Dennis the Menace and Gnasher (2009 TV series)

Production

In 2008, a plan was announced to give Dennis the Menace and Gnasher a modern, politically correct update. The brand was handled by Ludorum, a media investment company working for owner DC Thomson. Ludorum’s chief executive Rob Lawes had global plans for the character, and the new TV series had already been sold to Australia’s Nine Network. A 39-second test pilot was made in 2007, animated by Vladimir Nikitin at Studio Baestarts.

The show was a joint effort between Scotland’s Red Kite Animation and Australia’s Sticky Pictures. The Beano’s 70th anniversary issue featured images from the production. The series had 52 episodes, each 11 minutes long. Glenn Kirkpatrick directed, with executive producers Donna Andrews and Ken Anderson, and producers Jane Schneider and Sueann Smith.

Returning characters included Dennis, Gnasher, Mum, Dad, Curly, and Pie-Face. New additions were Dennis’s little sister Bea and original characters like Athena. Dennis’s treehouse was redesigned to look more menacing. Voice actors confirmed were Sophie Aldred, Teresa Gallagher, Jo Wyatt, Rob Rackstraw, and Bob Golding.

For the Australian dub, Jane Ubrien, Sarah Aubrey, and Keith Scott provided voices, all recorded at The Soundhouse. Several changes were made from the comics and earlier shows. Dennis was updated and modernised, losing his catapult and peashooter, and no longer causing trouble on purpose. His rival Walter was made more masculine, losing his pink pyjamas, small poodle, high-pitched voice, and mostly female friends.

Concerns had been raised that Dennis might seem homophobic or at least unfairly picking on Walter for being effeminate. A Telegraph article said the show was softened for political correctness, but the producers insisted Dennis would keep his sense of fun.

Characters

Dennis is a mischievous 10-year-old boy who loves pranking people, voiced by Sophie Aldred in Series 1 and Chris Johnson in Series 2, with Jane Ubrien providing the Australian voice. Gnasher, Dennis's pet dog and an Abyssinian wire-haired tripe hound, is voiced by Rob Rackstraw in Series 1 and Rasmus Hardiker in Series 2. Bea, Dennis's baby sister, is voiced by Teresa Gallagher in Series 1 and Morwenna Banks in Series 2, with Sarah Aubrey in Australia.

Sandra, the mother, is voiced by Teresa Gallagher in Series 1 and Morwenna Banks in Series 2, with Sarah Aubrey in Australia. Dennis Sr., the strict father, is voiced by Rob Rackstraw in Series 1 and Natif Ahmed in Series 2. Gran, Dennis's grandmother who rides a Charley Davidson motorcycle, is voiced by Jo Wyatt in Series 1 and Morwenna Banks in Series 2. Gnipper, Gnasher's son who lives with Gran, is voiced by Rob Rackstraw in Series 1 and Rasmus Hardiker in Series 2.

Curly, Dennis's best friend, is voiced by Teresa Gallagher in Series 1 and Rasmus Hardiker in Series 2, with Jane Ubrien in Australia. Curly Sr., Curly's father, is voiced by Rob Rackstraw in Series 1 and Rasmus Hardiker in Series 2, with Keith Scott in Australia. Pie-Face, another best friend, is voiced by Jo Wyatt in Series 1 and Morwenna Banks in Series 2. Paul the Potato is Pie-Face's pet potato.

Mr. Pie Face, who owns a pie shop, is voiced by Bob Golding in Series 1 and Chris Johnson in Series 2, with Keith Scott in Australia. Walter, Dennis's next-door neighbour and frequent target of pranks, is voiced by Jo Wyatt in Series 1 and Natif Ahmed in Series 2. Wilbur Carter Brown, Walter's father, is voiced by Rob Rackstraw in Series 1 and Rasmus Hardiker in Series 2, with Keith Scott in Australia. Bertie Blenkinsop, one of Walter's friends, is voiced by Rasmus Hardiker in Series 2.

Sergeant Slipper, a police sergeant and enemy of Dennis, is voiced by Bob Golding in Series 1 and Rasmus Hardiker in Series 2, with Keith Scott in Australia. Chief Inspector Plimsoll, a short-tempered chief inspector, is voiced by Rob Rackstraw in Series 1. The Colonel, a military veteran and neighbour, is voiced by Rob Rackstraw in Series 1 and Keith Scott in Australia. Mr Har-Har, an Asian joke shop owner whose real name is Hari Chandra, is voiced by Bob Golding in Series 1 and Rasmus Hardiker in Series 2, with Keith Scott in Australia.

Telecast and home media

The U.S. run of the show on The Hub started and ended on 10 October 2010 and 7 October 2013, respectively. Australian broadcasts occurred on Channel Nine and later ABC3, while India saw it on Disney XD and Nickelodeon Sonic.

Disney Channel Asia began airing it from 14 May 2011. Five DVDs exist, and Netflix carried series 2 until 2017. In Ireland, TG4’s Cúla4 aired the second series with an Irish dub.

Book

On 6 February 2014, a book called The Diary of Dennis the Menace was released to celebrate The Beano's 75-year anniversary. The second book Beanotown Battle was released on 1 May 2014, the third Rollercoaster Riot on 7 August 2014, the fourth Bash Street Bandit on 5 February 2015, the fifth Canine Carnage on 2 July 2015, and the sixth The Great Escape on 4 February 2016. Steven Butler wrote the books and also released audiobooks for the first three titles.