A number of video ads I've observed over the past several weeks haven't yet found their way into a post, so here's a roundup of all the ads not featured before. Let me know if you find others!
First, here's a very recent English-language trailer which was strangely uploaded by CartoonNetworkBG, CN's official, Bulgarian YouTube channel. (Wouldn't the series on Boomerang Bulgaria be in Bulgarian language?)
...and here is the exact same trailer in Romanian language! Uploaded by the official CNetworkRomania channel.
Here's one which was published back on January 10 by OSN, a channel provider operating within the Middle East and Africa. Notice that this uses the same English narrator - and even many of the same lines - as the above ad from CN Bulgaria.
Also worth noting is that the OSN trailer is basically an English-language version of the below French trailer (which I already posted here), with slightly different background music.
Moving on to Boomerang UK, here's a general preview of the new UK slate, with Gadget popping up at 00:23.
And here's a UK trailer specifically for Inspector Gadget. The quality is pretty terrible, and the beginning of the ad seems to be missing, but it will do until a better version pops up online.
From Super RTL, a trailer for the many new kids' series in their TOGGO program block. Gadget clips at 00:17 and 00:55.
Finally, for the sake of completion, here's an ad for the Southeast Asia feed. It's very similar to the one I posted here from TVB Network Vision, including the same clip of Gadget at 00:14; but with different background music and (at times) editing.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Thursday, January 29, 2015
German Intro and Theme Song For the New Series (With Historical Context Add-On!)
The new German intro sequence recently made it online as a television recording from Super RTL's Toggo block (except for the first few seconds, which are cut off in the below video). Unlike the French theme song, the German version is a straight dubbing of the original, English-language theme. It's worth noting that Super RTL airs the series in full HD, and the picture quality is terrific. It's my understanding that many of the Boomerang channels do not yet broadcast in high definition, though perhaps that varies from region to region.
Anyay, I find the difference between the new German and French theme songs interesting; because the original series' German theme song (below) was actually based on the French 1983 song - complete with German lyrics throughout the song! In fact, the entire German translation of the 1980s series is based on the French dub*, something which explains, for instance, why Penny is named "Sofi" (after Sophie) and Brain "Fino" in Germany.
I suspect this originally had to do with geographical convenience. Because of French channel's FR3's involvement with the series, Inspector Gadget was distributed in both English-language and French-language versions from the very start in the fall of 1983. Germany is one of France's neighboring countries, so it was probably much easier for the German dubbers, back in the 80s, to get access to FR3's French-language PAL masters than to licence the English-language NTSC masters from LBS (Lexington Broadcast Services). And Germany was not the only country to make use of the French masters, either: it varies greatly from country to country around the globe whether their localized dubbing of Inspector Gadget is based on the English- or French-language masters. That's a bigger discussion than what I intended with this post, though. For now, have a listen to the German intro sequence for the original "Inspektor Gadget"...
*Note that I'm saying "dub" here. It's a widespread misunderstanding on the internet that Inspector Gadget's original production language was French, but as I've mentioned before, it really wasn't. The scripts were written and the voices were recorded in English first (for Season 1, at Nelvana in Canada; for Season 2, at DiC in Los Angeles). The French-language version of the series was translated from the English version. (But again, a topic for another day...)
Anyay, I find the difference between the new German and French theme songs interesting; because the original series' German theme song (below) was actually based on the French 1983 song - complete with German lyrics throughout the song! In fact, the entire German translation of the 1980s series is based on the French dub*, something which explains, for instance, why Penny is named "Sofi" (after Sophie) and Brain "Fino" in Germany.
I suspect this originally had to do with geographical convenience. Because of French channel's FR3's involvement with the series, Inspector Gadget was distributed in both English-language and French-language versions from the very start in the fall of 1983. Germany is one of France's neighboring countries, so it was probably much easier for the German dubbers, back in the 80s, to get access to FR3's French-language PAL masters than to licence the English-language NTSC masters from LBS (Lexington Broadcast Services). And Germany was not the only country to make use of the French masters, either: it varies greatly from country to country around the globe whether their localized dubbing of Inspector Gadget is based on the English- or French-language masters. That's a bigger discussion than what I intended with this post, though. For now, have a listen to the German intro sequence for the original "Inspektor Gadget"...
