust Lane" | Unaired | Earl sells his soul to the devil for a collectible mug that becomes more important to him than his job, family, or friends. Everyone is fed up with Earl and leaves him. Lonely, Earl realizes that people mean more to him than objects, and he discovers a loophole that puts him out of the deal with the devil. |
| 64 | "Earl and Pearl" | Syndicated | When Earl's long-lost sister, Pearl, re-enters his life after twenty years, Earl is cold and distant. Pearl further alienates Earl when the kids take to her and her country-western singing lifestyle. Earl comes to accept his sister and after she explains her reasons for leaving. |
| 65 | "Georgie Must Die!" | Unaired in primetime, debuted in syndication | The Baby is mesmerized by the latest annoying childrens' idol, Georgie, an orange hippo. When Georgie comes to town, the Baby demands to see him but Earl won't wait in the long line. The Baby throws a tantrum, and in desperation, Earl dons a costume and imitates Georgie to stop the Baby's cries. Unfortunately, Earl is arrested for copyright infringement by Georgie's people and is thrown in jail. Earl escapes with the help of two members of a group of parents who see Georgie for what he truly is: a money-grabbing, tax evading slimeball, and Earl ultimately exposes him. |
Dinosaurs was a half-hour sitcom which aired on ABC. The series, conceived just before Jim Henson's death, focused on a family of dinosaurs, the Sinclairs, and used ground-breaking full body, animatronic puppets. The show was a joint venture that merged the talents and resources of Michael Jacobs Productions, The Jim Henson Company, and Disney's Touchstone Entertainment. Dinosaurs made use …
for other uses, see Dinosaurs (disambiguation)
The Sinclair family from left to right: Charlene, Fran, Baby, Earl, Robbie, and grandma Ethyl
A cutaway showing the animatronics used to move the faces of the characters -- in this case, Earl Sinclair.
Early Sinclair family concept sketch
Fran with Baby Sinclair.
The three Sinclair children.
Dinosaurs was a half-hour sitcom which aired on ABC. The series, conceived just before Jim Henson's death, focused on a family of dinosaurs, the Sinclairs, and used ground-breaking full body, animatronic puppets.
The show was a joint venture that merged the talents and resources of Michael Jacobs Productions, The Jim Henson Company, and Disney's Touchstone Entertainment. Dinosaurs made use of a system known as animatronics to express and alter the dinosaurs' facial movements, a process developed by Brian Henson and his team at the London Creature Shop.
The show was an effective parody of human life and the American sitcom. Dinosaurs was set in the year 60,000,003 BC. Just a million years earlier, the dinosaurs behaved like animals, eating their offspring and living in swamps. But now they had evolved, raising families, living in houses, working, and paying taxes.
Earl Sinclair, a megalosaurus, works for the WESAYSO Development Corporation, under the direction of triceratops B.P. Richfield, leveling forests to make way for housing developments. Earl's wife Fran, an allosaurus, runs the house and family. The Sinclairs have three children: 14-year-old son Robbie; 12-year-old daughter Charlene; and 1-year-old Baby Sinclair, whose birth is recounted in the pilot.
The series has been released on DVD by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. The first box set, Dinosaurs: The Complete First and Second Seasons, was released in May 2006. The second set, Dinosaurs: The Complete Third and Fourth Seasons, was released in May 2007. The series has also been released to Netflix, Hulu, and Disney (as of 2021).
Origins
News articles written at the time of the premiere highlighted the show's connection to Jim Henson, who had died the year before. "Jim Henson dreamed up the show's basic concept about three years ago," said a New York Times article in April, 1991. "'He wanted it to be a sitcom with a pretty standard structure, with the biggest differences being that it's a family of dinosaurs and their society has this strange toxic life style,' said Brian Henson. But until The Simpsons took off, said Alex Rockwell, a vice president of the Henson organization, 'people thought it was a crazy idea.'"[1] A 1993 article in The New Yorker said that Henson continued to work on a dinosaur project until the "last months of his life."[2]
Henson was working with designer William Stout in the late 80s on a feature film with animatronic dinosaurs, with the working title of The Natural History Project; Henson contacted Stout about the project again in the last months of his life. That project may have been the inspiration for Dinosaurs.
The television division of The Walt Disney Company had begun working on the series in 1990 for CBS, before the series landed on ABC.[3]
Notes
- Many of the dinosaur characters' names were based on the names of oil companies (Sinclair, Phillips, Hess, Richfield) or the categories of fuels they produced, like Ethyl. Sinclair Oil in particular is known for its dinosaur mascot.
- B.P. Richfield's first and middle initials were inspired by British Petroleum.
- Seven episodes of the show were filmed and produced, but did not air in the initial run of the series. They were however included in the syndication package.
- At one point a Dinosaurs movie was planned, but never produced.[2]
- In 1993, Michael Jacobs produced a pilot for Fox, referred to as First Family and The Ooog Show, which would have focused on cavemen and essentially continued the same concept as dinosaurs with mammals. Jacobs and Dinosaurs staff writers Tim Doyle and Bob Young wrote the script. The cast included several Dinosaurs alums: Joe Flaherty starred as caveman patriarch Ooog, while guest actors in the pilot included Suzie Plakson as Zsa Zsa and Michelan Sisti as "4th Caveman." The series was not picked up.
Cast
Puppeteers:Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Kevin Clash, Bill Barretta, Rickey Boyd, Julianne Buescher, Kevin Carlson, Mitchell Young Evans, Tom Fisher, David Greenaway, Terri Hardin, Brian Henson, John Kennedy, Bruce Lanoil, Arlene Lorre, Pons Maar, Noel MacNeal, Drew Massey, Rob Mills, James Murray, David Rudman, Tony Sabin Prince, Michelan Sisti, Jodi St. Michael, Jack Tate, Leif Tilden, Allan Trautman, Mak Wilson
Regular Voices:
Recurring Voices:Jason Alexander, Tim Curry, Michael Dorn, Joe Flaherty, John Glover, Joyce Kurtz, Jessica Lundy, Michael McKean, Robert Picardo, Glenn Shadix, Thom Sharp
Guest Voices:Shaun Baker, Jason Bernard, Pat Crawford Brown, Stephen Caffrey, Ken Hudson Campbell, Dan Castellaneta, Conchata Ferrell, George Gaynes, Buddy Hackett, Jack Harrell, Sally Kellerman, Mimi Kennedy, David Leisure, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Edie McClurg, Kate McGregor-Stewart, Susan Norfleet, Gary Owens, Michael Richards, Richard Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor, Fred Travalena, John Vernon, Paxton Whitehead, David Wohl
Paxton Whitehead appeared on-camera as paleontologist Sir David Tushingham to host two clip shows.
Sources
- ↑ Kahn, Eve M. "All in the Modern Stone Age Family", The New York Times. April 14, 1991.
- ↑ 2.02.1 Owen, David. "Looking Out for Kermit", The New Yorker. August 16, 1993.
- ↑ Grover, Ron. The Disney Touch. Homewood, IL: Business One Irwin, 1991. pp. 167-168.
See also
- Dinosaurs category for episodes, characters, etc.
Baby Sinclair was the most heavily marketed of the show's characters, appearing in assorted toys, Happy Meal prizes and the music video " I'm the Baby (Gotta Love Me) ." He was featured on the box art of most Dinosaurs video releases and was the only character to appear outside of the series, serving as a co-host on the special For Our Children ...
Newly hatched in the premiere episode, "The Mighty Megalosaurus," Baby Sinclair is a precocious, if bratty, child. His catchphrases include "I'm the baby, gotta love me!" and "Not the mama!" The latter is often uttered to his dad, Earl Sinclair, whom the baby repeatedly batters with a frying pan, and generally disdains, especially in the early episodes, though they form a slightly warmer relationship over time. The baby's relationship with mother Fran Sinclair is more stable and mutually affectionate, but the dinosaur child's wisecracks are also aimed at siblings Robbie and Charlene. Grandmother Ethyl often reads to the child, the pair both rejoicing in Earl's many blunders.
Baby Sinclair is also quite intelligent, being able to speak and spell at a very young age.Never formally named until near the end of the second season, the infant Sinclair is briefly named "Aaah Aagh I'm Dying You Idiot", the result of the then-Chief Elder keeling over during the official christening. By the episode's end, he has been legally named "Baby Sinclair."
Baby Sinclair celebrated his first birthday in "Switched at Birth". He celebrated his second birthday in "Terrible Twos", where he entered a stage called the "terrible twos", causing him to display demonic behavior during the year that he's two. The Sinclairs finally tricked the Baby into thinking he was three years old.
Baby Sinclair was the most heavily marketed of the show's characters, appearing in assorted toys, Happy Meal prizes and the music video "I'm the Baby (Gotta Love Me)." He was featured on the box art of most Dinosaurs video releases and was the only character to appear outside of the series, serving as a co-host on the special For Our Children and a cameo in The Dream is Alive: 20th Anniversary Celebration of Walt Disney World.
Performance notes[]
As a hand puppet creation and the smallest member of the show's core regular cast, the character was portrayed by Kevin Clash, with the eyes operated by John Kennedy and the arms by Terri Hardin (replaced by Julianne Buescher for the final season). Clash's voice for Baby at times resembled a more gleefully destructive Elmo.
As of 2014, Baby is the only surviving puppet from Dinosaurs.[1]
Sources[]
- ↑ 26 Things I Learned at Jim Henson's Creature Shop
08-12-2021 · When male dinosaurs turn 15, they go through a rite-of-passage known as "The Howling", during which the youngsters join the adults on top of the mountain to howl at the new moon. Robbie does not see the point, however, and rebels. ... Earl leads the family to try their luck as game show participants, where the first prize is a new TV. Earl ...
08-12-2021
Wikipedia list article
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This is a list of episodes for the early 1990s television series Dinosaurs.
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 5 | April26,1991(1991-04-26) | May24,1991(1991-05-24) | ||
| 2 | 24 | September18,1991(1991-09-18) | May6,1992(1992-05-06) | ||
| 3 | 22 | September18,1992(1992-09-18) | July2,1993(1993-07-02) | ||
| 4 | 14 | 7 | June1,1994(1994-06-01) | July20,1994(1994-07-20) | |
| 7 | September6,1995(1995-09-06) | November10,1995(1995-11-10) |
Episodes
Season 1 (1991)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Mighty Megalosaurus" | William Dear | Michael Jacobs & Bob Young | April26,1991(1991-04-26) | D301 |
| Earl tells Baby the events surrounding his birth. Fran has one wish in life, which is a new set of pots and pans with mesh screens for lids, said to be the better to keep dinner in the pot. Earl realizes that he can't afford to buy the simplest of pleasures for his family, which leads him to ask boss Richfield for a raise, with disastrous results. A chance meeting with the escaped "dinner" saves the day (and job) when dinner reappears as Earl's new supervisor at WESAYSO Development Corp. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "The Mating Dance" | Reza Badiyi | Michael Jacobs & Bob Young | May3,1991(1991-05-03) | D302 |
| Earl shoulders household duties for a weekend, sending exhausted Fran to her mother's for a little rest and relaxation. When she returns to a frazzled Earl, singed baby and demolished household, Earl discovers that Fran's unhappiness does not stem from the kids, but rather from him. At Roy's suggestion, Earl takes a refresher course in the Mating Dance, attempting to once again woo and win his wife. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Hurling Day" | Tom Trbovich | Rob Ulin | May10,1991(1991-05-10) | D303 |
| Earl is excited to throw Ethyl into the tar pits on her 72nd birthday, an old dinosaur tradition. The tradition specifies that men have the honor (and pleasure) of throwing their mother-in-law off a cliff. The day before the hurling, however, Robbie decides that it is the tradition and not his grandmother that should be hurled. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "High Noon" | Tom Trbovich | Victor Fresco | May17,1991(1991-05-17) | D305 |
| Earl is challenged to fight to the death by Gary, a 50' Dilophosaurus who took a fancy to Fran in the frozen food section of the supermarket. Earl must decide whether or not to fight for what belongs to him, or to follow the law of the jungle and run like nuts. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "The Howling" | Jay Dubin | Rob Ulin | May24,1991(1991-05-24) | D306 |
| When male dinosaurs turn 15, they go through a rite-of-passage known as "The Howling", during which the youngsters join the adults on top of the mountain to howl at the new moon. Robbie does not see the point, however, and rebels. This sets off a chain of events, including the dissolution of Earl and Roy's friendship, which causes Robbie to understand that rituals that get dismissed as superstition are actually designed to protect the tribe. Robbie gains a new appreciation for being a dinosaur. |
Season 2 (1991–92)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1 | "The Golden Child" | Tom Trbovich | Dava Savel | September18,1991(1991-09-18) | D310 |
| Baby, unappreciated by Earl, inexplicably grows a golden horn from his forehead. Earl is appalled, until he learns from the dinosaur druids that the appearance of a golden horned baby was foretold in The Book of Dinosaurs. Baby becomes a cult object and Earl is a celebrity by association. The horn eventually comes off, but Earl comes to appreciate the treasure that his baby is all by himself. | ||||||
| 7 | 2 | "Family Challenge" | Bruce Bilson | Tim Doyle | September25,1991(1991-09-25) | D311 |
| Fran demands her family to spend more time together, and, in order to get their attention, she wrecks the TV. When a meteor crashes through the roof of their home breaking their other TV set, Earl leads the family to try their luck as game show participants, where the first prize is a new TV. Earl messes up on obscure areas of knowledge, but is humiliated when all of the questions focus on how well he knows his family, which is not as well as he thinks. They study their history, but by time they appear on the show, all of the categories have to do with the latest television events. | ||||||
| 8 | 3 | "I Never Ate for My Father" | Tom Trbovich | Rob Ulin | October2,1991(1991-10-02) | D309 |
| Robbie refuses to join a Young Carnivore Association and considers becoming a herbivore. Earl is appalled and hauls Robbie off to hunt in the wilderness, to reinforce the carnivore ethic: the bigger eats the smaller. When Robbie is swallowed by an enormous swamp monster, Earl is forced to reconsider his philosophy. When Earl too is swallowed, the father and son continue their argument inside the belly of the beast. However, when recounting how he and his father argued, and how he wanted a better life for his family, Earl realises that new ideas from the next generation can help a species evolve. Upon leaving the swamp monster's belly, both father and son reconcile, with Earl accepting Robbie's choice in lifestyle. | ||||||
| 9 | 4 | "Charlene's Tale" | Tom Trbovich | Dava Savel | October9,1991(1991-10-09) | D307 |
| Charlene is despondent because she is the last girl in the eighth grade to grow a tail. Her outlook miraculously changes when her tail appears overnight, however. Earl's awareness of his little girl's budding womanhood drives him to distraction, but reassurance from Charlene that she will always be her father's little girl cheers him up. | ||||||
| 10 | 5 | "Endangered Species" | Jay Dubin | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | October16,1991(1991-10-16) | D308 |
| It is Earl and Fran's 20th wedding anniversary, the Graptolite anniversary. Graptolites are the sweetest-tasting and most adorable little animals, but they are also quickly disappearing from the earth. Earl has acquired a pair, and everyone else wants them, particularly Richfield. Robbie befriends the creatures and finds they are the very last pair. Soon, father and son are at each other's throats over the fate of the Graptolites. | ||||||
| 11 | 6 | "Employee of the Month" | Reza Badiyi | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | October23,1991(1991-10-23) | D304 |
| Richfield institutes an Employee Suggestion Box, which has Earl and Roy racking their brains in an effort to impress the boss. At Earl's suggestion, the employee coming up with the best suggestion each month will receive dinner with Richfield and their name on a plaque - with Earl named the first "Employee of the Month". Earl's big moment is somewhat tarnished, though, when Richfield does not show up for dinner. | ||||||
| 12 | 7 | "When Food Goes Bad" | Patrick Johnson | Story by : Kirk Thatcher Teleplay by : Tim Doyle & Kirk Thatcher | October30,1991(1991-10-30) | D312 |
| Charlene is left alone to babysit Baby Sinclair, who is teething, while Fran and Earl go out for a nice romantic dinner. Fran gives into temptation to call home, but no one answers; the children have been kidnapped by food that has been left in the refrigerator for too long and gone bad. Charlene must use her wits to foil the food before Fran and Earl get home. | ||||||
| 13 | 8 | "Career Opportunities" | Bruce Bilson | Richard Day | November6,1991(1991-11-06) | D314 |
| Robbie is assigned Tree Pusher as his life's vocation by the all-powerful The Job Wizard. In the process of showing an unenthusiastic Robbie how wonderful a job Tree Pusher is, Earl comes to realize instead how pointless his own life actually is, and retires to bed, unable to move. When Robbie has to replace Earl at the worksite, he gets into trouble and Earl must rally to rescue his son. | ||||||
| 14 | 9 | "Unmarried...With Children" | Tom Trbovich | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | November13,1991(1991-11-13) | D315 |
| Earl and Fran's marriage license expires. When Earl bungles the renewal test by displaying complete ignorance of the details of his marriage, Fran considers not picking up Earl's option. Earl is forced to move in with Roy, while the Sinclair's new next door neighbor, Monica – an Brontosaurus and the first divorced female in history – shows Fran that the single life has possibilities. | ||||||
| 15 | 10 | "How to Pick Up Girls" | Bruce Bilson | Andy Goodman | November20,1991(1991-11-20) | D316 |
| Robbie hires his best friend Spike to teach him how to pick up a girl that he has a brutal crush on, but Spike's unique advice gets Robbie grounded; a situation that Robbie finds not nearly as unbearable as the discovery that Spike, having refined his flirtatious technique, is dating the girl of Robbie's dreams. | ||||||
| 16 | 11 | "Switched at Birth" | Tom Trbovich | Tim Doyle | November27,1991(1991-11-27) | D317 |
| Planning for Baby's first birthday, the Sinclairs discover evidence that their baby may have been switched with another baby while still an egg. Earl is tantalized by the notion that there is a polite, well-behaved baby out there somewhere who might be his son. Fran is unwilling even to consider the possibility until she meets the other baby – who looks exactly like the Sinclair baby except he is green like Earl – and the other father shares certain personality traits with the Sinclair's baby. | ||||||
| 17 | 12 | "Refrigerator Day" | Bruce Bilson | Victor Fresco | December11,1991(1991-12-11) | D318 |
| The happiest holiday in Pangaea is approaching, and Earl overspends on presents for the family. When the traditional WESAYSO bonus fails to come through for Earl, the family is placed under financial threat. Any hope for a joyous holiday is dashed when their refrigerator is repossessed. With no food, no refrigerator, and no money, the family is forced to fall back on the spiritual side of the holiday. | ||||||
| 18 | 13 | "What 'Sexual Harris' Meant" | Tom Trbovich | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | December18,1991(1991-12-18) | D319 |
| Monica begins working for Mr. Richfield where she first meets her supervisor Al "Sexual" Harris. Al "Sexual" Harris uses suggestive language, but Monica turns him down. Al "Sexual" Harris fires Monica, who in turn takes the company to court with charges of sexual harassment. This forces the courts to try to determine what exactly "Sexual Harris meant". | ||||||
| 19 | 14 | "Fran Live" | Tom Trbovich | Victor Fresco | January8,1992(1992-01-08) | D321 |
| Fran calls a phone-in TV advice show with a suggestion for the host and ends up hosting the show herself. Fran's anecdotes over the air expose Earl to ridicule at work, however, and pressure builds for her to quit her job. | ||||||
| 20 | 15 | "Power Erupts" | Bruce Bilson | Andy Goodman | January15,1992(1992-01-15) | D322 |
| As a science project for school, Robbie comes up with an idea for tapping the geothermal energy of volcanoes to heat the homes of all Pangaea. The idea is taken seriously by the government and Robbie seems to be a hero, except that his plan for free energy threatens the business interests of the WESAYSO Corporation, which sells energy for a profit. When WESAYSO puts the screws to Earl to squash his son's idea, Earl is put in conflict with Robbie. | ||||||
| 21 | 16 | "The Clip Show" | Jay Dubin | Story by : Andy Goodman Teleplay by : Dava Savel & Rob Ulin | January22,1992(1992-01-22) | D313 |
| Sir David Tushingham, a self-important archaeologist, attempts to shed light upon the mysterious world of the dinosaurs in a mock-documentary featuring clips from the first eleven episodes that proves the theories of modern science fall far short of the real world in which Earl and his family inhabited millions of years ago. | ||||||
| 22 | 17 | "A New Leaf" | Mark Brull | Rob Ulin | February5,1992(1992-02-05) | D320 |
| Following a fierce argument with Earl, Robbie storms out of the house to meet Spike and discovers an appealing leaf that, when ingested, makes them both effusively happy. Upon returning home, Earl is surprised to find Robbie in such an elated state until he samples some of Robbie's leaves. Expecting to find father and son at war, Fran is puzzled when she discovers Earl and Robbie arm in arm. Suspicious of the tantalizing leaves, Fran exhibits cautious restraint and becomes increasingly concerned when her family happily decides to remain at home rather than go to work or school. Earl's lack of concern after discovering he has been fired forces Fran, who refuses to become co-dependent, to abscond from the house and leave a delirious Earl, Robbie and Charlene to hopelessly fend for themselves. Having run out of leaves, they are forced to recognize what they have become, but Spike tests their resolve when he uncovers fresh leaves. This leaves them with a choice of two things: their lives, or the plant. At the end of the show, Robbie gives a PSA announcement why drugs are bad and what happens to people when they take it. | ||||||
| 23 | 18 | "The Last Temptation of Ethyl" | Tom Trbovich | Dava Savel | February12,1992(1992-02-12) | D323 |
| When Ethel unexpectedly dies, she goes to the afterlife and finds out how beautiful it is. Before she can be reunited with her husband, however, it is revealed that she is only unconscious and will wake up. Anxious to soon return to the afterlife, Ethel goes on TV and tells the viewers how wonderful it is. Unfortunately for Ethel, the afterlife has its own message for her. This episode features a parody recreation of Unsolved Mysteries called "Mysteries That Haven't Been Solved Yet" featuring Earl and Roy burying Ethel and guest star Buddy Hackett as the voice of Ethel's late husband Grandpa Louie | ||||||
| 24 | 19 | "Nuts to War: Part 1" | Bruce Bilson | Steve Pepoon | February19,1992(1992-02-19) | D324 |
| A petty territorial dispute between the main dinosaurs and the four-leggers across the swamp escalates into the first war ever to exist. Robbie is selected to go into the 'Nuts To War' war. However, Fran is worried and scared to death that Robbie will be killed in the war, so she decides to let Earl and Roy go to the battlefield. | ||||||
| 25 | 20 | "Nuts to War: Part 2" | Bruce Bilson | Story by : Steve Pepoon Teleplay by : David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | February26,1992(1992-02-26) | D325 |
| Earl and Roy join Charlene as USO entertainers, and rush to the front to retrieve Robbie, because it looks like this "war thing" is getting a little bit out of hand. Earl tries to stop Robbie from going through with the war, but Robbie ignores his father's wishes. | ||||||
| 27 | 22 | "Slave to Fashion" | Tom Trbovich | Dava Savel | March20,1992(1992-03-20) | D326 |
| Feeling like a social outcast at school, Charlene begs her father for money to buy an expensive fur coat that none of the other girls have, and her grandmother ends up giving it to her. The coat indeed makes Charlene the envy of her friends, but unlike other status symbols, it talks, and begins to make demands that cause Charlene to become alienated from her family and friends, especially her best friend. | ||||||
| 26 | 21 | "And the Winner Is..." | Tom Trbovich | Story by : Rob Ulin Teleplay by : Rob Ulin & Tim Doyle | March27,1992(1992-03-27) | D328 |
| When the Chief Elder dies in the process of naming Baby Sinclair (now "Aaah Aagh I'm Dying You Idiot Sinclair"), Earl becomes embroiled in an intense but unsurprisingly non-substantive campaign with B.P. Richfield for Chief Elder of Pangaea: first as Richfield's patsy, and later as a self-made, come-from-behind candidate bent on preventing a bleak homeland under what appears to be Richfield's imminent rule. | ||||||
| 28 | 23 | "Leader of the Pack" | Bruce Bilson | Kirk Thatcher | April24,1992(1992-04-24) | D327 |
| Robbie is drafted as the leader of Spike's gang when the former leader disappears after a wild night with Robbie. | ||||||
| 29 | 24 | "WESAYSO Knows Best" | Bruce Bilson | Victor Fresco | May8,1992(1992-05-08) | D329 |
| To improve its public image, the WESAYSO Corporation picks the perfect employee family to be featured in their company advertisement. Earl's dream comes true when his family is chosen, but WESAYSO feels Roy has more audience appeal. When the ad campaign is a hit, Earl moves out of his own house so Roy can move in. Roy soon learns that parental responsibility is more difficult than he thinks, however, and Earl realizes that his family and friend might not be successful without him. |
Season 3 (1992–93)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1 | "Nature Calls" | Brian Henson | Andy Goodman & Kirk Thatcher | September18,1992(1992-09-18) | D331 |
| Baby Sinclair runs away to the wilderness following Earl's unsuccessful attempts at civilizing him through toilet training. | ||||||
| 31 | 2 | "Baby Talk" | Bruce Bilson | Victor Fresco | October2,1992(1992-10-02) | D332 |
| As Baby Sinclair's vocabulary grows dirtier after learning an offensive swear word, "smoo", on television, Earl's resolve grows stronger to return "family values" to the permissive television landscape that fostered his child's newfound vulgarity – at least, until his efforts inadvertently create a repressive governmental atmosphere responsive to the slightest complaint from the fellow citizens of Pangaea. | ||||||
