| Time Squad | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Dave Wasson |
| Written by |
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| Directed by | Dave Wasson |
| Voices of | |
| Composers |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 26 (53 segments) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Dave Wasson |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company | Cartoon Network Studios |
| Original release | |
| Network | Cartoon Network |
| Release | June 8, 2001 (2001-06-08) – November 26, 2003 (2003-11-26) |
Time Squad is an American animated television series created byDave Wasson forCartoon Network and the tenth of the network'sCartoon Cartoons. It follows the adventures of Otto Osworth, Buck Tuddrussel, and the robot Larry 3000, a trio of hapless "time cops" living in the far distant future whotravel back in time attempting to correct the course of history.[1] During their adventures, they run into majorhistorical figures such asJulius Caesar,Abraham Lincoln,Sigmund Freud,Leonardo da Vinci, theFounding Fathers, andMoctezuma, who have taken a drastically different course of life than history dictates. The mission of the Time Squad is to guide these figures onto the correct path and ensure the integrity of the future.
The series premiered during Cartoon Network's marathon block "Cartoon Cartoon Summer" on June 8, 2001,[2] and ended after two seasons on November 26, 2003, airing 26 episodes in total. In the course of its run, the series received fiveAnnie Award nominations. Creator Dave Wasson described the series as "a C-average student's approach [to history]—aCliffsNotes version of what historical characters did and giving it a twist."[3] It is the final Cartoon Network original series to premiere duringBetty Cohen's tenure, as she later resigned due to creative disagreements withJamie Kellner, then-head ofTurner Broadcasting System. Cohen was eventually replaced withJim Samples ten days afterTime Squad premiered.
Time Squad was the first Cartoon Network original series to be entirely produced byCartoon Network Studios, no longer a division ofHanna-Barbera following the death ofWilliam Hanna in 2001. The show began airing on Canada'sTeletoonDetour block in 2002. The show features music fromMichael Tavera, who would later make music for¡Mucha Lucha!,Lilo & Stitch: The Series,Yin Yang Yo! andThe Secret Saturdays.
Set in the year 100,000,000 AD on a satellite orbiting Earth,Time Squad follows the adventures of Buck Tuddrussell (voiced byRob Paulsen), a muscular and dim-witted officer of the law; Larry 3000 (voiced byMark Hamill), a serious and stern robot; and Otto Osworth (voiced byPamela Adlon), an eight-year-old orphan history buff, as they travel together backwards in time to set right the course of history as it unravels.[4]
The Time Squad organization is set up to ensure that history is maintained and the future protected.[5] According to Larry 3000, "time is like a rope", and, as it is woven at one end, ages and gradually unravels and frays at the other. In the context of the show, this often means that historical figures have made different, sometimesanachronistic, choices in life, and as such will not be able to fulfill the role that history says they fulfilled. According to creator Dave Wasson, "We started by basically knowing what a guy did in history, then found the most outlandish way he could go wrong".[6]
Future Earth is now a peacefulutopia where all nations of the world have merged into one, and according to Tuddrussel, Earth has "no more war, no pollution, and bacon is good for your heart".[5] Despite this cheerful vision of the future, the space station on which the characters live and from which they travel to the past is remarkablydystopic. It features a shooting range, aterrarium and a prison for repeat offenders, but it is dank, outdated (for the time) and unclean. Mostly this seems to be down to officer Buck Tuddrussel, a scruffy and immature perennial bachelor, who nevertheless happens to be the station's most senior officer.
The only other official member of Buck's unit is Larry 3000, a translator robot and former diplomat who was rendered more or less obsolete when all of the world's nations merged. Buck's mindless machismo clashes with Larry's effete sensibilities, and the two bicker terribly.
When they encounter Otto Osworth, an orphan from the 21st century, he is quickly recruited as he is the only one on the team with any enthusiasm or competence for the job. Neither of the other two are particularly willing to listen to his advice, and Otto must often resort to trickery to make sure the mission is completed.