*Note that I'm saying "dub" here. It's a widespread misunderstanding on the internet that Inspector Gadget's original production language was French, but as I've mentioned before, it really wasn't. The scripts were written and the voices were recorded in English first (for Season 1, at Nelvana in Canada; for Season 2, at DiC in Los Angeles). The French-language version of the series was translated from the English version. (But again, a topic for another day...)
Monday, January 26, 2015
Australian and Romanian Boomerang Ads [UPDATED]
Well, what do you know? An Australian ad I hadn't seen before, and in full HD to boost! Even though I found the ad on this Chinese Cite (where it's actually been up since December 30, 2014 according to Google), it's clearly Australian judging by the narrator. As we've recently learned, though, the series' debut in China (or Asia Pacific in general) seems to have happened on the same day and clock time as the Australian premiere, January 5 at 4:30 PM.
Note by the way that this has the same narrator (and many of the same clips) as the below Foxtel ad which I already posted about here...
Also, here's a Romanian-language promo, in the form of a television recording uploaded by the unofficial YouTube channel CNBoomROpromos. It's pretty much the same ad as this French one, but with the original English theme music and logo. Since Romania is part of Central Eastern Europe, I assume the series' Romanian premiere will be on February 2 along with Boomerang CEE at large.
UPDATE: I had thought the last ad presented here was Hungarian, but it's actually Romanian, as pointed out by in the comments by Gyerek - Világ.
Note by the way that this has the same narrator (and many of the same clips) as the below Foxtel ad which I already posted about here...
Also, here's a Romanian-language promo, in the form of a television recording uploaded by the unofficial YouTube channel CNBoomROpromos. It's pretty much the same ad as this French one, but with the original English theme music and logo. Since Romania is part of Central Eastern Europe, I assume the series' Romanian premiere will be on February 2 along with Boomerang CEE at large.
UPDATE: I had thought the last ad presented here was Hungarian, but it's actually Romanian, as pointed out by in the comments by Gyerek - Világ.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
More German Trailers from Super RTL and Boomerang DE
Remember the news that Boomerang in Germany (as well as in Switzerland and Austria) will air the new series from February 16 onwards? It appears the strategy is that Super RTL debuts the episodes first, then the German Boomerang channel gives them a second launch. Here's the first trailer uploaded on Boomerang DE's YouTube page - "Demnächst: Inspector Gadget" ("Coming soon: Inspector Gadget").
Oh, and remember those character-specific trailers on Super RTL's Toggo site that will only play on cel phones? Good news! Toggo has now uploaded all three of them in full HD to its YouTube channel. Here are the trailers for Gadget, Penny and Brain, and Dr Claw and Talon, respectively:
Oh, and remember those character-specific trailers on Super RTL's Toggo site that will only play on cel phones? Good news! Toggo has now uploaded all three of them in full HD to its YouTube channel. Here are the trailers for Gadget, Penny and Brain, and Dr Claw and Talon, respectively:
Just A Thought...
I'm currently a bit intrigued with this ten-year-old fan art by animation artist Andrew Dickman on DeviantArt. Gadget's basic design in this piece looks fascinatingly close to his redesign in the new TV series, don't you think?
This drawing was published all the way back on May 15, 2004, so it's almost certainly a complete coincidence. But I mean, REALLY. Especially the short coat, but also the slim style of the legs, arms, and fingers, and even the simplified chin, reminds me directly of Gadget's new series look.
Please note: While I've edited it somewhat for this comparison, the black-and-white artwork here belongs 100% to Andrew Dickman. |
Not that I'm an expert on Inspector Gadget fan art... maybe there are dozens of similar-looking pieces out there. But I do find it intriguing how alike people's design ideas can be. While I suppose there IS a chance that some of DHX's designers have seen the 2004 piece by Andrew, it feels just as likely that the similarities happened by coincidence. Ricardo Adrégo once suggested a practical animation reason for shortening the coat for the new CGI series: "Shrinking the trenchcoat at the bottom saves precious rendering time since the program doesnt have to calculate the collision simulation." That makes as much sense as any potential explanation I've heard... though I suppose someone also thought the shorter version looked cool.
