Toad Patrol
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| Toad Patrol | |
|---|---|
 The Toad Patrol |
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| Genre | Children's television series |
| Running time | 30 minutes per episode |
| Creator(s) | George Sarson |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States, Canada |
| No. of episodes | 26 (to date) |
Toad Patrol is a TV program which first aired in 2002 on Teletoon and Toon Disney. It was created and directed by George Sarson. Although it is primarilly aimed at young children, it has found popularity with young to mid teens because despite the fairly young and lighthearted appearance of the show, it had some rather dark undertones beneath the surface. Its cult appreaciation has also stemmed from the fact it is also one of the few American animated series' made in the 21st century to have featured an ongoing storyline with a distinct beginning and end. Usually a quality of anime, even before the turn of the century it was still very rare for an animated series in America to follow this format. A show sponsor page has stated that 13 episodes of the series are currently in production. However, with the recent passing of Long John Baldry, the voice of Mistle Toad, it is unknown if these episodes (assuming they really exist) will air.
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[edit] Plot
The story is about a group of 8 young "Toadlets", who are later joined by a 9th, and their struggle for survival in an unnamed forest.
The toadlets are the young of the Toads, a race of small, semi anthropomorphic toads who used to be quite powerful and knowledgeable in shamanistic like magic. However, due to unknown reasons, the Toads had to abandon the forest to a place known as Toad Hollow. Toad Hollow is virtually a paradise where the majority of the Toad race lives, and seems like part of another dimension, or even another world. The only way to enter Toad Hollow is a magical gateway known as the Fairy Ring. This portal of sorts opens and closes in random area's of the forest annually, and any who miss the gate end up stranded in the forest.
Because of the danger of the outside world, a spell was put on all of the younger Toadlets which would turn any who are outside of Toad Hollow for a period of time into a Toadstool, a mushroom basically. This would put them in a sort of magical suspended animation. This was to protect them should they not be able to find their way to Toad Hollow before the Fairy Ring gate closes, however it seems to have caused more harm than good, as with the disappearance of a group called the Ancients, the toadstools are no longer restored into toadlets. The main characters are late born Toadlets (how they are born is never explained, however its assumed its similar to real Toads) who missed the migration of their general group. Unable to figure out what to do, they are greeted by a wandering Toad sage named Mistle Toad, who is immune to becoming a Toadstool now because of adulthood. Mistle Toad lived in Toad Hollow long ago, and understands the Toadlets' dilemma. He tells them about the Fairy Ring and how to find it. It's not known exactly where it is because the location changes every year. It is revealed shortly after that the youngest of the group, Panther Cap, has the ability to hear what certain "Spirit Tree's" (called Thunder Trees by the toadlets) are saying, and can also home in on these trees telepathically with the use of a special item. Mistle Toad wishes them the best and tells them he'll keep an eye on their progress, but they must hurry or else they may turn into Toadstools if they miss the Fairy Ring.
Along their journey, every member of the group develops a special skill which they use to contribute to the group's survival. Although none get along too well at first, they eventually come to depend on each other for survival and become a close knit family. They meet a few friends, some fellow Toads who like Mistle Toad, wander the outside; and some non Toad friends as well. They also meet Earth Star, a young Toadlet musician who was part of a previous group of Toadlets who failed to find the Fairy Ring in time and all turned into Toadstools. Earth Star for reasons unknown however, turned back to normal recently. At first he doesn't want to join the group because he deeply harbors fears of losing friends after the incident, and randomly appears to help them. Eventually however, he realizes they need his experience and he comes along. Hunted by a variety of predators as well (including a ruthless hawk named Medea and villainous snake called Erebus) as the natural dangers of the forest, the group nonetheless, strive to survive and reach their goal.
The series lasted about two seasons. The first follows the Toadlets as they find the Fairy Ring. Eventually they reach their goal in the season's rather dramatic climax, and the Toadlets are finally safe. However, in the second season, when in Toad Hollow, Panther Cap has a series of nightmares about Mistle Toad being in trouble in the outside. Eventually convincing the others to help, they set out to find and rescue him. They're no longer worriedd about becoming toadstools, as they've been to Toad Hollow. However, the dangers of the forest still very real and they have to contend with the added pressure of winter weather. And they're not as safe as they might think when it comes to the toadstool aspect. The second season delves much more heavily into the Toad's ancient backgrounds, visiting many ancient ruins and eventually when finding Mistle Toad, also find an ancient method which can supposedly reverse the Toadstool effects and free all the Toadlets who suffered this fate. It is also revealed that Panther Cap himself has the potential to become a great sage, as he begins to also hear the words of the Ancient's spirits.
