Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone

Did You Know?

• An officially licensed computer game titled Potsworth and Co was released in 1992 by Hi-Tec Software for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and Atari ST.
• In the game, a scrolling platformer, the player took on the role of one character per themed level and had to collect items and reach the exit.
• In 1991, Hanna-Barbera Home Video released a VHS cassette in the US titled Potsworth and the Midnight Patrol containing four episodes: "Save the Cave", "The Wishing Whale", "King Potsworth", and "The Nightmirror".

History

Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone centered on Potsworth, an English Springer Spaniel inspired by a real dog of the same name. That real Potsworth was adopted from Battersea Dogs Home by Martin and Vivien Schrager-Powell. The couple felt let down by many children’s shows of the era, arguing that six-year-olds would not accept lazy magic solutions and that stories needed logic and believability. In 1987, Martin began crafting tales about Potsworth living in an American city alongside four children: Carter, Keiko, Rosie, and Nick. The Schrager-Powells brought the concept to Hanna-Barbera, suggesting a 50-50 partnership to develop it into a television series. The show debuted on The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera on 1 September 1990 and ran for only 13 episodes. It drew 8.5 million viewers in the United States and 5.1 million on Children’s BBC in Britain, ranking as the second most popular children’s programme on British television, behind Neighbours. The actual Potsworth became a minor celebrity through heavy British media coverage during the cartoon’s UK promotion in the 1990/91 season. A comic strip version of Potsworth & Co. appeared in the merged Beezer and Topper from issue #87 to #153, then continued in The Dandy starting with issue #2701. The Dream Zone setting itself had previously been used in “Back to Next Saturday,” an NBC Saturday Morning preview special for the 1985 season.

Characters

The five Midnight Patrol members are the main stars. Potsworth is a sarcastic 10-year-old English Springer Spaniel who serves as the leader and can talk in the Dream Zone. Carter, Potsworth's owner, is a 10-year-old African American boy and an expert artist; in the Dream Zone his magic paintbrush brings many things to life. Keiko is a 9-year-old Japanese American girl who rides a flying skateboard; she is energetic, optimistic, and likes to be seen as the group's leader. Rosie is an 8-year-old girl described as a rude, annoying brat who gives the group a hard time but still helps in dangerous situations; she calls her brother Nick by his full name "Nicholas" when yelling at him and is the only member without a special ability. Nick is Rosie's 6-year-old brother who becomes a flying superhero in the Dream Zone, sometimes called "Super Nick". Murphy is Nick's toy Brontosaurus who comes to life in the Dream Zone. The Dream Zone's inhabitants include the Grand Dozer, the King of the Dream Zone who spends his time half-asleep on a pile of mattresses; if he fully wakes, the Dream Zone ends. He gives advice in the form of riddles. The Chief is a large but friendly woman who heads the local police department and assigns missions. Sebastian is the Grand Dozer's head butler, always anxious that his King is safe and asleep; a running gag has him claim the Grand Dozer is in a certain mood while the Grand Dozer is shown sleeping. The Greystone Giant is a rock giant who lives in a cave filled with objects for people's dreams; he is always working and grumbling but loves his job. The Nosey Bird is a talking bird who enjoys spreading gossip, speaks like Peter Lorre, and appears in "The Nightmirror" and "Santa-Napped".