| 32 | 3 | "Network Genius" | Tom Trbovich | Tim Doyle | October16,1992(1992-10-16) | D330 |
| Earl becomes a network executive after being sent to the network as the average Joe to help pick the new series. However, when Earl's favorite shows lead to a slowdown in Pangaea's brain power, Earl may have to sacrifice his first great job to program a television schedule smarter than he is, in hope of saving what is rapidly becoming a dense dinosaur race. | ||||||
| 33 | 4 | "The Discovery" | Tom Trbovich | Andy Goodman | October23,1992(1992-10-23) | D333 |
| Earl's discovery of a pristine world inhabited by cavemen is the mark he has been waiting to leave in the history books – until Robbie and Baby are kidnapped by the cavemen, intent on saving their land from the ruthless development of WESAYSO's "Sinclair City." | ||||||
| 34 | 5 | "Little Boy Boo" | Tom Trbovich | Kirk Thatcher | October30,1992(1992-10-30) | D339 |
| In a special Halloween episode, Robbie is forced to baby-sit Baby. Although Baby succeeds in scaring his older brother, Robbie turns the tables and frightens Baby into submission by weaving a scary tale based on the Wolfman fable using himself as the "Wereman", half dinosaur/half man. Includes a music video featuring Baby Sinclair. | ||||||
| 35 | 6 | "Germ Warfare" | Tom Trbovich | Peter Ocko & Adam Barr | November6,1992(1992-11-06) | D335 |
| Earl makes the mistake of giving Baby a contaminated pacifier after it was stolen by mouse-like creatures and ended up in the chimney, Baby ends up ill. While medical science cannot cure Baby Sinclair of a dangerous viral infection, it can bankrupt Earl and Fran with expensive experimental drugs that fail to cure as promised (it at first makes Baby hallucinate that his family is out to hurt him). In desperation, the Sinclairs decide to follow the advice Ethyl has been promoting from the onset of the sickness – go see the traditional dinosaur witch doctor in the forest who invents penicillin. | ||||||
| 36 | 7 | "Hungry for Love" | Bruce Bilson | Lawrence H. Levy | November13,1992(1992-11-13) | D337 |
| Love is in the air when Robbie meets Wendy, a cute young girl who just happens to be B.P. Richfield's daughter. Romance turns to danger, however, when it is rumored that Wendy is an eater who has made meals of her last four boyfriends. Robbie tries to avoid Wendy at all costs, but finally discovers that Richfield is the one who has been devouring Wendy's boyfriends. | ||||||
| 37 | 8 | "License to Parent" | Bruce Bilson | Andy Goodman | November20,1992(1992-11-20) | D338 |
| After Earl is repeatedly ticketed by an overzealous officer of the Parent Patrol for his poor relationship with Baby, he is sent to "Parents Ed", but fails miserably and is ordered not to parent for thirty days until he retakes the test. The ticketing officer is assigned to live with the Sinclairs' to observe Earl, making Fran the only authority figure in the house. A frustrated Earl points out Fran's parental inadequacies, causing her to lose her parental license, too. Thankfully, their home returns to normal after Officer Bettlhiem "loses it" while trying to care for Robbie, Charlene, and Baby while Earl and Fran realize that good parenting comes from the heart, while the manual can be used as backup under certain circumstances. | ||||||
| 38 | 9 | "Charlene's Flat World" | Mark Brull | Tim Doyle | December4,1992(1992-12-04) | D340 |
| When given a school assignment to come up with an original idea, a panicked Charlene is visited by a Muse who mistakes her for Nicolaus Copernicus and tells her that the Earth is round, not flat. After giving her report, Charlene is arrested by the Police Classroom Squad and tried for heresy. Robbie tries to help by appealing to Mr. Pulman, but he, too, is arrested. After being found guilty, a confident Charlene asks that she and Robbie be thrown off the edge of the flat world as sentence, knowing its impossibility and proving her right. | ||||||
| 39 | 10 | "Wilderness Weekend" | Tom Trbovich | Peter Ocko & Adam Barr | December18,1992(1992-12-18) | D341 |
| Traditional gender roles are reversed when Earl, Robbie and Roy go to the forest for a male-bonding ritual known as "The Great Hunt", but end up discovering their feminine qualities. Meanwhile, back at home, Fran and her girlfriends get drunk, watch sports, and generally act like men. | ||||||
| 40 | 11 | "The Son Also Rises" | Tom Trbovich | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | January8,1993(1993-01-08) | D343 |
| Fed up with Earl's continuous nagging, Robbie challenges him for the title of "Supreme Male" of the house. During their physical battle, Earl is caught off guard and Robbie emerges victorious. Robbie now assumes all of the responsibilities that accompany his new position: providing food and clothes for the family, maintain the house, pay the bills, etc. Earl, conversely, acts like a teenager since he has been relieved of his parental duties. When Robbie cannot bear the pressure any longer, however, Fran steps in and forces Earl to become the head of the house again. | ||||||
| 41 | 12 | "Getting to Know You" | Mark Brull | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | January15,1993(1993-01-15) | D336 |
| After Earl throws her a disastrous birthday party (as Fran wasn't feeling well), Charlene feels completely alienated from her whole family and signs up for a Species Exchange Program at school. She lives with a family of squawking, arrogant, annoying, bird-like creatures, and runs away. In exchange, the Sinclairs' get a teenaged version of this hideous species. Pushed to the edge, Baby eats the exchange student. Earl creates a fake kid and returns it to the family, and then discovers that he has brought home a Charlene impostor. When the real Charlene returns, father and daughter make a pact to get to know one another better. | ||||||
| 42 | 13 | "Green Card" | Max Tash | Tim Doyle | January29,1993(1993-01-29) | D345 |
| With the Pangaean economy suffering from a bad recession, Earl and Roy Hess lose their jobs. Meanwhile, the government blames its problems on all four-legged creatures in an effort to shift the blame away from them. Immediately, anti-four-legger legislation is passed, causing Monica to also be fired and lose her home. Roy marries Monica to allow her to stay on the right side of the swamp. Earl protests the marriage and breaks his friendship with Roy for colluding with the enemy. After a major accident in which a four-legger saves his life, Earl repents for his bigoted ways and welcomes Roy back into his life. Public sentiment echoes Earl's attitude when the anti-four-legged laws are repealed, allowing Monica to resume her normal life without Roy. | ||||||
| 43 | 14 | "Out of the Frying Pan" | Bruce Bilson | Dava Savel | February5,1993(1993-02-05) | D342 |
| Baby Sinclair becomes an overnight sensation by hawking frying pans in a commercial. Both he and Fran get caught up in the glamor of show business – riding in limos, going on talk shows, and generally developing "bad" attitudes while neglecting the rest of the family. Earl confronts Fran, who realizes her mistakes, retreats from the "business" and returns the Sinclair home back to normal. | ||||||
| 44 | 15 | "Steroids to Heaven" | Bruce Bilson | Mark Drop | February12,1993(1993-02-12) | D344 |
| Deciding that girls date only jocks, Robbie decides to get "buff." Earl puts Robbie on an exercise program, but when that fails to bring the desired results, he tells Spike about his problem and asks why everyone else is so huge. Spike tells him it is because they eat thornoroids, insult-spewing creatures that instantaneously add lots of muscle, strength, and bulk to one's frame. Robbie asks where he can get some, but Spike says he should not or else. Robbie is determined to become huge and muscular, so he breaks into another student's locker and pops a couple. The next morning, Robbie wakes up to find that his muscles are huge. He tries them out and is strong enough to lift up a refrigerator. At school, he asks Caroline to go to the dance with him, and she agrees. He likes his new muscles so much that he breaks the locker open and eats several more thornoroids. Spike then comes and says that he has been eating them and a side effect of them is the growth of spikes on his skin, but Robbie does not care and eats even more, making his muscles grow to an even vaster size. Impressed with his new muscles, Robbie gets ready for the dance, but the thornoids also cause aggression, making him tear open the bathroom door and rip the sink out of the floor. Robbie learns his lesson after Caroline rejects his aggressive behavior and tells him she liked him the way he was before, with Spike then showing he's a true friend by sitting all night with Robbie until the effects of the thornoids wear off. | ||||||
| 45 | 16 | "Honey, I Miss the Kids" | Tom Trbovich | Richard Marcus | February19,1993(1993-02-19) | D346 |
| Fran, feeling inadequate as a housewife, decides to get a volunteer job. Earl is opposed to the idea, but acquiesces when he takes Roy's advice to manipulate Fran into believing he is supportive of her by offering to work the night shift. Earl will stay home during the day with the kids, and hopefully Fran will miss the kids so much that she will quit her job. However, the plan backfires when Fran returns home and announces that she is going to work full-time. Horrified at the thought of staying home with the kids, Earl again takes Roy's advice to bond with his kids, believing Fran will get jealous at being replaced and return home. Again, Fran reacts the opposite way and causes Earl to inadvertently reveal his failed plans. Initially angry, Fran empathizes with Earl and agrees to a compromise that allows Earl to return to the day shift while she cuts back on her work hours. | ||||||
| 46 | 17 | "Swamp Music" | Tom Trbovich | Mark Drop | February26,1993(1993-02-26) | D350 |
| Spike, who cannot stand Robbie's choice of music, decides to expose Robbie to an entirely different world and different style of music by taking him to the Swamp Shack. The swamp and this club are home to blue-hued mammals who have been restricted from contact with dinosaurs and lead difficult, depressing lives. Initially fearful of this different species, Robbie is completely taken with this new music and band members Howlin' Jay and his son, Sonny. Robbie plans to bring this new sound to the dinosaurs, who he believes will go crazy for it. Howlin' Jay is reluctant due to his previous contact with dinosaurs but Robbie and Sonny take a demo of their music to the head of Volcanic Records. The executive is not interested in the music but changes his mind after listening to the tape and signs Howlin' Jay and his band to a loophole-filled deal allowing the record company to steal the songs and style of the swamp and have them re-recorded by mainstream dinosaur singers and reap the profits. Robbie has to break the news to Howlin' Jay that they have been ripped off again by dinosaurs. Instead of being angry, Howlin' Jay decides to start his own record label created for and run by mammals. | ||||||
| 47 | 18 | "Dirty Dancin'" | Bruce Bilson | Story by : Rob Ulin Teleplay by : Tim Doyle & Rob Ulin | March12,1993(1993-03-12) | D334 |
| Having reached that awkward age where adolescent male dinosaurs find themselves breaking into the mating dance spontaneously and uncontrollably, Fran's open attempts at sexual education drive a confused and embarrassed Robbie to the Best Little Dancehouse in Pangaea, where he discovers what he really needs is not a quick "dancing lesson" with a stranger, but a talk with Earl. | ||||||
| 48 | 19 | "If I Were a Tree" | Bruce Bilson | Andy Goodman | April18,1993(1993-04-18) | D347 |
| During story time for Baby, Ethyl reads him a tale about a dinosaur (Earl) who is pushing down trees when a thunderstorm approaches. Just as he is about to push down a large tree, lightning simultaneously strikes him and the tree causing them to exchange souls. The Tree is excited to learn it has become a dinosaur, able to move freely. In the Sinclair home, the Tree, as Earl, is thoughtful and kind, causing confusion among his family. Meanwhile, the real Earl is, besides himself being stuck in a Tree's body, with a pesky bird and animal living in him. The Tree, as Earl, confronts B.P. Richfield about the ruination of the Earth and Richfield commits him to a mental institution. This, coupled with the daily hardships of dinosaur life, causes the Tree to return to the forest. During this time, Earl is in a race to save the creature living in him because he is marked for clearing. Both realize they have to return to their original forms and unite in trying to save the forest. | ||||||
| 49 | 20 | "We Are Not Alone" | Jeff McCracken | Peter Ocko & Adam Barr | May2,1993(1993-05-02) | D348 |
| Robbie tries to get his family to attend an environmental rally with him, but everyone declines. Robbie is especially upset with Earl, who prefers to watch his favorite TV reality show about alien sightings. At work, Mr. Richfield, in an effort to fool the environmentalists who named WESAYSO a top corporate polluter, orders Roy and Earl to take home barrels of toxic waste and bury them in the Sinclair's backyard. While digging, Earl and Roy are visited by an "alien" (Robbie) who tells Earl that what he is doing is wrong. The "alien" also tells him that he has been chosen to spread the word to other dinosaurs that they must respect and care for the environment or else the planet will be vaporized. Earl immediately changes his ways and sets out to rally the masses to help clean up the environment. He even badmouthes WESAYSO and quits his job to devote all of his energies to his new mission. Robbie tries to point out to Earl that what he has done is of real value but Earl will have none of it and returns to his job and watching TV. | ||||||
| 50 | 21 | "Charlene and Her Amazing Humans" | Bruce Bilson | Dava Savel | May9,1993(1993-05-09) | D351 |
| Feeling ignored by her family, Charlene becomes an instant celebrity after winning her school talent show with trained cavelings (humans) that she found in the forest. Charlene gets an agent and is booked on a top variety show. Consumed by her new status and pushed by her agent, Charlene employs inhuman tactics to get her cavelings to perform dangerous tricks. On show night, Charlene realizes the error of her ways and, feeling guilty, she refuses to go on with the show and gives an impassioned speech about respect and family. Charlene's speech prompts Earl and Fran to realize their error in ignoring their daughter. | ||||||
| 51 | 22 | "The Clip Show II" | Tom Trbovich | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | July2,1993(1993-07-02) | D349 |
| Scenes from various episodes are interspersed with pitches by paleontologist Sir David Tushingham that try to lure customers into the glamorous, high-paying world of paleontology by getting them to buy the Famous Paleontologists' Home Study Course. In true informercial style, there's a deal-a-dinosaur wheel and comic testimonials from satisfied customers. |
Season 4 (1994–95)
Season 4 was divided into two parts: A Summer series of new episodes written to serve as a coda to the series, culminating in Changing Nature, a definitive finale that sees the dinosaurs witness the dawn of the ice age; and a second, Fall series consisting of older episodes that had been preempted and never allowed to run. As a result, the last episodes aired take place chronologically before the series finale, which implies the deaths of the show's main characters. In syndication, networks tend to air the episodes in chronological rather than production order.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | ||||||
| 52 | 1 | "Monster Under the Bed" | Brian Henson | Peter Ocko & Adam Barr | June1,1994(1994-06-01) | D354 |
Baby complains of a monster under his bed, but the family does not believe him. One night while Fran and Earl are out, Charlene humors Baby by investigating his claim and is dragged into the monster's hole. Robbie and Baby try to rescue Charlene, but they, too, are kidnapped. Just as they are about to be eaten, Robbie learns that the monster named Decker is angry at having his home (hole) built upon by the Sinclair's house. The whole crisis is resolved after Baby suggests moving the house and the Sinclairs oblige. Special Guest Star: Michael McKean as the voice of Police Chief Parish | ||||||
| 53 | 2 | "Earl, Don't Be a Hero" | Mark Brull | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | June8,1994(1994-06-08) | D356 |
Earl's accidental exposure to toxic waste transforms him into "Captain Impressive", a mysterious super hero committed to fighting crime and righting wrongs. Earl also sees his chance to outshine Captain Action Figure, Baby's current hero, by using his newly acquired superpowers against the forces of evil – until B.P. Richfield discovers Earl's hidden talents. Determined to use "Captain Impressive" for WESAYSO's benefit, Richfield quickly changes Earl from super hero to super huckster. At that moment, Earl decides to hang up his tights and retire from his career as a crime fighter. Special Guest Star: Michael McKean as the voice of Ed | ||||||
| 54 | 3 | "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" | Tom Trbovich | Peter Ocko & Adam Barr | June22,1994(1994-06-22) | D358 |
The Council of Elders is convened to determine answers to the Great Question Of Life, and the answer is found to be Potatoism. Soon it is "steak-and-potatoes" for Robbie and Earl, when Robbie rejects the elders' wisdom and the duo is sentenced to be burned as infidels. However, a gust of wind extinguishes the fire, and with it dies the people's belief in the message of The Great Potato. Special Guest Star: Tim Curry as the voice of the Chief Elder. | ||||||
| 55 | 4 | "Driving Miss Ethyl" | Jeff McCracken | Adam Barr & Tim Doyle & Jane Espenson & Peter Ocko | June29,1994(1994-06-29) | D364 |
Fran forces Earl to drive her mother, Ethyl, to her 60th-year high school reunion. During the drive, Earl and Ethyl's normal fighting and bickering ensue. However, when they get to the reunion, they quickly discover that every one of Ethyl's old classmates have died, and that she is the only one who is still technically alive. When Earl sees how sad Ethyl is, Earl comforts her and the two decide to become nicer and friendlier with each other, which Fran and the kids are surprised to see when they finally get home. Meanwhile, while Earl and Ethyl are gone, Fran tries gathering the rest of the family for a family portrait, and they end up at each other's throats. Special Guest Star: Michael McKean as the voice of Ansel, Glenn Shadix as the voice of a Monster | ||||||
| 56 | 5 | "Earl's Big Jackpot" | Mark Brull | Tim Doyle | July6,1994(1994-07-06) | D361 |
When Earl is injured on the job and asks for a few days off, B.P. Richfield refuses and fires him instead. Robbie and Fran trick Earl into suing the WESAYSO Corporation for his 0 medical expenses. After a brief trial, Earl is ecstatic at the jury's award of 0 million. Earl begins to spend the money lavishly and behaves badly. Stung by the judgment and blaming Earl, Richfield announces massive layoffs and raises consumer prices. Earl does not see it that way and is happy with his new life, but finally, he is forced to give back the money in order to return things to normal when Mr. Richfield sues him back for allegedly injuring his neck in a car accident. Including a first appearance of Blarney the red Deinonychus but he will be back on "Into the Woods". Special Guest Star: Tim Curry as the voice of Winston | ||||||
| 57 | 6 | "The Terrible Twos" | Jeff McCracken | Tim Doyle | July13,1994(1994-07-13) | D357 |
Baby enters the "terrible twos" and his behavior becomes horrendous; he acts like a spoiled little brat, plays a mean trick on his older sister, Charlene, smashes a toy train that his older brother, Robbie, gives him, smashes the TV because a Pangean TV show called "Blarney" is on, and attacks his family while driving a toy car he got for his birthday. It even defies belief as it reaches the standards of Linda Blair in The Exorcist. Earl and Fran try to get help from a doctor, but he suggests that they wall him up inside a cave for the rest of the year, but Fran disapproves of that, so they later consult a dog and child trainer, but Baby bites Earl, drives his family out of the room and eats the sofa. Desperate times require desperate measures, and the Sinclairs enlist the aid of "The Babysitter", suggested by Ethyl, to exorcise Baby's demons. When neither the exorcist nor doctors can cure Baby, Robbie hatches a plan for the family to fool Baby into believing he is three. Special Guest Star: John Glover as the voice of The Babysitter, Michael McKean as the voice of Dr. Herder | ||||||
| 58 | 7 | "Changing Nature" | Tom Trbovich | Kirk Thatcher | July20,1994(1994-07-20) | D365 |
The family prepares to celebrate the return of the Bunch Beetles, who arrive back on Pangaea every May 14th to eat the rapidly growing Cider Poppies. This year, however, they fail to arrive, and it soon emerges that WESAYSO built a wax fruit factory on top of their mating ground and killed the species. Without the Bunch Beetles to eat them, the Cider Poppies quickly begin to overrun the continent. More concerned with bad publicity than any threat to the ecosystem, B.P. Richfield chooses Earl to take care of the problem. Earl, who is really eager to quickly get rid of the Cider Poppies instead of looking for a long-term solution, chooses to spray everywhere with defoliant. Although this clearly succeeds in getting rid of the Cider Poppies, it also manages to destroy all of the plant life on the entire planet. Deciding that rain is needed to bring back the plants, B.P Richfield decides to drop bombs in every volcano, with the reasoning that the clouds they produce will bring the rain. Instead, the volcanoes produce thick black clouds, blocking out the sun and plunging the planet into a long-lasting ice age. By the time Earl finally realizes the grave mistake his company made by tampering with nature and taking it for granted, it's already too late to reverse the changes. He apologizes to his family for his part in the world's destruction, but assumes that dinosaurs will not simply disappear. The Sinclairs agree that they will remain a family no matter what happens, as the house begins to be buried by snow on the outside. Special Guest Star: Michael McKean as the voice of Bryant | ||||||
| Part 2 | ||||||
| 59 | 8 | "Georgie Must Die!" | Mark Brull | David A. Caplan & Brian LaPan | September6,1995(1995-09-06) (in syndication)[1] | D363 |
Baby is mesmerized by the latest annoying children's idol: Georgie, an orange Hippopotamus. When Georgie comes to town, Baby demands to see him, but Earl refuses to wait in the long line. Baby throws a tantrum, and in desperation, Earl dons a costume and imitates Georgie to stop Baby's cries. Unfortunately, Earl is arrested for copyright infringement by Georgie's people who called the police, and he is thrown into jail. When Fran calls in Georgie the Hippo to clear things up, he has some time alone with Earl as his voice changes, stating how he was not pleased with Earl trying to make him look bad. Later that night, Earl escapes with the help of Jean-Claude and Brigitte, two members of a group of parents who see Georgie for what he truly is: a greedy, money-grabbing, and tax-evading racketeer. Earl ends up having to escape prison and call on Roy to help him clear his name by coming up with a plan to expose the evil crooked Georgie the Hippo. Special Guest Stars: Edward Asner as the voice of Georgie the Hippo (evil voice), Tim Curry as the voice of Jean-Claude | ||||||
| 60 | 9 | "Into The Woods" | Brian Henson | Mark Drop | September20,1995(1995-09-20) (in syndication)[2] | D352 |
Baby Sinclair is taken into the forest for the dinosaurs' traditional Wilderness Rite of Passage, which teaches the value of the family. However, when Earl, Robbie and Roy get stuck in a tarpit, their only hope for survival is Baby. Special guest star: Michael McKean as the voice of Les, Steve Whitmire as the voice of Woody | ||||||
| 61 | 10 | "Variations on a Theme Park" | Jeff McCracken | Jane Espenson | November6,1995(1995-11-06) (in syndication)[3] | D359 |
| The Sinclairs vacation at WESAYSO Land, with its lovable mascot, Moola the Cash-Cow. The family is engulfed in the usual horrors and frustrations associated with amusement parks: unbearably long lines, rides that are not working or are under construction, overpriced merchandise, food, hotels, etc. Miserable, the Sinclairs decide to leave, but discover they are trapped since they purchased a 14-day vacation package. Instead of returning to the park, the family stay in the hotel and bond. Much to their surprise, they find they actually enjoy each other's company. | ||||||
| 62 | 11 | "Life in the Faust Lane" | Tom Trbovich | Mark Drop | November7,1995(1995-11-07) (in syndication)[4] | D360 |
Earl sells his soul to the devil for a collectible mug that becomes more important to him than his job, family, or friends. Everyone is fed up with Earl and leaves him. Lonely, Earl realizes that people mean more to him than objects, and he discovers a loophole that puts him out of the deal with the devil. Special Guest Star: Tim Curry as the voice of the devil and Michael McKean as the voice of Hank | ||||||
| 63 | 12 | "Working Girl" | Tom Trbovich | Rich Tabach | November8,1995(1995-11-08) (in syndication)[5] | D355 |
Under pressure from the government to hire women, B.P. Richfield hires the first female who walks through the door to be the new supervisor. It turns out to be Charlene. Earl, refusing to take his daughter seriously, takes advantage of his new boss, until Charlene asserts herself. Special Guest Star: Joe Flaherty as the voice of the Chief Elder, Michael McKean as the voice of the Inspector | ||||||
| 64 | 13 | "Earl & Pearl" | Tom Trbovich | Tim Doyle | November9,1995(1995-11-09) (in syndication)[6] | D362 |
| When Earl's long-lost sister, Pearl, re-enters his life after twenty years, Earl is cold and distant. Pearl further alienates Earl when the kids take to her and her country-western singing lifestyle. Earl comes to accept his sister after she explains her reasons for leaving. | ||||||
| 65 | 14 | "Scent of a Reptile" | Tom Trbovich | Andy Goodman | November10,1995(1995-11-10) (in syndication) (series finale)[7] | D353 |
Fran and Charlene are thrilled when Charlene gets her adult scent, which will attract her perfect mate. Charlene's euphoria turns to horror, however, when her match turns out to be not only the school janitor - but also just like Earl. Fearful that she will lead an ordinary domestic life like her mom, Charlene decides to go against tradition and change her scent as well as her life. Special Guest Star: Glenn Shadix as the voice of Ray |
References
- ^ "Lincoln Journal Star". Newspapers.com. September 3, 1995.
- ^ "The Tampa Tribune". Newspapers.com. September 17, 1995.
- ^ "Lincoln Journal Star". Newspapers.com. November 5, 1995.
- ^ "Lincoln Journal Star". Newspapers.com. November 5, 1995.
- ^ "The Tampa Tribune". Newspapers.com. November 5, 1995.
- ^ "Lincoln Journal Star". Newspapers.com. November 5, 1995.
- ^ "Lincoln Journal Star". Newspapers.com. November 5, 1995.
