Ovide and the Gang

{{Short description|1980s animated television series}} {{more citations needed|date=November 2008}} {{Infobox television | image = Ovide and the Gang screenshot.jpg | caption = L-R: Groaner, Saphron, Ovide and Polo | genre = Cartoon series | creator = | director = Raymond Burlet Jean Sarault | developer = | presenter = | starring = | voices = Thor Bishopric Terrence Scammell Dean Hagopian A.J. Henderson | theme_music_composer = Carlos Leresche | opentheme = | endtheme = | composer = | country = Canada Belgium | language = French English | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 65 | list_episodes = | executive_producer = | producer = Jacques Pettigrew Jacques Vercruyssen Violette Vercruyssen | editor = | company = CinéGroupe Odec Kid Cartoons | location = | camera = | runtime = 30 minutes | network = Télévision de Radio Canada | first_aired = {{start date|1987|10|17}} | last_aired = {{end date|1989|1|7}} | related = }} '''''La Bande à Ovide''''', a.k.a. '''''Ovide and the Gang''''', is a 1980s animated comedy TV series produced by Canadian studio CinéGroupe (who also produced ''Mega Babies'', ''Sharky & George'' and ''The Little Flying Bears'') with the co-production of Belgium's Odec Kid Cartoons.<ref>[http://effeska.com/filmography/ CinéGroupe Filmography]</ref>

It aired on Télévision de Radio Canada from on October 17, 1987<ref>{{cite news|title = ''La Bande à Ovide'': vers un premier studio d'animation au Québec? |newspaper = La Presse|location = Montreal|page = D4|date = 2 October 1987|url = http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/2257876}}</ref> to January 7, 1989 and also goes by the names ''Ovide Video'' and ''Ovide's Video Show''. The series gained popularity in the United Kingdom when the BBC broadcast the series as part of their Children's BBC programming strand from August 1987,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210621173313/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/1987-08-01#at-9.00 bbc.co.uk]</ref> and stayed with the BBC until Spring 1992,<ref>{{cite web |title=Schedule - BBC Programme Index |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/1992-05-25#at-7.45 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123175233/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/1992-05-25#at-7.45 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=7 November 2024}}</ref> before switching to Channel 4.

The characters were created and designed by Bernard Godi in cooperation with Belgian comic artist and animator Nic Broca, who had previously designed the ''Snorks'' for SEPP.

==Synopsis== The show stars a blue platypus named Ovide who lives on a non-descript South Seas island, where he has adventures with his friends and thwarts Cy and Bobo, the show's villains.

==Main characters== * '''Ovide''' (voiced by Thor Bishopric) – A blue platypus who is the main character of the series. The unofficial leader of the group; he is also smart, responsible and kind. * '''Saphron''' (voiced by Terrence Scammell) – A yellow platypus who is Ovide's cousin. He is a good cook and gardener. * '''Polo''' (voiced by Terrence Scammell) – A feisty red lizard who always carries around a broom. The island's janitor and the "tough guy" of the group, he is always trying and failing to catch Woody, a destructive woodworm. * '''Groaner''' (voiced by Dean Hagopian) – A white toucan who is one of Ovide's friends. His name comes from the fact that he is always telling weak jokes which make people groan. * '''Doe, Rae & Mi''' – A trio of koalas who are always shown sitting on branches or the couch. Their names come from the first three solfège syllables, and they visually represent the three wise monkeys: Doe wears headphones listening to music (Hear no Evil), Rae wears sunglasses (See no Evil), and Mi almost always covers his mouth, and sometimes hiccups (Speak no Evil). * '''Matilda''' – A female kangaroo. Not originally from the island, she mistook the others for cannibals and hid from them, but then warmed up to them. She is skilled with herbal remedies and with the boomerang. She is first seen in episode 18. * '''Cy Sly''' (voiced by A.J. Henderson) – A vain, scheming, megalomaniacal python who is the primary antagonist of the series. He is jealous of Ovide and wishes to overthrow him and gain control of the island. * '''Bobo''' (voiced by Terrence Scammell) – Cy's bumbling, keel-billed toucan minion and only friend. He refers to Cy as "Boss". Despite his association with Cy, he has a good heart and wishes Ovide and his friends no ill-will. Bobo is also let off the hook a lot, unlike Cy who always suffers the consequences. * '''Woody''' – A mischievous woodworm who tunnels around the island. He is known to alter the state of bowling games and gnaw holes into the base of Ovide's home. He is in constant conflict with Polo. * '''Alvin''' – A blue three-toed sloth who lives in the forest of the island. His role in the cartoon is (more often than not) very minor and the only word he can pronounce is "Aye". * '''Newscaster Lady''' – A pink-haired platypus whose name has not been revealed. She is the constantly-occurring face on television and the information she provides is beneficial to Ovide (and even Cy at times).

==Role of television in ''Ovide''== Television plays an important role in this series. In every episode, Ovide and his friends are watching a programme. Ovide carries a brown briefcase which contains a portable TV set and there is a wandering TV on the island that approaches the characters at crucial moments and provides information important to the plot. Every time Cy sees the TV, he apparently becomes entranced by it.

