Robinson Sucroe

Did You Know?

• Robinson Sucroe's name is a play on Robinson Crusoe and the French word 'sucre' (sugar), describing his kindness.
• The character Dure Soiree's singing is so tone-deaf it actually causes rainstorms on Crab Island.
• The Supreme Court of Canada unanimously affirmed the copyright infringement judgment on December 23, 2013, ending an 18-year legal battle.
• The English version of the series was produced by Cinar and aired in the U.S. on the Cookie Jar Toons block on This TV from 2008 to 2009.

Plot

Robinson Sucroe works as a janitor at the New York Herald. Editor Mr. Floydd sends him to a supposedly dangerous deserted island to file weekly stories, angering reporter Julian Uglyston. On Crab Island, Robinson finds shipwrecked Everydays and two pirate legions. With his friend Wednesday, he embellishes reports of danger to deter visitors, while Uglyston tries to expose the truth.

Characters

Robinson Sucroe, the protagonist, is a kind young man from colonial New York City whose name combines Robinson Crusoe and the French word for sugar. Mr. Floydd, the stubborn and hot-headed newspaper manager, refuses to believe Uglyston's claims. Julian Uglyston (Grumbleston in the English dub), once the paper's top author, grows jealous and tries to prove Robinson's stories false. Wednesday, Robinson's loyal friend, actually writes the stories and co-leads Crab Island with his parents.

Dure Soiree (Monday Morning Glory in English), Wednesday's mother, is the island's hot-tempered leader who believes she can sing despite being tone-deaf; her singing causes rainstorms. Dimanche Midi (Saturday Night in English), her calm husband, is the real leader and enjoys sports. Petite Vacance (Tuesday Dawn in English) is a friendly, prankish little girl who also thinks she sings well. Monday (Jolly Thursday in English), Wednesday's sister and Petite Vacance's mother, attracts everyone's attention.

Captain Briske (Captain Percy in English) leads English pirates who speak with heavy accents and drink tea, feuding childishly with French pirate Captain Courtecuisse.

Copyright infringement

In the 1990s, Cinar (later Cookie Jar Entertainment) copied work Claude Robinson had unsuccessfully pitched to them in the 1980s. In 2009, Quebec Superior Court awarded Robinson $5.2 million in damages. The Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the judgment in 2013, ordering Cinar to pay $4 million Canadian in damages, ending an 18-year legal battle.