The Doodlebops

Did You Know?

• A theatrically live show titled The Doodlebops: Together Forever Tour toured Canada in early 2009, featuring a new cast of performers.
• The live show was produced by Koba Entertainment and presented by Paquin Entertainment.

Characters

The Doodlebops consisted of actors Lisa Lennox, Chad McNamara, and Jonathan Wexler wearing coloured costumes and prosthetic makeup to portray fictional musical acts. Each episode followed a predictable storyline in which the three main characters resolved major problems. Deedee Doodle, portrayed by Lisa Lennox, is dressed in pink with a pink bob haircut and a purple headband. She plays the keytar and keyboards, serves as lead vocalist for songs including "Different Things", "Tick Tock", "Tap, Tap, Tap", and "When The Lights Go Out", and is the only female in the group.

Rooney Doodle, portrayed by Chad McNamara, is dressed in blue and plays the guitar. His hair is in blue dreadlocks, he wears a red beret and matching shoes, and he is an inventor who enjoys watching demolition derbies. Moe Doodle, portrayed by Jonathan Wexler, is dressed in orange with red hair in a mullet. He plays the drums, is known for loud and messy antics, and likes to breakdance.

Each episode begins with a segment called "Where's Moe?" in which Deedee and Rooney try to find him hiding, and includes a segment called "Don't Pull the Rope" where Moe pulls a red velvet rope and is drenched with water. Bus Driver Bob, portrayed by John Catucci, drives the Doodlebop bus; he can play the guitar but is shy about it, and has a twin brother named Bus Driver Rob and another off-screen brother named Obear. Mazz, portrayed by Kim Roberts, is the African-Canadian manager during season 1 and sister of Jazzmin.

Jazzmin, portrayed by Jackie Richardson, manages the Doodlebops for the final two seasons, can play the harp, aspires to be a stage actress, and can disappear by snapping her fingers. Jumping Judy, portrayed by dancer Stacey Bafi-Yeboa (credited as Stacey Martin), is Mazz's cousin who bounces when she moves. Audio Murphy, voiced by Jason Hopley in season 2 and Frank Meschkuleit in season 3, is an anthro blue dog puppet who acts as the Doodlebops' video producer, first appearing in season 2; he claims his middle name is "A Surprise" and likes to knit.

Mudge, voiced by Rob Stefaniuk, is an anthro purple cat who often suffers Deedee's knock-knock jokes and lives in the house's mirror.

Telecast and home media

The Doodlebops first appeared on television in 2005 as part of the Kids' CBC morning schedule in Canada. After rebranding from CINAR, Cookie Jar made the group its flagship franchise. In April 2005, Cookie Jar sold the U.S. broadcast rights to Disney Channel, where the series launched on the Playhouse Disney block on April 11. Disney Channel dropped the show on January 2, 2009.

It later aired on CBS's Cookie Jar TV block from 2011 to 2013 and on This TV's Cookie Jar Toons around the same time. In 2016, the series aired on Starz for a few years before returning to U.S. linear television. An Irish Gaelic dub aired on TG4's Cúla 4 children's lunchtime block, including the songs. In April 2006, the series was pre-sold to Playhouse Disney in the United Kingdom, premiering there on the 24th, with free-TV rights going to ITV's GMTV.

In January 2007, it was pre-sold to other Playhouse Disney networks in Australia, Italy, Latin America, and elsewhere, as well as to Nickelodeon Junior in France and VRAK TV in French-speaking Canada. Lionsgate Home Entertainment released four DVD volumes between 2006 and 2007. As of 2022, the series streams on Tubi.

Animated spin-off

In 2009, CBC greenlit an animated spin-off titled Doodlebops Rockin' Road Show! for Cookie Jar. Cookie Jar co-produced it with Germany-based Optix Entertainment and Argentine-based Illusion Studios. The series premiered on Kids' CBC on February 20, 2010 and on CBS's Saturday morning block in the US. It focuses on the Doodlebops going on a worldwide tour with Bus Driver Bob, Deedee's small pink dog named Bop-Bop, and a new character named Mail Snail; these were the only characters to appear. Lisa Lennox, Chad McNamara, Jonathan Wexler, and John Catucci voiced their roles. In each episode, Mail Snail delivers a DVD letter from a live action child in need of help; the child is turned into an animated character and becomes a "Doodle for a Day". The series was panned by critics and fans of the original and was cancelled in 2011 after one season.