External links
 | Wikiquote has quotations related to: Dinosaurs (TV series) |
- Official website
- Dinosaurs at IMDb
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Dinosaurs_episodes&oldid=1059211682"
The series finale was episode 58 ("Changing Nature"). Episodes 59 – 65 were filmed but never shown during the original broadcast. They were later shown in syndication. The following characters are not in the Unisaurs category below: Outside of the recurring characters, there are a group of dinosaur characters called Unisaurs. They are customizable dinosaur characters similar to the Whatnots ...
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The series finale was episode 58 ("Changing Nature"). Episodes 59 – 65 were filmed but never shown during the original broadcast. They were later shown insyndication.
Cast
Main characters
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Sneed Sinclair/Eugene H. Krabs | Stuart Pankin | Bill Barretta Tom Fisher(occasionally) | Dave Goelz(Seasons 1–2) Mak Wilson(Seasons 2–4) | Megalosaurus | The patriarch of the Sinclair family, Earl is the protagonist. He is aMegalosaurusand is depicted as being thick-headed and suggestible. Earl works as a Tree Pusher at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. |
| Frances Phillips "Fran" Sinclair/The Oak Fairy | Jessica Walter | Mitchel Young Evans(Seasons 1–2) Tony Sabin Prince(Seasons 2–4) | Allan Trautman | Allosaurus | The mother and homemaker of the Sinclair family. Fran is mentioned on the show as being anAllosaurus. Her four fins and wrists make her resemble aDilophosaurusas well. On rare occasions, Fran wears fuzzy house slippers. Earl affectionately calls his wife "Frannie". |
| Robert Mark "Robbie" Sinclair/Wilbur Robinson | Jason Willinger | Leif Tilden | Steve Whitmire Rob Mills(occasionally) | Hypsilophodon | Earl and Fran's son and oldest child, he is aHypsilophodon. Robbie stands out with his red varsity jacket and bright red sneakers. However, there are three other Dinosaur characters that also wear shoes in this series. |
| Charlene Sinclair/Violet Parr | Sally Struthers | Michelan Sisti Star Townshend (occasionally) | Bruce Lanoil | Protoceratops | Earl and Fran's daughter and middle child, she is aProtoceratops. Charlene stands out by wearing sweaters, necklaces, and earrings. |
| Baby "Fudgy" Sinclair/Manny Rivera (as El Tigre) (with Daphne Blake as an extra) | Kevin Clash | Kevin Clash(body) Terri Harden(arms, Season 1–3) | Kevin Clash(head & mouth) John Kennedy(eyes) | Megalosaurus | Earl and Fran's son and youngest child, he is aMegalosaurusas stated by Earl. In the episode "Out of the Frying Pan," Baby is shown as aCeratosaurus. His legal name is Baby Sinclair, which was given to him by the Chief Elder. Baby is sarcastic and wisecracking. His favorite thing to do is to hit Earl on the head with a frying pan. His catch phrases are "I'm the baby. Gotta love me." and "Not the mama!". Earl will often call his youngest son Junior. |
Supporting characters
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl Hinkleman Phillips/Belle | Florence Stanley | Brian Henson(seasons 1–2) Rickey Boyd(seasons 3–4)Kevin Clash(occasionally)David Greenaway(occasionally) Julianne Buescher(face, occasionally) |
Roy Hess/TarzanSam McMurrayPons Maar(body)
Julianne Buescher(arms)
David GreenawayTyrannosaurus rexRoy is Earl's co-worker at the WESAYSO Development Corporation and best friend. He is a dull wittedTyrannosaurus rexwho also has a brother named Roy.Bradley P. "B.P." Richfield/Sa'LukSherman HemsleySteve Whitmire
Rob Mills(occasionally)
Steve Whitmire
Rob Mills(occasionally)
TriceratopsB.P. Richfield is Earl, Roy, Ralph, Gus, and Sid's intimidating boss at the WESAYSO Development Corporation where he oversees the Tree Pushers. He is aTriceratops, with the horns on the frill making him look like aStyracosaurus. In "Hungry for Love," it is revealed that Mr. Richfield has a daughter named Wendy.Mr. Pulman/Paavo LipponenAllan TrautmanBruce Lanoil(first time)
Tom Fisher(later appearances)
Allan TrautmanTroodonA bespectacledTroodonwho is Robbie, Charlene, Mindy, and Spike'steacherat Bob LaBrea High School. The Full-Bodied costume used for Mr. Pulman is often used for one-appearance minor characters.
Outside of the recurring characters, there are a group of dinosaur characters called Unisaurs. They are customizable dinosaur characters similar to theWhatnotsfromThe Muppet Showand theAnything MuppetsfromSesame Street. Some of the Unisaurs are Full-Bodied while the others are hand-puppets. They come in different types.
The Hand-Puppet Unisaurs are usually used for television personalities, elders, officials, audience members, and other characters that can be viewed from the waist up. Here are the following Unisaurs in that category:
Earl Sinclair is one of the lead characters in the television series Dinosaurs. Identified as a megalosaurus, Earl is the 43-year-old head of his family, consisting of wife Fran, teenage children Robbie and Charlene, mother-in-law Ethyl Phillips, and infant son Baby Sinclair.
in: Sinclairs, Characters
Edit
Earl Sinclair is one of the lead characters in the television series Dinosaurs. Identified as a megalosaurus, Earl is the 43-year-old head of his family, consisting of wife Fran, teenage children Robbie and Charlene, mother-in-law Ethyl Phillips, and infant son Baby Sinclair. Married for over 15 years, Earl tends to take his more sensible wife for granted, who often brings him down to earth with a sharp "Earl Sneed Sinclair!". Earl's own family background is seldom delved into, but he was the class runt in high school and has an estranged sister, the country singer Pearl Sinclair ("Earl and Pearl"). He is given three common nicknames: Pally Boy by Roy Hess, Fat Boy by Ethyl,and Not the mama by Baby.
Employed as a low level tree pusher for the voluminous WESAYSO Corporation, Earl is old-fashioned and resentful as his family often tries to break with dinosaur tradition, yet usually caves in (though in the show's final episode, "Changing Nature", he is very supportive of new technology). Earl's best friend is Roy Hess, and it's sometimes unclear whether work is a refuge from home or home is a refuge from work. In particular, Earl struggles with being a new father again, and Baby Sinclair's continual address of "Not the Mama" over "Daddy" is a source of frustration. One such attempt to win his youngest son's approval involved adopting the superhero persona Captain Impressive ("Earl Don't Be a Hero"). Another parenting conflict he has been through is when he struggled to come to terms with the fact that Charlene was growing up in "Charlene's Tale". Earl's other desire, outside of being left alone to snack and drink beer, is to achieve recognition from B.P. Richfield and the outside world, whether by becoming "Employee of the Month" or through laying claim as the discoverer of Sinclair City ("The Discovery").
Though usually content to watch television and avoid serious thought, Earl could be occasionally galvanized into action, by either his family or a delayed conscience.His achievements during the series' short run included running for Chief Elder ("And the Winner Is..."), becoming the network's lead television programmer ("Network Genius"), and trading places with a tree ("If I Were a Tree"). Earl also used to play accordion and was surprisingly good at it ("Swamp Music").
Despite his occasional moments of enlightenment, the well-meaning but dense Earl ultimately contributes to the extinction of his entire species ("Changing Nature").
Behind the Scenes[]
Earl was a full-bodied, realistic animatronic puppet, with the facial radio controls operated by Dave Goelz in season 1 and the first part of season 2 and by Mak Wilson for the rest of the run. The body suit was performed by Bill Barretta (in one of his earliest Henson projects) and, on occasion, Tom Fisher.
See also[]
- Earl Sinclair's Alternate Identities and Ages
15-12-2021 · Walking with Dinosaurs is a six-part nature documentary television miniseries created by Tim Haines and produced by BBC Natural History Unit. The series first aired on the BBC in the United Kingdom in 1999 with narration by Kenneth Branagh. The series was subsequently aired in North America on the Discovery Channel in 2000, with Avery Brooks replacing Branagh.
15-12-2021
Documentary television miniseries
For other uses, see Walking with Dinosaurs (disambiguation).
Walking with DinosaursNorth American DVD cover
GenreNature DocumentaryCreated byTim HainesDirected byTim Haines
Jasper JamesCreative directorMike MilneNarrated byKenneth Branagh (BBC broadcast and home video)
Avery Brooks (Discovery Channel broadcast)
Ben Stiller (Prehistoric Planet)ComposerBen BartlettCountry of originUnited Kingdom / USAOriginal languageEnglishNo. of episodes6 (list of episodes)ProductionExecutive producersJohn Lynch
ProducersTim Haines
Jasper JamesProduction locationsBahamas, California, Chile, New Caledonia, New Zealand, TasmaniaCinematographyJohn Howarth
Michael PittsEditorAndrew WilksRunning time30 minutesProduction companyBBC Natural History UnitDistributorBBC WorldwideReleaseOriginal networkBBC OnePicture format16:9 (576i)Original release4 October(1999-10-04)–
8 November 1999(1999-11-08)ChronologyFollowed byWalking with BeastsRelated showsOther shows in the Walking with... seriesExternal linksWebsiteProduction website
Walking with Dinosaurs is a six-part nature documentary television miniseries created by Tim Haines and produced by BBC Natural History Unit.[1] The series first aired on the BBC in the United Kingdom in 1999 with narration by Kenneth Branagh.[2] The series was subsequently aired in North America on the Discovery Channel in 2000, with Avery Brooks replacing Branagh. The programme explores ancient life of the Mesozoic Era, portraying dinosaurs and their contemporaries in the style of a traditional nature documentary.
Developed by Haines and producer Jasper James, Walking with Dinosaurs recreated extinct species through the combined use of computer-generated imagery and animatronics that were incorporated with live action footage shot at various locations. The Guinness Book of World Records reported that the series was the most expensive documentary series per minute ever produced.[3] A re-edited version of Walking with Dinosaurs aired on Discovery Kids for the first season of Prehistoric Planet. It was made more appropriate for children by removing most of the graphic content such as dinosaurs eating each other and trimming down some footage to fit the run time.
The series received critical acclaim, winning two BAFTA Awards, three Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award in 2000.[2][4]Walking with Dinosaurs began a franchise that was followed by two additional miniseries (the sequel Walking with Beasts, taking place in the Cenozoic era and the prequel Walking with Monsters, taking place in the Paleozoic era), several television specials, spin-offs, a live-theatrical show, and a feature film of the same name.[5]
Production
Conguillío National Park in Chile (top) and the Isle of Pines in New Caledonia (bottom) served as filming locations.
Creator Tim Haines contemplated the idea of a dinosaur-centric documentary in 1996, spurred by the resurgence of public interest in prehistoric life following the release of Jurassic Park (1993).[6] Together, with producer Jasper James and effects specialist Mike Milne, Haines shot a six-minute pilot in Cyprus as a proof-of-concept to BBC Worldwide and Discovery Channel for financing.[7]Principal photography took place at a variety of global locations, including Conguillío National Park in Chile, the Redwood National and State Parks in California, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and the Bahamas; the basis for these locations was that at the time, grass was thought to have not appeared in the Mesozoic era. Filming consisted of wide landscape shots devoid of any live-action creatures and close-up shots with animatronics.
Since an extensive amount of computer-generated imagery would be necessary in creating the numerous full-size dinosaurs that the project demanded, Haines initially approached Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the company responsible for creating the visual effects in Jurassic Park. ILM projected a cost of ,000 per every second of footage featuring a CGI shot, an estimate which BBC deemed too expensive for a television budget. Instead, Haines contracted Framestore, a local British visual effects company to create the CGI elements. Maquettes were built and then scanned, with the resulting 3D models animated in Softimage 3D and added to the live-action backgrounds. Framestore consulted several palaeontologists in assisting them with developing natural movements and appearances for the dinosaurs.[8]Michael Benton, Thomas R. Holtz, Jr., Peter Dodson, Peter Larson, David Martill, Kent Stevens and James Farlow, served as consultants; their influence in the filming process was documented in the companion piece, The Making of Walking with Dinosaurs. The CG work was created over the course of two years.
Scientific accuracy
Walking With Dinosaurs possesses an array of scientific inaccuracies throughout each episode that have been repetitively debunked in recent times. Most of the inaccuracies are mainly attributed to the scientific understanding at the time during the late 1990s, which often had limited amounts of information in the paleontological field during that period of time. Though, some of the inaccuracies throughout the documentary were due to storytelling, exaggeration, or occasionally incorrect speculation, such as the sizes of a few creatures and misplaced locations of some of the dinosaurs, notably Utahraptor is depicted as having a European residency despite its name sake.[9]
Behaviour
Michael J. Benton, a consultant to the making of the series and professor of vertebrate palaeontology at the University of Bristol, notes that a group of critics gleefully pointed out that birds and crocodiles, the closest living relatives of the dinosaurs, do not urinate; they shed waste chemicals as more solid uric acid. In the first episode of Walking with Dinosaurs, a male Postosuchus urinates copiously to mark a female's territory as his own after she is driven away from it. However, Benton notes that nobody can prove this was a real mistake: copious urination is the primitive state for tetrapods (seen in fish, amphibians, turtles, and mammals), and perhaps basal archosaurs did the same. He believes many other claims of "errors" identified in the first weeks fizzled out, as the critics had found points about which they disagreed, but they could not prove that their views were correct.[10]
Anatomy
Ornitholestes, a theropod dinosaur of the Late Jurassic, is shown with a small crest atop its head. However, subsequent studies have concluded that it most likely did not have such a crest, and that the misconception that it did came as a result of broken nasal bones in the holotype.[citation needed]
Size
Ornithocheirus is depicted as far larger than it actually was. In the book based on the series, it was claimed that several large bone fragments from the Romualdo Formation of Brazil possibly indicate that Ornithocheirus may have had a wingspan reaching almost 12 metres and a weight of a hundred kilograms, making it one of the largest known pterosaurs.[11] However, these specimens have not been formally described. The largest definite Ornithocheirus specimens known measure 6 metres in wingspan. The specimens which the producers of the program used to justify such a large size estimate are currently undescribed, and are being studied by Dave Martill and David Unwin. Unwin stated that he does not believe this highest estimate is likely, and that the producers likely chose the highest possible estimate because it was more "spectacular."[12] However, no other Early Cretaceous pterosaurs reached its size. Similarly, Liopleurodon is depicted as being 25m (82ft) long in the series, whereas the adult size known to have been reached by Liopleurodon is around 7m (23ft).[13] This was also based on very fragmentary remains of which the 20 metre measurement given have been considered dubious, and it is unlikely that these remains even belong to Liopleurodon.
Location
A few of the dinosaurs throughout the series, most notably the Utahraptor was incorrectly placed in the European continent. The reasoning for this was due to speculation at the time suggesting that due to the similar dinosaurs in the European continent in Giant of the Skies and in North America, it was suggested that Utahraptor should also fill the missing role.
List of episodes
BBC One aired the series weekly on Monday nights, with a regular repeats the following Sunday. In 2010, the series was repeated on BBC Three in omnibus format, as three hour-long episodes.[14]
| No. | Title | Time | Directed by | Original air date | U.K. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "New Blood"[16] | 220 mya | Tim Haines & Jasper James | 4October1999(1999-10-04) | 18.91[17][note 2] |
By a river, a female Coelophysis stalks a herd of dicynodonts called Placerias, looking for weak members to prey upon. Downstream, a male cynodont resides in a burrow with his family. A female Postosuchus, a rauisuchian and one of the largest carnivores alive in the Triassic, attacks the Placerias herd, and wounds one individual; the herd scatters, leaving the wounded Placerias to the Postosuchus. Early pterosaurs called Peteinosaurus are depicted feeding on dragonflies and cooling themselves in the little water remaining during the drought. Still searching for food, the female Coelophysis, alongside another member of her species, discovers the cynodont burrow; the male wards them off. Later that evening, after he goes off hunting, an inquisitive pup follows the male to the entrance and is caught by the female Coelophysis. At night, the cynodont pair eat their remaining young and then move away. On the next day, the Coelophysis work to expose the nest. The female Postosuchus is later shown to have been wounded by the Placerias, a prior attack on them leaving her with a tusk wound on her thigh. After being unable to successfully hunt another Placerias, she is expelled from her territory by a rival male. Wounded, sick, and without a territory, the female dies and is eaten by a pack of Coelophysis. As the dry season continues, food becomes scarce. The Placerias herd embarks on a journey in search of water, while the Coelophysis begin to cannibalise their young, and the male cynodont also resorts to hunting baby Coelophysis at night. Finally, the wet season arrives; the majority of the Coelophysis have survived (including the lead female), and the cynodont pair have a new clutch of eggs. The episode ends with the arrival of a migrating herd of Plateosaurus, foreshadowing the dominance of the sauropods after the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event. In the credits it is explained that 20 million years later, the aforementioned extinction wiped out many reptile species, but the dinosaurs continued to evolve; carnivores grew to massive sizes while their prey became even larger, setting the stage for the next episode with the giants of the Jurassic.
| |||||
| 2 | "Time of the Titans"[18] | 152 mya | Tim Haines & Jasper James | 11October1999(1999-10-11) | 17.75 |
This episode follows the life of a female Diplodocus, beginning at the moment when her mother lays a clutch of eggs at the edge of a conifer forest. Months later, some of the eggs hatch; the young sauropods are preyed upon by Ornitholestes. After hatching, the hatchlings retreat to the safety of the denser trees. They face many dangers as they grow, including predation by Ornitholestes and Allosaurus. While fending off a pair of Allosaurus, a Stegosaurus also accidentally kills one of the hatchlings while swinging its tail. Elsewhere, adult herds of Diplodocus are shown using their massive weight to topple trees in order to reach cycad leaves. Each Diplodocus hosts a small mobile habitat of damselflies, Anurognathus, and dung beetles. After some time, the creche of Diplodocus have grown into subadults. Nearly all are killed by a huge forest fire; only three survivors emerge onto the open plains, including the young female. They encounter several Brachiosaurus before two reach safety to a herd of adult Diplodocus. Several years later, the female mates, and is attacked by a bull Allosaurus. She is saved when another Diplodocus strikes the Allosaurus with its tail. She rejoins the herd, albeit with deep wounds on her side. The closing narration notes that the sauropods will only get larger, becoming the largest animals ever to walk the Earth. In the credits it is stated that the sauropods eventually went into decline with their prairies becoming flooded by rising sea levels, resulting in vast inland seas and that the next episode would explore the giant marine reptiles that patrolled them.
| |||||
| 3 | "Cruel Sea"[19] | 149 mya | Tim Haines & Jasper James | 18October1999(1999-10-18) | 17.96 |
Eustreptospondylus puppet head that was used in Walking with Dinosaurs at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
The episode begins with a Eustreptospondylus being snatched from the shore by Liopleurodon. Meanwhile, hundreds of Ophthalmosaurus arrive from the open ocean to give birth. Hybodus and a Liopleurodon are on the hunt; when a mother Ophthalmosaurus has trouble giving birth, a pair of Hybodus pursue her. They are frightened off by a male Liopleurodon, which eats the front half of the ichthyosaur. Meanwhile, a Eustreptospondylus swims to an island and discovers a turtle carcass; it fights over the carcass with another Eustreptospondylus. Later, during the night, a group of horseshoe crabs gather at the shore to lay their eggs, which attracts a flock of Rhamphorhynchus in the morning to eat the eggs. However, a few of the pterosaurs are caught and eaten by a Eustreptospondylus. While the Ophthalmosaurus juveniles are growing up, they are hunted by Hybodus, which in turn, are prey for the Liopleurodon. While the male Liopleurodon is hunting, he encounters a female Liopleurodon; after the male bites one of her flippers, she retreats from his territory, and a group of Hybodus follows the trail of her blood. A cyclone strikes the islands, killing many animals, including several Rhamphorhynchus and the Liopleurodon, who is washed ashore and eventually suffocates under his own weight. A group of Eustreptospondylus feed on his carcass. At the end of the episode, the juvenile Ophthalmosaurus that survived the storm are now large enough to swim off and live in the open sea. In the credits, it is stated that even though only turtles remain, marine reptiles were a glory of their age and that another group shared the dinosaur's world, the flying pterosaurs; which are claimed, as the next episode would show, to be just as spectacular.
| |||||
| 4 | "Giant of the Skies"[21] | 127 mya | Tim Haines & Jasper James | 25October1999(1999-10-25) | 16.8 |
Ornithocheirus puppet head that was used in Walking with Dinosaurs at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
The episode begins with a male Ornithocheirus dead on a beach. Six months earlier, the Ornithocheirus, resting among a colony of breeding Tapejaras in Brazil, flies off for Cantabria where it too must mate. He flies past a migrating group of the iguanodont Dakotadon and the nodosaur Polacanthus. He reaches the southern tip of North America, where he is forced to shelter from a storm. He grooms himself, expelling his body of Saurophthirus fleas; the crest on his jaw begins to change colour in preparation for the mating season. He then sets off across the Atlantic, which was then only 300 kilometres wide, and after a whole day on the wing, reaches the westernmost of the European islands. He does not rest there however, as a pack of Utahraptors are hunting Iguanodon; a young Utahraptor is bullied off an Iguanodon carcass by the adults. The Ornithocheirus flies to the outskirts of a forest to rest after stealing a fish from another pterosaur, but is driven away by Iberomesornis. Flying on, he reaches Cantabria, but due to the delays, exhaustion, and old age he cannot reach the centre of the many grounded male Ornithocheirus and consequently he does not mate. After several days under the sun trying to attract a mate, the protagonist Ornithocheirus dies from heat exhaustion and starvation. The same fate befalls others who had lost out in the attempt to attract a mate. The next generation of Ornithocheirus feeds on their corpses. In the credits, it is stated that the pterosaurs continued to rule the skies for millions of years while the dinosaurs continued to spread across the globe, and the next episode would show how they conquered the most unexpected of environments - the dark forests of the South Pole.
| |||||
| 5 | "Spirits of the Ice Forest"[24] | 106 mya | Tim Haines & Jasper James | 1November1999(1999-11-01) | 15.95 |
A few hundred kilometres from the South Pole, a clan of Leaellynasaura emerge during spring after several months of total darkness. They feed on the fresh plant growth (which has adapted to the changing seasons), and build nests to lay their eggs; a male Koolasuchus also wakes and heads to a river, where he will stay during the summer. Out on the banks of the river, migrating herds of Muttaburrasaurus have also arrived to feed and lay their eggs. When summer arrives, many of the Leaellynasaura clan's eggs have been eaten; however, those of the matriarch hatch successfully. Meanwhile, a male polar allosaur hunts both the Leaellynasaura and the Muttaburrasaurus, the latter species also having to deal with blood-sucking insects. When autumn arrives, the Muttaburrasaurus herd begins to migrate, and the Koolasuchus leaves the river to find a pool for hibernation. During the migration, some Muttaburrasaurus become lost in the forest; they vocalize loudly while trying to return to their herd, preventing the Leaellynasaura clan's sentries from hearing the polar allosaur approaching. It manages to kill the matriarch of the clan. Winter descends and the forest is shrouded in darkness, but the now matriarch-less Leaellynasaura clan is able to stay active, using their large eyes to help them forage for food. The clan and other creatures are also shown to use various methods of coping with the cold such as being frozen alive or suspended animation. Finally, spring returns, and two Leaellynasaura males challenge each other for the right to mate, and the clan establishes a new dominant pair. The closing narration states that continental drift will soon pull this landmass closer to the South Pole, and when that happens, this unique ecosystem will disappear. In the credits, it is explained that away from the poles, the dinosaurs continued to rule the Earth for another 40 million years before extinction and that the final episode would show how, just before the end of their reign, they had evolved their most infamous predator ever.
| |||||
| 6 | "Death of a Dynasty"[27] | 65.5 mya | Tim Haines & Jasper James | 8November1999(1999-11-08) | 15.69 |
Tyrannosaurus puppet head that was used in Walking with Dinosaurs at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Several months before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, the last dinosaurs are living under intense environmental stress due to excessive volcanism. A female Tyrannosaurus abandons her nest, the eggs rendered infertile due to poisonous volcanic gases. Her calls for a mate are answered by a smaller male, who kills a young Triceratops to appease her. Three days later, after repeated copulation, she drives him off. The mother fasts as she tends to her nest, contending with raids by Dromaeosaurus and Didelphodon. Meanwhile, herds of Anatotitan wander between islands of vegetation among the volcanic ash, and Torosaurus rut for the right to mate, while losing their young to attacking dromaeosaurs. Only three of the Tyrannosaurus eggs hatch; the mother hunts an Anatotitan to feed herself and her brood. Several days later, while defending her two surviving offspring, the mother is fatally injured by the tail of an Ankylosaurus. The juveniles remain expectantly next to the carcass of their mother the next morning; several hours later, they are killed along with the other dinosaurs in the region by the impact of a comet in the Gulf of Mexico. The impact, said to be as powerful as ten billion Hiroshima bombs, resulted in 65% of life -the dinosaurs included- dying out in the ensuing cataclysmic climate changes. In an epilogue, the present-day African plains are shown; while they are now dominated by mammals after the extinction, they are still populated by numerous surviving dinosaurs: the birds.
| |||||
| - | "The Making Of Walking with Dinosaurs"[28] | N/A | Jasper James | 6October1999(1999-10-06) | 7.19 |
| 50-minute special documenting the series' paleontological influence, animatronic effects, CGI and the real location shooting for the series background. |
Music
Ben Bartlett composed the score for Walking with Dinosaurs. Bartlett was encouraged to accept the duties of composing the series' music at the behest of Haines and James. Bartlett wrote different leitmotifs in separate styles for each episode, citing the different themes and settings presented in each episode as inspiration, elaborating, "I tried to create a different sound world for each episode of Walking With Dinosaurs. That was easy, as they all had different moods. The first episode is all about heat and bloodlust, parched deserts and so on, while the second one was pastoral, peaceful, and beautiful, about dinosaurs living in symbiosis with the forests. And so on."[6]
The recording process took place at Angel Recording Studios in Islington, with four sessions scattered over the early months of 1999. The score was recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra. During these sessions, Bartlett admitted to being enriched with experience by the task, stating, "It was the biggest orchestral endeavour I've ever undertaken, and I learnt so much from the first session. Practical things, like handing out the parts to the players before the session, numbering pages... tiny logistical things that can really screw up a session."[6]
Soundtrack
Ben Bartlett
Released11 April 2000RecordedJanuary 1999StudioAngel Recording Studios, IslingtonGenreSoundtrackLength48:42LabelBBC MusicProducer
- Ben Bartlett
- Dan Simmons
Ben Bartlett's original score for Walking with Dinosaurs was released by BBC Music on CD on 11 April 2000.[29]
All music is composed by Ben Bartlett.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Walking with Dinosaurs" | 1:14 |
| 2. | "The Ankylosaurus" | 0:54 |
| 3. | "Death of the Postosuchus" | 2:28 |
| 4. | "Survival of the Cynodonts" | 1:16 |
| 5. | "Torosaurus Lock Horns" | 2:58 |
| 6. | "Giant of the Skies" | 3:50 |
| 7. | "Flight of the Ornithocheirus" | 2:24 |
| 8. | "Deadly Nightscape" | 1:52 |
| 9. | "Time of the Titans" | 3:38 |
| 10. | "Escape of the Podlets" | 0:46 |
| 11. | "Jurassic Forest" | 0:52 |
| 12. | "Canyon of Terror" | 2:15 |
| 13. | "Islands of Green" | 3:58 |
| 14. | "Cruel Sea" | 6:07 |
| 15. | "Spirits of the Ice Forest" | 1:45 |
| 16. | "Antarctic Spring" | 3:19 |
| 17. | "Sleeping Laellynasaura" | 0:57 |
| 18. | "Secret Flight" | 1:47 |
| 19. | "Departure of the Muttaburrasaurus" | 1:06 |
| 20. | "Tyrannosaurus" | 2:56 |
| 21. | "Triassic Water" | 1:27 |
| 22. | "End Credits" | 0:53 |
| Total length: | 48:42 |
Reception
Walking with Dinosaurs received critical acclaim following its initial broadcast. The series won two BAFTAs for Innovation and Best Original Television Music and earned six Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning for Outstanding Animated Program, Outstanding Special Visual Effects and Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming – Sound Editing. In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 1999, voted on by industry professionals, Walking with Dinosaurs was placed 72nd.
