Bob and Margaret is an adult animatedsitcom created by David Fine and Alison Snowden and co-produced by Nelvana Limited and Channel 4 as a collaboration, both financial and artistic, between the United Kingdom and Canada.[1] The last two seasons were co-produced without Channel 4 but with continuing British involvement in the animation, cast, and screenwriting. The series was based on the Academy Award-winning short filmBob's Birthday, featuring the same main characters, which won the Best Animated Short Film Oscar in 1994.[2] In Canada, it was the highest-rated Canadian-made animated series ever when it aired in primetime on Global.
The show revolves around a married English couple named Bob and Margaret Fish. They are a middle-class professional working couple of forty-ish with no children and two dogs named William and Elizabeth, who often serve as surrogates for children and are considered to be characters with personalities in their own right.[3] Bob is a dentist and Margaret is a chiropodist.
Premise
Bob and Margaret struggle with everyday issues and mid-life crises. Stories often revolve around the mundane, but in a way that is eminently relatable, from the trials of shopping to dealing with friends who annoy them but owe them a dinner. They are often seen enjoying various takeaways – curries, various Chinese dishes, and especially pizza - as they navigate their lazy, sedentary homelives.
In the first two seasons, Bob and Margaret live in England, in the South London community of Balham. For the third and fourth seasons, they move to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, allowing the writers to explore the humour of the culture clash. The move was mandated by the realities of funding after Channel 4 backed out, with certain Canadian grants and tax benefits being dependent on stories being physically based in Canada. As such, the transition was necessary to finance the show's continued production. Fine and Snowden chose to take an executive role on these latter two seasons, reviewing scripts and consulting, but not involved in as granular detail as they were for the first two seasons. Snowden continued to provide Margaret's voice, but Brian George replaced Andy Hamilton as Bob's voice.[citation needed]
Characters
Main characters
Bob Fish (voiced by Andy Hamilton in Season 1 and 2, Brian George in Season 3 and 4): an English dentist working in South London in the district of Clapham. He is the husband of Margaret and his parents are Daisy and Cesal Fish. Bob's brother Peter is a successful world-class television chef, and his sister Susan is a recent divorcée and single mother. His father is deceased and only appears in flashbacks. His mother is still alive and very mean-spirited toward Bob but showers admiration and adoration on Peter. Throughout the series Bob is portrayed as the kindest, most understanding member of his family, but there are times he is arrogant and ignorant. In Season 3, he is forced to emigrate with Margaret to Toronto in order to secure legal custody of their dogs William and Elizabeth. He later becomes the primary dentist at the Inner City Dental clinic.
Margaret Fish (voiced by Alison Snowden): Bob's wife, an English chiropodist working in South London. Her parents, Tony and Maureen Heslop, greatly adore her husband Bob but show little to no respect for their own daughter Margaret, who silently resents them for it. She is caring and very passive, which leads other people to take advantage of her, but she learns to stand up for herself when the occasion calls for it. At one time she was accidentally classified as a terrorist by the London police department, who even attempted to assassinate her until they were informed that she was innocent. In Season 3, she is forced to emigrate to Toronto with Bob where she becomes the lead podiatrist at the Women's Clinic. Margaret has appeared in every episode with Bob.
Canadian-based characters
Melvin and Cookie Fish (Melvin voiced by Wayne Robson and Cookie voiced by Jayne Eastwood): Melvin and Cookie Fish are Bob's friendly Canadian cousins from the Toronto suburb of Mississauga; they both have carefree attitudes and always have a positive, humorous view of life. The series depicts them as being proud Canadians who always need to compare Toronto to London (and once to New York City, in "Stranded in Toronto") with Toronto always coming out far ahead. They love and adore Bob and Margaret but unknowingly annoy them on numerous occasions, for example playing their vacation videos about their visits to London, which turn up all the hilarious, humiliating moments of their taping Bob and Margaret at their worst times. The couple have two aggressive cats named Buster and Bailey. They first appeared in the episode "The Discomfort of Strangers" in Season 1 and return as minors in Seasons 3 and 4.
