Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone

Last updated

Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone
Midnight Patrol & Potsworth & Co. (television series' logo).png
The logo for both versions of the show.
Also known asPotsworth & Co.
Genre Animation
Adventure
Fantasy
Comedy
Created byMartin Powell
Vivien Schrager-Powell
Developed byDave Edwards
Directed by Don Lusk
Paul Sommers
Animation Directors:
Robert Alvarez
Creative director Ray Patterson
Voices of Michael Bell
Hamilton Camp
Joan Gerber
Elisabeth Harnois
Whitby Hertford
Janice Kawaye
George Lemore
Kenneth Mars
Rob Paulsen
Clive Revill
Frank Welker
Theme music composer Michael Tavera
Country of originUnited Kingdom
United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producers William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Martin Powell
Vivien Schrager-Powell
Paul Sabella
Theresa Plummer-Andrews
Producer Davis Doi
Running time21 mins
Production companies H-B Production Co.
Sleepy Kids PLC
Original release
Network BBC
The Children's Channel (UK)
Syndication (US)
Release1 September (1990-09-01) 
24 November 1990 (1990-11-24)

Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone is a British-American animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera in conjunction with Sleepy Kids PLC and is known outside the US as Potsworth & Co. [1] In the United Kingdom, the BBC felt that the suggestion of children being awake after midnight was inappropriate (which is reflected in the theme song's lyrics in the British broadcast); thus the name was changed.

Contents

The show is about four children who meet in their dreams every night, accompanied by their dog Potsworth and a toy dinosaur, to protect the sleep of the innocent from the dreaded Nightmare Prince. [2]

History

The series revolves around Potsworth, an English Springer Spaniel, based upon a real-life springer spaniel called Potsworth, bought from the Battersea Dogs Home by Martin and Vivien Schrager-Powell. The couple were somewhat disheartened with some of the children's programmes being made at the time, commenting that "Six-year-olds just aren't content to be fobbed off with 'Mr Wizard go pouf and nasty man go away'. Stories these days have to be believable, contain some logical process". In 1987, Martin started writing stories about Potsworth who lives in a city in America and four young children: Carter, Keiko, Rosie, and Nick. The couple took the idea to Hanna-Barbera and suggested a 50-50 deal to turn the stories into a television series. [3]

First appearing on The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera on 1 September 1990, Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone lasted only 13 episodes. [4] It was watched by 8.5 million in the US while 5.1 million watched the series on Children's BBC in Britain, making it the "second most popular children's show on British television after Neighbours ". [3]

The "real" Potsworth became something of a celebrity when he featured extensively in the British media as part of the promotion campaign for the cartoon series when it first aired in the UK in 1990/91 television season. A comic adaptation of Potsworth & Co. was featured in the merged Beezer and Topper from issue #87 to #153 (May 16, 1992—August 21, 1993) and, when that comic closed, The Dandy from issue #2701 onwards (August 28, 1993—1994).

The series' setting, "Dream Zone", was first used on "Back to Next Saturday", the NBC Saturday Morning preview special for the 1985 season.

Premise

The series tells of four children and Potsworth the dog who live in the same neighborhood. When they go to sleep at night they turn up in the Dream Zone where, as the Midnight Patrol, they are appointed by the Grand Dozer to protect it from nightmares and other threats and are given their missions by the Snooze Patrol. Their main enemy is the Nightmare Prince.

Whilst they are in the Dream Zone, the five have special powers. Keiko has a flying skateboard; Carter can draw anything and then have it come to life; Nick is super-strong and is able to fly; his stuffed toy Murphy comes to life; whilst his cynical sister Rosie tags along. Potsworth himself acquires the power of speech which enables him to complain about the way he is treated in the real world, and make wry comments about the kids and their own attitudes and relationships. The cartoon Potsworth had a very "English" accent, even in the American version of the programmes, reflecting his real-life counterpart's British origins.

Computer game

An officially licensed computer game of the series, using its British title of Potsworth and Co, was released in 1992 by Hi-Tec Software for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and Atari ST.