Common Sense Media praised the program, giving it five stars out of five and saying that, "Somebody had a great idea, which was to make a documentary series about dinosaurs, but with a twist. The ageing Ornithocheirus on a desperate final flight to his mating grounds, the sauropod hatchlings struggling for survival in the late Jurassic, the migrating herds and the undersea life of 150 million years ago would all seem as real as a nature program about polar bears or snow monkeys."[30] This technique of narrating the prehistoric life as though it were current has been used several times since, for example in the BBC's 2011 Planet Dinosaur series.
| List of awards and nominations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
| British Academy Television Awards 2000 | Outstanding Innovation | Won | |
| 2000 British Academy Television Craft Awards | Best Original Television Music | Ben Bartlett | Won |
| 52nd Primetime Emmy Awards | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour or More) | Tim Haines, Jasper James, Georgann Kane, Tomi Bednar Landis, John Lynch, Mike Milne | Won |
| Outstanding Special Visual Effects | Tim Greenwood, Jez Harris, Daren Horley, Alec Knox, Virgil Manning, David Marsh, Mike McGee, Mike Milne, Carlos Rosas | Won | |
| Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special | Ben Bartlett | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming | Britt Sjoerdsma, Andrew Wilks | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming - Sound Mixing | Bob Jackson | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming – Sound Editing | Simon Gotel, Andrew Sherriff | Won |
In other media
Companion book
Main article: The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life
A companion book was written by Tim Haines to accompany the first screening of the series in 1999. The settings of some of the six episodes were changed between the time the book was written and the screening of the television series, and some of their names were changed: "New Blood" is set at Ghost Ranch, and "Cruel Sea" is set at or near Solnhofen in Germany near what then were the Vindelicisch Islands. The book elaborated on the background for each story, went further in explaining the science on which much of the program is based, and included descriptions of several animals not identified or featured in the series.[31]
A companion volume to the first book "Walking with Dinosaurs: The Evidence" by David Martill and Darren Naish was published in 2000. It went into more detail about the research and suppositions that went into making the series.
Live theatrical show
Play media
VOA report about the Arena Spectacular
Main article: Walking with Dinosaurs − The Arena Spectacular
Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular is a live theatrical show adaptation and travelling exhibition of the series that originated in Australia in January 2007 (as Walking with Dinosaurs: The Live Experience), and toured North America in 2007–10, Europe in 2010, and returned to North America until 2011. It also toured Asia beginning in December 2010. In 2011 the show came to its final destination of its first tour, New Zealand. In 2012, the show toured the UK, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands.[citation needed] For 2018, the show again toured various European cities.
Film adaptation
Main article: Walking with Dinosaurs (film)
Released in 2013, Walking with Dinosaurs is a feature-length film about dinosaurs in the Late Cretaceous period 70 million years ago. The production features computer-animated dinosaurs in live-action settings with actors Justin Long, John Leguizamo, Tiya Sircar, and Skyler Stone providing voiceovers for the main characters. It was directed by Neil Nightingale and Barry Cook from a screenplay by John Collee.
The film was produced by BBC Earth and Evergreen Films and was named after the original BBC miniseries. The film, with a budget of US million, was one of the largest independent productions to date; it was financed by Reliance Entertainment and IM Global, with 20th Century Fox handling distribution.[32] The crew filmed footage on location in the U.S. state of Alaska and in New Zealand, which were chosen for their similarities to the dinosaurs' surroundings millions of years ago, and on locations in Humboldt County, California.[33]Animal Logic designed computer-animated dinosaurs and added them to the live-action backdrop. Though the film was originally going to have a narrator like in the miniseries, Fox executives wanted to add voiceovers to connect audiences to the characters.
Walking with Dinosaurs premiered on 14 December 2013 at the Dubai International Film Festival. It was released in cinemas in 2D and 3D on 20 December 2013. Critics commended the film's visual effects but found its storytelling to be sub-par and derided the voiceovers as juvenile. The film grossed US.4 million in the United States and Canada and US.6 million in other territories for a worldwide total of US6 million. The Hollywood Reporter said the film's global box office performance was disappointing in context of the production budget and marketing spend.
Video game
Main article: Walking with Dinosaurs (video game)
Dinosaur World is a freeware video game developed by Asylum Entertainment and published by the BBC Imagineering in June 2001. It is a spin-off of Episode 2 of Walking with Dinosaurs ("Time of the Titans") and the special The Ballad of Big Al. The main point of the game is to find all the animals and plants, including several location features, that are distributed in five different zones. The game is available on the BBC website as an alpha, as it was never fully developed.[citation needed]
Notes
- ^ Specimen featured in episode was only based on an Arizona specimen which resembled Thrinaxodon, not actually Thrinaxodon itself despite The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life referring to the cynodont as such.
- ^ 7 day data, including the original Monday broadcast and Sunday repeat for all six episodes.
- ^ Incorrectly referred to as Australovenator on a BBC website; genus wasn't described until 2009 (just about a decade after Walking with Dinosaurs premiered), and the allosaur featured is actually based on remains found at Cape Paterson.
References
- ^ "Walking with Dinosaurs The Origins". Archived from the original on 23 April 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
- ^ a b McClintock, Pamela (15 January 2014). "T-Wreck: Why Fox's 'Walking With Dinosaurs' Went Extinct". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Most expensive television documentary series per minute". Guinness World Records. 14 June 2015.
- ^ 60th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2001.
- ^ McClintock, Pamela (2 August 2011). "Fox Sets 'Walking With Dinosaurs' for Christmas 2013 Release". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ a b c Bell, Matt (February 2000). "Ben Bartlett: Music For Walking With Dinosaurs". Sound on Sound. SOS Publications Group. Archived from the original on 10 April 2005. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ Haines, Tim. "The Making of…Walking with Dinosaurs". Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ Huelsman, Eric (1 March 2000). "Walking With Dinosaurs". Animation World Network. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- ^ "Utahraptor ostrommaysorum". Natural History Museum of Utah. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "birds and crocodiles, the closest living relatives of the dinosaurs, do not urinate". Benton, M. J. 2001. "The science of 'Walking with Dinosaurs'". Teaching Earth Sciences, 24, 371–400.
- ^ Haines, T., 1999, "Walking with Dinosaurs": A Natural History, BBC Books, p. 158
- ^ Bredow, H.P. (2000). "Re: WWD non-dino questions." Message to the Dinosaur Mailing List, 18 April 2000. Retrieved 20 January 2011: http://dml.cmnh.org/2000Apr/msg00446.html
- ^ Smith, Adam. "Liopleurodon". The Plesiosaur Directory. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ^ Walking With Dinosaurs - Compilations - Episode 1 BBC Retrieved 19 September 2018.
- ^ "BBC Dinosaurs Fact Files Cynodont". BBC. Archived from the original on 11 February 2004.
- ^ New Blood: Walking with Dinosaurs, Original series Episode 1 of 6 bbc.co.uk. Web. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- ^ https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-30/ Weekly top 30 programmes BARB Web. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
- ^ "Time of the Titans - Walking with Dinosaurs, Original series Episode 2 of 6".
- ^ "Cruel Sea - Walking with Dinosaurs, Original series Episode 3 of 6". BBC.
- ^ "BBC Dinosaurs Fact Files Iberomesornis". BBC. Archived from the original on 3 October 2003.
- ^ "Giant of the Skies - Walking with Dinosaurs, Original series Episode 4 of 6". BBC.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20130302004804/http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Australovenator BBC website
- ^ "BBC Dinosaurs Fact Files Steropodon". BBC. Archived from the original on 3 October 2003.
- ^ "Spirits of the Ice Forest - Walking with Dinosaurs, Original series Episode 5 of 6". BBC.
- ^ "BBC Dinosaurs Fact Files Deinosuchus". BBC. Archived from the original on 3 October 2003.
- ^ "BBC Dinosaurs Fact Files Dinilysia". BBC. Archived from the original on 3 October 2003.
- ^ "Death of a Dynasty - Walking with Dinosaurs, Original series Episode 6 of 6". BBC.
- ^ "The Making of Walking With Dinosaurs - BBC One". BBC.
- ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Walking with Dinosaurs: Original TV Soundtrack". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- ^ "Walking with Dinosaurs review". Commonsensemedia.com. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ Martill, Dave; Naish, Darren (2000). Walking with Dinosaurs: The Evidence. London: BBC Books. ISBN0-563-53743-4.
- ^ Pomerantz, Dorothy (8 November 2013). "'Walking With Dinosaurs' Is A T-Rex Sized Independent Film". Forbes. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ Hesseltine, Cassandra. "Complete Filmography of Humboldt County". Humboldt Del Norte Film Commission. Humboldt Del Norte Film Commission. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
External links
| Wikiquote has quotations related to: Walking with Dinosaurs |
- Walking with Dinosaurs at BBC Online
- Walking with Dinosaurs at BBC Earth
- Walking with Dinosaurs at IMDb
- "Walking With Dinosaurs: The Origins". Archived from the original on 23 April 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
- ABC's Walking With Dinosaurs site
- BBC Science & Nature – Prehistoric Life
- Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular official website
- 1990s portal
- BBC portal
- Dinosaurs portal
- Television portal
- United Kingdom portal
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Walking_with_Dinosaurs&oldid=1060359303"
11-12-2021 · Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is an animated television series produced by De Souza Productions, Galaxy Films and Nelvana, which aired on CBS Kids in the United States from 1993 to 1994, lasting for one season of 13 episodes. Based on Xenozoic Tales by Mark Schultz, the show was created by screenwriter Steven E. de Souza, who acquired the TV rights after producing the …
11-12-2021
This article is about the television series. For other uses, see Cadillacs and Dinosaurs.
Cadillacs and DinosaursOfficial DVD cover
GenreAdventure
Science fantasyCreated bySteven E. de Souza
Mark SchultzDeveloped byDennise Fordham
Martin Pasko
David WiseDirected byRaymond JafeliceStarringDon Dickinson
Ted Dillon
David Fox
Don Francks
Dawn Greenhalgh
David Keeley
Kristina Nicoll
Colin O'Meara
Frank Pellegrino
Susan Roman
John Stocker
Bruce Tubb
Philip Williams
Lenore ZannNarrated byGreg SpottiswoodComposerJohn TuckerCountry of origin
- United States
- Canada
Original languageEnglishNo. of seasons1No. of episodes13ProductionExecutive producersSteven E. de Souza
Sasha Harari
Michael Hirsh
Patrick Loubert
Toper TaylorProduction companiesNelvana Limited
Galaxy Films
de Souza ProductionsReleaseOriginal networkCBS (USA)Picture formatNTSCAudio formatStereoOriginal releaseSeptember 18, 1993(1993-09-18)–
January 28, 1994(1994-01-28)
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is an animated television series produced by De Souza Productions, Galaxy Films and Nelvana, which aired on CBS Kids in the United States from 1993 to 1994, lasting for one season of 13 episodes.[1] Based on Xenozoic Tales by Mark Schultz, the show was created by screenwriter Steven E. de Souza, who acquired the TV rights after producing the video game Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, which was also based on Schultz's comic.[2][3] The show dealt with many strong ecological and political issues that were central to the plot development.
Plot
The series followed in the year 2513 and exploits of Jack Tenrec and his crew of ecological freedom fighters known as the "Mechanics".[4] His often-reluctant companion is the foreign ambassador Hannah Dundee. She hires Jack as a liaison, while she attempts to create clear communication between her land and the modern civilization. Together, they confront the serious issues facing the futuristic environment that humanity has come to inhabit.
Jack also has Hermes, a juvenile "cutter" that Jack hand-reared after the latter's mother's death. Gentle with Jack and Hannah, he can still be rather fierce when angered. The show also includes a race of intelligent lizards called "Griths".
Jack and his crew square off against opposition, including the Council of Governors and Hammer Terhune's gang.
Cast
- Jack Tenrec (voiced by David Keeley) – A survival-savvy garage mechanic who is a member of the Old Blood Mechanics. Jack has a passion for restoring classic car shells (mainly those of Cadillacs) which the Mechanics use as their mode of transportation.
- Hannah Dundee (voiced by Susan Roman) – A foreign ambassador from Wasoon who is Jack's constant companion and love interest. She is often on a mission to stop Jack from running his enemies into his neighbors' territory.
- Mustapha Cairo (voiced by Bruce Tubbe) – Jack's companion who often helps Jack in his endeavors. He is an engineer.
- Kirgo (voiced by David Fox) – A ferryman associated with the City in the Sea and a friend of Jack.
- Hermes – A juvenile "Cutter" (Allosaurus) that was raised by Jack. Although he is gentle towards Jack and Hannah, Hermes can still be rather fierce when angered.
- Council of Governors – A council that rules the City in the Sea.
- Governor Wilhelmina Scharnhorst (voiced by Dawn Greenhalgh) – Corrupt, power-hungry, and uncaring of the balance of nature, Wilhelmina is one of the three governors in the City in the Sea. To deal with Jack Tenrec, Wilhelmina has hired Hammer Terhune and his gang to do her dirty work. Despite her callous nature and disdain for Jack, whom she sees as an obstacle to her rise to power and to humanity's dominance as a whole, Wilhelmina only wants what's best for her city and knows when to respect Jack, though it's usually only when doing so will benefit her interests as well.
- Governor Dahlgren (voiced by Kristina Nicoll) – A female who is the voice of reason to the governors. Her governing styles are said to have been heavily influenced by Jack. Dahlgren has a bad habit of flirting with any man and is implied to have a crush on Jack, much to Hannah's chagrin.
- Governor Toulouse (voiced by Philip Williams) – Toulouse is the public relations man of the governors. His concerns all lie on the morale and attitude of the public regarding potential problems. Even though Toulouse means well, he is not used to the outdoor lifestyles of Jack Tenrec.
- Noc (voiced by Don Dickinson) – The Captain of the Guards in the City in the Sea. He is one of the people who have a dislike for Jack Tenrec. Noc is a sycophant and a very corrupt officer, obeying Scharnhorst without caring if she is wrong, lying any time and to anyone he deems convenient, and even trying to pull off scams.
- Dr. Fessenden (voiced by John Stocker) – A mad scientist who would often invent some technology for Wilhelmina to use.
- Hammer Terhune (voiced by Ted Dillon) – A burly poacher who would often attack Jack Tenrec. Although he was hired by Wilhelmina Scharnhorst, he shows no respect to her unless she has some technology for him to use and would betray her if he sees a chance.
- Wrench Terhune (voiced by Colin O'Meara) – Hammer's younger brother who wears a headband.
- Vice Terhune (voiced by Frank Pellegrino) – Hammer's younger brother who wears a ponytail.
- Mikla (voiced by Lenore Zann) – A female who is a member of Hammer's gang.
- Griths – A race of lizard men who reside in caverns.
- Hobb (voiced by Don Francks) – A Grith who serves as Jack's translator to the Griths due to his telepathy.
- Wild Boy – A wild child raised by the Griths that wears a loincloth and animal hide boots. He does not speak any human language, but can communicate with the dinosaurs. The Griths raised the Wild Boy ever since saving him from the cave hyenas. He first appears in "Wild Child" where Jack and Hanna discover him and try to keep him out of Hammer Terhune's clutches while returning him to the Griths. In "Duel," the Wild Boy later brings Jack and Hannah to the Griths at the time when Jack's old friend Sean has stolen their lifestone.
Creatures
Many of the dinosaurs (commonly referred to as "slithers") and other prehistoric creatures featured in this series are referred to by different names:
- Cutter – Allosaurus
- Shivet – Tyrannosaurus
- Mack – Triceratops
- Sandbuck – Apatosaurus
- Tri-colored Sandbuck – Diplodocus
- Wahonchuck – Stegosaurus
- Whiptail – Nothosaurus
- Thresher – Mosasaurus
- Zeek – Pteranodon
- Bonehead – Pachycephalosaurus
- Tree Grazer – Brachiosaurus
- Hornbill – Parasaurolophus
- Crawler – Ankylosaurus
- Deinonychus
- Velociraptor
- Dimetrodon
- Glyptodon
- Cave hyena
- Woolly mammoth
- Peramus
- Phorusrhacos
- Troodon
- Eoraptor
- Machairodus
- Compsognathus
- Coelophysis
- Struthiomimus
- Protoceratops
- Mixosaurus
- Stegoceras
Episodes
| No. | Title | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Rogue" | Steven E. de Souza | September18,1993(1993-09-18) |
| Hammer cuts Hannah and her expedition off with an ambush. Jack heads to a burning town where he is blamed for the attack of a Shivet. Wilhelmina is intent on destroying every settlement and Jack. At the coast to the Ocean City, Hannah mistakes Jack for a poacher. Jack takes Hannah to his garage to meet Mustapha and Hermes. Jack goes off to eliminate the rampaging Shivet, but instead finds and destroys the receiver Hammer attached to its neck. After a long fist fight with Hammer, Jack scares off Hammer. Jack confronts Wilhelmina with no results. | |||
| 2 | "Dino Drive" | Herbert J. Wright | September25,1993(1993-09-25) |
| An earthquake causes a herd of Macks to stampede through a village. Wilhelmina intends to exterminate them which Jack points out will disrupt the ecological life cycle. Jack is promoted to take care of the threat. Jack plans to rally the Macks away with three Cadillacs and aid from Hermes. Jack manages to herd the Macks and thwart Hammer's ambush attempt. The Mack leader destroys Mustapha's Cadillac. Wilhelmina makes a deal with Hammer to ruin Jack and kill all the Macks. Hammer detonates dynamite and smoke bombs in a nearby pass, but Jack counters him and drives his men away. The Macks make it to their new home. | |||
| 3 | "Death Ray" | Ted Pedersen Francis Moss Dennise Fordham | October2,1993(1993-10-02) |
| Dr. Fessenden shows Wilhelmina a satellite laser, but needs to get to the station in Grith territory. Wilhelmina requests Jack to take Dr. Fessenden there. They avoid a Shivet on the way. Jack receives a talisman from the Griths. Hammer abducts Dr. Fessenden, finding out about the Death Ray. Jack, Hannah and Fessenden reach the station and Hannah finds out Dr. Fessenden's true intentions. Hammer catches Jack and Hannah. Before the laser can be tested on them, they escape. Hammer intends to destroy Sea City. As Hannah re-aims the laser on the station, a stampeding herd of Mammoths arrive and Hammer's lot flees. Jack rescues a Zeek's baby before the station blows up. Jack leaves the talisman to the Griths. | |||
| 4 | "Siege" | Michael Part Martin Pasko | October9,1993(1993-10-09) |
| After Jack stops Hammer from poaching tri-colored Sandbucks, he swears revenge. Mikla goes undercover getting in Jack's inner circle when she thwarts a minor attack from poachers. Hammer sends his full force to besiege Jack's garage. Before Jack and his men can fire the lava launchers, they malfunction from the valve Hermes damaged earlier. Jack descends into the crater to reach the source having difficulty along the way, but turns the main valve. The attackers are warded off, but Hammer penetrates and captures everyone. Jack tricks Hammer into turning on the water system that flushes them out of the garage. | |||
| 5 | "Wild Child" | Marv Wolfman | October23,1993(1993-10-23) |
| Jack and Hannah go for an expedition to a mine. When they are chased by a herd of Wahonchucks, they find a wild boy amongst them. While Jack investigates the mine, Hannah goes after the boy, saving him from a Zeek. Jack tries to help a wounded Sandbuck, when Hobbs attends to it and asks Jack to find the wild boy. Jack learns from a Grith that they raised the boy after saving him from cave hyenas. Hannah is attacked in a lake by a Thresher, but the boy talks to it. Hammer sees this as an opportunity to pin the Sandbucks. Hannah refuses to let the boy go until Hobbs explains how they raised him. Hammer kidnaps the boy and uses him to talk with a slither. Jack and Hannah rescue the boy and the slither, Hammer following in pursuit. The boy is then returned to the Grith. | |||
| 6 | "Mind Over Matter" | Laura Phillips Dennise Fordham | November6,1993(1993-11-06) |
| Jack and Hannah go to the Mall Market to trade. Hannah swipes a top secret file. Jack runs into a Mack and finds the river dried up. Hannah finds out the document is the property of Wilhelmina regarding an ancient laboratory. Jack finds the river has been dammed up so that Wilhelmina's men can excavate the lab. Hannah is caught but Jack assists her. Dr. Fessenden activates a deadly robot. The robot activates other robots, becoming a threat even for Wilhelmina. The diggers destroy the lab. The robots survive, but Jack destroys the dam to bury the dig site. | |||
| 7 | "Survival" | David Wise | November20,1993(1993-11-20) |
| Jack extracts rubber from trees, while Laschard blasts a ravine disturbing a family of Wahonchucks and getting himself trapped. Wilhelmina has uncovered a train. Hannah knew a similar train with toxic material nearly wiped out her people, so she and Jack get some flowers which are an antidote. Wilhelmina assigns Laschard to kill Jack. His attempts fail. Wilhelmina tries to abort Laschard's assignment when she sees the ill state Mustapha is in, but Laschard doesn't listen. Jack and Hannah fail to get Laschard's car as a Cutter stands guard. Next day Jack turns a group of Cutters against Laschard and diverts the Cutters into a river. Jack and Hannah reach the Sea City and provide the flowers for the antidote. | |||
| 8 | "It Only Comes Out at Night" | Marty Isenberg Robert Skir | November27,1993(1993-11-27) |
| As Jack docks at Sea City, Kirgo is taken away by a Whiptail. Jack and Hannah investigate the night disappearances and the Whiptail. They are attacked by the monster inside an excavation tunnel. Wilhelmina refuses to believe Jack's findings. Jack and Hannah try again to track the Whiptail. As the Whiptail passes them, Mustapha arrives with Jack's Cadillac. When they try to lure the Whiptail it abducts Mustapha. Jack chases the Whiptail in his car until he finds her lair. They find Kirgo and Mustapha and that the Whiptail has no babies save one. Hannah rescues the Whiptails and sorts out the excavation problem the following morning. | |||
| 9 | "Remembrance" | David Wise | December11,1993(1993-12-11) |
| Jack and Hannah successfully evade a Shivet and uncover a storage capsule, with a hibernating man. The man is called Adamus. Jack takes him and Hannah to meet an old friend Captras. As Adamus prevents an accident, Hammer spreads word of his presence to Wilhelmina. Jack evacuates Adamus and they run into the Shivet again. When Adamus drives it away, Jack discovers Adamus is an android, while Wilhelmina uncovers the capsule and a codebook inside. Adamus is suspected to be dangerous and sure enough Wilhelmina arrives and Dr. Fessenden takes control of him. As Wilhelmina uncovers an explosives cache, Adamus fires a missile causing a volcano to erupt. Hannah turns Adamus against Wilhelmina. Jack and Adamus successfully block the volcanic lava flow from the settlement. Adamus is put back into his capsule. | |||
| 10 | "Pursuit" | David Wise | December18,1993(1993-12-18) |
| Jack is arrested after he fails to stop Hammer from salvaging the government's pile driver. In court, Jack retells the time the pile driver was in testing and Hammer in pursuit of it. Jack is tried guilty, but escapes from his sentence. Wilhelmina hires a bounty hunter called Brink to capture Jack. While Hannah searches for evidence, Jack pursues the poachers only to be caught by Brink, but he gets away. Hannah soon finds evidence of Captain Noc's person and divulges the truth to Wilhelmina, forcing her to exonerate Jack. Jack destroys the tech house and Brink arrests Hammer. | |||
| 11 | "Departure" | David Wise | January14,1994(1994-01-14) |
| As preparations are made at the harbor, a Thresher attacks and heads up the city canal raiding a fish market. Jack scares away the Thresher. Hannah brings a flock of Zeeks to the city despite Wilhelmina's disapproval. Hannah decides to leave for her hometown. Jack tries to convince Hannah to let him escort her. As they go their separate ways, Jack gets attacked by a large war tank. Jack is captured by Lars Striker. Jack refuses to assist Lars and plunges into a river, with Hannah coming to his rescue. Together, they stop Lars and destroy his tank. The Zeeks prove useful against the Threshers and Hannah begrudgingly decides to stay after all, while Wilhelmina takes the credit for her idea. | |||
| 12 | "Duel" | Michael Reaves | January21,1994(1994-01-21) |
| Jack barely escapes from a Bonehead. Back at the garage Jack meets his old buddy and fellow Old Blood Sean Rustle. Hannah doesn't find him good company. The next day Jack returns to find Hermes drugged and his Whirlybird engine stolen. Shortly, Hermes and every other dinosaur act very strangely. The Wild Boy takes Jack and Hannah to the Grith lair where they are dying from the lifestone having been stolen. Jack retells how Sean was always one step ahead of him. Sean reveals his deceitful nature. After blasting Sean out of his chopper, Jack decides to do a rematch race against him. Jack outruns Sean, Hannah saves him from falling, and they return the lifestone to the Griths. | |||
| 13 | "Wildfire" | David Wise (teleplay) Harlan Ellison (story) | January28,1994(1994-01-28) |
| Hannah manages to maneuver Jack's Cadillac past an earthquake area. Hammer sets fire to the jungle with dynamite. As Jack investigates the fire, Wilhelmina assigns him to deliver nitroglycerin to blow the canyon escorted by the poachers and Mustapha. The convoy runs into a sick Tree Grazer, but Hannah helps it. The convoy manages to cross an unstable bridge and avoid Laschard. Hammer loses one of the trucks. At the river, Hammer tries to dispose of Jack, but he and Hannah fire at them. Hammer recruits Laschard to assist him. With more pursuing, Hannah drives the Cadillac and crashes into the canyon wall, blocking the fire. |
Release
Broadcast
The show aired in the Republic of Ireland on RTÉ Two from 29 August 1995 to 1996.[5] In addition, the series has aired for many years on HBO Family in Latin America, where the episodes can be viewed dubbed in Spanish or in their original English.
