Imagination Movers (TV series)

Imagination Movers
GenreSitcom
Musical
Developed byRick Gitelson
StarringRich Collins
Dave Poche
Scott Durbin
Scott "Smitty" Smith
Wendy Calio
Douglas Fisher
Voices ofKath Soucie
Kevin Carlson
Opening theme"Imagination Movers Theme Song"
Ending theme"Mover Music (Jump Up!)"
ComposerStuart Kollmorgen
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes75 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Skot Bright
  • Sascha Penn
  • Rick Gitelson
  • Rich Collins
  • Scott Durbin
  • Dave Poche
  • Scott "Smitty" Smith
  • Joe Menendez
  • David Sacks
Producers
  • Kati Johnston
  • Joe Menendez
EditorTerry Blythe
Running time24 minutes
Production companiesPenn/Bright Entertainment
Zydeco Productions
Original release
NetworkDisney Channel (Playhouse Disney block) (2008-2011)
Disney Junior (2011-2013)
ReleaseSeptember 6, 2008 (2008-09-06) –
April 14, 2013 (2013-04-14)

Imagination Movers is an American musical sitcom developed by Rick Gitelson and based on the format and music of the New Orleans music group of the same name that premiered its first two episodes consecutively on September 6, 2008, on Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney daily block. On February 14, 2011, the series was moved to the Disney Junior block on Disney Channel, which was rebranded from Playhouse Disney.

Each episode of the series features songs written and performed by the aforementioned music group, whose official members all starred in the show.

On May 24, 2011, it was announced that the series wouldn't be renewed for a fourth season (which meant a loss of several months of steady employment for the 100 members of the mostly local crew that worked on the show) and that it would end after the remaining episodes of the third season have aired, though the band itself can continue and is open to doing other projects.[1]

After the final episode originally aired on April 14, 2013, reruns continued to air on Disney Junior until May 16, 2014, and the entire series (excluding the concert special) was made available on the Disney+ streaming service on February 28, 2020.[2]

Overview

The series focuses on the Imagination Movers: the inventive and thoughtful Dave (bass, vocals), the stern and proud Rich (drums, percussion, lead vocals), the smart and cowboy-like Smitty (guitars, keyboards, vocals), and the hyperactive, misunderstood, and burro-obsessed Scott (vocals, mandolin, keyboards, percussion), who dwell in the "Idea Warehouse," with doors leading to rooms such as a "Jungle Room," a "Wind Room," a "Beach Room," a "Farm Room," a "Wind Room," a "Lost & Found Room," a "Very Far Away Room," a "Sun Room" and a "Tropical Island Room." In every episode, they aid many clients with problems and think up creative ways to solve problems. They are often aided by Warehouse Mouse, the freeloading, wall-dwelling anthropomorphic mouse, Nina, their spirited and ever-cheerful neighbor, and Knit Knots, Nina's strict uncle who harbors a dislike for things he deems too "exciting." He appears in the first season, a flashback in the episode from Season 3, "Mouse Scouts," and the aforementioned March 2011 concert special, "Imagination Movers in Concert." Nina now works as a photographer, often visiting the Movers to take pictures for the local newspaper. In Season 3, Nina owns and operates the Idea Cafe. It is also revealed in the episode from Season 2 "Trouble in Paradise," that Nina is Hawaiian (much like Wendy Calio is in real life).

The Movers have special equipment to help them in their tasks. Rich has special "Scribble Sticks" that he can use to draw pictures and write words on the TV screen, Scott has "Wobble Goggles" that allow him to see things from a variety of perspectives, Dave has a special baseball cap that can store a variety of objects and Smitty has a special journal.

Each episode ends with the Movers singing "Jump Up" during which brief flashbacks of the episode's events play. In Season 1, the End Credits roll after this, but for Seasons 2 and 3, the End Credits roll during it.

