Gadget & the Gadgetinis
Lieutenant Gadget and his tiny robot helpers fight crime.
Gadget & the Gadgetinis is an animated series that follows the 1983 Inspector Gadget show. It was produced jointly by Fox Kids Europe, DIC Entertainment, SIP Animation, M6, Channel 5, and Mediatrade. First shown at MIPTV 2002, the series is now owned by WildBrain. It never aired on US television despite American involvement in its production.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Comedy; Adventure
- Creator
- Jean Chalopin
- Based on
- Inspector Gadget, Bruno Bianchi
- Andy Heyward
- Jean Chalopin
- Director
- Bruno Bianchi
- Voices
- Maurice LaMarche
- Brian Drummond
- Ellen Kennedy
- Tegan Moss
- Colin Murdock
- Teryl Rothery
- Alvin Sanders
- Composer
- Jean-Michel Guirao
- Country
- France; United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Characters
Lieutenant Gadget, voiced by Maurice LaMarche impersonating Don Adams, works for WOMP as a Lieutenant. He has been upgraded with several new gadgets but remains oblivious to MAD's interference, often thwarting their plans by accident. His appearance differs from the original: his hat and coat are dark grey, his gloves are yellow, his tie and pants are a brighter blue, he looks younger, and he wears green sunglasses in most episodes. The Gadgetinis are two small robots created by Penny: Fidget (orange) and Digit (blue). They are miniature versions of Gadget and each has hidden gadgets and video communicators in their chest pieces. Fidget is easily spooked and does things robots cannot do, like feeling pain or sneezing, which Digit questions. Digit is smarter, more sarcastic, and more literal. Penny, Gadget's 12-year-old niece voiced by Tegan Moss, created the Gadgetinis after Brain retired due to a nervous breakdown. She contacts them from her attic using a laptop and hi-tech tools, replacing her original computer book and video watch. She wears her hair in pigtails and has a short temper. General Sir, voiced by Alvin Sanders, leads WOMP and assigns missions to Gadget, oblivious to his incompetence. He favors Gadget over Nozzaire. Ms. Miffet is General Sir's secretary.
Production
The team behind the original Inspector Gadget came together again for this series. Andy Heyward came up with the idea and served as an executive producer, while Jean Chalopin created and developed the show, writing or co-writing every episode. Bruno Bianchi handled character design, direction, and production. The premise mirrors the original: a clueless Gadget stumbles through crime-fighting while Penny and her helpers solve the case, leaving him to take all the credit. Dr. Claw shows up less often, with new villains taking his place. Each episode cost around $400,000 to make. Saban was set to handle international distribution, and more Gadgetinis were planned for later episodes. Brain and Chief Quimby are largely missing, though their photos appear in Gadget’s home. Brain returns in episode 36, “No Brainer,” having retired after trauma caused by Gadget mistaking him for a M.A.D. agent. Chief Quimby appears in episode 45, “Super Boss Gadget,” and both are seen on TV in “Too Many Gadgets.” The French closing credits feature sketches of Penny visiting Brain at his riverside house. Maurice LaMarche reprised his role as Gadget from Inspector Gadget’s Last Case, with Brian Drummond returning as Dr. Claw and Tegan Moss as Penny.
Broadcast
The show broadcast across various European countries on Fox Kids starting in late 2002, and remained on some stations after the Jetix rebranding. In the United Kingdom, it aired on Channel 5 in August 2002, a month before it aired in France on M6. It was planned to air on Fox Family in the United States, but that did not happen after Disney purchased Fox Family Worldwide. It also re-ran on Jetix Play in countries where that channel operated, and aired in Canada on Family Channel.
Merchandise
An event was held at Quick restaurants in France in April 2003. A video game titled Gadget & Gadgetinis was released for PlayStation 2 and PC in November 2004, developed by Eko Software and published by Hip Games. It was unveiled at E3 2004 after an announcement on May 5, 2004, and was released only in PAL regions. The gameplay was criticized for unoriginality, character designs, and music, but the controls and appeal to children received praise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Gadget & the Gadgetinis are there?
Gadget & the Gadgetinis has 52 episodes across 1 season.
When did Gadget & the Gadgetinis first air?
Gadget & the Gadgetinis first aired on 11 September 2002.
When did Gadget & the Gadgetinis end?
Gadget & the Gadgetinis last aired on 29 November 2003.
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