At a press conference on February 21, 2001,Cartoon Network announced that it had greenlit four new series, one of which wasTime Squad, which was set to begin broadcasting in June.[8] The announcement was the result of a $500 million investment granted to Cartoon Network during the previous year for expansion of original programming through 2005.[9] Other series that came about as part of the deal wereSamurai Jack,Grim & Evil, andJustice League.[9]
Time Squad was created byDave Wasson, who was known for animating short films onNickelodeon'sOh Yeah! Cartoons such asMax & His Special Problem, which garnered Wasson aDaytime Emmy Award for production design in 1999.[10] The series premiered during Cartoon Network's Friday night "Cartoon Cartoon Summer" block on June 8, 2001, at 9 PM EST.[2][11] As part of the investment deal, the series was greenlit for 26 episodes.[12]
Time Squad launched on Cartoon Network andBoomerang'svideo-on-demand service in November 2002.[13] The series was first broadcast in Australia in mid-2002 onCartoon Network.[14]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 13 | June 8, 2001 (2001-06-08) | October 26, 2001 (2001-10-26) | |
| 2 | 13 | February 1, 2002 (2002-02-01) | November 26, 2003 (2003-11-26) | |
Note: All episodes were directed by the series creatorDave Wasson, thoughLarry Leichliter co-directed "Keepin' It Real with Sitting Bull", "A Thrilla at Attila's", "Pasteur's Packs O' Punch", "Love at First Flight", "Child's Play", "Father Figure of Our Country", and "Floral Patton".
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Written by | Storyboard by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1a | 1a | "Eli Whitney's Flesh-Eating Mistake" | Dave Wasson and Carlos Ramos | Alex Almaguer | June 8, 2001 (2001-06-08) | |
While searching forEli Whitney (who is building flesh-eating robots instead of theCotton gin), time cop Buck Tuddrussel and his robot partner the Larry 3000 end up at an orphanage in 2001, where they encounter an orphaned history buff named Otto Osworth. They take him away from the abusive nun Sister Thornley to complete their mission. | ||||||
| 1b | 1b | "Never Look a Trojan in the Gift Horse" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Chong Suk Lee | June 8, 2001 (2001-06-08) | |
The Time Squad travels to the time of theTrojan War, where it is theKing of Troy's birthday. TheGreek army brings the Trojan Horse to the festivities but repeatedly fails to realize that it is not supposed to be an actual gift, but a trap. Ironically their mistaken attitude is exactly what defeats Troy. | ||||||
| 2a | 2a | "Napoleon the Conquered" | Dave Wasson and Carlos Ramos | Brandon Kruse | June 15, 2001 (2001-06-15) | |
The Time Squad ends up in 18th century France, whereJoséphine Bonaparte is henpecking the diminutiveNapoleon, who is too cowardly to stop her. It is up to Time Squad to make Napoleon stand up to his wife so he can become thegreatest emperor of France. Ironically Napoleon's next fight is theBattle of Waterloo, though Otto just dismisses it. | ||||||
| 2b | 2b | "Confucius Say... Way Too Much" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Lynell H. Forestall | June 15, 2001 (2001-06-15) | |
The Time Squad is sent to help Chinese philosopherConfucius. It turns out that Confucius is performing his historical duty by devising clever aphorisms. Unfortunately, he uses them as the conclusions to extremely long-winded and boring novels that no one is reading. Otto gives Confucius a suggestion to shorten his conclusions to help attract customers. | ||||||
| 3a | 3a | "The Island of Dr. Freud" | Dave Wasson and Carlos Ramos | Chris Headrick | June 22, 2001 (2001-06-22) | |
The Time Squad must convince Dr.Sigmund Freud to stop hypnotizing his patients into acting like animals, and to get him analyzing their dreams instead. To make things worse, Freud makes Tuddrussel think he is a chicken. | ||||||
| 3b | 3b | "Daddio DaVinci" | Dave Wasson, Michael Karnow, and Carlos Ramos | Alex Almaguer | June 22, 2001 (2001-06-22) | |
