Rubbadubbers | |
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Genre | Children's television series |
Created by | Peter Curtis |
Written by |
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Directed by |
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Voices of | |
Theme music composer | KiCK Production |
Opening theme | "Here Come the Rubbadubbers" |
Ending theme | "Here Come the Rubbadubbers" (Instrumental) |
Composer | KiCK Production |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 4 |
No. of episodes | 52 |
Production | |
Executive producer | Jocelyn Stevenson |
Producer | Jackie Cockle |
Editors |
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Running time | 10 minutes per episode (approx.) |
Production companies | HIT Entertainment HOT Animation |
Original release | |
Network | CBeebies |
Release | 2 September 2002[1] – 14 February 2005 |
Rubbadubbers is a British stop-motion children's television series produced by HIT Entertainment and HOT Animation. The series was broadcast in the UK on BBC2 and CBeebies from 2002 to 2005. [1] [2] Created by Peter Curtis, it focuses on seven friendly, sentient bath toys as they tell stories in imaginary worlds outside of their bathroom - the ringleader in the series being a pink frog named Tubb. [3] In the US, the series was broadcast on Nickelodeon, Noggin and PBS Kids Sprout. [4] [5]
The series was originally announced under the working title "Plugg" (an early name for the character of Tubb). [6] BBC started commissioning the show in 2002 after two lost pilots were made: "Plugg" from 1999 and "Splish Splash Splosh!" from 2001. Hasbro licensed Rubbadubbers for producing a toy line to promote the series. [7] However, it is unknown if these pilots even exist, but an animator did say they did some test animations.
Seven anthropomorphic, friendly British bath toys called the Rubbadubbers live a peaceful life in the bathroom of a house somewhere in England. The toys belong to two children who live at the house named Benjie and Sis (however, they are never seen or heard by viewers). Whenever the children or anyone else are not present, the Rubbadubbers begin a fun activity.
But in every episode, one of the toys become dissatisfied with the way the activity or situation goes. they then wish for it to go as planned by beginning the wish with 'if only-' . Suddenly, they begin dreaming about an alternate reality where the wish comes true and they say 'I said, if only!'. Some of the other Rubbadubbers appear in their dream world as well, where they play different versions of their regular selves in order to either assist or hinder the character that made the wish.
It always turns out that the wish goes wrong in the dream world, much to the chosen Rubbadubber's disappointment. They then complain again with another 'if only-', wish which automatically stops the dream. From the dream said rubbadubber says 'oh, I'm back!' and they learn to be careful with what they wish for, and then decide that instead of changing the real-world situation to their will, they should simply leave it as it was and find a way to have fun with it. All the Rubbadubbers are then happy again. Every episode ends with Reg the robot, one of the Rubbadubbers, announcing to the others that Benjie and Sis are arriving for their bath. The toys then excitedly prepare themselves for it.
These shorts were never seen on television in the United Kingdom, but six of them were released on DVDs.
HIT Entertainment released three DVD and VHS releases of the series. "Here Come the Rubbadubbers" was released on May 12, 2003. "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" was released on September 1, 2003, and "Bathtime Scramble" was released on February 23, 2004. Each release contains four episodes, with the first two releases also containing some of the shorts. The three DVDs were reissued as part of a boxset on March 12, 2007, while an additional release - "Swimmin'", was released as a Carry Case DVD on April 9, 2007.
HIT Entertainment released four DVD and VHS releases of the series, titled "Here Come the Rubbadubbers", "Tubb's Pirate Treasure", "High Noon in the Bathroom", and "Finbar, the Mighty Movie Star", released on January 27, March 16, July 13 and October 12 of 2004, respectively. Each release contained five episodes.
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