You may have picked up on me NOT exactly being the biggest fan of the shortened coat. I think it looks far less iconic than the 1983 coat, and honestly, I wish they'd kept it long. In that regard, this stylish, classic-looking 2006 piece by Andrew is more up my alley (though those shoes sure are goofy-looking)...
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Super RTL Stuff: Toggo's Full-Fledged Inspector Gadget Site!
Here's another news piece which has gotten very much delayed, but which I still think is worth getting out there, partly just because it's so cool. Remember the little Inspector Gadget section of Super RTL's TOGGO site? Turns out that was only the initial starting phase, since Toggo.de has since launched a full-fledged Inspector Gadget site with character sections, games and videos! Before I say anything more, I think Toggo's own YouTube trailer can be a good introduction:
The trailer has been out since January 8, the day before the series' German TV premiere on Super RTL, and I suspect the full Toggo site launched about then as well. I have to say -- even though the whole site is well below my age level, it's still pretty awesome to see such a fleshed out web page for the new series, introducing the show and its characters to kids in a simple, straightforward manner.
I especially like how the site has separate character sections for Gadget/Chief Quimby/Professor Von Slickstein, Penny/Brain and Dr Claw/Talon/M.A.D. Cat (with slide presentations of the starring characters), which are linked to from the main page. Not only does this separate in a clear-cut manner between good guys and bad guys, it also separates between the good guy adults - Gadget and Co. - and the good guy kids - Penny and Brain - who are of course the real heroes. Sure, Penny is a teenager here, but the irony from the original series is still essentially present: the kids are the only ones who really know how to save the world from evil; without them, the adults wouldn't stand a chance. So naturally Penny and Brain deserve their own part of the site. The name for their section is also quite interesting, I think: "Spass mit Sophie und Fino", meaning "Fun with Penny and Brain". The wording feels like a way of making kid viewers identify with these two characters.
In addition to presentations of the stars, each character section also has its own video trailer, game and assortment of screenshots. The screenshots are high-res, but look a bit softer than I'd expect, as if they have been upscaled. Still, well worth a look. Here's one example from the Dr Claw section:
The games, though, while probably okay for the smallest children, could be a lot more exciting in my opinion. The Inspector Gadget section's "Gewinnspiel" is an extremely simple one where you need to select the correct gadgets for Gadget's missions... though made more interesting by small video rewards and the chance to win actual prices. In M.A.D.'s section, there's "Fang die MAD-Katze" (Catch the M.A.D. Cat), which is actually even simpler:
The only action-orented challenge is offered in the Penny/Brain section: "Rette Inspector Gadget!" ('Save Inspector Gadget!') is a runner game where you - as Penny - need to avoid obstacles from M.A.D and keep running and jumping towards your uncle to save him from the clutches of evil. It's okay, but could easily have been much more exciting (even if, I know, it's WAY below my age group). And why on earth doesn't an action game like this have any music? It actually becomes quite dull to play after a little while, with long stretches of almost complete silence. Come to think of it, music is conspicuously absent from the whole site. Hmmm.
Complaints aside, though... the end screen of "Rette Inspector Gadget!" is really lovely.
And aside from the characters and games, yet another interesting feature is the Inspector Gadget video section, where two new half-hour episodes are made available to stream for exactly one week after they have aired on Super RTL (separated online into 11-minute segments, as you can see on the site). The available episodes for the moment are half-hours 3 ("Rock Out" / "Strike A Pose") and 4 ("Better Class of MAD" / "Cough Due to Claw"), which aired in Germany this Friday and Saturday.
As with the earlier Agenten-Mission video reward, the episodes are not playable on my laptop, only on my cel phone, annoyingly. In fact, this is also true of all the video trailers in the different character sections: the Super RTL player keeps refusing to show them on my PC. I'm not sure if this is some kind of technical error or a restriction for visitors outside of Germany (I'm guessing the latter, but the site doesn't seem to say anything about it). If anyone in Germany is reading this, perhaps you could check how it works on your end?
One video ad has at least become easily watchable elsewhere - the earlier mentioned reward for the Agenten Mission game (which can still be played at the bottom of the main page, by the way). Here it is, embedded from a January 6 upload on Super RTL's Facebook site...