Heather (voiced by Vickie Papavs): Heather is a secretary at the Inner City Dental Clinic working in Bob's dental office in Toronto and has similar attributes to Penny in terms of facial expression but is kinder and less judgmental with a carefree attitude.
Ed, Patel, and Audra: Ed and Patel are two other dentists working at the Inner City Dental Clinic with Bob. Ed is a defined as a Canadian woodsman; Patel is an Indian hygienist who encourages Bob to take on challenges for success. In one episode, Ed and Patel fight when they and Bob head out on a camping adventure. Audra is Bob's other dental hygienist who works in his Toronto dental clinic.
Robin (voiced by Yanna McIntosh): is a reflexologist working at the women's clinic in Toronto, who employs Margaret as the clinic's podiatrist. She appears to be of Jamaican descent.
Guinevere Long (voiced by Tracey Hoyt): Guinevere is chiropractic intern at women's clinic in Toronto, seen as calm and friendly to Margaret.
Trevor and Joyce: (Trevor voiced by Dwayne Hill and Joyce voiced by Robin Duke later Jayne Eastwood): Trevor and Joyce are Bob and Margaret's next-door neighbours in Toronto. Trevor is a lazy, alcoholic couch potato, and his wife Joyce is a hardworking smoker. The couple is mostly seen quarreling.
Dr Yosselhifer (voiced by Harvey Atkin): is the president of the Council of Canadian Dentistry. He is seen as ruthless, egotistic, and insecure towards Bob.
Dr Klein (voiced by Benedict Campbell): is a plastic surgeon who helps remove a questionable skin mole for Margaret.
Ray and Tiffany (Ray voiced by Christian Potenza): Tiffany is Cousin Melvin's goddaughter, and Ray was her fiancé in "The Wedding."
Gary: Trevor and Joyce's son, a former army cadet who has a crush on Bob's secretary Heather.
Alice and Lyle: a former married couple whose photograph package is accidentally mixed up with Bob's at the pharmacy.
Angie and Cheryl: two youth delinquents and offenders who are sentenced to serve out their community service with Margaret.
Mickey Musselman: is a business owner of furniture store and political candidate running for Alderman in Ward 9, he runs against Jimmy the Clown, Carl Schultz and Margaret in a local byelection. He is loosely inspired by former Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman.
Elizabeth Roth: was a former candidate for Alderman in Ward 9. She relapses due to alcoholism prompting Margaret to takeover her campaign.
Tanya (voiced by Terri Hawkes): is a member of book club in which Margaret joins, she appears in the episode (Book club). Hawkes also voices multiple roles in other episodes including (The Getaway), (The Candidate) and (Mastermind).
Peter (voiced by Steve Coogan): Bob's brother, a successful television chef.
Neil and Moira (Neil voiced by Jamie Watson and Moira voiced by Doon Mackichan): Appears in season 1 ("Friends for Dinner").
Dorothy (voiced by Doon Mackichan): Appears in season 1 ("A Tale of Two Dentists").
Dr. Stanway (voiced by Steve Coogan): Appears in "A Tale of Two Dentists".
Gerald and Charlotte (both voiced by Lily Snowden): Peter's children who appear in the episode ("For Pete's Sake") in season 1.
Beany and Boney (Beany was voiced by Steve Brody): Two burglars from London.
Bernard Wiggins (Voiced by Steve Coogan): Appears in season 1 ("The Dental Convention").
Kitty and Larry (Kitty voiced by Alison Snowden and Larry voiced by Jamie Watson): Appears in season 1 ("Neighbours").
Cathy and Ken (Ken voiced by Steve Brody): Cathy and Ken are an overbearing couple who were friends with Margaret back in London, but Bob despises them. Cathy often becomes annoyed by Ken's antics and becomes regretful whenever something bad happens to him. They first appeared in the episode ("Blood, Sweat, and Tears") in season 1.
Eden (voiced by Doon Mackichan): Eden (Edie) is Margaret's former secretary at her London chiropody clinic.