In this scrolling platform game, the player took on the role of one of the characters in each themed level and had to collect various items and then reach the exit.

Characters

Midnight Patrol

The 5 Midnight Patrol members are the main stars of the show. Each one has his/her individual abilities.

Other Dream Zone characters

The Dream Zone has a number of inhabitants, the principals of which include:

Antagonists

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"Night of the BedBugs"1 September 1990 (1990-09-01)
The Nightmare Prince unleashes a horde of creatures called BedBugs in an attempt to destroy the Dream Zone. But when they start eating his castle, he needs the Midnight Patrol's help to get rid of them.
2"The Dozer Walks Among Us"8 September 1990 (1990-09-08)
When he sleepwalks, the Grand Dozer goes around the Dream Zone causing unintentional chaos and destruction. Thus, he has to be locked up once in a while in order to prevent this — that is until the Nightmare Prince lets him loose.
3"King Potsworth"15 September 1990 (1990-09-15)
Potsworth becomes the somewhat reluctant king of a kingdom of dogs called Dogland. He enlists the rest of the Midnight Patrol when Dogland is attacked by a giant devastating cat.
4"The Nightmirror"22 September 1990 (1990-09-22)
The Nightmare Prince steals the Nightmirror which he uses to create evil twins of the Midnight Patrol who wreak havoc in the Dream Zone.
5"When Bubba Rules"29 September 1990 (1990-09-29)
Exasperated by her son's constant failures to destroy the Dream Zone, the Nightmare Prince's mother assigns her monstrous nephew Count Bubba Bonebreaker to act as his supervisor. Though Count Bonebreaker takes over his job and demotes him to janitor. Before long, the Midnight Patrol decide that the Prince was not such a bad thing after all.
6"Nick's Super Switch"6 October 1990 (1990-10-06)
Nick switches places with a superhero boy named Wonder Kid from the Dream Zone location of Supertown after having been bullied by a boy named Moose.
7"Dozer Quest"13 October 1990 (1990-10-13)
The Grand Dozer is not sleeping and if he stays awake, the Dream Zone will end. The Midnight Patrol have to go to all lengths to get him back to sleep. Carter has an idea, but then he can't sleep either.
8"Rosie's Extra Sweet Day"20 October 1990 (1990-10-20)
After a conversation with a talking tree, Rosie gets turned into the nicest girl in the Dream Zone.
9"I Was a Teenage Babysitter"27 October 1990 (1990-10-27)
Rosie must take care of the Greystone Giant's little son Rocky.
10"The Wishing Whale"3 November 1990 (1990-11-03)
The Midnight Patrol (minus Keiko) meet the Wishing Whale who grants them their fondest wishes. But then the wishes get somewhat out of hand.
11"Santa-Napped"10 November 1990 (1990-11-10)
The Nightmare Prince captures Santa Claus and the Midnight Patrol must rescue him to save Christmas.
12"Save the Cave"17 November 1990 (1990-11-17)
The Greystone Giant is too far behind in his dream supplies, so the Midnight Patrol help him keep up with the dream orders. Though the Nightmare Prince plans to disrupt their plans.
13"Rosie's Fuss Attack"24 November 1990 (1990-11-24)
Rosie changes form every time she complains, so the Midnight Patrol must find a special cure for her.

Cast

Ratings (CBBC Channel)

Monday 6 May 2002- 20,000 (9th most watched on CBBC that week)

[5]

Home media

In 1991, Hanna-Barbera Home Video released a single VHS cassette of the series in the United States entitled Potsworth and the Midnight Patrol containing four episodes which are "Save the Cave", "The Wishing Whale", "King Potsworth", and "The Nightmirror".

Related Research Articles

<i>The Pirates of Dark Water</i> American animated TV series

The Pirates of Dark Water is an American fantasy animated television series created by David Kirschner and produced by Hanna-Barbera. The series premiered as a five-part miniseries on Fox Kids early 1991, simply entitled Dark Water. The first season, consisting of 13 episodes including the original five-part miniseries, aired on ABC from September to December 1991. A second season, consisting of just eight episodes, aired in syndication in the United States from 1992 to 1993.

