Clang Invasion

Lore & Background

The series follows three alien robots—Rivet, Widgit, and Socket—who accidentally crash their spaceship into a backyard tree on Earth. Human twins Robin and Daisy Harrison, along with their pet dog Sam, investigate the crash and befriend the robots. Unable to return to Planet Clang, the robots use a spectrum of gadgetry to help the twins, while the children must keep the robots a secret. The robots also install a voice box in Sam's collar, enabling him to speak for one treat.

Rivet, voiced by Patrick McKenna, is the male robot captain and inventor who serves as a genius to the kids, having learned about Earth from old commercial broadcasts. Widgit, voiced by Linda Kash, is the female navigator and maintainer who performs poorly technologically but sympathizes with living things; she can contact any living thing after accidentally eating one of Rivet's gadgets. Socket, voiced by Doug Hadders, is the simpler, older security officer whose parts frequently fall off, with his head acting as an object storage.

The human twins, both 7 years old with red hair, are voiced by Julie Lemieux (Robin) and Annick Obonsawin (Daisy). Robin thinks the robots' arrival is the best thing in his life, while Daisy believes herself wiser than her age. Sam, possibly a Labrador Retriever, is voiced by Brad Adamson and becomes talkative after receiving the voice box.

Reader's Guide

Clang Invasion represents a multinational co-production in children's animation, combining creative resources from Singapore, Canada, and Hong Kong. Its premise—alien robots stranded in a suburban backyard—echoes classic themes of cross-species friendship and secret-keeping, appealing to young audiences. The series aired on multiple international channels including Nickelodeon, Clan TVE in Spain, Gloob in Brazil, Canal J in France, ABC Me in Australia, and Pop in the UK, indicating broad distribution. The show's 26-episode run, with episodes initially developed and released in Singapore and England over three years before their Canadian debut, highlights the staggered international release patterns common in co-productions. The series was originally titled Gizmo before its final name. Its legacy lies in its modest but sustained presence in children's programming, with reruns continuing for over a decade, and its representation of diverse production origins in the early 2000s animation landscape.

Did You Know?

• The series was originally going to be called Gizmo.
• The dog Sam was given a voice box by the robots to speak, rendering him talkative.
• Widgit can contact any living thing after accidentally devouring one of Rivet's gadgets.
• Socket's head acts as an object storage, and his parts frequently fall off.