Home media
Select episodes were released on VHS in the 1990s by Sony Wonder. Only the first two episodes of the show are available in the United States through the video retailer Amazon Video, and in Canada it was available through the streaming video service Shomi until the service was cancelled. In 2015, the entire series was made available for free viewing through the Nelvana Retro channel on YouTube,[6] renamed YTV Direct in 2016.[7] YTV Direct is now only archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine and is no longer featured on YouTube due to renaming the channel to Keep It Weird in 2018. However, Retro Rerun has uploaded all of the episodes on their YouTube channel.
Reception
Critical response
Esther Sinclair, UCLA associate professor of psychiatry and bio-behavioral sciences, analyzed the message of the show: "Jack is altruistic, does not have aggressive impulses, resists temptation and is sympathetic toward others. . . . The viewer may draw an analogy to other endangered species such as eagles and condors. . . . There is an emphasis on the interconnection of all living things. Jack respects all life forms."[3]
References
- ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p.103. ISBN978-1538103739.
- ^ "Interview: Mark Schultz: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet". The Trades. Archived from the original on 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
- ^ a b Du Brow, Rick (1994-02-12). "Cadillacs Cartoon Enters Brave New World". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
- ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nded.). McFarland & Co. pp.169–171. ISBN978-1476665993.
- ^ RTÉ Guide, 26 August - 1 September 1995 edition and subsequent dates
- ^ "Cadillacs and Dinosaurs - Season 1". 19 June 2015. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015.
by Nelvana Retro
- ^ "Cadillacs and Dinosaurs - Season 1 - COMPLETE EPISODES (Fixed)". 10 November 2016. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017.
YTV Direct
External links
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs at IMDb
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs on TV.com
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs at Don Markstein's Toonopedia.
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs at Flying Omelette.com
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs on Allmovie
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs on The New York Times
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs at 123 car games.com
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cadillacs_and_Dinosaurs_(TV_series)&oldid=1059712507"
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom comedy television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to October 19, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Televisionand distributed by Buena Vista …
in: Puppet shows, 1990s program
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Disney's answer to The Flintstones.
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom comedy television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to October 19, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Televisionand distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc.. The characters were designed by Henson team member Kirk Thatcher.
Why It Rocks
- Memorable theme music, considering on of the most iconic Disney songs of all time.
- Disney's got the right tool to create aTV sitcom, aimed to kids, for the very first time.
- The concept of a dinosaur sitcom is a great and interesting one.
- A very good way to end Jim Henson's career, when he died in 1990.
- Best voice acting. For example, Stuart Pankin does very great, as he voices Earl Sinclair.
- Likable characters, such as Earl and Baby Sinclair.
- The acting is decent.
- Pays homage to pop culture. For example, one episode has a Barney parody called "Blarney".
- The character designs are pure realistically good.
- It's a memorial to the late Jim Henson.
- Good puppet/animatronic work.
- It sometimes has good lessons.
- “NOT THE MOMMA!”
The Only Bad Quality
- The series finale is pretty sad. In fact, the ending is one of the most tragic TV finale of all time.
Dinosaur TV is the name given to the recurring television segments presented as shows-within-a-show on Dinosaurs. Television plays a crucial role in the dinosaur culture, as Earl Sinclair is an avid couch potato. Several episodes directly revolve around the influence of television or the fate of the appliance itself. Brian Henson discussed the rigors of the TV segments in the book No Strings ...
Dinosaur TV is the name given to the recurring television segments presented as shows-within-a-show on Dinosaurs. Television plays a crucial role in the dinosaur culture, as Earl Sinclair is an avid couch potato. Several episodes directly revolve around the influence of television or the fate of the appliance itself.
Brian Henson discussed the rigors of the TV segments in the book No Strings Attached:
- “We had 17 fully animatronic characters in complete costumes, probably twice as articulate and expressive as the Turtles. And within the show we had "Dinosaur TV," that featured an entire cast of animatronic hand puppets. In effect, we had two shows, both too ambitious for TV, in the same program.”
- ―Brian Henson
The following is an attempt to track the viewing possibilities which are available in Pangaea.
| Picture | Program Title | Episode | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | DNN | Most episodes | Spoof of CNN. |
 | Ask Mr. Lizard | Various episodes, from "Episode 201: The Golden Child" onward | Science series, spoof of Ask Mr. Wizard. |
 | DTV | Various episodes | Spoof of MTV. |
 | Tricera-Cops | "Nature Calls" and "Network Genius" | Police Series spoofing COPS. |
| Picture | Program Title | Episode | Description |
 | Raptile | "Hurling Day" | News series, seen as a promo. Hosted by Howard Handupme, the featured episode looks at "Cross-Eaters," and interviews a dinosaur who is "a herbivore trapped in a carnivore's body." Airs on TV 3 at 4pm. |
 | Mr. Ugh | "Hurling Day" | Sitcom, spoof of Mr. Ed. Seen as a promo, also airs on TV3 at 4pm, suggesting a rotating daily schedule. |
 | Pangeas Funniest Home Injuries | "Family Challenge" | Spoof of America's Funniest Home Videos |
 | Discount Charlie's | "The Howling" | Commercial for Discount Charlie's appliance dealer. In honor of the expected end of the world, Charlie is slashing prices and dealing like there's no tomorrow. Spoofs Crazy Eddie commercials. |
 | The Family Challenge | "Family Challenge" | Game show. |
 | Way Too Complicated | "Charlene's Tale" | ABC sitcom, coming this fall. |
 | Love Confession | "How to Pick Up Girls" | A parody of Love Connection, hosted by a dinosaur named Chuck. In the episode shown, Sandra talks to Chuck about her date with Bob. Sandra has nothing but negative things to say about the date, which leads Bob to hang himself in the middle of the program. |
 | Dirty Dare | "Fran Live" | Spoof of the Nickelodeon series Double Dare. |
 | Just Listenin' with Frank | "Fran Live" | Call-in show, hosted by Frank. Fran calls in to suggest actual advice be given, leading to a format change, as Just Advice with Fran. By episode's end, the series is revamped yet again, as Just Throwin' with Frank. |
 | The Afterlife Show | "The Last Temptation of Ethyl" | A show about the afterlife, but is really to swindle people out of their money for monetary gain. |
 | Totally Hidden Predator | "Slave to Fashion" | A Totally Hidden Camera spoof, only one in which victims are not just surprised, but devoured. |
 | Totally Ineffectual Dad | "Dirty Dancin'" | A sitcom about a father who ignores his sons' problems, despite his wife trying to get him involved. |
 | Don't Lift That Heavy Object | "Baby Talk" | A hidden camera show featuring unsuspecting victims who lift heavy objects. Has the honor of being the first television show to use the expletive "smoo". |
 | The Smoo Show | "Baby Talk" | A series devoted to saying the expletive "smoo." |
 | The Flark Show | "Baby Talk" | A series devoted to saying the expletive "flark." |
 | Shouting Match | "Baby Talk" | A debate series, though due to new laws ends up consisting of such topics as flowers, which the debaters choose to agree on their views. |
 | House Full of Dads | "Network Genius" | See title. Tested poorly. (A spoof of My Two Dads and Full House) |
 | Info 411 | "Network Genius" | A show where viewers call in needing information. (A spoof of Rescue 911) |
 | Baby Cuddlebunny, M.D. | "Network Genius" | Originally meant to be titled Dr. Kirk Marcus, M.D., but due to Earl's liking of one of the show's patients, Baby Cuddlebunny, the show's title was changed, with Baby Cuddlebunny being the show's doctor and star. A parody of Doogie Howser, M.D.. |
 | The Happy Colors Show in Color | "Network Genius" | See title. |
 | Box Full of Puppies | "Network Genius" | See title |
 | Pangaea Hills, Dino210 | "Network Genius" | Spoof of Beverly Hills, 90210 |
 | Full Spectrum | "Network Genius" | A show that talks about current events. |
 | Economics Hoe-Down | "Network Genius" | A spoof of Hee Haw. |
 | Living on Love | "Green Card" | A series about a large family who lives without a father or money. |
 | Channel 63s Leap to the Stars | "Charlene and her Amazing Humans" | A stunt show. |
 | 50-Foot Vegetable Theater | "Monster Under the Sea" | A program that shows scary movies starring Dr. Fiend and his assistant, Igor, who turn various vegetables, including a squash and a mushroom, into monsters. |
 | The Captain Impressive Action Fun Hour | "Earl, Don't Be a Hero" | A series starring Earl's superhero identity, Captain Impressive, which is broadcast on the Dino-Shopping Channel. Produced by WESAYSO in an attempt to sell merchandise to children. |
 | Livin in a House! | "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" | ABC sitcom. |
 | Dinosaur Football League | "Into the Woods" | Also known as DFL. (A spoof of NFL) |
 | 60,000,000 Minutes | "Scent of a Reptile" | A parody of 60 Minutes. |
 | The Rich Ones | "Life in the Faust Line" | A soap opera on a couple who is rich. |
 | Lifestyle of Those We Envy | "Life in the Faust Lane" | A parody of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. |
 | The Georgie Show | "Georgie Must Die" | A children show hosted by Georgie, a talking hippopotamus. Georgie also has his own video collection. (A spoof of Barney & Friends) |
Mentioned/Heard but Not Seen
- Pangea's 2nd Funniest Home Injuries ("Family Challenge") - Spoof of America's Funniest People, interrupted by a DNN report.
- Thirtymillion Something ("Charlene's Tale") - Parody of Thirtysomething
- Father Knows Nothing (Dirty Dancin') - Parody of Father Knows Best
- Dad's a Moron ("Dirty Dancin'")
- Kiss My Glick ("Baby Talk")
- Stickin' Together ("Green Card")
- Silver Linings ("Green Card")
- Rose-Colored Glasses ("Green Card")
Bradley P. Richfield is the tyrannical boss of Earl Sinclair and Roy Hess and the main antagonist in the 1991 comedy TV series Dinosaurs. He is a Triceratops who loves to abuse his considerable power and is a very aggressive and selfish individual who can't abide to see others happy. He was voiced by the late Sherman Hemsley. B.P. Richfield is one of the few genuinely evil characters in the ...
| DIO has declared that this article has stopped in time, and any and all information on it may be outdated.
|
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This Villain was Headlined on November, 2014. |
Earl's "Captain"
B.P.
Mr. Richfield
Field executive supervisor of WESAYSO Corporation.
Bullying his own employees
Place science over nature.
Make a lot of money by walking over people and abusing the planet.
Make his employees' lives miserable, especially the Earl Sinclair and his family.
| “ | SINCLAIR, IN HERE NOW! | „ |
| ~ B.P. Richfield |
| “ | Right now, my biggest problem is trying to figure out... what to do with all this money! | „ |
| ~ B.P. Richfield's last words of the series |
Bradley P. Richfield is the tyrannical boss of Earl Sinclair and Roy Hess and the main antagonist in the 1991 comedy TV series Dinosaurs. He is a Triceratops who loves to abuse his considerable power and is a very aggressive and selfish individual who can't abide to see others happy.
He was voiced by the late Sherman Hemsley.
Personality
B.P. Richfield is one of the few genuinely evil characters in the show and his actions are almost always deliberate: he is almost demonic in many ways and has sociopathic tendencies, shown by his many threats to devour workers that displease him and his extremely bad temper. However, he does love his daughter Wendy, and the only person that Richfield fears the most is the WESAYSO CEO Mr. Ashland, who is far more evil and ruthless than him.
He is also much smarter than most of the male characters in the series, but puts his gifts to purely selfish or malicious means - Richfield's official job is to supervise the Tree Pusher's Division of the WESAYSO Corporation: the fear Richfield has is evident in the workplace for his workers flee in terror at the sound of his voice and the idea of being invited into his office is one that fills even the hardiest of reptiles with dread. WESAYSO's environmental destruction ultimately led to the extinction of dinosaurs. Richfield was trapped inside his trailer when the Earth was covered in smoke clouds and temperatures were dropped below freezing. Before he died, he buried himself in his money laughing not knowing what to do with it.
B.P. Richfield has also been shown as a cannibal - which is unusual since Triceratops were herbivores - this is likely added to enhance his evil qualities as well as add some dark humor (a famous example of this was when he was revealed to have been eating the boyfriends of his daughter and planned on doing the same to Robbie Sinclair, however, in the end, Richfield decided not to eat Robbie due to his daughter threatening to never speak to him again if he did so: one of the few times Richfield has shown some degree of mercy).
Biography
To be Added...
Gallery
Images
Richfield's nearing death in his own riches.
Videos
Dinosaurs - Cold blooded guy - Big Songs
 Villains |
| The Muppet Show The Muppets Sesame Street Creature Shop Commercials The Happytime Murders See Also |
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is an American/Canadian animated television series which aired on CBS Kids in the United States from 1993 to 1994, lasting for one season of 13 episodes. Based on the comic book of the same name (formerly titled Xenozoic Tales) by Mark Schultz, the show was created by screenwriter Steven E. de Souza, who acquired the TV rights after producing the …
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Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is an American/Canadian animated television series which aired on CBS Kids in the United States from 1993 to 1994, lasting for one season of 13 episodes. Based on the comic book of the same name (formerly titled Xenozoic Tales) by Mark Schultz, the show was created by screenwriter Steven E. de Souza, who acquired the TV rights after producing the video game Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, which was also based on Schultz's comic. The show dealt with many strong ecologicial and political issues that were central to the plot development.
Plot
The series followed the exploits of Jack Tenrec and his crew of ecological freedom fighters known as the "Mechanics". His often-reluctant companion is the foreign ambassador Hannah Dundee. She hires Jack as a liaison while she attempts to create clear communication between her land and the modern civilization. Together they confront the serious issues facing the futuristic environment that humanity has come to inhabit.
Jack also has Hermes, a juvenile "cutter" that Jack hand-reared after the latter's mother death. Gentle with Jack and Hannah, he can still be rather fierce when angered. The show also includes a race of intelligent lizards called "Griths".
Jack and his crew square off against opposition including the Council of Governors and Hammer Terhune's gang.
Jack Tenrec (voiced by David Keeley) – A survival-savvy garage mechanic who is a member of the Old Blood Mechanics. Jack has a passion for restoring classic car shells (mainly those of Cadillacs) which the Mechanics use as their mode of transportation.
Characters
- Hannah Dundee (voiced by Susan Roman) – A foreign ambassador from Wasoon who is Jack's love interest. She is often on a mission to stop Jack from running his enemies into his neighbors' territory.
- Mustapha Cairo (voiced by Bruce Tubbe) – Jack's companion who would often help Jack in his plot. He is an engineer.
Kirgo (voiced by David Fox) – A ferryman associated with the City in the Sea and a friend of Jack.
- Hermes – A juvenile "Cutter" (Allosaurus) that was raised by Jack. Although he is gentle towards Jack and Hannah, Hermes can still be rather fierce when angered.
- Council of Governors – A council that rules the City in the Sea.
- Governor Wilhelmina Scharnhorst (voiced by Dawn Greenhalgh) – Corrupt, power-hungry, and uncaring of the balance of nature, Wilhelmina is one of the three governors in the City in the Sea. To deal with Jack Tenrec, Wilhelmina has hired Hammer Terhune and his gang to do her dirty work. Despite her callous nature, Wilhelmina only wants what's best for her city and knows when to respect Jack.
- Governor Dahlgren (voiced by Kristina Nicoll) – A female who is the voice of reason to the governors. Her governing styles are said to have been heavily influenced by Jack. Dahlgren has a bad habit of flirting with any man.
- Governor Toulouse (voiced by Philip Williams) – Toulouse is the public relations man of the governors. His concerns all lie on the morale and attitude of the public regarding potential problems. Even though Toulouse means well, he is not used to the outdoor lifestyles of Jack Tenrec.
- Noc (voiced by Don Dickinson) – The Captain of the Guards in the City in the Sea. He is one of the people who have a dislike for Jack Tenrec. Noc is a very corrupt officer, obeying Scharnhorst without caring if she is wrong, lying any time and to anyone he deems convenient, and even trying to pull off scams.
- Dr. Fessenden (voiced by John Stocker) – A mad scientist who would often invent some technology for Wilhelmina to use.
- Hammer Terhune (voiced by Ted Dillon) – A burly poacher who would often attack Jack Tenrec. Although he was hired by Wilhelmina Scharnhorst, he shows no respect to her unless she has some technology for him to use and would betray her if he sees a chance.
- Wrench Terhune (voiced by Colin O'Meara) – Hammer's younger brother who wears a headband.
- Vice Terhune (voiced by Frank Pellegrino) – Hammer's younger brother who wears a ponytail.
- Mikla (voiced by Lenore Zann) – A female who is a member of Hammer's gang.
- Griths – A race of lizard men who reside in the underground caverns.
- Hobb (voiced by Don Francks) – A Grith who serves as Jack's translator to the Griths due to his telepathy.
- Wild Boy – A wild child raised by the Griths that wears a loincloth and animal hide boots. He doesn't talk any human language, but can communicate with the dinosaurs. The Griths raised the Wild Boy ever since saving him from the cave hyenas. He first appears in "Wild Child" where Jack and Hanna discover him and try to keep him out of Hammer Terhune's clutches while returning him to the Griths. In "Duel," the Wild Boy later brings Jack and Hannah to the Griths at the time when Jack's old friend Sean has stolen their lifestone.
Dinosaurs (commonly referred to as "slithers") and other prehistoric creatures featured in this series
Episodes
- “Rogue"
- "Dino Drive"
- "Death Ray"
- "Siege"
- "Wild Child”
- "Mind Over Matter"
- "Survival"
- "It Only Comes Out at Night"
- "Remembrance"
- "Pursuit"
- "Departure"
- "Duel"
- "Wildfire"
Gallery
.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/185 "dinosaurs tv show wiki (114)")
.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/185 "dinosaurs tv show wiki (115)")
Trivia
Walking with Dinosaurs was a six-part television series produced by BBC and aired first in the UK in 1999. the series intended to show the life and times of these facinating reptiles right from their earliest beginnings in the mid - Triassic , right up to their cataclysmic demise at the end of the Cretaceous, 65 million years ago. produced by director Tim Haines, the series used advanced …
Walking with Dinosaurs was a six-part television series produced by BBC and aired first in the UK in 1999. the series intended to show the life and times of these facinating reptiles right from their earliest beginnings in the mid - Triassic , right up to their cataclysmic demise at the end of the Cretaceous, 65 million years ago. produced by director Tim Haines, the series used advanced CGI and animatronic technology, and is now renown as being one of the most accurate prehistoric documentaries made to date.
Episodes
New Bloodthis episode, set in the Arizona of the late Triassic, tells of a time when the dinosaur group had yet to gain a sure footing in the mesozoic ecosystem. the episode highlights the lives of a group of Coelophysis, a reasonably well - known early Theropod, which is presented as being a relatively adaptable and flexible creature, opportunistic hunter, and occasional cannibal (this assumption is now known to be false, with recent scientific study revealing that what had appeared to be the bones of a younger specimen within that of an adult, were in fact two seperate skeletons that had perished on top of each other, and been compressed into one). The episode then details the decline of the Archosaurs such as the Placerias, who are gradualy being ousted from the Triassic ecosystem by such large grazers as the Prosauropod plateosaurs. following the demise of an adult Postosuchus- then the top of the food chain- through attack by a rival as well as various clips detailing the life of a pair of Cycodonts and their desperate bid to raise a family, the episode concludes with the return of the rains, whilst a group of migrating Plateosaurs return to the plain, bringing 'new blood' to the starved landscape.
Featured Prehistoric Animals
- Coelophysis ("hollow form") - one of the first dinosaurs; a quick, light built hunter
- Placerias - a 1 ton herbivore armed with short tusks
- Thrinaxodon - a small mammal-like reptile
- Postosuchus (crocodile from post") - the largest 'predator of the Triassic, an ancient archosaur and close relative of the dinosaurs
- Peteinosaurus ("winged lizard") - an early pterosaur
- Plateosaurus ("flat lizard") - the biggest dinosaur in the Triassic, and the shape of things to come.
Time of the Titans
The second episode jumps forward to the Late-Jurassic period, when dinosaurs have well and truly taken over. It is set in Colorado, which, back then, was filled with giant conifers and, in a time without grass, fern prairies. The central creature is the sauropod Diplodocus, a long-necked herbivore. The episode follows a female throughout her life, from her mother laying eggs at the forest edge. She hatches, escapes an Ornitholestes, and follows her siblings into the forest. She grows quickly, encountering Allosaurus, Stegosaurus and Brachiosaurus, before finding an adult herd.
Featured Prehistoric Animals
- Diplodocus ("double beam") - a 130ft long sauropod that hatched from eggs the size of a grapefruit
- Ornitholestes ("bird robber") - an egg theif related to the reptiles that would evolve into birds
- Stegosaurus ("roof lizard") - a 40ft long herbivore with back plates that served as armor and 4 tail spikes (thagomizers) the size of baseball bats
- Allosaurus ("strange lizard") - a 42ft long, carnivorous theropod, called the "Lions of the Jurassic"
- Anurognathus ("jaw without tail") - a small pterosaur that is shown to feed off insects that rest on the bodies of Diplodocus
- Brachiosaurus ("arm lizard") - Gigantic sauropod reaching 50ft tall, and 100ft long, and sharing the plains with Diplodocus
Cruel Sea
Still in the Jurassic (Oxfordshire), we see the oceans of prehistory and a group of young Ophthalmosaurus having to face sharks, the largest predator of all time and a blast from mother nature.
Featured Prehistoric Animals
- Ophthalmosaurus ("eye lizard")-a dolphin-like sea reptile  
- Liopleurodon ("smooth-sided tooth")a predatory sea reptile that weighed 150 tons and reached 82 feet long
- Rhamphorhynchus ("beak jaw")-a small pterosaur that fed on fish, eggs and insects
- Eustreptospondylus ("well-curved spine")-one of the few, true dinosaurs to inhabit the European islands
- Cryptoclidus ("hidden collar-bone")-an agile sea reptile with four flippers
- Hybodus ("humped tooth") -a shark that inhabited the seas of the Mesozoic Era
Giant of the Skies
In the early Cretaceous period, Ornithocheirus rules the skies and one male attemps to return to the place where he was born to mate. He's got a long way to go.