[edit] Production Notes
This series was first realized by George Sarson in the 1980's. He created the character of Mistle Toad back then, and penned a series of short stories about Toad Tunnels, tunnels dug in some area's of the world for groups of Toads whom migrate. The Tunnels act as a way to give the Toads a safe passageway past freeways and roads, as this had been known to destroy whole groups of migrating Toads before the invention of the Tunnels. George found the perilous journey of the toads facinating and created a story about it which eventually was noticed by Teletoon and Toon Disney. It was eventually animated in a full animated series in 2002. It was moderatly popular, and eventually even managed to finish itself neatly with a dramatic conclusion to the series in the second season. After this the series was moved to a rather poor timeslot and its ratings dropped, but ironically at this timeslot early in the morning the show gathered a quiet but dedicated cult following.
Some many notice that the series has many similarities in setting and atmosphere to Watership Down and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (and its animated counterpart The Secret of NIMH). Aside from the obvious toning down of the urgency of survival for the sake of a young viewing audience, the series shares the two stories' secret world of the animals style as well as its dark and forboding natural setting. Many believe this to be the reason why despite the series' rather childish appearance and tone, it has a great deal of appeal to older audiences as well with its subtle undertones.
It is rumored that an additional 13 episodes is in production currently, although this hasn't been officially confirmed by Toon Disney or Teletoon as of yet. However, a company that has licensing rights for the series has posted a page saying that there will be 13 new episodes. The series is now on DVD. It currently no longer airs on any station for the time being. However, a Spanish version is available on Dish Network Channel 271 from 8-9.
[edit] Characters
Fur Foot: He is the leader of the Toad Patrol and the oldest out of the toadlet siblings. He uses a cougar claw, called a "hook," for various purposes including grabbing onto objects and climbing, but never anything violent. The claw was given to him from Mistle Toad. Although he didn't influence the creation of the Toad Patrol, he is often looked up to thanks to his strong leadership qualities and courage. He is voiced by Terrence Scammell.
Beauty Stem: She is the second oldest and is somewhat of a mother figure towards the younger toadlets, particularly Panther Cap. She eventually begins to acquire the talents of a great Healer. From a wandering Toad Healer known as The Outsider, she learns many techniques and becomes of great importance to the group. Beauty Stem's special item is "shine," a dust she gathered from fireflies. She can use this to cast light even in the darkest of night. Earth Star takes an interest in Beauty Stem during their first meeting, much to the chagrin of Elf Cup. While Beauty Stem paid no attention at first, she came to return his affection as the series went on. She is voiced by Sonja Ball.
Elf Cup: She is the third oldest as well as the second youngest of the three female toadlets. She is cheerful and playful, but rather stubborn. She plays a hollow reed, called a "tooter," which is similar to a penny whistle. It was given to her by a Tunnel Toad. She has shown great musical talent with it, and it comes to be beneficial to the Toad Patrol in the future. Because of her musical talent, she naturally is very fond of Earth Star. She is voiced by Nancy Neilson.
Shaggy Mane: He is the fourth oldest and is named for his yellow, shaggy hair. Shaggy Mane's contribution to the group is somewhat questionable at first. He has a knack for getting himself and others into trouble, which causes him to run away at first. With the help of Earth Star, he comes to realize his greatest contribution which is his ability to name things. He is classified as "The Giver of Names" because of this, and he has named many things from the "Yellow Ball" (the sun) to the "Rumble Crushers" (automobiles). He acquires a very beneficial vine, which he calls a "coil." He is good at making up poems on the spot, and his higher sense of culture begins to play a larger part in interpreting the writing of the Ancients. He is voiced by Neil Shee.
Puff Ball: He is the fifth oldest. He is a tall, very strong but somewhat fat. He actually looks older than the others and is fairly mature despite being one of the younger toadlets. His natural strength and endurance, as well as his down to earth thinking saves the Toad Patrol several times. Puff Ball is a bit of a pessimist, and often sees the downside to things. While this aggravates the rest of the group at first, they eventually begin to see it not as something negative, but merely him keeping things real and in perspective. Puff Ball comes into possession of a powerful hammer called the "Thunder Stick," which is actually a piece of branch from a Thunder Tree. He pulled it from a beaver dam to quell a forest fire. Combined with his strength and straightforward thinking, he becomes an invaluable asset to the group and helps support his friends and family both physically and emotionally. He is voiced by Rick Jones.