Penny (voiced by Doon Mackichan): After the arrest of "Dorothy" (who was suspected to have been an accomplice in patient molestations), Bob's secretary at his former dental office in London, Penny becomes her replacement. She is characterised as a lazy, irresponsible and neglectful employee with an attitude problem. Penny (at her boyfriend's urging) was actually responsible for Bob and Margaret having death threats hurled at them from violent protesters and being forced to flee London when word got out that their dogs were being neglected.
Mr. Perkins: Howard Perkins owns a flower shop and briefly hires Penny away from Bob.
Rachel: Dr. Rachel Turbull is a clinical therapist and a former friend of Margaret. Her partner is Matt who runs an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting to whom Bob makes all to lose their sobriety due to his depressing stories.
All episodes in Season 1 are directed by Jamie Whitney, Andrew Young and Jason Groh
No. in series
Title
Written by
Original air date
1
"A Tale of Two Dentists"
David Fine
3December1998(1998-12-03)
A new dentist opens a practice right across the road from Bob's and steals all his customers. His receptionist also defects, so Bob hires Penny. But things are not as they seem.
2
"A Night In"
David Fine
10December1998(1998-12-10)
A quiet night at home...unfortunately it falls on a night when there's absolutely nothing to watch on TV.
3
"Blood, Sweat, and Tears"
Alison Snowden
17December1998(1998-12-17)
Bob and Margaret decide to get fit and, after fruitless attempts at aerobics and workouts, they decide on a friendly game of badminton against Cathy and her latest boyfriend, Ken.
4
"Burglary"
Alison Snowden and David Fine
24December1998(1998-12-24)
After Bob and Margaret's home is robbed, they file a police report and an insurance claim. Bob tries to get Margaret to lie on the insurance claim so they can get bigger/newer/flashier/fancier high-tech replacements. Margaret feels that this is dishonest and leads to high insurance premiums; she'd rather get comparable replacements and install a home security system. Meanwhile, the thieves watch for empty shipping boxes left for the trash collector.
5
"Shopping"
David Fine
31December1998(1998-12-31)
After realizing they spend too much on take out meals and expensive local shops, Bob and Margaret decide to shop at a new discount grocery store out of town, but the expedition is anything but easy or cheap.
6
"The Holiday"
Alison Snowden
7January1999(1999-01-07)
7
"For Pete's Sake"
Alison Snowden
14January1999(1999-01-14)
Bob and Margaret
are stuck babysitting their niece and nephew after Bob's brother, a professional TV chef, and his producer wife are going out of the country for a new reality show.
8
"Friends for Dinner"
David Fine
21January1999(1999-01-21)
Bob and Margaret are invited for what they think is dinner by another couple only to spend an uncomfortable evening drinking wine, eating peanuts, and playing a rather irritating boardgame.
Bob isn't thrilled when he is asked by an old colleague to fill in as a guest speaker at the upcoming Dental Convention but Margaret talks him into it when she finds out it comes with a free stay at a luxury hotel.
11
"Discomfort of Strangers"
David Fine and Alison Snowden
11February1999(1999-02-11)
Just before Bob and Margaret are about to go on a second honeymoon, their cousins from Toronto stop by for an extended visit.
12
"Trick of Treat"
David Fine and Alison Snowden
18February1999(1999-02-18)
13
"Neighbors"
Peter Baynham
25February1999(1999-02-25)
Bob and Margaret become acquainted with their new neighbors and invite them to a new restaurant, but the evening becomes a total disaster.
Season 2 (1999)
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
14
"Bob Gets Wired"
Doug Thoms, Karen Lessman, Jamie Whitney, and Harold Harris
Jeremy Hardy
19August1999(1999-08-19)
After Margaret is arrested for shoplifting a bag of sprinkles she mistakenly put in her pocket, Bob wears a wire to exonerate her when the police think she is connected to an arson.
15
"No Trouble"
Doug Thoms
Peter Baynham
26August1999(1999-08-26)
16
"The Trouble with Mummy"
Jamie Whitney
Jamie Whitney, David Fine, and Alison Snowden
2September1999(1999-09-02)
After his mother's best friend passes away, Bob's siblings think she needs to move to a nursing home so they can sell her house and split the proceeds.