Featured Prehistoric Animals
- Ornithocheirus ("bird hand")-a pterosaur with a 40ft wingspan  
- Iguanodon ("iguana tooth")-a large herbivore armed with two thumb spikes and was amoung the first to chew their food  
- Utahraptor ("Utah Theif")-a 20ft long dromeosaur that weighed half a ton  
- Polacanthus ("many spined")-an armored traveling companion of Iguanodon
- Tapejara ("old being")-a Brazilian pterosaur
- Kronosaurus ("lizard of Kronos")
Spirits of the Ice Forest
In the middle of the Cretaceous, Antartica was filled with lush forests that included no night summers and pitch black winters, but what evolved to live there?
Featured Prehistoric Animals
- Leaellynasaura (named after the daughter of the scientists who discovered the species)-a herbivore the size of a small turtkey that's able to survive the harshest winters  
- Koolasuchus (Kool's crocodile)-a hibernating amphibian that attacks like a crocodile  
- Australovenator ("Southern Predator")-a smaller version of it's Jurassic cousin  
- Muttaburrasaurus (named after the township of Muttaburra, Australia)-a 4 ton herbivore witha trumpet-like nose  
- Steropodon-a egg laying mammal that ate eggs (Live acted by a Coati).
Death of a Dynasty
As the end of the dinosaurs nears, the king of the terrible lizards goes down in style.
Featured Prehistoric Animals
- Tyrannosaurus Rex ("king tyrant lizard")-a theropod that reached 50 feet long, 20 or more feet tall and weighed 7-10 tons  
- Torosaurus("perforated lizard")-the big skulled cousin of Triceratops  
- Didelphodon-an egg-stealing marsupial  
- Dromaeosaurus("running lizard")-a dromeosaur the size of a wolf  
- Anatotitan("duck titan")-a 5 ton hadrodsaur  
- Ankylosaurus("rigid lizard")-a massive armoured dinosaur
- Deinosuchus ("Terrible Croc")
- Thescelosaurus (unidentified)
Specials
After the success of the success of the series, BBC produced 4 specials. The first was called "The Ballad of Big Al" which showed the life of an Allosaurus named Al. The other 3 made up "Chased by Dinosaurs" which starred Nigel Marven.
The Ballad of Big AlShows the 6 year life of an Allosaurus named Al in a world of danger.main animals
Chased By DinosaursShows Nigel Marven traveling throughout sveral periods of time seeing dinosaurs not shown in Walking with Dinosaurs
The Giant Claw-In the first part, Nigel travels to Mongolia, 75 million years ago to find "The Giant Claw" dinosaur.main animals
Land of Giants-In the second part, Nigel foes to Argentina 125 million years ago to find one of the largest dinosaurs ever.main animals
Sea Monsters-Nigel travels to seven different destinations to find the 7 deadliest seas of all time.go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Monsters for more information.
Walking With Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular
Following the success of the walking with series, an independant theatre and animatronics group , with full endorsement on the part of the BBC, has now created a live show, which is at this moment completing its US tour, and is set to arrive in the United Kingdom in late june 2009. the show, which includes eleven species of fully atomated dinosaurs, has been met with great approval in both Australia and the USA, with even Tim Haines, the director of the original TV documentary, jumping the bandwagon and offering his full endorsement, despite original skepicism.
Dinosaurs (comic book) Dinosaurs was adapted into comic form for two issues published in 1992 and 1993 by Disney's Hollywood Comics. The 48-page paperback comic books featured stories based on the Dinosaurs TV show. Additionally, stand-alone stories were …
Dinosaurs Issue #1
Robbie and Baby Sinclair in an ad for the two issue run of the Dinosaurs comic book
Dinosaurs was adapted into comic form for two issues published in 1992 and 1993 by Disney's Hollywood Comics. The 48-page paperback comic books featured stories based on the Dinosaurs TV show. Additionally, stand-alone stories were published in Disney Adventures magazine during this time. Comics from the series were also re-published in several Disney's Colossal Comics Collections, including an original Dinosaurs based cover appearing on Disney's Colossal Comics #10.
Four of the individual Dinosaurs comics were collected and re-published in a trade paperback entitled "Dinosaurs: Fossil Fools" (ISBN: 9781561153398).
Dinosaurs: Fossil Fools trade paperback cover
The principal writers for the comics were Bobbi JG Weiss and David Cody Weiss, while David Seidman and Marv Wolfman served as editors.
Dinosaurs #1, 1992
- Editors: David Seidman & Marv Wolfman
- Cover artist: Jackson Guice
- Cover colorist: Cris Palomino
- Pages: 48
Citizen Robbie
Robbie and J Rassik Quill both run for the position of president at Bob LaBrea High School. The story was published in Disney Adventures in two parts.
- Writers: Bobbi JG Weiss & David Cody Weiss
- Penciller: Cosme Quartieri & Fabian Gattino
- Inker: Roberto Bat and Ruben Torreiro
- Colorist: Valerie Dal Chele
- Letterer: Clem Robins
- Pages: 24
The Flying Fool
Robbie designs and builds the first airplane, and B.P. Richfield wants it for the Wesayso Corporation. This story was reprinted in the July 1993 issue of Disney Adventures.
- Writers: Doug Murray
- Penciller: Joe Staton
- Inker: Brian Garvey
- Colorist: Cris Palomino
- Letterer: John Workman
- Pages: 8
Nana Ethyl's Dinosaur Tails: King Earl and the Knights of the Buffet Table
In a parody of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Ethyl tells a story about the kingdom of Cramalot, with Baby Sinclair as a knight named Sir Pantsaload.
- Writers: Bobbi JG Weiss & David Cody Weiss
- Penciller: John Costanza
- Inker: Dave Hunt
- Colorist: Janice Cohen
- Letterer: John Costanza
- Pages: 8
Nana Ethyl's Dinosaur Tails: Baby and the Beanstalk
Ethyl tells a variation of Jack and the Beanstalk, with the Dinosaurs characters playing all the parts. The story was also published in the January 1993 issue of Disney Adventures.
- Writers: Bobbi JG Weiss & David Cody Weiss
- Penciller: Jackson Guice
- Inker: Steve Mitchell
- Colorist: Jo Meugniot
- Letterer: John Workman
- Pages: 8
Dinosaurs #2, 1993
From Invasion of the Dino-Snatchers
- Editors: David Seidman & Marv Wolfman
- Cover artists: Jo Meugniot, Bruce D. Patterson & Joe Staton
- Cover colorist: Cris Palomino
- Pages: 48
Invasion of the Dino-Snatchers
Earl's dream comes true when his children, Robbie and Charlene, start acting nice, but it turns out their change of heart is due to an alien invasion. The story was also published in Disney Adventures in two parts.
- Writers: Bobbi JG Weiss & David Cody Weiss
- Penciller: Joe Staton
- Inker: Ian Akin
- Colorist: Valerie Dal Chele
- Letterer: John Workman
The Pest Years of Our Lives
From The Pest Years of Our Lives
The Sinclair household becomes infested with bugs. The story was also published in Disney Adventures (in the June 1993 issue) and Disney's Colossal Comics Collection #10
- Writers: Bobbi JG Weiss & David Cody Weiss
- Penciller: John Costanza
- Inker: Gary Martin
- Colorist: Jo Meugniot
- Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Frannie, I Blew Up the Baby!
In a parody of Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, Baby Sinclair becomes larger than life.
- Writers: Bobbi JG Weiss & David Cody Weiss
- Pencillers: Jackson Guice & Richard Howell
- Inker: Steve Mitchell
- Colorist: Janice Parker
- Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
See also
- Muppet comics (Disney Adventures)
 | This user believes in the rainbow connection of the Muppets. |
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Template:Jim Henson's Dinosaurs
Dinosaur TV. Dinosaur TV is the name given to the recurring television segments presented as shows-within-a-show on Dinosaurs. Television plays a crucial role in the dinosaur culture, as Earl Sinclair is an avid couch potato. Several episodes directly revolve around the influence of television or the fate of the appliance itself.
in: Dinosaurs Culture, Broadcasting, Fictional Shows
Dinosaur TV is the name given to the recurring television segments presented as shows-within-a-show on Dinosaurs. Television plays a crucial role in the dinosaur culture, as Earl Sinclair is an avid couch potato. Several episodes directly revolve around the influence of television or the fate of the appliance itself.
Brian Henson discussed the rigors of the TV segments in the book No Strings Attached:
“We had 17 fully animatronic characters in complete costumes, probably twice as articulate and expressive as the Turtles. And within the show we had "Dinosaur TV," that featured an entire cast of animatronic hand puppets. In effect, we had two shows, both too ambitious for TV, in the same program.”
The following is an attempt to track the viewing possibilities which are available in Pangaea.
| Picture | Program Title | Episode | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | DNN | Most episodes | Spoof of CNN, hosted by Howard Handupme. |
 | Ask Mr. Lizard | Various episodes, from "Episode 201: The Golden Child" onward | Science series, it is a spoof of Watch Mr. Wizard. In each episode, the genial Mr. Lizard has his young assistant Timmy performing dangerous experiments. |
 | DTV | Various episodes | Spoof of MTV. |
| Tricera-Cops | "Nature Calls" and "Network Genius" | Police Series spoofing COPS. |
| Picture | Program Title | Episode | Description |
 | Raptile | "Hurling Day" | News series, seen as a promo. Hosted by Howard Handupme, the featured episode looks at "Cross-Eaters," and interviews a dinosaur who is "a herbivore trapped in a carnivore's body." Airs on TV 3 at 4pm. |
 | Mr. Ugh | "Hurling Day" | Sitcom, spoof of Mister Ed. Seen as a promo, also airs on TV3 at 4pm, suggesting a rotating daily schedule. |
 | Discount Charlie's | "The Howling" | Commercial for Discount Charlie's appliance dealer. In honor of the expected end of the world, Charlie is slashing prices and dealing like there's no tomorrow. Spoofs Crazy Eddie commercials. |
 | Pangeas Funniest Home Injuries | "Family Challenge" | Spoof of America's Funniest Home Videos, hosted by Rex Taggis |
 | The Family Challenge | "Family Challenge" | Game show. |
| Way Too Complicated | "Charlene's Tale" | An ABC Fall "high concept" sitcom about a dinosaur who marries a ghost, amongst other elements. |
| Love Confession | "How to Pick Up Girls" | A parody of Love Connection, hosted by a dinosaur named Chuck. In the episode shown, Sandra talks to Chuck about her date with Bob. Sandra has nothing but negative things to say about the date, which leads Bob to hang himself in the middle of the program. |
| Dirty Dare | "Fran Live" | Spoof of the Nickelodeon series Double Dare. |
 | Just Listenin' with Frank | "Fran Live" | Call-in show, hosted by Frank. Fran Sinclair calls in to suggest actual advice be given, leading to a format change, as Just Advice with Fran. By episode's end, the series is revamped yet again, as Just Throwin' with Frank. |
| The Afterlife Show | "The Last Temptation of Ethyl" | A show about the afterlife, but is really to swindle people out of their money for monetary gain. | |
| Totally Hidden Predator | "Slave to Fashion" | A Totally Hidden Video spoof, only one in which victims are not just surprised, but devoured. |
| Totally Ineffectual Dad | "Dirty Dancin'" | A sitcom about a father who ignores his sons problems, despite his wife trying to get him involved. |
| Don't Lift That Heavy Object | "Baby Talk" | A hidden camera show featuring unsuspecting victims who lift heavy objects. Has the honor of being the first television show to use the expletive "smoo". |
| The Smoo Show | "Baby Talk" | A series devoted to saying the expletive "smoo." |
| The Flark Show | "Baby Talk" | A series devoted to saying the expletive "flark." |
| Shouting Match | "Baby Talk" | A debate series, though due to new laws ends up consisting of such topics as flowers, which the debaters choose to agree on their views. |
| House Full of Dads | "Network Genius" | See title. Tested poorly. (A spoof of My Two Dads and Full House) |
| Info 411 | "Network Genius" | A show where viewers call in needing information. (A spoof of Rescue 911) |
| Baby Cuddlebunny, M.D. | "Network Genius" | Originally meant to be titled Dr. Kirk Marcus, M.D., but due to Earl's liking of one of the show's patients, Baby Cuddlebunny, the show's title was changed, with Baby Cuddlebunny being the show's doctor and star. A parody of Doogie Howser, M.D.. |
| The Happy Colors Show in Color | "Network Genius" | See title. |
| Box Full of Puppies | "Network Genius" | See title |
| Pangaea Hills, Dino210 | "Network Genius" | Spoof of Beverly Hills, 90210 |
| Full Spectrum | "Network Genius" | A show that talks about current events. |
| Economics Hoe-Down | "Network Genius" | A spoof of Hee Haw. |
| Living on Love | "Green Card" | A series about a large family who lives without a father or money. |
| Channel 63s Leap to the Stars | "Charlene and her Amazing Humans" | A stunt show. |
| 50-Foot Vegetable Theater | "Monster Under the Bed" | A program that shows scary movies starring Dr. Fiend and his assistant Igor, who turn various vegetables, including a squash and a mushroom, into monsters. |
| The Captain Impressive Action Fun Hour | "Earl, Don't Be a Hero" | A series starring Earl's superhero identity, Captain Impressive, which is broadcast on the Dino-Shopping Channel. Produced by WESAYSO in an attempt to sell merchandise to children. |
| Livin in a House! | "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" | ABC sitcom. |
| Dinosaur Football League | "Into the Woods" | Also known as DFL. (A spoof of NFL) |
| 60,000,000 Minutes | "Scent of a Reptile" | A parody of 60 Minutes. |
| The Rich Ones | "Life in the Faust Lane" | A soap opera on a couple who is rich. |
| Lifestyle of Those We Envy | "Life in the Faust Lane" | A parody of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. |
| The Georgie Show | "Georgie Must Die" | A children show hosted by Georgie, a talking hippopotamus. Georgie also has his own video collection. (A spoof of Barney & Friends) |
Mentioned/Heard but Not Seen
May 2, 2006. A 4-disc DVD set that includes all 29 episodes from the first and second seasons of Dinosaurs. Also includes special features, including the two behind-the-scenes featurette ( Pre-Hysterical Times: The Making Of Dinosaurs and The Sketches That Started It All) and hidden Dino-Eggs . The Complete Third and Fourth Seasons. May 1, 2007.
Home video releases of Dinosaurs, released by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
| Cover | Title | Released |
|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | 1991 |
Episodes:
| ||
| Volume 2 | 1991 |
Episodes:
| ||
| Volume 3 | 1991 |
Episodes:
| ||
| Volume 4 | 1991 |
Episodes:
| ||
| Volume 5 | 1991 |
Episodes:
| ||
| Volume 6 | 1991 |
| Episodes: | ||
| I'm the Baby | 1993 |
Episodes:
Bonus: "I'm the Baby" music video | ||
| Don't Cross the Boss! | 1993 |
Episodes:
Bonus: "I'm the Baby" music video | ||
| Dinosaurs: Special Holiday Edition | 1993 |
Episodes:
Bonus: "I'm the Baby" music video | ||
| Cover | Title | Year |
 | The Complete First and Second Seasons | May 2, 2006 |
| A 4-disc DVD set that includes all 29 episodes from the first and second seasons of Dinosaurs. Also includes special features, including the two behind-the-scenes featurette (Pre-Hysterical Times: The Making Of Dinosaurs and The Sketches That Started It All) and hidden Dino-Eggs. | ||
 | The Complete Third and Fourth Seasons | May 1, 2007 |
| A 4-disc DVD set that includes all 36 episodes from the third and fourth seasons of Dinosaurs (including the 7 unaired episodes). Also includes special features, including the "I'm the Baby" music video, a behind-the-scenes featurette titled The World According to Dinosaurs, audio commentaries on select episodes and hidden Dino-Eggs. |
Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs is an American animated television series and a spin-off of the original series, The Flintstones. It originally premiered on February 2020 on Boomerang in the UK. The show was…
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Mark Marek
Marly Halpern-Graser
15 minutes (per segment)
30 minutes (total in two segments)
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
September 30, 2021 - present (HBO Max)
Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs is an American animated television series and a spin-off of the original series, The Flintstones. It originallypremiered on February 2020 on Boomerang in the UK. The show was released on HBO Max on September 30, 2021 as an original series.
Summary
Like the previous and short-lived spin-off Cave Kids, the series focuses on the lives of best friends, Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, who are joined by Dino for many endless crazy adventures in Bedrockand the Crags, helping new friends, fighting new enemies and learning about life.
Production
Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs first started production in 2016. The series was first announced in May 2018 with a planned release date for 2019, with plans to be released on the Boomerang subscription service. An animatic from the series was uploaded in August 2018. In September 2018, the episode, "The Grass is Always Dinner" was included as part of a survey from Boomerang's newsletter.
The series was intended to have two seasons, but in December 2018, character designer Will Terrell said that Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs was not renewed for a second season.
Release
On August 19, 2021, as part of HBO Max's reveal of content released for September 2021, it was announced that Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs would be premiering on HBO Max as an original series on September 30.
Episodes
- Main article: Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs episode list
Voice Cast
Gallery
Notes/Trivia
Unisaurs are the innumerable supporting characters on Dinosaurs. Rather like the Anything Muppets and Whatnots, the Unisaurs are recycled, with variations in costume and occasional cosmetic alteration, for the many guest characters, background extras, and minor recurring characters. These characters can be divided between full body puppets, of which there were only five or six, and hand ...
in: Dinosaurs Characters, Creatures
Unisaurs are the innumerable supporting characters on Dinosaurs. Rather like the Anything Muppets and Whatnots, the Unisaurs are recycled, with variations in costume and occasional cosmetic alteration, for the many guest characters, background extras, and minor recurring characters. These characters can be divided between full body puppets, of which there were only five or six, and hand puppets, of which there were a dozen or more. Unisaurs were created and used to ease the production staffs need to populate a world of dinosaurs week after week. Changing costumes and occasionally features on an exisiting dinosaur was a lot faster (and cheaper) than creating individual and unique dinosaurs for every individual role. Without the Unisaur, Dinosaurs would not have been able to keep the world populated and the show going.
Full-body Dinosaurs
- The short, brown turtle-like dinosaur, used most frequently for Earl's co-worker Sid Turtlepuss. The body type was reused for the ancient Dinosaur Chief (103), the insurance agent (202), the folksinger (203), Frank, General H. Norman Conquest, Crazy Lou, Myman, Larry, Bettleheim, Parish, Hank, Zabar, Ted Hardshell, Jean-Claude, Muse, clerk (312), and the UFO! Show host (320).
- The tall, needlenosed, deep blue dinosaur used most often as Mr. Pulman (the science teacher), Ralph Needlenose (another of Earl's Wesayso co-workers), and the Unisaur, outside of Mindy, most often used for female characters. This Unisaur was used for the doctor (201), Glenda Molehill, Hank the salesman (212, Heather, Dr. Herder, the inspector (412)
- This Unisaur is, a bulky character with striped tail and back, and a prominent nose horn. It was first used, sans horn, for The Job Wizard. It also surfaced as the Grown Up Baby, Bob (DMV Worker), Gus Molehill, Al Harris, Lucius, Gus Spikeback (another one of Earl's co-workers), Richard (dinosaur), Andre, Dolf, Ray Gherkin, Frau Woodhouse and (sans horn) as Shelly.
- This expressive, more lizard-like Unisaur was used most often as one of Earl's co-workers Ed (dinosaur). However, he also surfaced in the role of Mel Luster, Buddy Glimmer, Stu Boombird, Dr. Ficus, Ty Warner, The Babysitter, The Dinosaur Devil, Ansel and Walter Sternhagen. In the final season, this type was used for every character voiced by Thom Sharp, an assortment of clerks, flunkies, blue-collar types and assistants. With the exception of Decker, all of these characters also had the same two puppeteers, David Greenaway and Pons Maar).
- Mindy-type female dinosaur
- This Unisaur, with detailed eyelashes, a smaller snout, a crest akin to hair, and lighter-hued skin, was used most often as Mindy, but also showed up as Caroline Foxworth, Sally, Trish and other specifically female characters. It had a fleshy pink with pastel stripes, the body type occasionally surfaced in a light green as well. Another female dinosaur, similar to this one but with speckled snout and other adornments, surfaced as Thighs of Thunder and Wendy Richfield.
Hand-Puppet Dinosaurs
The hand puppet dinosuar characters were used most often as television personalities, elders or officials, audience extras, and other characters who could legitimately be shown only from the waist up. There were at least a dozen or so of this type, in addition to unique characters such as Howard Handupme, but some of the more notable variations include the following:
- Including: Elder in Chief, Judge D. X. Machina, Mr. Harold Heffer, Elder #2 (310), the shopper (215), and others
- A green dinosaur with a large muzzle.
- Crinkly, green humanoid-faced dinosaur
- Including: Chief Elder in several episodes (with different voices), Mr. Ashland, Edward R. Hero, Winston, the judge in "Charlene's Flat World", Grandpa Louie, John McGlutton, Mr. Mason Dixon, Dr. Elliott Piaget and others.
- Gray, bronto-esque faced dinosaur
- Including: Mr. Lizard and others.
- Cleft-chinned, T-rex-esque dinosaur
- Including: Captain Heroic, assorted newscasters/reporters, and others.
- Including: many child characters; most notably, Mr. Lizard's assistant Timmy. Two variations existed: a green one and a blue one.
- Duckbilled blue dinosaur (male)
- the Richard Simmons Dinosaur (301), and others.
- Duckbilled blue dinosaur (female)
- Similar to the male version, the female version had a slightly bigger muzzle and more feminine features.
- Including: sitcom wife (302)
- A slightly-cross-eyed dinosaur with a thin beak-like muzzle.
- Used for Mr. Otto Lynch
- Including: Government clerk (221), newsboy (310), USO soldier/stagehand (219, 220), and others.
- Including the DTV host, "Guy in the Lab Coat" (310, jury foreman (405), and others.
- Used mostly for female characters. First appeared in 222.
- Used during the final season.
Baby Sinclair is the youngest member of the Sinclair family in the television series Dinosaurs.Newly hatched in the premiere episode, "The Mighty Megalosaurus," Baby Sinclair is a precocious if bratty child.His catchphrases include "I'm the baby, gotta love me!" and "Not the mama!" The latter is often uttered to his dad, Earl Sinclair, whom the baby repeatedly batters …
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Baby Sinclair is the youngest member of the Sinclair family in the television series Dinosaurs. Newly hatched in the premiere episode, "The Mighty Megalosaurus," Baby Sinclair is a precocious if bratty child. His catchphrases include "I'm the baby, gotta love me!" and "Not the mama!" The latter is often uttered to his dad, Earl Sinclair, whom the baby repeatedly batters with a frying pan, and generally disdains, especially in the early episodes, though they form a slightly warmer relationship over time. The baby's relationship with mother Fran Sinclair is more stable and mutually affectionate, but the dinosaur child's wisecracks are also aimed at siblings Robbie and Charlene. Grandmother Ethyl often reads to the child, the pair both rejoicing in Earl's many blunders. Also, Baby Sinclair is quite intelligent, being able to speak and spell at a very young age.Never formally named until near the end of the second season, the infant Sinclair is briefly named "Aaah Aagh I'm Dying You Idiot," the result of the then-Chief Elder keeling over during the official christening. By episode's end, he has been legally named "Baby Sinclair."
Baby Sinclair celebrated his first birthday in "Switched at Birth". He celebrated his second birthday in "Terrible Twos", where he entered a stage called the "terrible twos", causing him to display demonic behavior during the year that he's two. The Sinclairs finally tricked the Baby into thinking he was three years old.
Baby Sinclair was also the most heavily marketed of the show's characters, appearing in assorted toys, Happy Meal prizes and the music video "I'm the Baby (Gotta Love Me)". He was featured on the box art of most Dinosaurs video releases and was the only character to appear outside of the series, serving as a co-host on the special For Our Children.
Performance notes
As a hand puppet creation and the smallest member of the show's core regular cast, the character was portrayed by Kevin Clash, with the eyes operated by John Kennedy and the arms by Terri Hardin (replaced by Julianne Buescher for the final season). Clash's voice for Baby at times resembled a more gleefully destructive Elmo.
As of 2014, Baby is the only surviving puppet from Dinosaurs.[1]
Sources
- ↑ 26 Things I Learned at Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Dinosaurs was a sitcom created by The Jim Henson Company and Disney, revolving around a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs, headed by father Earl Sinclair. In spoofing popular culture (notably things popular in the 90's), Barney the Dinosaur and Barney & Friends were spoofed twice on the series. Blarney, a red dinosaur hand-puppet, was featured in two episodes, being shown …
in: Parodies, Not Barney Related, Pop Culture
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Dinosaurs was a sitcom created by The Jim Henson Company and Disney, revolving around a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs, headed by father Earl Sinclair.
Barney Parodies
In spoofing popular culture (notably things popular in the 90's), Barney the Dinosaur and Barney & Friends were spoofed twice on the series.
Blarney
Blarney, a red dinosaur hand-puppet, was featured in two episodes, being shown on the Sinclair family's TV. In the episode "Into the Woods", he is shown advertising the "Blarney Home Video Library", which mainly spoofs Time Life's own Barney & Friends video series commercials. The titles not only spoof the Barney series, but other mail order videos as well. His theme song is sung to the tune of "Old MacDonald", parodying the use of Yankee Doodle as Barney's theme. He was played by Steve Whitmire.