(By the way; MAN, do Gadget and Penny look freakish in the live-action bits of that ad. Bobbing heads, floaty eyes and half-open mouths... yep, that's appealing!)
Anyway, to get back to the main point of this post -- I'm loving the fact that Super RTL has given the new series a proper home page. It's the only one of its kind right now, seemingly, but the elaborate way it's set up and designed does make me wonder: could a proper inspectorgadget.com (which doesn't just lead to a little Facebook site) be in the cards as well?
The trailer has been out since January 8, the day before the series' German TV premiere on Super RTL, and I suspect the full Toggo site launched about then as well. I have to say -- even though the whole site is well below my age level, it's still pretty awesome to see such a fleshed out web page for the new series, introducing the show and its characters to kids in a simple, straightforward manner.
I especially like how the site has separate character sections for Gadget/Chief Quimby/Professor Von Slickstein, Penny/Brain and Dr Claw/Talon/M.A.D. Cat (with slide presentations of the starring characters), which are linked to from the main page. Not only does this separate in a clear-cut manner between good guys and bad guys, it also separates between the good guy adults - Gadget and Co. - and the good guy kids - Penny and Brain - who are of course the real heroes. Sure, Penny is a teenager here, but the irony from the original series is still essentially present: the kids are the only ones who really know how to save the world from evil; without them, the adults wouldn't stand a chance. So naturally Penny and Brain deserve their own part of the site. The name for their section is also quite interesting, I think: "Spass mit Sophie und Fino", meaning "Fun with Penny and Brain". The wording feels like a way of making kid viewers identify with these two characters.
In addition to presentations of the stars, each character section also has its own video trailer, game and assortment of screenshots. The screenshots are high-res, but look a bit softer than I'd expect, as if they have been upscaled. Still, well worth a look. Here's one example from the Dr Claw section:
The games, though, while probably okay for the smallest children, could be a lot more exciting in my opinion. The Inspector Gadget section's "Gewinnspiel" is an extremely simple one where you need to select the correct gadgets for Gadget's missions... though made more interesting by small video rewards and the chance to win actual prices. In M.A.D.'s section, there's "Fang die MAD-Katze" (Catch the M.A.D. Cat), which is actually even simpler:
The only action-orented challenge is offered in the Penny/Brain section: "Rette Inspector Gadget!" ('Save Inspector Gadget!') is a runner game where you - as Penny - need to avoid obstacles from M.A.D and keep running and jumping towards your uncle to save him from the clutches of evil. It's okay, but could easily have been much more exciting (even if, I know, it's WAY below my age group). And why on earth doesn't an action game like this have any music? It actually becomes quite dull to play after a little while, with long stretches of almost complete silence. Come to think of it, music is conspicuously absent from the whole site. Hmmm.
Complaints aside, though... the end screen of "Rette Inspector Gadget!" is really lovely.
This is from a screenshot, too: Check out the filmreel in the image below. |
And aside from the characters and games, yet another interesting feature is the Inspector Gadget video section, where two new half-hour episodes are made available to stream for exactly one week after they have aired on Super RTL (separated online into 11-minute segments, as you can see on the site). The available episodes for the moment are half-hours 3 ("Rock Out" / "Strike A Pose") and 4 ("Better Class of MAD" / "Cough Due to Claw"), which aired in Germany this Friday and Saturday.
As with the earlier Agenten-Mission video reward, the episodes are not playable on my laptop, only on my cel phone, annoyingly. In fact, this is also true of all the video trailers in the different character sections: the Super RTL player keeps refusing to show them on my PC. I'm not sure if this is some kind of technical error or a restriction for visitors outside of Germany (I'm guessing the latter, but the site doesn't seem to say anything about it). If anyone in Germany is reading this, perhaps you could check how it works on your end?
One video ad has at least become easily watchable elsewhere - the earlier mentioned reward for the Agenten Mission game (which can still be played at the bottom of the main page, by the way). Here it is, embedded from a January 6 upload on Super RTL's Facebook site...
(By the way; MAN, do Gadget and Penny look freakish in the live-action bits of that ad. Bobbing heads, floaty eyes and half-open mouths... yep, that's appealing!)