Bob and Margaret disagree on what to do when they purchases a painting from a neighbor's rummage sale and is shocked to learn that it may be worth a fortune.
Season 3 (2001)
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
27
"Stranded in Toronto"
Julian Harris
Rosalind Shuster
31May2001(2001-05-31)
Bob and Margaret plan a vacation to New York but bad weather forces a layover in Toronto while their dogs are left in the care of Bob's assistant Penny, who promptly leaves them for an outing with her boyfriend.
28
"Strangers in a Strange Land"
Dan Poitras
Valri Blomfield
7June2001(2001-06-07)
Bob and Margaret become pariahs in London after they are accused of leaving their dogs unattended while they are stuck in Toronto.
29
"Margaret Gets a Job"
Julian Harris
Rosalind Shuster and David Cole
14June2001(2001-06-14)
Margaret, after she and Bob immigrated to Toronto to retain custody of their dogs, struggles to find work while Bob already has one.
30
"'Til Death Do Us Part"
Dan Poitras
Heather Conkie
21June2001(2001-06-21)
Bob is tricked into buying a cemetery plot for him and Margaret as an anniversary present.
When a movie is being shot right next door, Bob and Margaret both find themselves involved with the production.
37
"Cottage Country"
Dan Poitras
Terry Saltsman
9August2001(2001-08-09)
38
"Driving Bob"
Julian Harris
Valri Bromfield
16August2001(2001-08-16)
39
"Undefined Border"
Julian Harris
David Cole
23August2001(2001-08-23)
Season 4 (2001)
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
40
"New Lease on Life"
David Thomas
Matthew Cope and David Cole
6September2001(2001-09-06)
41
"Jury Duty"
David Thomas
David Cole
13September2001(2001-09-13)
42
"The Player"
Harold Harris
Chas Lawther and Gail Kerbel
20September2001(2001-09-20)
43
"The Getaway"
David Thomas
Matthew Cope and David Cole
September27,2001(2001-09-27)
44
"Mummy's Boy"
David Thomas
Julie Lacey
4October2001(2001-10-04)
45
"Gone to Seed"
David Thomas
Terry Saltsman
11October2001(2001-10-11)
46
"The Candidate"
Julian Harris
Terry Saltsman
18October2001(2001-10-18)
47
"Life Saver"
Julian Harris
Jennifer Cowan
25October2001(2001-10-25)
48
"I, Bob"
Julian Harris
David Cole
1November2001(2001-11-01)
49
"Mastermind"
Julian Harris
David Cole
8November2001(2001-11-08)
50
"Outward Bound"
David Thomas
David Fine and David Cole
15November2001(2001-11-15)
51
"Gary"
David Thomas
Chas Lawther and Gail Kerbel
22November2001(2001-11-22)
52
"A Very Fishy Christmas"
David Thomas
David Fine
29November2001(2001-11-29)
Telecast and home media
The programme was shown in the UK on Channel 4 and Ftn, in the US on Comedy Central, and in Germany and France on Arte. Comedy Central only showed the two "London" seasons. The third and fourth "Toronto" seasons were eventually shown (almost two years after Comedy Central showed the last second-season episode) on Showtime.
Bob and Margaret formerly aired on Locomotion, and Adult Swim Latin America. Cartoon Network Brazil aired its four seasons on the Adult Swim block. The London seasons also get shown in the United Kingdom, currently on Channel 4. It also had a brief run years later on the Canadian YTV. In December 2013, biTe started to air this series (until the rebrand to Makeful on 24 August 2015).
VHS and DVD
United Kingdom
Two VHS tapes of the series containing three Series 1 episodes each were released in 1999 by Video Collection International under their Channel 4 Video imprint.
The entirety of Series 2 was released on DVD in July 2006 by Maverick Entertainment.
In Canada, the series has seen DVD releases. Series 2 was released in 2005 by Kaboom! Entertainment and Phase 4 Films, and Season 1 was released in February 2010 by Phase 4 Films/Kaboom!. Both releases are two-disc sets containing all 13 episodes of each season.
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