The Time Squad meets up with the artist, scientist and inventorLeonardo da Vinci, who is now a beatnik. They eventually inspire him to become a painter again when they introduce him to a young waitress with a verymysterious and familiar smile. | ||||||
| 4a | 4a | "Big Al's Big Secret" | Dave Wasson, Carlos Ramos, and Michael Karnow | Brandon Kruse | June 29, 2001 (2001-06-29) | |
The Time Squad travels to 1945, whereAlbert Einstein is now a brash car salesman in Texas named "Big Al" instead of being a scientist. Otto, who loves Einstein, is devastated when he sees the genius disguising his smarts, which eventually prompts a change of heart in "Big Al". | ||||||
| 4b | 4b | "Larry Upgrade" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Kurt Dumas | June 29, 2001 (2001-06-29) | |
After arguing with Tuddrussel over being overworked and underappreciated, Larry tries to upgrade himself, but accidentally gets a downgrade. He becomes subservient to Tuddrussel and serves him nothing but hamburgers. Luckily, Otto discovers how to make Larry his old self again and upgrades him. However, Tuddrussel dismantles him in a fit of stupidity. | ||||||
| 5a | 5a | "Dishonest Abe" | Dave Wasson, Michael Karnow, and Carlos Ramos | Rob Renzetti | July 6, 2001 (2001-07-06) | |
Abraham Lincoln grows tired of being the upstanding citizen "Honest Abe" and begins playing pranks on people. When Tuddrussel joins in on the fun, it is up to Larry and Otto to give both him and Abe a taste of their own medicine. | ||||||
| 5b | 5b | "Blackbeard, Warm Heart" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Lynell H. Forestall | July 6, 2001 (2001-07-06) | |
The Time Squad goes back to theGolden Age of Piracy, whereBlackbeard is more concerned about saving the environment than looting and pillaging. The Time Squad has Blackbeard compromise: he can still help save the environment, so long as he loots and pillages to collect funds. | ||||||
| 6a | 6a | "To Hail with Caesar" | Carlos Ramos and Dave Wasson | Kurt Dumas | July 13, 2001 (2001-07-13) | |
The Time Squad travels toAncient Rome to rebuild the flimsy city ofRome forJulius Caesar. By the time the mission is complete, Tuddrussel is hailed as the new leader and challenges Caesar to a gladiator match. Otto must train Caesar to overthrow Tuddrussel by teaching him karate. | ||||||
| 6b | 6b | "Robin 'n Stealin' with Mr. Hood" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Brandon Kruse | July 13, 2001 (2001-07-13) | |
The Time Squad visitsRobin Hood, who is now stealing from the poor and giving to the rich instead of the opposite. So Otto must teach Robin to properly follow history by showing him that stealing from the rich to the poor is beneficial to them, although the peasants are rude and disrespectful. | ||||||
| 7a | 7a | "If It's Wright It's Wrong" | Carlos Ramos and Dave Wasson | Chong Suk Lee | July 20, 2001 (2001-07-20) | |
Otto learns that before he joined, Larry and Tuddrussel failed many missions such asNostradamus,Lady Godiva, andBenjamin Franklin. The Time Squad then deals with theWright brothers, who are incompetent stuntmen instead of building the very firstairplane. Tuddrussel forces them to properly follow history by staying in their warehouse all night to do so. | ||||||
| 7b | 7b | "Recruitment Ad" (Short) | Dave Wasson, Carlos Ramos, and Michael Karnow | Lynell H. Forestall | July 20, 2001 (2001-07-20) | |
A short piece advertising the thrills of being a time cop. | ||||||
| 7c | 7c | "Killing Time" | Michael Karnow, Carlos Ramos, and Dave Wasson | Mary Hanley | July 20, 2001 (2001-07-20) | |
The Time Squad finishes a relatively easy assignment in helpingNicolaus Copernicus become an astronomer instead of a farmer, but the crew ends up waiting until Larry can restart his time travel software in order for them to go home. After they finally leave, Copernicus tries to stop them and ask what the sun is. | ||||||
| 8a | 8a | "Every Poe Has a Silver Lining" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Mary Hanley | August 31, 2001 (2001-08-31) | |