<i>Johnny Bravo</i> American animated television series

Johnny Bravo is an American animated comedy television series created by Van Partible for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It is the second of the network's Cartoon Cartoons, which aired from July 14, 1997, to August 27, 2004. The titular Johnny Bravo, who is loosely based on Elvis Presley and James Dean, is a blonde-haired sunglasses-wearing, muscular dimwitted young man who lives with his mother and attempts to get women to date him, though he always falls short because of his actions. He ends up in bizarre situations and predicaments, often accompanied by celebrity guest characters such as Donny Osmond or Adam West. Throughout its run, the show was known for its adult humor and pop culture references.

<i>Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor</i> American animated television series

Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor is an American Saturday morning animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that ran on CBS from September 9, 1967 to January 6, 1968, airing in reruns until September 6, 1969. Despite Moby's name coming first, he had only one short per half-hour episode, sandwiched between two with Mightor. The same structure was used the previous season for Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Hanna</span> American animator (1910–2001)

William Denby Hanna was an American animator, voice actor, and occasional musician who is best known for co-creating Tom and Jerry and providing the vocal effects for the series' title characters. Alongside Joseph Barbera, he also founded the animation studio and production company Hanna-Barbera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Barbera</span> American animator and cartoonist (1911–2006)

Joseph Roland Barbera was an American animator and cartoonist, best known as the co-founder of the animation studio Hanna-Barbera.

Where's Huddles? is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that premiered on CBS on July 1, 1970. It ran for ten episodes as a summer replacement show for Hee Haw, until September 2.

<i>The Herculoids</i> Animated television series

The Herculoids is an American Saturday-morning animated-cartoon television series, created and designed by Alex Toth, that was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show debuted on September 9, 1967, on CBS. Hanna-Barbera produced one season for the original airing of the show, although the original 18 episodes were rerun during the 1968–69 television season, with The Herculoids ending its run on September 6, 1969. Eleven new episodes were produced in 1981 as part of the Space Stars show. The plotlines are rooted in science fiction and fantasy.

<i>Dog City</i> American-Canadian animated series

Dog City is an animated television series that was produced by Nelvana Limited and Jim Henson Productions in association with Channel 4 and Global Television Network. The series ran for three seasons, airing on Fox Kids from September 26, 1992, to November 26, 1994; in Canada, the series aired on YTV until 2000. The series contained both animation made by Nelvana, and puppetry by Jim Henson Productions - similar to Little Muppet Monsters - and invoked a mixture of detective fiction with police comedy.

<i>Help!... Its the Hair Bear Bunch!</i> American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera

Help! ... It's the Hair Bear Bunch! is an American animated television series, created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears and produced by Hanna-Barbera, which originally aired for one season on CBS from September 11, 1971, to January 8, 1972. Daws Butler, Paul Winchell and William Callaway voice the three bears that comprise the Hair Bear Bunch, while John Stephenson and Joe E. Ross voice Mr. Eustace Peevly and Lionel Botch, respectively, the two individuals who patrol the zoo in which the bears live. The series' producer was Charles A. Nichols, with William Hanna and Joseph Barbera directing, and Hoyt Curtin serving as the composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera</span> TV programming block

The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera is an American animated syndicated programming block produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that ran on a weekly schedule and was performed in live action. The program ran from 1985 to 1994.

<i>The Biskitts</i> American animated television series

The Biskitts is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1983 to 1984 and aired on CBS. The series lasted for only one season; only 13 episodes were produced. Shirt Tales replaced the show in its time slot the following year. The Biskitts returned to that same time slot in March 1985 but only aired reruns in the remainder of that season. Following the series' retirement from CBS, like many other cartoons, it was acquired by the Armed Forces Network and shown throughout much of the 1980s, mainly as entertainment for children of deployed American servicemen in Asia and Europe.

