Martha Speaks (TV series)

Did You Know?

• The series aired on TVOKids in Canada, Discovery Kids in Latin America, and CBBC in the United Kingdom.
• Some episodes were available for limited theatrical release on January 3, 2009.
• The show takes place in the fictional city of Wagstaff City.

Characters

Martha Lorraine, voiced by Tabitha St. Germain, is the titular protagonist, a Labrador Retriever mix who gained the ability to speak after eating alphabet soup; the letters traveled to her brain instead of her stomach. She must continue eating the soup to retain speech, and can speak other languages depending on the soup's origin, but only one language at a time. Martha understands most animal languages, though some, like those of monkeys and giraffes, are difficult due to subtle pitch changes.

She has had three superhero alter-egos. Skits Lorraine, voiced by Brian Drummond, is Helen's other dog who cannot talk despite trying the same soup, but is very intelligent; he was found by T.D. because T.D.'s father is allergic to dogs. Helen Lorraine, voiced by Madeleine Peters, is Martha and Skits' tomboyish owner, an 11-year-old biracial girl with a Caucasian father and Latin-American mother. She is the voice of reason among the six main kids and considers Martha her best friend, though T.D. is said to be her best friend. Helen has her own superhero alter-ego, 'When Action Calls!', which can brainwash dogs by calling their names.

Production

Other writers included Joe Fallon, Peter Hirsch, Kathy Waugh, and Raye Lankford. Canadian composers Daniel Ingram and Harold Foxton Beckett composed the music and theme song, with lyrics by Scarborough and performance by Robert Wilson. The series was produced in Vancouver by DHX Media Vancouver using Flash animation. Meddaugh oversaw production and was satisfied that word definitions did not interrupt the plot. Actor Jon Hamm, then-girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt, and their German Shepherd mix Cora appeared as animated guest stars. Short animated segments appear three times per episode but are excluded from versions outside the United States and Canada.