The Time Squad discovers that famed horror writerEdgar Allan Poe is now an overly-cheerful children's book author, and must remind Poe of how horrible the world really is. Only by insulting his cooking do they finally manage to break his spirit and make him the master of macabre he is supposed to be. | ||||||
| 8b | 8b | "Betsy Ross Flies Her Freak Flag" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Alex Almaguer | August 31, 2001 (2001-08-31) | |
The Time Squad gets a report fromGeorge Washington, whose troops are with Betsy Ross in herWoodstock-esque hippie farm. The peace-loving Ross is preventing theAmerican Revolution with her protests. However, the Sons of Liberty help by bringing coffee and getting them to join Washington's cause. Ross sees the error of her ways and creates the firstAmerican flag. | ||||||
| 9a | 9a | "Ludwig van Bone-Crusher" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Kurt Dumas | September 14, 2001 (2001-09-14) | |
The Time Squad is sent to the time of the great musicianLudwig van Beethoven, who is now a professional wrestler fighting other classical musicians-turned-wrestlers. Tuddrussel challenges Beethoven to a match to preserve the dignity of pro wrestling. When Tuddrussel is caught in a hopeless match, Otto uses Larry's radio station to have Beethoven listen toone of his future masterpieces, which helps him see the error of his ways. | ||||||
| 9b | 9b | "Tea Time for Time Squad" | Dave Wasson, Michael Karnow, and Carlos Ramos | Alex Almaguer | September 14, 2001 (2001-09-14) | |
Larry is delighted to find that instead of staging theBoston Tea Party, theSons of Liberty are having civilized tea parties. Tuddrussel and Otto have to convince them to dump the overtaxed colonial beverage for the sake of allAmerica. To do that they must use coffee which makes the Sons of Liberty act just like Tuddrussel, much to Larry's disgust. | ||||||
| 10a | 10a | "The Prime Minister Has No Clothes" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Kurt Dumas | October 5, 2001 (2001-10-05) | |
Winston Churchill, the prime minister who led England throughWorld War II, is leading everyone into being naked, including Larry,Franklin D. Roosevelt, andJoseph Stalin. Churchill eventually changes his mind after seeing video footage of his large naked butt that Larry filmed. | ||||||
| 10b | 10b | "Nutorius" | Dave Wasson, Michael Karnow, and Carlos Ramos | Mary Hanley | October 5, 2001 (2001-10-05) | |
The Time Squad goes back to the time ofGeorge Washington Carver, who is actually doing what he was famous for: making use of the peanut. Thus it is strange they would have to go there. The trouble comes when his evil twin brother Todd Washington Carver tries to make George look bad. Time Squad gets unexpected help in the form ofpeanut butter. | ||||||
| 11a | 11a | "Kubla Khan't" | Dave Wasson, Michael Karnow, and Carlos Ramos | Brandon Kruse | October 12, 2001 (2001-10-12) | |
The Time Squad tries to reformKublai Khan, who is now a comic book collector. Tuddrussel tries to deal with Khan himself by ripping up his comics, but it gets him sentenced to death. Larry and Otto cannot get Tuddrussel out legally, so Larry calls for backup in the form of Tuddrussel's ex-wife Sheila Sternwell (a more competent time cop) and her robot partner XJ5. | ||||||
| 11b | 11b | "Lewis and Clark and Larry" | Dave Wasson, Michael Karnow, and Carlos Ramos | Lynell H. Forestall | October 12, 2001 (2001-10-12) | |
The Time Squad goes back to the era of theLewis and Clark Expedition, where the exploring duo has broken up after an argument. While Lewis has a grand time exploring with Larry, Tuddrussel and Otto find Clark and become his exploring partners. However, Clark realizes that he is lost without Lewis to read the maps properly. When they meet up, Clark gets jealous that Larry is his new travel partner and begs Lewis to take him back which Lewis does. | ||||||
| 12a | 12a | "Ivan the Untrainable" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Lynell H. Forestall | October 19, 2001 (2001-10-19) | |
After a mission to persuade Russian barbaric kingIvan the Terrible not to be an ice skater, Tuddrussel sneaks Ivan back on the satellite and keeps him as a pet (since he acts just like one), much to Larry's displeasure. Eventually, Larry has had enough and forces Tuddrussel to return Ivan at once. | ||||||