==Episodes== {{Episode table |background=3198FF |overall= |title= |airdate= |episodes= {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=1 |Title=The Case of the Disappearing Hens |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|10|17}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=2 |Title=Cy and the Solo Sailor |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|10|24}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=3 |Title=The Ghostly Galleon |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|10|31}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=4 |Title=The Prophet |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|11|7}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=5 |Title=The Creature of the Cave |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|11|14}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=6 |Title=The Treasure of the Endzones |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|11|21}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=7 |Title=The Island Games |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|11|28}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=8 |Title=Cy the Sorcerer |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|12|5}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=9 |Title=Spellbound |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|12|12}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=10 |Title=Great Slave Cake |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|12|19}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=11 |Title=Hunter! |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1987|12|26}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=12 |Title=Boom Boom Beefcake |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|1|2}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=13 |Title=A Jocular Genie Named Jack |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|1|9}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=14 |Title=Run for Your Lives! |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|1|16}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=15 |Title=Platypus Dam |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|1|23}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=16 |Title=Hi-Tech Treasure |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|1|30}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=17 |Title=Rex on the Rampage |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|2|6}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=18 |Title=The Australian Amazon |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|2|13}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=19 |Title=A Joke in Poor Taste |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|2|20}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=20 |Title=Cy, the Prince of Darkness |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|2|27}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=21 |Title=The Siren's Song |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|3|5}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=22 |Title=Just for Laughs |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|3|12}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=23 |Title=The Invincible Strength Potion |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|3|19}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=24 |Title=The Big Chill |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|3|26}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=25 |Title=The Island Rally |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|4|2}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=26 |Title=The Crimson Tide |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|4|9}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=27 |Title=Kimmy Chameleon |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|4|16}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=28 |Title=Ole |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|4|23}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=29 |Title=The Secret of the Crypt |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|4|30}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=30 |Title=Sudden Guests |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|5|7}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=31 |Title=All You Need Is Love |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|5|14}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=32 |Title=The Long-Life Battery Blues |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|5|21}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=33 |Title=When Friends Fall Out |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|5|28}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=34 |Title=The Great Chef |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|6|4}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=35 |Title=A Tail of a Crypt |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|6|11}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=36 |Title=If Only ... |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|6|18}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=37 |Title=Cy Lays an Egg |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|6|25}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=38 |Title=Backward to Victory |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|7|2}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=39 |Title=A Small Problem |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|7|9}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=40 |Title=Stuck, Stranded and Swamped |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|7|16}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=41 |Title=The Curse of Doctor Voodoo |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|7|23}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=42 |Title=Black Gold |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|7|30}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=43 |Title=Spirit, Are You There? |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|8|6}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=44 |Title=Winner Take All |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|8|13}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=45 |Title=The Nectar of Happiness |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|8|20}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=46 |Title=A Peculiar Plague |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|8|27}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=47 |Title=Video Villain |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|9|3}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=48 |Title=His Own Worst Enemy |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|9|10}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=49 |Title=Vanishing Act |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|9|17}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=50 |Title=The Cold War |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|9|24}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=51 |Title=Shark! |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|10|1}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=52 |Title=Karate Chaos |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|10|8}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=53 |Title=Buried Treasure |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|10|15}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=54 |Title=The Chicken Charmer |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|10|22}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=55 |Title=Bringing Up Baby |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|10|29}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=56 |Title=Bouncing Bath-Tub |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|11|5}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=57 |Title=Sergeant Bobo |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|11|12}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=58 |Title=Friday the 13th |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|11|19}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=59 |Title=The Zone Phone Company |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|11|26}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=60 |Title=The Trying Time |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|12|3}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=61 |Title=The Virus |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|12|10}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=62 |Title=Second Childhood |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|12|17}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=63 |Title=The Great Wall |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|12|24}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=64 |Title=The Island of the Green Rock |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|12|31}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=65 |Title=Unnamed 65th Episode |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1989|1|7}} |ShortSummary= |LineColor=3198FF }} }}

A number of these episodes were released on VHS by Celebrity Home Entertainment's "Just for Kids" sublabel, hosted by Noel C. Bloom Jr. during the late 1980s and (assumingly) early 1990s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.subtitleseeker.com/0388631/Ovide+and+the+Gang/Tv-Subtitles/ |title=Ovide and the Gang subtitles |access-date=2012-04-17}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * ''[http://www.classickidstv.co.uk/wiki/Ovide Ovide]'' at [http://www.classickidstv.co.uk/ ClassicKidsTV.co.uk] * [http://members.chello.nl/w.groot.kor/ovideandthegang.htm ''Ovide and the Gang'' international] * {{IMDb title|388631}}

Category:Canadian children's animated comedy television series Category:Belgian children's animated comedy television series Category:Ici Radio-Canada Télé original programming Category:Television shows filmed in Montreal Category:1987 Canadian television series debuts Category:1989 Canadian television series endings Category:1980s Canadian animated television series Category:Animated television series set on fictional islands Category:Children's television series about talking animals Category:French-language television shows

Ovide and the Gang

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