Anyway, to get back to the main point of this post -- I'm loving the fact that Super RTL has given the new series a proper home page. It's the only one of its kind right now, seemingly, but the elaborate way it's set up and designed does make me wonder: could a proper inspectorgadget.com (which doesn't just lead to a little Facebook site) be in the cards as well?
So I May Have Been Wrong About The January 1 Boomerang Asia Premiere
Again, assumptions. Back when I reported that premiere date, I assumed it from two sentences in a Boomerang Asia press release circulating online. One: "In the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Myanmar, Boomerang will replace Cartoonito channel feed on January 1, 2015." Two, a direct quote from Mark Eyers of Turner International Asia Pacific: "Right from the start, we’ll be airing the all-new Inspector Gadget and Turbo FAST series." It's logical enough to assume that "right from the start" means literally right from the day that Boomerang relaunches in Asia... right?
Well, maybe not right. According to TVB Network Vision, a wireless television network service in Hong Kong, the Gadget reboot actually debuted on the Chinese Boomerang on January 5, at 4:30 PM. As we know from the above press release quote, the Boomerang Asia feed encompasses (among many other ares) Hong Kong. Here's a snapshot of TVB's series presentation:
Another strong indication that this might be the correct date is the YouTube video which led me to TVB Network Vision's site - a Boomerang trailer from them which was uploaded on the very date of January 5. Small Gadget clips at 00:17 and 00:57...
...and also, a Facebook trailer for numerous kids channels under the TVB service was published the same day. Short Gadget snippet at 00:09.
I think these videos, combined with TVB's site presentation, offers enough evidence that the Boomerang Asia premiere of Inspector Gadget was indeed January 5, not January 1 as previously assumed. This will be revised in the news column's list of premiere dates. Oh, and I suppose I might as well include the four high-res images from TVB's site...
Well, maybe not right. According to TVB Network Vision, a wireless television network service in Hong Kong, the Gadget reboot actually debuted on the Chinese Boomerang on January 5, at 4:30 PM. As we know from the above press release quote, the Boomerang Asia feed encompasses (among many other ares) Hong Kong. Here's a snapshot of TVB's series presentation:
Another strong indication that this might be the correct date is the YouTube video which led me to TVB Network Vision's site - a Boomerang trailer from them which was uploaded on the very date of January 5. Small Gadget clips at 00:17 and 00:57...
...and also, a Facebook trailer for numerous kids channels under the TVB service was published the same day. Short Gadget snippet at 00:09.
I think these videos, combined with TVB's site presentation, offers enough evidence that the Boomerang Asia premiere of Inspector Gadget was indeed January 5, not January 1 as previously assumed. This will be revised in the news column's list of premiere dates. Oh, and I suppose I might as well include the four high-res images from TVB's site...
I'm not even saying anything this time. Not a word. |
Monday, January 19, 2015
Boomerang in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to Premiere the Gadget Reboot on February 16, 2015
Some surpricing (for me, at least) developments: Seems Super RTL will not be the only channel to air the reboot in Germany. I've come across a German-language PDF press release of February "Programmhighlights" on Boomerang, with Inspector Gadget as one of them. For some reason the PDF's url doesn't seem to show anything, but here's the relevant part via Google Cache:
„Inspector Gadget“
Senderpremiere der ersten Staffel ab Montag,
16. Februar, immer montags bis freitags um 16:10 Uhr
Inspektor Gagdet ist wieder da! Der lustige Detektiv mit den
vielen technischen Spielereien ist ab 16. Februar immer mon-
tags bis freitags um 16:10 Uhr bei Boomerang zu sehen. In der
ersten Staffel stürzt sich Inspektor Gadget in den Kampf ge-
gen den bösen Dr. Kralle. Seine Ungeschicklichkeit steht ihm
dabei jedoch immer wieder im Weg, weshalb ihn seine Nichte
mit der Hilfe ihres Computer-Buches öfter aus der Patsche
ziehen muss.