| 12b | 12b | "Where the Buffalo Bill Roams" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Rob Renzetti and Chong Suk Lee | October 19, 2001 (2001-10-19) | |
Instead of helping form thePony Express,Buffalo Bill is now a crazed conspiracy theorist with his own tabloid magazine that no one reads. Otto tricks him into following history by convincing him to deliver his conspiracy magazine to everyone while delivering their mail. | ||||||
| 13a | 13a | "Houdini Whodunnit!?" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Alex Almaguer | October 26, 2001 (2001-10-26) | |
After losing avirtual reality game that involved an evil George Washington, the Time Squad goes on a mission to stop magicianHarry Houdini who is using his illusions to commit crimes. | ||||||
| 13b | 13b | "Feud for Thought" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Gary Hartle | October 26, 2001 (2001-10-26) | |
After Larry stands up to Tuddrussel, the Time Squad goes back to the time of the Hatfields and the McCoys, where the McCoys are refusing to fight. Larry's encouragement to maintain peace does not help. Otto encourages Tuddrussel to pay him back by using pranks to vandalize both properties. This makes theinfamous feud continue. | ||||||
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Written by | Storyboard by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14a | 1a | "A Sandwich by Any Other Name" | Michael Karnow,Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Sahin Ersöz | February 1, 2002 (2002-02-01) | |
Earl of Sandwich gives his edible creation the terrible name "Stinky pile of poo" (his mother's maiden name) and presents it to the judge of a food contest, who won't even try it. Tuddrussel and Otto work with the Earl of Sandwich to promote his food which doesn't go well. Meanwhile, Larry'ssoufflés become a sensation to which he has been getting a lot of overwhelming deals. The Time Squad eventually gets the sandwich circulating, but only by having Otto name it. | ||||||
| 14b | 1b | "Shop Like an Egyptian" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Kurt Dumas | February 1, 2002 (2002-02-01) | |
A mission to keepCleopatra from turning the pyramids into a shopping mall proves difficult when Tuddrussel falls in love with her and Larry is eager to help with the project. Then Otto calls in Julius Caesar, who (just as in actual history) begins a romance with Cleopatra and persuades her to focus on ruling Egypt. | ||||||
| 15a | 2a | "Planet of the Flies" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Brandon Kruse | March 1, 2002 (2002-03-01) | |
Tuddrussel squashes a fly during a mission to help Stone Age cavemen discover fire. It causes a butterfly effect in which Medieval England is attacked by a giant fly and the future is ruled by fly people (in a parody ofPlanet of the Apes). | ||||||
| 15b | 2b | "Keepin' It Real with Sitting Bull" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Trevor Wall | March 1, 2002 (2002-03-01) | |
The Time Squad must deal withSitting Bull, who wants to party with younger people after misinterpreting a vision from his ancestors. Tuddrussel does not help matters when he finds how much he likes Sitting Bull due to their shared love for partying. Otto and Larry trick Sitting Bull in time for theBattle of the Little Bighorn. | ||||||
| 16a | 3a | "A Thrilla at Attila's" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Trevor Wall | April 5, 2002 (2002-04-05) | |
In a parody ofRashomon, Tuddrussel, Larry, and Otto each have different accounts of their mission to turn a cowardlyAttila the Hun into a bloodthirsty fighter, and argue over which account to report to their boss. Otto's story turns out to be true. However, Tuddrussel and Larry are official Time Cops and they get to write whatever they want on the report, meaning they can omit Otto's version. | ||||||
| 16b | 3b | "Cabin Fever!" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Alex Almaguer | April 5, 2002 (2002-04-05) | |
