Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed!

Lore & Background

The series was first announced on 8 June 2016, when The Beano announced they were setting up a business dedicated to media based on The Beano. On 5 October 2016, it was officially announced that the series would air on CBBC in 2017 and the first picture of Dennis in CGI was released. On 17 March 2017, Freddie Fox was announced as the voice of Dennis, and a clip was released. On 3 July 2017, additional voice cast members were announced, including Rasmus Hardiker, Ryan Sampson, Kathryn Drysdale, Kelly-Marie Stewart, and Joanna Ruiz. A second series began on 13 July 2020, following the success of the first.

Reader's Guide

Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! represents the latest in a long line of adaptations of the iconic Beano character, first introduced in 1951. The series updates the classic strip with CGI animation and a modern setting in the rural town of Beanotown. It was notable for being the first production from The Beano's new media division. The show received critical recognition, including nominations at Kidscreen, the British Animation awards, and an International Emmy. In its first week, it was the highest rated show on CBBC and the 10th most-watched programme for 6–12 year olds, alongside shows like The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing. The series also features a diverse voice cast, including Kelly-Marie Stewart, who uses a wheelchair, voicing the character Rubi, who also uses a wheelchair. Each episode includes a short 2D section featuring Gnasher's fleas telling jokes.

Did You Know?

• The series is the third animated adaptation of the Dennis the Menace strip, after Dennis and Gnasher and Dennis the Menace and Gnasher.
• The voice actress for Rubi, Kelly-Marie Stewart, uses a wheelchair, as does her character.
• The theme tune was performed by the band The Vaccines.
• The character Grizzly Griller is a parody of Bear Grylls.

Origins & Production Journey

The Dennis the Menace comic strip, originally created by David Law and first published in The Beano in 1951, has spawned multiple screen adaptations over the decades. Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! stands as the third animated series drawn from that strip and the fourth adaptation overall, following Dennis and Gnasher and Dennis the Menace and Gnasher. The project's genesis traces back to 8 June 2016, when The Beano revealed plans to establish a dedicated media production arm, with this show serving as its inaugural output. By 5 October of that year, a CBBC broadcast slot for 2017 was confirmed, and the first-ever CGI rendering of Dennis was shared publicly. Casting announcements followed in stages: Freddie Fox was revealed as Dennis' voice on 17 March 2017, while the remaining principal cast—Rasmus Hardiker, Ryan Sampson, Kathryn Drysdale, Kelly-Marie Stewart, and Joanna Ruiz—were unveiled on 3 July 2017. The series premiered on CBBC on 6 November 2017, with its score composed by Rob Lord and Graham Kearns and a theme tune performed by the band The Vaccines.

Plot & World

Set in the rural town of Beanotown, the series centres on ten-year-old Dennis and his loyal canine companion Gnasher, who together with friends Pieface, JJ, and Rubi wreak chaos on the community and Bash Street School. The tone is deliberately action-packed and adventurous, treating rules as mere obstacles to be circumvented rather than boundaries to be respected. Dennis' primary adversary is the pompous Walter Brown, whose schemes the gang must outmanoeuvre in every episode. Beyond the main CGI narrative, each instalment closes with a brief two-dimensional segment in which Gnasher's fleas deliver their own brand of comic relief through jokes. The world is one where mischief is the default mode of interaction, and the ensemble of friends each brings a distinct personality to the trouble-making: Pieface's eccentricity, JJ's fearless storytelling, and Rubi's strategic planning all feed into the collective mayhem that defines the show's identity.

Voice Cast & Character Design

The British voice cast assembles a diverse group of performers. Freddie Fox lends his voice to Dennis, the master of trouble, while Boris Hiestand brings Gnasher to life as his sidekick. Rasmus Hardiker takes on the dual role of Walter Brown, Dennis' stuck-up nemesis, and Grizzly Griller, an explorer character serving as a parody of Bear Grylls. Ryan Sampson voices Peter "Pieface" Shepherd, a friend of notably odd disposition who keeps a pet potato named Paul. Kathryn Drysdale plays Jemima "JJ" Jones, the most fearless member of the group, who recounts stories told to her by her big brothers regardless of their accuracy. Kelly-Marie Stewart, who uses a wheelchair herself, voices Rubidium "Rubi" von Screwtop, the team's strategist and the smartest of the friends; her father is Professor von Screwtop, a character originally introduced in the Lord Snooty strip during the 1940s. Joanna Ruiz provides the voice for Mrs Creecher, Gran, and Anne Finally, a journalist whose name is a pun on the phrase "and finally." For the US dub, Bryce Papenbrook, Kyle McCarley, Dorothy Fahn, Cristina Vee, and Anne Yatco take on the respective roles. Maya Sondhi joined in Series 2 as Miss Mistry, a new teacher at Bash Street School.

Reception & Legacy

The show's debut proved immediately strong. During its first week of broadcast, Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! claimed the top spot among CBBC programmes and ranked as the tenth most-watched show in the 6-to-12 age demographic, sharing that tier with major titles like The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing. The critical response was equally encouraging: the first season earned nominations at the Kidscreen Awards, the British Animation Awards, and received an International Emmy nomination. Riding the momentum of that success, a second series was officially confirmed on 12 February 2019, and it went on air beginning 13 July 2020. The series thus became the first major output of The Beano's newly established media division, validating the publisher's decision to expand beyond the printed page into animated television. With a fresh teacher character in Miss Mistry and continued adventures for the Beanotown gang, the second instalment extended the world that had already captured both audiences and award juries.

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