September 16 (1989-09-16) – December 16, 1989 (1989-12-16)
Rude Dog and the Dweebs is a 1989 Saturday morning cartoon television series developed by Sun Sportswear, based on the Rude Dog character featured in clothes advertising. The series was produced by Marvel Productions and animated by AKOM.[1]
Plot
The series takes place in Beverly Hills.[1] Rude Dog (voiced by Rob Paulsen in a Brooklyn accent) runs a package delivery service and lives in a garage with a group of seven other dogs called the Dweebs.[2] The team includes the stuttering Dachshund Caboose (voiced by Frank Welker), the uptight Bulldog Winston (voiced by Peter Cullen in an English accent), the Smooth Fox Terrier Reginald a.k.a. Reggie (voiced by Mendi Segal impersonating Jack Nicholson), the Great Dane Barney (voiced by Dave Coulier in a Southern accent), the Chinese Crested mix Ditzy Kibble (voiced by Ellen Gerstell), the Beagle Satch (voiced by Jim Cummings impersonating Ed Wynn), and the friendly Chihuahua Tweek (voiced by Hank Saroyan). Rude Dog has a girlfriend named Gloria (voiced by Ellen Gerstell).
The dogs have an enemy in the vicious cat Seymour (also voiced by Frank Welker), as well as the ubiquitous dog catcher Herman (also voiced by Peter Cullen) and his dimwitted Rottweiler assistant Rot (also voiced by Frank Welker). Each week, Rude Dog and company balance their delivery duties with attempts to elude the persistent Seymour, Herman, and Rot.
Distribution
The show aired in the United States on CBS from September 16, 1989 to December 16, 1989 for one season. It was also broadcast around the world on various channels such as the BBC, The Children's Channel, Sky1, Gold and Nickelodeon in the U.K., Network Ten and Fox Kids in Australia, M-Net, SABC 1 and SABC 2 in South Africa, Club Super3 in Spain, ZNBC in Zambia, TV1 and TV3 in Malaysia, Dubai 33 in the U.A.E., Mediacorp Channel 5 and Prime 12 in Singapore, TVB Pearl in Hong Kong, GMA Network in the Philippines, Magic Kids in Argentina, TV3 in Sweden, Star Plus in India, TVRI in Indonesia, TV2 in New Zealand and ZBC TV in Zimbabwe. It also spawned home entertainment releases in the United States by Celebrity Home Entertainment through their Just for Kids home video label. In the United Kingdom it was released on the VHS Leisureview Video and Boulevard Entertainment labels.
"Dweebiest Dog on the Beach / Dweeb-Illac Dilemma"
September 23, 1989 (1989-09-23)
3
"No Dweebs Aloud / Ding-a-Ling Kitty"
September 30, 1989 (1989-09-30)
4
"War of the Dweebs / Dweebs in Space"
October 7, 1989 (1989-10-07)
5
"Nightmare on Dweeb Street / Dweebsy Kind'a Love"
October 14, 1989 (1989-10-14)
6
"Call of the Dweeb / Dumbbell Dweeb"
October 21, 1989 (1989-10-21)
7
"Waiter, There's a Dweeb in My Soup! / Boardwalk Boss"
October 28, 1989 (1989-10-28)
8
"To Kibble or Not to Kibble / Dweebsday Afternoon"
November 4, 1989 (1989-11-04)
9
"Dweebochondriacs / Surprise, You're Itch!"
November 11, 1989 (1989-11-11)
10
"Leave It to Tweek / Polly Wanna Dweeb?"
November 18, 1989 (1989-11-18)
11
"Winston's Family TreeRot / Pretty Dweebs All in a Row"
November 25, 1989 (1989-11-25)
12
"The Hiccuping Bandit / Dweeb Your Manners"
December 2, 1989 (1989-12-02)
13
"Tuesday the 14th, Part Dweeb / Home Sweet Dweeb"
December 16, 1989 (1989-12-16)
Home media
In 1990 and 1991, select episodes were released in the United States on 30-minute, 60-minute, and 120-minute NTSC VHS tapes and laserdiscs[6] by Celebrity Home Entertainment's "Just for Kids Mini-Features" line. Beginning in 1990, select episodes were released in the United Kingdom on 70-minute, PAL VHS tapes by Leisureview Video (MARVEL VIDEO COMICS), rated U for "Universal" and deemed suitable for all ages.
In the U.K., the series was released on VHS by Leisureview Video in 1990.
U.K. VHS releases
VHS title
Release date
Episodes
Rude Dog and the Dweebs
April 30, 1990
Hello, Mr. Kitty? / The Fish Who Went Moo, Dweebiest Dog On The Beach / Dweeb-Illac Dilemma, No Dweebs Aloud / Ding-A-Ling Kitty
Rude Dog and the Dweebs was also released on DVD around 2005.
Reception
In 2014, listing it among 12 1980s cartoons that did not deserve remembrance, io9 characterized the series as "an animated atrocity", noting that the series appeared to glorify the "rudeness" that was the main character's defining characteristic.[7]
References
^ abPerlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 520. ISBN978-1538103739.
^Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 691–692. ISBN978-1476665993.