After a brutally violent mission to getLouis Armstrong playing jazz music instead of drilling to the center of theEarth, the Time Squad wishes they were not called on any more missions. The three get their wish, but soon become bored and descend into madness. Eventually, Larry discovers why they have not been getting new missions for the past few weeks: Tuddrussel had recharged his electric toothbrush in the computer's electric socket. | ||||||
| 17a | 4a | "Pasteur's Packs O' Punch" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Ty Schafrath | April 26, 2002 (2002-04-26) | |
Larry gets electrocuted while fixing a fuse and experiences wild shifts in his personality (including acting drunk, becoming violent, and impersonatingJerry Lewis), leading the Time Squad to go back to the time ofLouis Pasteur, who is makingKool-Aid-style fruit drinks instead of inventing pasteurized milk. To teach Pasteur a lesson, Otto inspiresMarie Curie to make fruit popsicles, which are a bigger hit. | ||||||
| 17b | 4b | "Floundering Fathers" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Kurt Dumas | April 26, 2002 (2002-04-26) | |
Otto catches a cold during the Time Squad's mission to getKarl Marx writingThe Communist Manifesto instead of building the world's largest igloo. Without Otto helping them, Tuddrussel and Larry must complete a mission to makeBenjamin Franklin help write theDeclaration of Independence. Their various attempts see Tuddrussel beating upJohn Adams,Thomas Jefferson, andBenjamin Rush, Larry helping Franklin invent the lightbulb, and everyone arguing over how the Declaration of Independence should start. A sick Otto is brought in to assist them. | ||||||
| 18a | 5a | "The Clownfather" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Ed Baker | May 10, 2002 (2002-05-10) | |
The Time Squad travels to the 1920s where gangsterAl Capone, who had a traumatic childhood experience with a terrible clown, has made himself and all of his minions clowns. Otto, Tuddrussel, and Larry are mistaken for three of Capone's minions. After a disastrous birthday party gig, Otto shows Capone that the clowns he forced out of work are now trying to run his criminal empire with disastrous results. | ||||||
| 18b | 5b | "Hate and Let Hate" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Trevor Wall | May 10, 2002 (2002-05-10) | |
Larry and Tuddrussel begin a feud and do not notice that they have left Otto on a deserted island following a mission to talkHernando de Soto out of building a resort when he should be creating a colony in Cuba. While Otto desperately tries to survive, Larry and Tuddrussel isolate each other, only to experiment with each other's hobbies and come to an understanding. They return to save Otto from a group ofmandrills. | ||||||
| 19a | 6a | "Love at First Flight" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Gary Hartle | May 17, 2002 (2002-05-17) | |
Otto celebrates his birthday on the satellite where Tuddrussel gives him his own time cop suit. They must go back in time to cure amysophobicAmelia Earhart so she can become the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Tuddrussel's slovenly ways "cure" her, but she and Otto become just like him. Tuddrussel fixes his mistake when Earhart says she wants to marry him. | ||||||
| 19b | 6b | "Forget the Alamo" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Brandon Kruse | May 17, 2002 (2002-05-17) | |
The Time Squad is sent to theBattle of the Alamo, where everyone there, including Tuddrussel's ancestor Jeremiah, is setting up a fiesta for the Mexican forces rather than defending themselves. When Larry refuses to cooperate by poorly assisting in the party decorations, it is up to Otto and Tuddrussel to save the mission. After the fiesta ends in battling, Jeremiah and the others blame Larry for it and defend the Alamo. | ||||||
| 20a | 7a | "Repeat Offender" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Kurt Dumas | June 7, 2002 (2002-06-07) | |