Blarney Home Video Library
- Blarney at the Zoo
- Blarney on the Farm
- Blarney on the Bottom of the Ocean
- Blarney Just Sits There
- Blarney Reads From the Phone Book
- Blarney and Omar Sharif Teach You Contact Bridge
- Blarney Improves Your Golf Swing
- Hooked on Blarney
- Blarney's No-Money-Down Real Estate System
- Blarney Helps You Stop Stop Smoking
- Blarney Increases Your Personal Power
- Blarney's Juice Your Way to Better Health
- Blarney Helps you Organize Your Blarney Video Tapes
- Blarney! Blarney! Blarney!
- Blarney's Greatest Bloopers
- The Making of Blarney
- Blarney's Cure for Baldness
- Blarney's Search for Noah's Ark
- Blarney Teaches You Microsoft Windows
- Blarney's Forty Days to a Flatter Stomach
Georgie
Georgie is a full bodied puppet character (much like most characters on Dinosaurs) who appeared in an episode entitled "Georgie Must Die". Like Barney, he hangs out with his Backdoor Pals and sings a song sung to "This Old Man". In reality, Georgie is a money-craving monster who wants to take over children's minds. Earl Sinclair exposes him on live television and he is sent to prison for racketeering and tax evasion. It's rumored that this episode was created after the creative team received a warning from The Lyons Group. The character was played by Jack Tate and voiced by Allan Trautman (Normal Georgie) and Edward Asner (Evil Georgie)
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom comedy television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs…
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom comedy television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Television and distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc..[3][4] The characters were designed by Henson team member Kirk Thatcher.
Origins
News stories written at the time of the show's premiere highlighted Dinosaurs' connection to Jim Henson, an American puppeteer who died the year before. "Jim Henson dreamed up the show's basic concept about three years ago," said a New York Times article in April 1991. "'He wanted it to be a sitcom with a pretty standard structure, with the biggest differences being that it's a family of dinosaurs and their society has this strange toxic life style,' said [his son] Brian Henson. But until The Simpsons took off, said Alex Rockwell, a vice president of the Henson organization, 'people thought it was a crazy idea.'"[5]
In the late 1980s, Henson worked with William Stout, a fantasy artist, illustrator and designer, on a feature film starring animatronic dinosaurs with the working title of The Natural History Project; a 1993 article in The New Yorker said that Henson continued to work on a dinosaur project (presumably the Dinosaurs concept) until the "last months of his life."[6]
The television division of the Walt Disney Company began working on the series in 1990 for CBS before the series landed on ABC, which Disney eventually acquired.[7]
Plot
Dinosaurs is initially set in 60,000,003 BC in Pangaea. The show centers on the Sinclair family: Earl Sinclair (the father), Fran Sinclair (née Phillips - the mother and Earl's wife), their three children (son Robbie, daughter Charlene, and Baby Sinclair) and Fran's mother, Ethyl.
Earl's job is to push over trees for the Wesayso Corporation with his friend and coworker Roy Hess where they work under the supervision of their boss Bradley P. Richfield.
Characters
The focus of the show's plot is the Sinclair family: Earl, Fran, Robbie, Charlene, Baby, and Ethyl. Character and family names throughout the series often referred to petroleum companies and/or petroleum products. For example: Sinclair, Phillips, Hess, B.P., Richfield, and Ethyl, among others.
Main characters
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Sneed Sinclair | Stuart Pankin | Bill Barretta Tom Fisher (occasionally) | Dave Goelz (Seasons 1–2) Mak Wilson (Seasons 2–4) | Megalosaurus | The patriarch of the Sinclair family, Earl is the protagonist. He is a Megalosaurus and is depicted as being thick-headed and suggestible. Earl works as a Tree Pusher at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. |
| Frances "Fran" Sinclair (nee Phillips) | Jessica Walter | Mitchel Young Evans (Seasons 1–2) Tony Sabin Prince (Seasons 2–4) Pons Maar (occasionally) | Allan Trautman | Allosaurus | The mother and homemaker of the Sinclair family. Fran is mentioned on the show as being an Allosaurus. Her four fins and wrists make her resemble a Dilophosaurus as well. On rare occasions, Fran wears fuzzy house slippers. Earl affectionately calls his wife "Frannie". |
| Robert Mark "Robbie" Sinclair | Jason Willinger | Leif Tilden | Steve Whitmire Rob Mills (occasionally) Julianne Buescher (eyes) | Hypsilophodon | Earl and Fran's son and oldest child, he is a Hypsilophodon. Robbie stands out with his red varsity jacket and bright red sneakers. However, there are three other Dinosaur characters that also wear shoes in this series. |
| Charlene Sinclair | Sally Struthers | Michelan SistiStar Townshend (occasionally) Arlene Lorre (Season 1, episode 1 only) | Bruce Lanoil | Protoceratops | Earl and Fran's daughter and middle child, she is a Protoceratops. Charlene stands out by wearing sweaters, necklaces, and earrings. |
| Baby "Fudgy" Sinclair | Kevin Clash | Kevin Clash (body) Terri Harden (arms, Season 1–3) Julianne Buescher (arms, Season 4) | Kevin Clash (head & mouth) John Kennedy (eyes) | Megalosaurus | Earl and Fran's son and youngest child, he is a Megalosaurus as stated by Earl. In the episode "Out of the Frying Pan," Baby is shown as a Ceratosaurus. His legal name is Baby Sinclair, which was given to him by the Chief Elder. Baby is sarcastic and wisecracking. His favorite thing to do is to hit Earl on the head with a frying pan. His catch phrases are "I'm the baby. Gotta love me." and "Not the mama!". Earl will often call his youngest son Junior. |
Supporting characters
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl Hinkleman Phillips | Florence Stanley | Brian Henson (seasons 1–2) Rickey Boyd (seasons 3–4) Kevin Clash (occasionally) David Greenaway (occasionally) Julianne Buescher (face, occasionally) | Edmontonia | Ethyl is an Edmontonia who is Fran's mother, Earl's mother-in-law, and the grandmother of Robbie, Charlene, and Baby. Ethyl comes to live with the Sinclairs, and is revealed to have a son named Stan (Fran's brother). Ethyl always wears house slippers and is wheel chair bound. Ethyl enjoys making fun of Earl and hitting him with her cane. | |
| Roy Hess | Sam McMurray | Pons Maar (body) Julianne Buescher (arms) | David Greenaway | Tyrannosaurus rex | Roy is Earl's co-worker at the WESAYSO Development Corporation and best friend. He is a dull witted Tyrannosaurus rex who also has a brother named Roy. |
| Bradley P. "B.P." Richfield | Sherman Hemsley | Steve Whitmire Rob Mills (occasionally) Allan Trautman (occasionally) | Steve Whitmire Rob Mills (occasionally) | Triceratops | B.P. Richfield is Earl, Roy, Ralph, Gus, and Sid's heartless boss at the WESAYSO Development Corporation where he oversees the Tree Pushers. He is a Triceratops, with the horns on the frill making him look like a Styracosaurus. In "Hungry for Love," it is revealed that Mr. Richfield has a daughter named Wendy. |
| Monica Devertebrae | Suzie Plakson | n/a | Julianne Buescher | Brontosaurus | An Brontosaurus and Fran's best friend who is the only four-legged dinosaur on the show. She is usually seen from the neck up where it took up to three to four people to operate the neck and head. |
| Spike | Christopher Meloni | David Greenaway | N/A | Polacanthus | He is a semi regular character who resembles a Polacanthus with a bandana, a black leather jacket, and biker boots. Spike is Robbie's best friend who often refers to him as "Scooter." |
| Ralph Needlenose | Various | Various | Various | Troodon | A Troodon who is a co-worker of Earl and Roy at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. The Full-Bodied costume used for Ralph is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Gustav "Gus" Spikebake | Various | Various | Various | Ceratosaurus | A Ceratosaurus who is a co-worker of Earl and Roy at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. The Full-Bodied costume used for Gus is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Sidney "Sid" Turtlepuss | Michelan Sisti | John Kennedy | Michelan Sisti | Psittacosaurus | A Psittacosaurus who is a co-worker of Earl and Roy at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. Sid Tis seen more than the other characters. He enjoys bagels and donuts. The Full-Bodied costume used for Sid is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Mr. Pulman | Allan Trautman | Bruce Lanoil (first time) Tom Fisher (later appearances) | Allan Trautman | Troodon | A bespectacled Troodon who is Robbie, Charlene, Mindy, and Spike's teacher at Bob LaBrea High School. The Full-Bodied costume used for Mr. Pulman is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Mindy | Jessica Lundy | Star Townsend | Julianne Buescher | Corythosaurus | A female Corythosaurus who is Charlene's best friend. There are two different characters with the same name that are both friends of Charlene. There are also two unrelated characters called Mindy:
|
| Howard Handupme | Kevin Clash | N/A | N/A | Pachycephalosaurus | A Walter Cronkite-esque Pachycephalosaurus who is the newscaster for DNN (short for Dinosaur News Network) which is a spoof of CNN. He is one of a few characters that isn't a Full-Bodied character. |
| Chief Elder | Various Voices | Various Performers | N/A | Various species | Also known as the Elder-in-Chief, the Chief Elder presides over all of the government in Pangaea. It is assumed that he is the head of the Council of Elders. There had been different Chief Elders in different appearances:
|
| Mr. Lizard | Allan Trautman | N/A | N/A | Iguanodon | Mr. Lizard is a gray Iguanodon who is the star of Baby's favorite TV show "Ask Mr. Lizard" (a parody of the television show Watch Mr. Wizard). His show helpfully taught generations of children about science that was vaguely related to scientific principles, but mostly existed as a way of ridding the world of young dinosaurs named Timmy. After the often violent death of his assistant, Mr. Lizard would cheerfully call off camera "We're going to need another Timmy!" |
Other characters
The following characters are not in the Unisaurs category below:
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrison "Gary" | Steve Landesberg | N/A | N/A | Dilophosaurus | Gary is a 50ft. Dilophosaurus dinosaur whose feet can only be seen. He appeared in the Dinosaurs episode "High Noon". He takes a romantic interest in Fran, and challenges Earl for her. |
| Henri Poupon | Tim Curry | Allan Trautman (puppeteer) | N/A | Archaeopteryx | Henri Poupon is an Archaeopteryx appeared in the Dinosaurs episode "Getting to Know You." Henri is the father of Francois Poupon and husband of Simone Poupon. The Poupons are a family of birds who come from an unnamed country, clearly based on France. Henri is irritated by exchange student Charlene Sinclair. He is disappointed by the consumption of his own son, but feels that a big screen TV would help the healing process. |
| Blarney | Steve Whitmire | Steve Whitmire | Steve Whitmire | Deinonychus | Blarney is a red Deinonychus hand-puppet character on Dinosaurs, intended as a spoof of Barney the Dinosaur. He appeared in Dinosaur TV segments in two fourth-season episodes -- "Terrible Twos" and "Into the Woods." Blarney is adored by young children but is less popular with older viewers. He appears on videotapes released as part of the Blarney Home Video Library. Parents who order will "get a new video delivered to their child every hour for the next decade." Titles spoof not only the Barney franchise, but other commercials for mail-order videos, from fitness and health tapes to bridge, computers, and semi-religious quests. |
| Georgie | Allan Trautman (normal voice), Edward Asner (evil voice) | Jack Tate | Allan Trautman | European hippopotamus | Georgie is a dinosaur dressed as a full bodied European hippopotamus. He is a children's TV icon who appeared in the Dinosaurs episode "Georgie Must Die." An obvious spoof of the Barney the Dinosaur. Georgie is actually a megalomaniac planning to take over the world through his financial empire and the devotion of the dinosaur children. After Earl was arrested for impersonating Georgie, Fran invited Georgie down to the police department to clear things up where he showed off his bad side when alone with Earl while stating that he was not pleased with Earl posing as him. Later that night, Earl learned about his motives from Jean-Claude and Brigitte upon them springing Earl from the police department. Earl later fought Georgie on his television show and ended up defeating him. During the credits, Howard Handupme reported that Georgie was arrested for tax evasion and racketeering following an investigation from what happened on his TV show. It was also mentioned that the Chief Elder has pardoned Earl of his crime of posing as Georgie and gave him the Key to the City. Roy ended up taking his place on TV as the eponymous "Uncle Roy." |
Unisaurs
Outside of the recurring characters, there are a group of dinosaur characters called Unisaurs. They are customizable dinosaur characters similar to the Whatnots from The Muppet Show and the Anything Muppets from Sesame Street. Some of the Unisaurs are Full-Bodied while the others are hand-puppets. They come in different types.
The following are the Full-Bodied Unisaurs:
| Character | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Longsnout | Dryptosaurus | A generic green Dryptosaurus. This Unisaur was used for:
|
| Needlenose | Troodon | A tall dinosaur resembling a Troodon with an elongated snout. In addition to being used for Mr. Pulman and Ralph Needlenose, this Unisaur was used for:
|
| Spikeback | Ceratosaurus | A bulky Ceratosaurus with a striped back, striped tail, and a nose horn. In addition to being used for Gus Spikeback, this Unisaur was used for:
|
| Turtlepuss | Psittacosaurus | A brown turtle-headed Psittacosaurus that was used as Earl's co-worker Sid Turtlepuss. This Unisaur was also used for:
|
| Unnamed Female Unisaur Class | Corythosaurus | A female Corythosaurus with a short snout, eyelashes, hair-like crest, and lighter-hued skin that was often used for Mindy. This Unisaur was also used for:
|
| Unnamed Female Light Green Unisaur | Dryosaurus | A female Dryosaurus with a short snout, eyelashes, hair-like three crest. |
The Hand-Puppet Unisaurs are usually used for television personalities, elders, officials, audience members, and other characters that can be viewed from the waist up. Here are the following Unisaurs in that category:
| Character | Species | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Frilled blue dinosaur | Protoceratops | A blue Protoceratops that was used for the first Chief Elder in "Nuts to War" and was also used for:
|
| Frilled green dinosaur | Leptoceratops | A green Leptoceratops with a large muzzle that was used for various characters. Sometimes has horns to make it look like a Triceratops. |
| Crinkly-green humanoid-faced dinosaur | Moschops | A crinkly-green humanoid-faced dinosaur that was used for the other Chief Elders and was also used for:
|
| Gray Iguanodon-faced dinosaur | Iguanodon | That was often used for Mr. Lizard and other background appearances. |
| Cleft-chinned Albertosaurus-esque dinosaur | Albertosaurus | That was often used for Captain Action Figure, various newscasters, and various reporters. |
| Timmy-type | Mussaurus | A child Unisaur that was often used for Timmy in the "Ask Mr. Lizard" TV show. Two variations of this Unisaur existed: a green one and a blue one. |
| Duckbilled blue dinosaur | Edmontosaurus | A blue Edmontosaurus that was used for:
|
| Brown needlenose | Coelophysis | A brown puppet version of a Needlenose that was used for Mr. Otto Lynch from "What "Sexual" Harris Meant" (performed by Allan Trautman). |
| Stegosaurus | Stegosaurus | A Stegosaurus puppet that was used for:
The Stegosaurus puppet was also used several times as a student at Bob LaBrea High School. |
| Crested brown dinosaur | Corythosaurus | A crested-brown Corythosaurus that was used for:
|
| Parasaurolophus | Parasaurolophus | The Parasaurolophus puppet was often used for female characters starting in "Slave to Fashion." |
| Velociraptor | Velociraptor | The Velociraptor puppet was used in the final season. |
Episodes
Main article: List of Dinosaurs episodes
List of Dinosaurs episodes
Topical issues
Topical issues featured in Dinosaurs include environmentalism, endangered species, women's rights, sexual harassment, LGBT rights, objectification of women, censorship, civil rights, body image, steroid use, allusions to masturbation (in the form of Robbie doing the solo mating dance), drug abuse, racism (in the form of a dispute between the two-legged dinosaurs and the four-legged dinosaurs), peer pressure, rights of indigenous peoples (in the form of the dinosaurs interacting with cavepeople), corporate crime, government interference in parenting, and pacifism.[8]
In the episode "I Never Ate For My Father," in lieu of carnivorism, Robbie chooses to eat vegetables, and the other characters liken this to communism, and drug abuse. Template:Fix
In the final season, "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" (a take off of The Greatest Story Ever Told) even references religion when the Sinclair family becomes eager to learn the meaning of their existence. The Elders dictate a new system of beliefs, and the entire cast (with the exception of Robbie) abandons science to blindly following the newly popular "Potato-ism".
Another religious-themed episode was "The Last Temptation of Ethyl," in which Ethyl willingly allows a televangelist to exploit her near-death experience to extort money from followers. She backs out after having a second such experience, where instead of heaven, she experiences a "place not so nice:" an existence surrounded by nothing but multiple Earl Sinclairs.
Several jokes in the series were at the expense of television shows in general. Earl often wants to watch TV rather than do something more practical, and several jokes accuse television of "dumbing down" the population and making it lazy.
Captain Action Figure shows up in children's programming that Fran mistakes for a commercial. Whenever Captain Action Figure mentions a product, the screen flashes "Tell Mommy I WANT THAT!". Before the appearance of Georgie, Dinosaurs used a puppet highly reminiscent of Barney the Dinosaur named "Blarney" in two episodes. During his appearances, members of the Sinclair family commented on his annoying characteristics and failure to teach anything to children.
The characters will sometimes break the fourth wall as well, especially Baby. An example of such is seen in the episode "Nature Calls" (Season 3, Episode 1) when Fran and Earl spell out words in front of Baby during an argument, who, after looking at the camera and saying "This could get ugly", proceeds to spell out "They think I can't spell" with his alphabet blocks.
Final episode
The series finale of Dinosaurs, titled "Changing Nature", depicts the irresponsible actions of the dinosaurs toward their environment, and the ensuing Ice Age which leads to their demise. In the episode, a swarm of Bunch Beetles are unable to show up and devour a form of creeper vine. Charlene discovers that WESAYSO has constructed a wax fruit factory called FruitCo on the swampland that serves as the Bunch Beetles' breeding grounds, causing the extinction of the species (save for one male named Stan). Fearing a public relations fiasco more than any environmental threat, WESAYSO quickly puts Earl in charge of an attempt to destroy the vines, which have grown out of control without the beetles to keep them in check. Earl proposes spraying the planet with defoliant, which causes the destruction of the vines, but also kills off all plant life on the planet. B.P. Richfield assumes that the creation of clouds will bring rain, allowing the plants to grow back, and so decides to create clouds by dropping bombs in the planet's volcanoes to cause eruptions and cloud cover. The dark clouds instead cause global cooling, in the form of a gigantic cloud-cover simulating the effects of what the viewer would recognize as nuclear winter that scientists estimate would take "tens of thousands of years" to dissipate. B.P. Richfield dismisses this as a "4th quarter problem" and states that WESAYSO is currently making record-breaking profits from the cold weather selling blankets, heaters, and hot cocoa mix as the result of the "cold snap." Later, Earl apologizes to his family and Stan for his actions that led to the end of the world. Baby is assured that no matter what happens, they will always be a family. At DNN, Howard Handupme concludes his final broadcast.
International screening
In the United Kingdom, the show was screened on ITV in 1992 and in reruns from 1995 to 2002 on Disney Channel. In Canada the show started airing reruns in 1992 on The Family Channel and aired them until the late 1990s; the show also aired on CHRO-TV in the early-to-mid-90's. In Australia the show started airing on the Seven Network from February 1992 through to 1995. In Ireland, in the mid-1990s, it was shown on a Sunday evening on RTÉ Two (known as network 2 back then).
DVD and streaming releases
The first VHS is released on December 3, 1991. On May 2, 2006, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Dinosaurs: The Complete First And Second Seasons as a four-disc DVD box set. The DVD set includes "exclusive bonus features including a never-before-seen look at the making of Dinosaurs". The complete third and fourth seasons, also a four-disc DVD set, were released May 1, 2007 with special features, including the episodes not aired on US TV. Both sets are currently available only in Region 1.
References
- ↑ "Brian Henson's Goal - Bringing 'Dinosaurs' To Tv'". Orlando Sentinel. April 20, 1991. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- ↑ Du Brow, Rick (February 23, 1991). "Television: The ratings success of CBS' Ed Sullivan, Mary Tyler Moore and 'All in the Family' retrospectives may doom innovative entries in the 'Twin Peaks' mode". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- ↑ "`Dinosaurs' Takes Puppetry Into The Electronic Age". Chicago Tribune. 1994-02-03. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- ↑ Cerone, Daniel (1991-11-17). "Primal Secrets From the World of 'Dinosaurs'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- ↑ Kahn, Eve M. "All in the Modern Stone Age Family", The New York Times (Apr. 14, 1991). Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- ↑ Owen, David. "Looking Out for Kermit", The New Yorker (Aug. 16, 1993.)
- ↑ Grover, Ron. The Disney Touch. Homewood, IL: Business One Irwin, 1991. pp. 167-168.
- ↑ Rosenberg, Howard (1992-02-19). "Television: ABC series sinks its teeth into witty social commentary a la 'The Simpsons' and finds its metier". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
External links
Template:The Jim Henson CompanyTemplate:TGIF (ABC)Template:The Muppets
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was…
Edit
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Television and distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc.[3][4]
The show used voice actors for the characters which are performed by different puppeteers.
Origins[]
News stories written at the time of the show's premiere highlighted Dinosaurs' connection to Jim Henson, an American puppeteer who died the year before. "Jim Henson dreamed up the show's basic concept about three years ago," said a New York Times article in April 1991. "'He wanted it to be a sitcom with a pretty standard structure, with the biggest differences being that it's a family of dinosaurs and their society has this strange toxic life style,' said [his son] Brian Henson. But until The Simpsons took off, said Alex Rockwell, a vice president of the Henson organization, 'people thought it was a crazy idea.'"[5]
In the late 1980s, Henson worked with William Stout, a fantasy artist, illustrator and designer, on a feature film starring animatronic dinosaurs with the working title of The Natural History Project; a 1993 article in The New Yorker said that Henson continued to work on a dinosaur project (presumably the Dinosaurs concept) until the "last months of his life."[6]
The television division of the Walt Disney Company began working on the series in 1990 for CBS before the series landed on ABC, which Disney eventually acquired.[7]
Plot[]
Dinosaurs is initially set in 60,000,003 BC in Pangaea. The show centers on the Sinclair family: Earl Sinclair, the father; Fran Sinclair, the mother; Robbie Sinclair, the son; Charlene Sinclair, the daughter; Baby Sinclair, the baby; and Grandmother Ethyl Phillips.
Earl's job is to push over trees for the Wesayso Corporation with his friend and coworker Roy Hess where they work under the supervision of their boss B.P. Richfield.
Characters[]
The focus of the show's plot is the Sinclair family: Earl, Fran, Robbie, Charlene and Baby.
Main characters[]
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Sneed Sinclair | Stuart Pankin | Bill Barrett Tom Fisher (occasional) | Dave Goelz (season 1), Mak Wilson (seasons 2-4) | The patriarch of the Sinclair family, Earl is the protagonist. He is a Megalosaurus and is depicted as being thick-headed and suggestible. Earl works as a "Tree Pusher" at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. |
| Frances "Fran" Sinclair née Phillips | Jessica Walter | Tony Sabin Prince | Allan Trautman | The mother and homemaker of the Sinclair family. Fran is mentioned on the show as being an Allosaurus. Her four fins and wrists make her resemble a Dilophosaurus as well. |
| Robert "Robbie" Mark Sinclair | Jason Willinger | Leif Tilden | Steve Whitmire | The eldest of the Sinclair children, he is a Hypsilophodon. He is the only dinosaur on the show that is shown wearing shoes. |
| Charlene Sinclair | Sally Struthers | Michelan Sisti | Bruce Lanoil | Earl and Fran's daughter and middle-child. She is designed to be a generic-looking dinosaur (some features resemble a Protoceratops). |
| Baby Sinclair | Kevin Clash | Kevin Clash (body), Terri Harden (arms, Season 1-3) and Julianne Buescher (arms, Season 4) | Kevin Clash (mouth), John Kennedy (eyes) | Baby is the youngest of the Sinclair children is supposed to be a Megalosaurus as stated by Earl. In the episode "Out of the Frying Pan," Baby is shown as a Ceratosaurus. His legal name is Baby Sinclair, which was given to him by the Chief Elder. |
Supporting characters[]
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl Phillips née Hinkleman | Florence Stanley | Brian Henson (seasons 1-2), Rickey Boyd (seasons 3-4) | Ethyl is an Edmontonia who is Fran's mother, Earl's mother-in-law, and the grandmother of Robbie, Charlene, and Baby. Ethyl comes to live with the Sinclairs, and is revealed to have a son named Stan (Fran's brother). | |
| Roy Hess | Sam McMurray | Pons Maar | David Greenaway | Roy is Earl's co-worker at the WESAYSO Development Corporation and closest friend. He is a dull-witted Tyrannosaurus rex who also has a brother named Roy. |
| B.P. (Bradley P.) Richfield | Sherman Hemsley | Steve Whitmire | Steve Whitmire | Bradley P. Richfield is Earl's intimidating field boss at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. He is a Triceratops, with the horns on the frill making him look like a Styracosaurus. In "Hungry for Love," it is revealed that B.P. Richfield has a daughter named Wendy. |
| Monica Devertebrae | Suzie Plakson | n/a | Julianne Buescher | An Apatosaurus and semi-regular character who is the only four-legged dinosaur on the show. |
| Spike | Christopher Meloni | David Greenaway | N/A | He is a semi-regular character who resembles a Polacanthus with a black leather jacket. Spike is Robbie's friend who often refers to him as "Scooter." |
| Ralph Needlenose | Various | Various | Various | A Troodon who is a co-worker of Earl Sinclair and Roy Hess at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. The Full-Bodied costume used for Ralph is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Gus Spikebake | Various | Various | Various | A Ceratosaurus who is a co-worker of Earl Sinclair and Roy Hess at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. The Full-Bodied costume used for Gus is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Sid Turtlepuss | Michelan Sisti | John Kennedy | Michelan Sisti | A Psittacosaurus who is a co-worker of Earl Sinclair and Roy Hess at the WESAYSO Development Corporation. Sid Turtlepuss is seen more than the other characters. He enjoys bagels and donuts. The Full-Bodied costume used for Sid is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Mr. Pulman | Allan Trautman | Bruce Lanoil (first time), Tom Fisher (later appearances) | Allan Trautman | A bespectacled Troodon who is a teacher at Bob LaBrea High School. The Full-Bodied costume used for Mr. Pulman is often used for one-appearance minor characters. |
| Mindy | Jessica Lundy | Star Townsend | Julianne Buescher | A female Corythosaurus who is the best friend of Charlene Sinclair. There are two different characters with the same name that are both friends of Charlene. There are also two unrelated characters called Mindy:
|
| Howard Handupme | Kevin Clash | N/A | N/A | A Walter Cronkite-esque Pachycephalosaurus who is the newscaster for DNN (short for Dinosaur News Network). He is one of a few characters that isn't a Full-Bodied character. |
| Chief Elder | Various Voices | Various Performers | N/A | Also known as the Elder-in-Chief, the Chief Elder presides over all of the government in Pangaea. It is assumed that he is the head of the Council of Elders. There had been different Chief Elders in different appearances:
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Unisaurs[]
Outside of the recurring characters, there are a group of dinosaur characters called Unisaurs. They are customizable dinosaur characters similar to the Whatnots from The Muppet Show and the Anything Muppets from Sesame Street. Some of the Unisaurs are Full-Bodied while the others are hand-puppets. They come in different types.