Oyster: She is the second youngest along with her twin, Slipper Jack. She is somewhat insecure, but nonetheless acts as the group's main source of comedy relief and cheerfulness. Her special item is called a "see-all," a sort of telescope created from a crystal found in Crystal Caverns and a hollow branch. She doesn't really have any special skills (a fact she brings up late in the series that she feels extremely ashamed about), but her neverending optimism and energy is a far greater contribution than she may be aware of. In fact, she is the very one who came up with the idea to call the toadlets group the "Toad Patrol." She is voiced by Bryn McAuley who has provided the voice for Caillou and many other animated characters.
Slippery Jack: He is the second youngest along with his twin, Oyster. He carries around birch bark to create maps, called "pathfinds." Being by far the most intelligent of the group, Slippery Jack is often good at solving problems. With great skill in map making and strategizing, he is an invaluable asset to his family. Because of his intelligence, Slippery Jack feels awkward around the others often and has a somewhat odd way of speaking. This bothers him for much of the series but eventually he realizes that he doesn't need to be anything but himself with his friends. He hates it when the other toadlets refer to him and Oyster as "The Twins," or refer to him as "S.J." He comes to form a strong friendship with Shaggy Mane late in the series. He is voiced by Brady Moffatt.
Panther Cap: He is the youngest of the Toad Patrol. While Panther Cap is passive and shy, he is by far the series' most important character. He may arguably even be the main character of the show, as he takes center stage in many of the events. Panther Cap, like Slippery Jack, feels like the odd one out. This is due to the interesting destiny which seems to have fallen upon him. Panther Cap has the ability to hear the words of the Thunder Trees, which helps the toadlets to find the all-important Fairy Ring and has other great uses as well. While afraid of the voices at first, Mistle Toad encouraged Panther Cap to embace his ability to hear the Thunder Trees and lead the others to the Fairy Ring. Panther Cap carries a "pointer," a small acorn which points the way to the next Thunder Tree he must speak to. In the second season, it is revealed that Panther Cap may have abilities that have not been seen since the time of the Ancients. He is able to hear their spirits and even learns a powerful incantation that appears to control water and possibly most natural things in the forest. The extent of his full potential is not yet known. He is voiced by Sonja Ball.
Earth Star: A minstrel toadlet, born a year before the toadlet siblings, who carries a banjo called a "strumalong" and wears sunglasses. He is a mysterious toadlet whom was part of a disastrous expedition of toadlets prior to the series. This group was doomed to miss the Fairy Ring and all turned into Toadstools. Somehow, he came back as a normal toad by himself and found the main characters seasons later. Earth Star is extremely friendly and helpful, despite keeping his distance at first. It is later revaled that he harbors deep fears of having more friends turn into Toadstools and wants to remain alone, but in his heroic efforts to take Panther Cap through the Fairy Ring before it closed, he came to enjoy life in Toad Hollow. While his musical talent is great, and admirable to Elf Cup, his quick thinking and acting often makes him almost as influential to the others as Fur Foot. He takes an interest in Beauty Stem when they first meet, and constantly flirts with her despite her initial lack of acknowledgment. She later starts to return his affection. While often easygoing, he later fears that if he leaves Toad Hollow again, he will revert back into a Toadstool. He is voiced by Michael O'Reilly.
Mistle Toad: A mysterious sage that befriends the Toad Patrol not long after they begin their journey. He is very knowledgeable about all things and is capable of taking care of himself as well. He acts as a sort of guide for the youngsters and appears here and there to help them. His appearances become more numorous however as the series progresses. He is also the catalyst for the second season, having found a long lost scripture of the ancient Toads which may hold the key for freeing the Toadstool Toadlets once and for all. Unfortunately, he is accidentally frozen and telepathically calls for the help of the Toad Patrol. Mistle Toad was voiced by Long John Baldry, but as he has recently passed away, it's unknown what will happen if any new episodes are released.
[edit] Season 1 Episodes
- One For All
- The Giver of Names
- The Fire
- Crystal Caverns
- Scooped
- The Stay-Away Place
- Trojan Duck
- Night Fright
- Trapped
- Bird's Eye View
- The Cure
- Temple of Bufonidae
- The Fairy Ring
[edit] Season 2 Episodes
- A Cry For Help
- The Healer
- Winter Woes
- Castle of the Ancients
- Castaway
- Lost and Found
- Choices
- The Invasion
- The Lost Symphony
- Good Day
- The Sacrifice
- The Bridge
- The Journey's End
[edit] DVD
Toad Patrol is now available on three DVDs with more to come. The World of Toad Patrol, released in April 2005, contains the first three episodes of season 1. Crystal Caverns, released in July 2005, contains the next three episodes. Toadlets to the Rescue, released in December 2005, continues the pattern of releasing the next three episodes in order. There are plans for the entire series to be released on video and DVD.