Tuddrussel shows Otto a jail where they keep their repeat offenders, likeMahatma Gandhi who wants to tap dance instead of leading theIndian independence movement. For Time Squad's latest mission, Blackbeard has returned to environmentalism. Blackbeard escapes to Ancient Greece, where they must convinceSocrates to be a philosopher rather than a fitness trainer. After capturing Blackbeard, he is put in a cell adjacent to Gandhi who taunts him with the flushing of the toilet. | ||||||
| 20b | 7b | "Ladies and Gentlemen... Monty Zuma" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Brandon Kruse | June 7, 2002 (2002-06-07) | |
After Tuddrussel hurts Larry's feelings at his own art show, Otto tries to teach him to be more sensitive while they go on a mission to stopAztec emperorMontezuma from performing stand-up comedy. Tuddrussel's sensitivity efforts and Larry's lack of appreciation lead to an insult contest between the two that wins the audience over. | ||||||
| 21a | 8a | "White House Weirdness" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Mary Hanley and Kevin Kaliher | June 14, 2002 (2002-06-14) | |
In a parody ofScooby-Doo, Where Are You!, the Time Squad meets PresidentWilliam Howard Taft. Rumors that theWhite House is haunted by ghosts of former commanders in chief are keepingWoodrow Wilson from running for President. Otto, Larry, and Tuddrussel investigate and fight a zombieZachary Taylor, vampireBenjamin Harrison, and Frankenstein-esqueJames Buchanan, and discover Taft's plot which gets him arrested. | ||||||
| 21b | 8b | "Nobel Peace Surprise" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Stephen Sandoval | June 14, 2002 (2002-06-14) | |
The Time Squad goes on a mission to stopAlfred Nobel from givingNobel Peace Prizes to people who commit evil acts and are soon assisted by Sheila and XJ5. This leads to a showdown with Alfred Nobel and his alliesBlack Bart,Jack the Ripper,Lizzie Borden,Grigori Rasputin, andMrs. O'Leary's Cow. Otto persuades Nobel to give his prizes to people who do good. | ||||||
| 22a | 9a | "Out with the In Crowd" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Sahin Ersöz | November 8, 2002 (2002-11-08) | |
The Time Squad goes on vacation rather than saveHenry Morton Stanley from cannibals when he goes to findDavid Livingstone. This prompts J.T. Lazer and Lance 9 Trillion, an elite but arrogant Time Squad crew who are idols to Larry and Tuddrussel, to finish the job. Lazer and Lance use Time Squad as bait for the cannibals and save Henry. Otto states to an oblivious Tuddrussel and Larry that Lazer and Lance will take the credit for the mission. | ||||||
| 22b | 9b | "Child's Play" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Trevor Wall | November 8, 2002 (2002-11-08) | |
In this self-referential episode, the Time Squad meetsWilliam Shakespeare, who is now doing kids' plays and finds inspiration in creating a new play from the Time Squad crew. Larry acts as a censor and Tuddrussel is too busy coming up with a new catchphrase to do anything about the situation. Eventually, Otto persuades Shakespeare to make plays for all ages. | ||||||
| 23a | 10a | "Day of the Larrys" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Brandon Kruse | March 21, 2003 (2003-03-21) | |
Tired of being stuck with the chores, Larry uses his room full of spare parts to make a clone of himself. This starts a chain reaction that leads to a plethora of Larry 3000s, who turn the satellite into a resort. | ||||||
| 23b | 10b | "Old Timers Squad" | Dave Wasson, Carlos Ramos, and Michael Karnow | Ed Baker | March 21, 2003 (2003-03-21) | |
Larry, Otto, and Tuddrussel become addicted to a trashy 1980s soap opera. Before they learn one of the show's big secrets, the Time Squad must go back in time to forceSamuel Morse to inventMorse code. The crew gets a surprise when another Time Squad made up of elderly versions of themselves appears. | ||||||
| 24a | 11a | "Billy the Baby" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Ed Baker | March 28, 2003 (2003-03-28) | |
The Time Squad encountersBilly the Kid, who is literally acting like a kid (wearing a diaper and bib and carrying around a rattle), making him a useless outlaw. The Time Squad becomes outlaws themselves to teach Billy the Kid how to be a proper criminal, and they end up getting chased by aClint Eastwood-esquesheriff. | ||||||