<i>Popeye and Son</i> American TV series or program

Popeye and Son is an American animated comedy series based on the Popeye comic strip created by E.C. Segar and published by King Features Syndicate. Jointly produced by Hanna-Barbera and King Features subsidiary King Features Entertainment, the series aired for one season of thirteen episodes on CBS. It is a follow-up to The All New Popeye Hour. Due to Jack Mercer's death in 1984, Maurice LaMarche voiced Popeye, while much of the cast of The All New Popeye Hour reprised their respective roles, with the exception of Daws Butler. However, Nancy Cartwright, who was trained by Butler, voiced Woody in the series.

<i>Space Ghost</i> (TV series) Animated television series

Space Ghost is an American Saturday morning superhero animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, first broadcast on CBS from September 10, 1966, to September 16, 1967, and continued reruns until September 7, 1968. The series was composed of two unrelated segments, Space Ghost and Dino Boy in the Lost Valley. The series was created by Alex Toth and produced and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Sometimes, it is alternatively called Space Ghost & Dino Boy to acknowledge the presence of both shows.

<i>Mister T</i> (TV series) Television program

Mister T is an American animated series that aired on NBC on Saturday morning from 1983 to 1985, featuring the popular actor Mr. T. A total of 30 episodes were produced during all three seasons, with the 12 episodes for Season 1 and Season 2, and six episodes for the third and final season. The series was produced by Ruby-Spears Enterprises.

Young Robin Hood is an animated series produced for television by Hanna-Barbera, CINAR and France Animation and aired in syndication in 1991. It ran for one season as part of the Sunday-morning programming block, The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (1985–1994). The show takes place when Robin Hood is a teenager, Richard the Lion Heart is on his "first crusade" and Robin's father, the Earl of Huntington, joins him. Young Robin Hood was Hanna-Barbera's second adaptation of the legend of Robin Hood, after their 1972 television special The Adventures of Robin Hoodnik.

<i>The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera</i> (ride) Defunct simulator ride

The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera was a simulator ride at Universal Studios Florida and one of the park's original attractions. The story line tells that Dick Dastardly and Muttley have kidnapped Elroy Jetson. Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo give chase and the audience is in for the ride of their lives. The attraction opened on June 7, 1990 and closed on October 20, 2002.

Charles August "Nick" Nichols was an American animator and film director, who worked in animation for over 50 years at Walt Disney Animation Studios and Hanna-Barbera. At Disney, he worked on various short subjects and films from the 1940s into the 1950s, including the Academy Award-winning short Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953). Nichols co-directed Charlotte's Web (1973) while at Hanna-Barbera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allan Lurie</span> American actor

Allan Lurie was an American voice actor. He was also known as Al Laurie and Bert Stewart. He was the father of Peter Lurie, also a voice actor.

One Hundred (<i>Aqua Teen Hunger Force</i>) 12th episode of the 7th season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force

"One Hundred" is the twelfth and final episode of the seventh season of the animated television series Aqua Teen Hunger Force and is the 100th episode of the series overall. "One Hundred" originally aired in the United States on May 2, 2010, on Adult Swim. In the episode Frylock obsesses about the number 100 while Master Shake attempts to put Aqua Teen Hunger Force into syndication, until the episode abruptly turns into a parody of Scooby-Doo.

Lawrence "Larry" Huber is an American television producer, writer, and animator who is known for his long history as a producer at Hanna-Barbera, Ruby-Spears, and Nickelodeon. Huber began his animation career in 1969 while working on Hanna-Barbera's The Perils of Penelope Pitstop. He went on to work for Ruby-Spears for 15 years. Returning to Hanna-Barbera in 1990, Huber worked on 2 Stupid Dogs and Fish Police. He was hired by Buzz Potamkin to supervise production on Cartoon Network's World Premiere Toons in 1995.

References

  1. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 541. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  2. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Facts on File. p. 461. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  3. 1 2 "UK: Making it Tough for Tots - SLEEPY KIDS". Management Today. 1 June 1992. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  4. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 390–391. ISBN   978-1538103739.
  5. http://www.barb.co.uk [ full citation needed ]