The following are the Full-Bodied Unisaurs:
- Longsnout - A generic green Dryptosaurus. This Unisaur was used for:
- Ansel from the episode "Driving Miss Ethyl". His face was performed by Julianne Buescher, his body was performed by Pons Maar, and voice was provided by Michael McKean.
- Babysitter from the episode "Terrible Twos". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Tom Fisher, and voice was provided by John Glover.
- Buddy Glimmer from the episode "Family Challenge". His face was provided by David Greenaway, his body performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Sam McMurray.
- Devil from the episode "Life in the Faust Lane". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Pons Maar, and his voice was provided by Tim Curry.
- Dr. Ficus from the episode "Germ Warfare". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Pons Maar, and his voice was provided by Charles Kimbrough.
- Ed from the episode "Scent of a Reptile". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice provided by Thom Sharp.
- Mel Luster from the episode "The Mating Dance". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Richard Portnow.
- Walter Sternhagen from the episode "The Discovery". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Pons Maar, and his voice was provided by Thom Sharp.
- Needlenose - A tall dinosaur resembling a Troodon with an elongated snout. In addition to being used for Mr. Pulman and Ralph Needlenose, this Unisaur was used for;
- The Doctor from the episode "Golden Child". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Tom Fisher, and his voice was provided by Sam McMurray.
- Glenda Molehill from the episode "Switched at Birth". Her face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, her body was performed by Tom Fisher, and her voice was provided by Mimi Kennedy.
- Heather Worthington from the episode "A Slave to Fashion". Her face was performed by Terri Hardin, her body was performed by Tom Fisher, and her voice was provided by Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
- Spikeback - A bulky Ceratosaurus with a striped back, striped tail, and a nose horn. In addition to being used for Gus Spikeback, this Unisaur was used for:
- Al "Sexual" Harris from the episode "What "Sexual" Harris Meant". His face performed by Bruce Lanoil, body performed by Jack Tate, and voice provided by Jason Alexander.
- Bob the DMV Worker from the episode "Unmarried...With Children". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by David Wohl.
- Gus Molehill from the episode "Switched at Birth". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Jason Alexander.
- Job Wizard. His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Jason Alexander.
- Turtlepuss - A brown turtle-headed Psittacosaurus that was used as Earl's co-worker Sid Turtlepuss. This Unisaur was also used for:
- Clerk from the episode "The Son Also Rises". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Jody St. Michael, and his voice was provided by Robert Picardo.
- Dinosaur Chief from the episode "Hurling Day". His face was performed by Kevin Clash, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice provided by Harold Gould.
- Folk Singer from the episode "I Never Ate My Father". His face was performed by John Kennedy, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Steven Banks.
- Frank from the episode "Fran Live". His body was performed by Michelan Sisti and his voice was provided by Thom Sharp.
- General H. Norman Conquest from the episode "Nuts to War". His face was performed by John Kennedy, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Jason Alexander.
- Insurance Agent from the episode "Family Challenge". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Peter Bonerz.
- Jean-Claude from the episode "Georgie Must Die". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Tim Curry.
- Mr. Myman from the episode "Out of the Frying Pan". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Leif Tilden, and his voice was provided by Michael McKean.
- Muse from the episode "Charlene's Flat World". His face was performed by John Kennedy, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Robert Picardo.
- Officer Bettelheim from the episode "License to Parent". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and voice was provided by Michael McKean.
- Odd Job Dinosaur from the episode "How to Pick Up Girls".
- UFO Host from the episode "We Are Not Alone". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Jason Alexander.
- Zabar from the episode "Germ Warfare." His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Dan Castellaneta.
- Unnamed Female Unisaur Class - A female Corythosaurus with a short snout, eyelashes, hair-like crest, and lighter-hued skin that was often used for Mindy. This Unisaur was also used for:
- Caroline Foxworth from the episodes "How to Pick Up Girls" and "Steroids to Heaven". Her face was performed by Julianne Buescher, her body was performed by Star Townsend, and her voice was provided by Julianne Buescher.
- Thighs of Thunder from the episode "The Discovery". Her face was performed by Julianne Buescher, her body was performed by Star Townsend, and her voice provided by Suzie Plakson.
- Wendy Richfield from the episode "Hungry for Love". Her face was performed by Julianne Buescher, her body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and her voice was provided by Wendie Jo Sperber).
The Hand-Puppet Unisaurs are usually used for television personalities, elders, officials, audience members, and other characters that can be viewed from the waist up. Here are the following Unisaurs in that category:
- A blue Protoceratops that was used for the first Chief Elder in "Nuts to War" and was also used for:
- Harold Heffer from the episode "What "Sexual" Harris Meant". He was performed by Bruce Lanoil and voiced by Jack Harrell.
- Elder #2 from the episode "Charlene's Flat World".
- Judge D.X. Machina from the episode "Earl's Big Jackpot". Hw was performed by Bruce Lanoil.
- Shopper from the episode "Power Erupts."
- A green Leptoceratops with a large muzzle that was used for various characters. Sometimes has horns to make it look like a Triceratops.
- A crinkly-green humanoid-faced dinosaur that was used for the other Chief Elders and was also used for:
- Dr. Elliot Piaget from the episode "Terrible Twos". He was performed by Allan Trautman.
- Edward R. Hero from "And the Winner Is..." He was performed by Allan Trautman and voiced by Jason Bernard.
- Grandpa Louie from the episode "The Last Temptation of Ethyl". He was performed by Allan Trautman and voiced by Buddy Hackett.
- Judge H.T. Stone from the episode "Charlene's Flat World". He was performed by Steve Whitmire and voiced by Paxton Whitehead.
- Mr. Ashland from the episode "Power Erupts". He was performed by Kevin Clash and voiced by John Vernon.
- Mr. Mason Dixon from the episode "What "Sexual" Harris Meant". He was performed by Steve Whitmire.
- Winston from the episode "Earl's Big Jackpot". He was performed by Allan Trautman and voiced by Tim Curry.
- A gray Iguanodon-faced dinosaur that was often used for Mr. Lizard (performed by Allan Trautman) and other background appearances.
- A cleft-chinned Albertosaurus-esque dinosaur that was often used for Captain Heroic, various newscasters, and various reporters.
- A child Unisaur that was often used for Timmy in the "Ask Mr. Lizard" TV show. Two variations of this Unisaur existed: a green one and a blue one.
- A blue Edmontosaurus that was used for:
- Richard Simmons Dinosaur from the episode "Nature Calls". He was performed by Steve Whitmire and voiced by Richard Simmons.
- A female version of it was used for a Sitcom Wife in the episode "Dirty Dancin'". He was performed by Julianne Buescher and voiced by Jessica Lundy.
- A brown puppet version of a Needlenose that was used for Mr. Otto Lynch from "What "Sexual" Harris Meant" (performed by Allan Trautman).
- A Stegosaurus that was used for:
- Government Clerk from the episode "And the Winner Is..."
- Newsboy from the episode "Charlene's Flat World".
- USO Soldier from the episode "Nuts to War" Pt. 2.
- Caroler from "Refrigerator Day".
- Used several times as a student at Bob LaBrea High School.
- A crested-brown Corythosaurus that was used for:
- Guy in a Labcoat from the episode "Charlene's Flat World"
- Jury Foreman from the episode "Earl's Big Jackpot"
- A Parasaurolophus that was often used for female characters starting in "Slave to Fashion."
- A Velociraptor that was used in the final season.
Episodes[]
Main article: List of Dinosaurs episodes
Topical issues[]
Topical issues featured in Dinosaurs include environmentalism, endangered species, women's rights, sexual harassment, objectification of women, censorship, civil rights, body image, steroid use, allusions to masturbation (in the form of Robbie doing the solo mating dance), drug abuse, racism (in the form of a dispute between the two-legged dinosaurs and the four-legged dinosaurs), peer pressure, rights of indigenous peoples (in the form of the dinosaurs interacting with cavepeople), corporate crime, government interference in parenting, allusions to homosexuality, and pacifism.[8]
In the episode "I Never Ate For My Father," in lieu of carnivorism, Robbie chooses to eat vegetables, and the other characters liken this to homosexuality, communism, and drug abuse.[citation needed]
In the final season, "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" (a take off of The Greatest Story Ever Told) even references religion when the Sinclair family becomes eager to learn the meaning of their existence. The Elders dictate a new system of beliefs, and the entire cast (with the exception of Robbie) abandons science to blindly following the newly popular "Potato-ism".
Another religious-themed episode was "The Last Temptation of Ethyl," in which Ethyl willingly allows a televangelist to exploit her near-death experience to extort money from followers. She backs out after having a second such experience, where instead of heaven, she experiences a "place not so nice:" an existence surrounded by nothing but multiple Earl Sinclairs.
Several jokes in the series were at the expense of television shows in general. Earl often wants to watch TV rather than do something more practical, and several jokes accuse television of "dumbing down" the population and making it lazy.
Captain Action Figure shows up in children's programming that Fran mistakes for a commercial. Whenever Captain Action Figure mentions a product, the screen flashes "Tell Mommy I WANT THAT!". Before the appearance of Georgie, Dinosaurs used a puppet highly reminiscent of Barney named "Blarney" in two episodes. During his appearances, members of the Sinclair family commented on his annoying characteristics and failure to teach anything to children.
The characters will sometimes break the fourth wall as well, especially Baby. An example of such is seen in the episode "Nature Calls" (Season 3, Episode 1) when Fran and Earl spell out words in front of Baby during an argument, who, after looking at the camera and saying "This could get ugly", proceeds to spell out "They think I can't spell" with his alphabet blocks.
The series finale of Dinosaurs depicts the irresponsible actions of the dinosaurs toward their environment, and the ensuing Ice Age which leads to their demise. The episode "Changing Nature" begins with the failure of a swarm of Bunch Beetles to show up and devour a form of creeper vine. Charlene discovers that WESAYSO has constructed a wax fruit factory on the swampland that serves as the Bunch Beetles' breeding grounds, causing the extinction of the species (save for one male named Stan). Fearing a public relations fiasco more than any environmental threat, WESAYSO quickly puts Earl in charge of an attempt to destroy the vines, which have grown out of control without the beetles to keep them in check. Earl proposes spraying the planet with defoliant, which causes the destruction of the vines, but also kills off all plant life on the planet. Richfield assumes that the creation of clouds will bring rain, allowing the plants to grow back, and so decides to create clouds by dropping bombs in the planet's volcanoes to cause eruptions and cloud cover. The dark clouds instead cause global cooling, in the form of a gigantic cloudcover (simulating the effects of what the viewer would recognize as nuclear winter) that scientists estimate would take "tens of thousands of years" to dissipate. Richfield dismisses this as a "4th quarter problem" and states that WESAYSO is currently making record breaking profits from the cold weather selling blankets, heaters, and hot cocoa mix. Later, Earl apologizes to his family and Stan for his actions. The episode ends with Howard Handupme as he finishes his broadcast grimly saying "Good Night... Goodbye" to the audience.
International screening[]
In the United Kingdom, the show was screened on ITV in 1992 and in reruns from 1995 to 2002 on Disney Channel. In Canada the show started airing reruns in 1992 on The Family Channel and aired them until the late 1990s. In Australia the show started airing on the Seven Network from February 1992 through to 1995. In Ireland, in the mid-1990s, it was shown on a Sunday evening on RTÉ Two (known as network 2 back then).
DVD and Streaming releases[]
On May 2, 2006 Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Dinosaurs: The Complete First And Second Seasons as a four-disc DVD box set. The DVD set includes "exclusive bonus features including a never-before-seen look at the making of Dinosaurs". The complete third and fourth seasons, also a four-disc DVD set, were released May 1, 2007 with special features, including the episodes not aired on US TV. Both sets are currently available only in Region 1. As of September 2012, all seasons are available for streaming on Netflix.
References[]
- Jump up ^ "Brian Henson's Goal - Bringing 'Dinosaurs' To Tv'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- Jump up ^ Du Brow, Rick (1991-02-23). "Television: The ratings success of CBS' Ed Sullivan, Mary Tyler Moore and 'All in the Family' retrospectives may doom innovative entries in the 'Twin Peaks' mode.". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- Jump up ^ "`Dinosaurs' Takes Puppetry Into The Electronic Age". Chicago Tribune. 1994-02-03. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- Jump up ^ Cerone, Daniel (1991-11-17). "Primal Secrets From the World of 'Dinosaurs'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- Jump up ^ Kahn, Eve M. "All in the Modern Stone Age Family", The New York Times (Apr. 14, 1991). Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- Jump up ^ Owen, David. "Looking Out for Kermit", The New Yorker (Aug. 16, 1993.)
- Jump up ^ Grover, Ron. The Disney Touch. Homewood, IL: Business One Irwin, 1991. pp. 167-168.
- Jump up ^ Rosenberg, Howard (1992-02-19). "Television: ABC series sinks its teeth into witty social commentary a la 'The Simpsons' and finds its metier.". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
External links[]
- http://movies.disney.com/dinosaurs
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101081/
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FAQs
How did Dinosaurs TV show end? ›
The show's last scene sees Earl finally realizing what he has done: By sucking up to his boss and agreeing to spray the world with poison, he's doomed everyone to an Ice Age. He apologizes to the family and admits he shouldn't have taken nature for granted as he tries to comfort the Baby.
Why did the Dinosaurs TV show get Cancelled? ›There Was Almost A Movie
During the Dinosaurs TV show's fourth and final season, Disney was considering a feature film spinoff for the show. Unfortunately, the series was facing declining ratings at this point in its run, leading to its cancellation and no movie.
Everyone remembers that '80s sitcom ALF ended on a happy note. The titular villain, ALF, finally gets captured and taken to a military base, freeing the Tanner family from their four-year hostage situation and ensuring the safety of cats everywhere.
What happened to Sinclair dinosaurs? ›After an extinct period of nearly 50 years, DINO the brontosaurus has risen as the logo and mascot of Sinclair Oil Corp. and has returned to New Jersey, with two new service stations in Budd Lake and others in New York.
Is the baby in dinosaurs a boy or girl? ›...
Baby Sinclair.
| PERFORMER | Kevin Clash |
|---|---|
| DEBUT | 1991 |
90's sitcom that features Dinosaurs
Parents need to know that viewers, especially tweens and teens, can relate to some of the topics featured on the show. Younger viewers are advised to have a guardian's permission, due to the frequent use of "Hell" and "Damn".
Valley of the Dinosaurs is an American animated television series produced by the Australian studios of Hanna-Barbera Productions and broadcast on CBS from September 7 to December 21, 1974, and in syndication from 1977 to 1983.
When did dinosaurs TV show first air? ›What kind of dinosaurs are the dinosaurs TV show? ›
Our dinosaur family are as follows Earl, a megalosaurus. Earls name I'd always heard as Earl Sneath Sinclair (not Sneed as the trivia says).
What kind of dinosaur is Charlene Sinclair? ›Charlene Sinclair is a Protoceratops and one of the protagonists from Disney's 1991-1994 television series, Dinosaurs.
What kind of dinosaur is aladar? ›Set 65 million years ago, DINOSAUR tells the compelling story of Aladar, an iguanodon who is separated from his own kind and raised by a clan of lemurs, including the wisecracking Zini and the compassionate Plio.
What type of dinosaur is Fran Sinclair? ›Frances "Fran" Sinclair is an allosaurus, and one of the stars of Dinosaurs. The daughter of Louie and Ethyl Phillips, she is married to Earl Sinclair.
What kind of animal was ALF? ›| Gordon Shumway "ALF" | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | ALF Gordo |
| Species | Melmacian |
| Gender | Male |
| Family | Bob Shumway (father) Flo Shumway (mother) Curtis Shumway (brother) Augie Shumway (sister) |
Series creator Paul Fusco provided ALF's voice and operated the puppet. One puppet, controlled by two puppeteers, was used for all shots in which ALF was shown from the stomach up. Whenever ALF's entire body, including feet, was visible, a puppet with a human inside it was used.
What did ALF stand for? ›March 24, 1990. The title character is ALF (an acronym for "Alien Life Form" whose real name is Gordon Shumway) who crash-lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family.
Does Sinclair Oil still exist? ›Sinclair Oil is a century-old energy company fueling America's road trips and everyday journeys with over 1,600 independent Sinclair-branded stations across more than 30 states. A subsidiary of HF Sinclair (NYSE:DINO).
Who owns Sinclair Oil Now? ›The deal includes the operator's branded marketing business, renewable diesel business, and two refineries. SALT LAKE CITY — HollyFrontier Corp.
Is Sinclair still in business? ›Sinclair is now one of the oldest continuous brands in the energy business, and our dinosaur is one of the most recognized icons in Americana. In 2022, Sinclair Oil joined with the former HollyFrontier Corporation to become HF Sinclair (NYSE:DINO).
Is Baby Sinclair a puppet? ›
†Dinosaurs (1991) 'Baby Sinclair', the leading prehistoric dinosaur puppet character of the Jim Henson show. Baby Sinclair became the show's most popular and iconic character and featured heavily throughout.
How long did the dinosaurs live? ›It isn't easy to tell from dinosaurs' fossilised remains how long they lived. "Traditional" estimates based on slow, reptilian growth rates, combined with the enormous size of dinosaurs, led scientists to conclude it could be up to several hundred years.
Do dinosaurs Still Exist? ›In an evolutionary sense, birds are a living group of dinosaurs because they descended from the common ancestor of all dinosaurs. Other than birds, however, there is no scientific evidence that any dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, or Triceratops, are still alive.
Who plays the boss in dinosaurs? ›For those not familiar with the series that ran for four seasons on ABC between 1991 and 1994, Richfield — voiced by the late, great “Jeffersons” star Sherman Hemsley — was the ill-tempered boss of protagonist Earl Sinclair, a Tyrannosaurus rex raising a family in a modern world run by talking dinosaurs.
Who plays Baby Sinclair? ›Baby Sinclair
What episode of dinosaurs is not the mama? ›| Dinosaurs | |
|---|---|
| Air Date | October 2, 1992 |
| Written by | Victor Fresco |
| Director | Bruce Bilson |
I wasn't expecting to suddenly remember the “Hurling Day” episode of the 1991 ABC sitcom Dinosaurs. But if I had my druthers, the series—starring the Sinclairs, a blue-collar family of enormous-eyed animatronic dinosaurs in Pangaea—would be streaming on every available service during the pandemic.
What kind of dinosaur is Ethyl Phillips? ›Notes. The character was originally conceived as a pterodactyl who would hang inside the Sinclair's closet.
What happened to the dinosaurs? ›Sixty-six million years ago, dinosaurs had the ultimate bad day. With a devastating asteroid impact, a reign that had lasted 180 million years was abruptly ended.
What was the dinosaur show in the 70s? ›Land of the Lost (TV Series 1974–1977) - IMDb.
Is there a Dinotopia movie? ›
...
Dinotopia (miniseries)
| Dinotopia | |
|---|---|
| Original release | May 12, 2002 |
Earl is one of the lead characters in the television series Dinosaurs. Identified as a Megalosaurus, Earl is the 43-year-old head of his family, consisting of his wife Fran, teenage children Robbie and Charlene, mother-in-law Ethyl Phillips and infant son Baby Sinclair.
Is dinosaurs still on Disney plus? ›Disney+ is currently streaming every episode of the hit ABC sitcom Dinosaurs.
How many episodes of dinosaurs are there? › How many dinosaurs were there? ›The short answer is we know of about 900 valid dinosaur species that existed. “Valid” means scientists know the dinosaur from enough of the skeleton bones to feel pretty sure that it differs from all other known dinosaurs.
What was the first dinosaur? ›Nyasasaurus Parringtoni is believed to be the earliest dinosaur to have ever lived on Earth. It predates all other dinosaurs by more than 10 million years.
How did they do the show dinosaurs? ›A computerized system designed by Jim Henson was used in "Dinosaurs," taking the art of puppetry into the electronic age, said Creature Shop creative supervisor David Barrington Holt. With the use of two computers, one puppeteer can create 30 to 50facial expressions for each character.
What episode of dinosaurs is not the mama? ›| Dinosaurs | |
|---|---|
| Air Date | October 2, 1992 |
| Written by | Victor Fresco |
| Director | Bruce Bilson |
Dinosaurs went extinct about 65 million years ago (at the end of the Cretaceous Period), after living on Earth for about 165 million years.
How many episodes of dinosaurs were there? ›How did they make dinosaurs TV show? ›
Dinosaurs made use of a system known as animatronics to express and alter the dinosaurs' facial movements, a process developed by Brian Henson and his team at the London Creature Shop. The show was an effective parody of human life and the American sitcom. Dinosaurs was set in the year 60,000,003 BC.
Is the baby in dinosaurs a boy or girl? ›...
Baby Sinclair.
| PERFORMER | Kevin Clash |
|---|---|
| DEBUT | 1991 |
The character of Baby Sinclair was called "Junior", or simply "the Baby", during the first two seasons. In "And the Winner Is..." (S2E21), Baby Sinclair is taken to the Cave of the Elders; there he is given an official name: "Ooh-Ooh Ah-Ah I'm-Dying-You-Idiot Sinclair".
What kind of dinosaur is aladar? ›Set 65 million years ago, DINOSAUR tells the compelling story of Aladar, an iguanodon who is separated from his own kind and raised by a clan of lemurs, including the wisecracking Zini and the compassionate Plio.
Did humans and dinosaurs live at the same time? ›No! After the dinosaurs died out, nearly 65 million years passed before people appeared on Earth.
What was the last dinosaur to live? ›Today's birds are the last of the dinosaurs, descendents of ancestors that didn't just survive this mass extinction, but evolutionarily exploded into thousands of species distributed around the world.
Did any dinosaurs survive? ›Birds: Birds are the only dinosaurs to survive the mass extinction event 65 million years ago. Frogs & Salamanders: These seemingly delicate amphibians survived the extinction that wiped out larger animals. Lizards: These reptiles, distant relatives of dinosaurs, survived the extinction.
How long did the dinosaurs live? ›It isn't easy to tell from dinosaurs' fossilised remains how long they lived. "Traditional" estimates based on slow, reptilian growth rates, combined with the enormous size of dinosaurs, led scientists to conclude it could be up to several hundred years.
What kind of dinosaur is Charlene Sinclair? ›Charlene Sinclair is a Protoceratops and one of the protagonists from Disney's 1991-1994 television series, Dinosaurs.
How many dinosaurs are there? ›Estimates vary, but in terms of extinct non-avian dinosaurs, about 300 valid genera and roughly 700 valid species have been discovered and named.
How much did it cost to make dinosaurs TV show? ›
“Dinosaurs” represents a tremendous investment for Disney and ABC. Rumors on the Disney lot and in the financial community have placed the budget between $1 million and $1.5 million per episode--which, if true, is more than the cost of most one-hour series.
Is the show dinosaurs appropriate for kids? ›90's sitcom that features Dinosaurs
Parents need to know that viewers, especially tweens and teens, can relate to some of the topics featured on the show. Younger viewers are advised to have a guardian's permission, due to the frequent use of "Hell" and "Damn".
One of these actors was Leif Tilden, who wore the latex body of the eldest Sinclair child, teenage dino Robbie. (The character was voiced by Jason Willinger, and puppeteer Steve Whitmire — who assumed the role of Kermit after Jim Henson passed away in 1990 — manipulated Robbie's facial expressions.)