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
126September 6, 2008 (2008-09-06)August 15, 2009 (2009-08-15)Playhouse Disney
225September 5, 2009 (2009-09-05)November 18, 2010 (2010-11-18)
324February 14, 2011 (2011-02-14)April 14, 2013 (2013-04-14)Disney Junior

Characters

  • Dave (played by Dave Poche) – Bass, Vocals
  • Rich (played by Rich Collins) – Drums, Percussion, Guitar, Lead Vocals
  • Smitty (played by Scott "Smitty" Smith) – Guitar, Vocals
  • Scott (played by Scott Durbin) – Vocals, Keyboards, Mandolin, Banjo
  • Warehouse Mouse (voiced by Kevin Carlson)
  • Nina (played by Wendy Calio)
  • Knit Knots (played by Douglas Fisher) – Manager (Main: Season 1, Guest: Season 3)
  • Voicemail (voiced by Kath Soucie)
  • Princess Dee (played by Tania Gunadi)

Guest stars include French Stewart, David DeLuise, and Brian Beacock.

Where Is Warehouse Mouse? shorts

Where Is Warehouse Mouse? is a series of 3-minute shorts that aired on Playhouse Disney on August 24, 2009. It featured the character Warehouse Mouse from the main series. The show was set within Season 2 of Imagination Movers. Shorts were produced with viewers watching Warehouse Mouse during his daily life.

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"Clock Shock"August 24, 2009 (2009-08-24)
Warehouse Mouse prepares to go to sleep, when his cuckoo clock wakes him up and he can't stop it from cuckooing. He then later decides to sleep with earmuffs on.
2"Hammock Time"August 31, 2009 (2009-08-31)
Warehouse Mouse tries to read a book, but keeps falling off his hammock. He finally decides to untie the hammock and spreads it out on the floor.
3"Going Bananas"September 7, 2009 (2009-09-07)
Warehouse Mouse tries to get the peel off of a banana. When he jumps on it, the banana pops out of its peel, bounces off the wall, goes through a fan where it is cut to slices, and then lands in a bowl.
4"Fly Away"September 14, 2009 (2009-09-14)
A fly lands on Warehouse Mouse's strawberry and he tries to get rid of it. He then decides to eat the strawberry inside a net which he tried to catch the fly with.
5"Balloon"September 21, 2009 (2009-09-21)
Warehouse Mouse trips over Rich's drumsticks and his helium balloon gets stuck up high in the warehouse. He finally builds a catapult to launch himself high enough to reach it, and then rides the balloon down to safety.
6"Big Cheese"September 28, 2009 (2009-09-28)
Warehouse Mouse gets a giant piece of cheese off Nina, but he can't move it into his mouse hole. He tries about everything he can to get it in and finally decides to eat it outside of his mouse hole.
7"Can Can't"2009 (2009)
Warehouse Mouse tries to get an empty apple juice can into a high-up recycling bin. He gets it in by tipping the bin over, and putting it back up, but when he gets another can he needs to put that in and he has to tip the bin over again.
8"Stuck On Me"January 18, 2010 (2010-01-18)
While wrapping Smitty's birthday present Warehouse Mouse gets a ribbon stuck on his tail. While trying to get it off, he ends up tying it into a perfect knot and sticks it on the present.
9"Picture Problem"January 25, 2010 (2010-01-25)
Warehouse Mouse has a problem hanging Smitty's picture, since it keeps swinging to an angle. He then decides to make all the pictures the same angle as Smitty's picture.
10"No Space Case"February 2, 2010 (2010-02-02)
Warehouse Mouse is packing his suitcase for his holiday. However, he isn't able to close the suitcase. In the end, he decides to have his holiday at home.

References

  1. ^ "Disney won't renew 'Imagination Movers' for fourth season". Nola.com. May 24, 2011. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  2. ^ @iMovers (January 25, 2020). "It's truuuuuue. February 28! Every episode of Imagination Movers will be available on Disney+. Subscribe now and bi…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.