| 24b | 11b | "Father Figure of Our Country" | Michael Karnow, Dave Wasson, and Carlos Ramos | Kurt Dumas | March 28, 2003 (2003-03-28) | |
The Time Squad goes back in time to helpGeorge Washington, who is sick of being famous and wants to be a father. Otto happily fills the role of Washington's son, and while Tuddrussell tries to get Otto back, Larry is too busy shopping in colonial America to intervene. During the closing credits, there is a special credit that reads, "Mission SK77: Billy the Baby is dedicated toSergio Leone and the greatTex Avery". | ||||||
| 25a | 12a | "Ex Marks the Spot" | Dave Wasson, Carlos Ramos, and Michael Karnow | Trevor Wall | April 4, 2003 (2003-04-04) | |
The paths of Tuddrussel and Sheila's units meet again when their missionsJoan of Arc andJohannes Gutenberg switch roles. Soon afterward, Tuddrussel and Sheila start to fall in love all over again which makes Larry worried that Tuddrussel may ditch him. | ||||||
| 25b | 12b | "Horse of Horrors" | Dave Wasson, Carlos Ramos, and Michael Karnow | Kurt Dumas | April 4, 2003 (2003-04-04) | |
The Time Squad goes back in time to helpPaul Revere overcome his fear of horses so he can do hisMidnight Ride and warn the townspeople of Concord and Lexington that the British are coming. They discover Revere had suffered a childhood trauma because his first horse was hysterical and ruthless. Time Squad goes to pick up Sigmund Freud, who hypnotizes Revere into being a horse and together they make the Midnight Ride. | ||||||
| 26a | 13a | "Floral Patton" | Carlos Ramos, Dave Wasson, and Michael Karnow | Stephen Sandoval | November 26, 2003 (2003-11-26) | |
The Time Squad goes back in time to find GeneralGeorge S. Patton running a florist shop, and he recruits Time Squad to fight back against a rival (replica) florist shop. Time Squad must convince Patton to end his business and head to Europe to fight inWorld War II. This happens when the patrons buy all of the plants in Patton's shop. | ||||||
| 26b | 13b | "Orphan Substitute" | Dave Wasson, Michael Karnow, and Carlos Ramos | Brandon Kruse | November 26, 2003 (2003-11-26) | |
While on a mission in 2002 to have PresidentGeorge W. Bush forget about building the world's biggest ball of twine, Otto is taken back to the orphanage by Sister Thornley. Without Otto, Larry and Tuddrussel fail a mission centered onChristopher Columbus, who is working as a hot dog vendor instead of discovering the Americas. Larry and Tuddrussel unsuccessfully search for replacement orphans from the past, but finally go back to the orphanage to rescue Otto. | ||||||
Entertainment Weekly gave the series a B rating, calling it "fast and snappy, and you just might be able to trick your kid into a (somewhat tweaked) history lesson as well."[11] In a review for theHouston Chronicle, contributor Lana Berkowitz rated the series a B, stating that it consisted of "more laughs than lessons".[15]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 29th Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement in a Primetime or Late Night Animated Television Production | Cartoon Network Studios | Nominated | [16] |
| Outstanding Individual Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Television Production | Tim Biskup | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Television Production | Pamela Adlon (as Otto Osworth for "Eli Whitney's Flesh Eating Mistake") | Nominated | |||
| 2002 | 30th Annie Awards | Outstanding Character Design in an Animated Television Production | Alex Kirwan (for "The Clownfather") | Nominated | [17] |
| Outstanding Production Design in an Animated Television Production | Dave Wasson (for "Keepin' It Real with Sitting Bull") | Nominated |
A DVD consisting of the first three episodes of the series was released in the United Kingdom by Boulevard Entertainment.[18]
Cartoon Network andSubway partnered to release fiveTime Squad-themed toys in Subway Kids Paks. The promotion lasted from September 30 to November 17, 2002.[19]
