The Upside Down Show

Did You Know?

• In 2010, the Umbilical Brothers completed a script for a special-length episode titled The Upside Down Movie, intended as a proper finale, but the project never began filming due to lack of outside investors.
• The series has had eight separate DVD releases, including a limited-edition 'Complete Series' collection sold on the Umbilical Brothers' website in June 2009.
• The Umbilical Brothers originally uploaded the entire series to their public YouTube channel in 2018, but the uploads were later privated as of July 2026.

History

The Umbilical Brothers' earlier adult stage act SpeedMouse featured an invisible remote control that directed their movements, and this concept became the foundation for The Upside Down Show. Shane Dundas noted that the remote was a direct carryover from SpeedMouse that evolved into something quite different. Sesame Workshop producers saw the remote's potential and believed the physical comedy would work well for a children's program, so they asked the Brothers to create a series. This was the Brothers' second family television project, following their 1990s short films called Umbilical TV. The creators aimed for an "adult show for kids," adapting the mature SpeedMouse material while including jokes for parents. David Collins mentioned that some gags had to be defended with censors, and Shane Dundas stated the goal was to entertain children while ensuring grown-ups had laughs too. A half-hour pilot was filmed between December 2004 and March 2005, never broadcast but shown at the MIPTV Media Market in April 2005. The pilot had David and Shane searching for a beach, a storyline later reused. For the pilot, the living room set was glued to the ceiling to appear upside down; the final series simply rotated the camera. The puppet character was originally named Stretch, and the Brothers wore T-shirts with swirl patterns.

Characters

Shane, played by Shane Dundas, is David's younger brother who is more frenetic, impulsive, and hyperactive than David, but also a quicker thinker who comes up with many ideas. He tends to get annoyed by the unpredictable nature of the Remote. David, played by David Collins, is the older brother with super-sensitive hearing and sense of smell; he is more laid-back and straight-laced but gets distracted by small things, and he loves the Schmuzzies, acting as their friend, translator, and mentor. Mrs. Foil, played by Amanda Bishop, is the brothers' friendly, off-beat neighbor who plays the tuba and appears in odd places at odd times, often in different costumes. Puppet, performed and voiced by Mat McCoy, is the brothers' sidekick, roommate, and best friend who dreams of becoming an actor and film director; he speaks with an American accent. The Schmuzzies, performed and voiced by Emma de Vries, Virginia Goodfellow, and Alice Osborne, are small, fuzzy, dustball-like creatures who speak a language called Schmuzzish. Shane is afraid of them, while David is fluent in their language. The Voice, voiced by Adam Smillie, is the unseen narrator who reminds the brothers to knock on doors. The Action Fingers are the superhero alter egos of Shane and David's hands. Fido is Shane's invisible pet fly.

Episode structure

Each episode begins with a cold open showing one or both brothers in an activity. David introduces the Remote, an imaginary remote control that can control the action on-screen; he demonstrates by pressing buttons that control Shane's actions. The Remote has wild card buttons, including an 'Upside Down' button that shifts the camera to an upside-down shot, undone only by the 'Right Side Up' button. David gives the Remote to the viewer, and the brothers ask the viewer to press the Play button to start the episode, often after the viewer presses the wrong button. The theme song features the Action Fingers jumping over the title and credits, ending with them opening the apartment door. The story always starts in David and Shane's living room and involves their sidekick Puppet and the Schmuzzies. The goal is for the brothers to reach a certain location by searching through doors, windows, and other places in their apartment. They visit three 'Wrong Turn' rooms, often encountering another puppet or Mrs. Foil in various costumes. At one point they encounter a child who teaches them something. They eventually locate their destination 'for the very first time' and visit it in fast motion. The show ends with the brothers back in their apartment, giving the viewer an imaginary souvenir, and they play around while the end credits roll.

Reception

The series was critically acclaimed for its humor and broad appeal. Larisa Wiseman of Common Sense Media gave it a 5-star review, calling it 'refreshingly original' and filled with clever jokes, puns, music, and physical humor. The Hollywood Reporter called the show 'outrageously funny and inventive' and 'imaginative to the core,' stating that David and Shane 'will have young viewers mesmerized.' Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the show is 'not only good, but good for you' and 'delightful.' Susan Stewart of The New York Times thought the series was 'perfectly calibrated' for children and older viewers. Entertainment Weekly's Eileen Clarke wrote that the show lets children 'wallow in the wacky.' Canadian TV producer Pat Ellingson said 'adults will get a kick out of the hosts' comic stylings.' The series received three awards in 2007: a Creative Craft Daytime Emmy Award for Main Title Design, a Parents' Choice Award Silver Honor for Television, and a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Children's Program.