First part in English:
Broadcast premiere of the first season on Monday, February 16, every Monday to Friday at 16:10
There's some contact information for the PR coordinator for Boomerang Germany, Austria and Switzerland at the bottom, which is what leads me to assume that this information goes for all three countries. And adding to that, I have some actual TV schedules for Germany and Austria. The schedules both offer one contradiction to the above press release, though: The airing time is stated as 16:35 in the afternoon, rather than 16:10. Here's a snapshot of TVinfo's Boomerang schedule for February 16, 2015 (as well as the next three days):
Meanwhile, the Boomerang guide at Sky Österreich (go to February 16 in the calendar) shows the exact same shedule for Austria. Here's a program page for the first scheduled broadcast of "Gadget 2.0".
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Boomerang France Stuff: Videos, Images, Puzzles
And now for a big update which has been overdue for some time. I've been quite busy lately, so the time I've had to spare for this site has mainly been used for smaller news posts regarding premiere dates around the globe. Meanwhile, though, my Spanish neighbor Daniel over at the Adelante GadgetoBlog has done a nice job of reporting some developments which I haven't had time and energy to write properly about here. These news are all related to Boomerang France and Super RTL, the broadcasters of the reboot in France and Germany, respectively... and in this post, I'll brief quickly through the Boomerang France stuff. We're starting with the recently created "Inspecteur Gadget" playlist on Boomerang FR, the network's official YouTube channel. Three videos are up so far, and I suspect more will be added. Here they are in order...
The French theme song/intro sequence for the new series. This was published on YouTube on January 2, but actually uploaded a few weeks before and shared on December 30 on Boomerang France's Facebook page, which is where Daniel discovered it. Interestingly, this is not a translated version of the new English-language theme, but rather an orchestration of Shuki Levy's original composition... complete with lyrics from the 1983 French theme and custom-made sound effects. (Oh, and the video is without credits on top and in full 1080p HD.) I'll have more to say on this French theme song later. Daniel's commentary, in Spanish, can be read here.
The first three minutes of episode 1a, "Gadget 2.0 Part 1", was also published on YouTube the same day as the intro sequence, on January 2. I actually stopped watching this clip after the intro when I found it, not wanting spoilers in a language I don't speak. Daniel, on the other hand, has posted a review of the clip (also with warning of spoilers). I'll point out one detail right away, though: this version of the intro - very likely the one used for television airings - has both written credits and no sound effects, as a contrast to the "générique" video above.
A generic teaser published on YouTube the same day as the two videos above - but which was actually uploaded to Boomerang France's Facebook site on December 22. Since the Facebook upload has slightly higher resolution, I'm embedding that version here:
This, then, leads us over to Boomerang France's Facebook site, which confusingly is just called "Boomerang TV". Teasers for the new series have been popping up there in the form of images and videos since December 15, apparently. Here are some of them...
You've all seen the image above countless times, of course, but this version - shared on Facebook on December 19 - replaces the original English title logo with the French one. I'll agree with Daniel that the logo here feels flatter and less natural than in the English-language pic, where the title was given a three-dimensional perspective that felt natural considering how Gadget was holding it. The French logo has likely been inserted in a much more rushed fashion.
The following two images are quite clearly framegrabs from "Gadget 2.0", as they were used to advertise for the premiere episode back on January 3. I'm including them here since they don't seem to spoil much of anything, but rather pique the curiosity:
Below, from January 7, some promo art of Dr Claw and Talon in a rather interesting style... it seems drawn lines have been added on top of the CGI rendering. The caption asks, "What is the name of Insspector Gadget's greatest enemy?" (And speaking of names, Talon is named "Tristan" in the French dub of the series. Just thought I'd mention it here since I haven't elsewhere.)
And here's a Facebook video called "Les gentils" from January 14, focusing on Penny and Brain ("Les gentils" = "The Good Guys" or something to that effect). It could already be seen on Boomerangtv.fr, but this version has much better quality. I'd say it contains no major spoilers... though obviously, if you want no spoilers of scenes at all, don't watch it.
Since I mentioned boomerangtv.fr, a quick look at the Gadget stuff on Boomerang France's official web site could also be appropriate. For small kids, there's a games section where you can play an Inspecteur Gadget quiz (hey, I got 6 out of 6 correct even without speaking French! I feel good now) as well as three puzzle games.
More interestingly, though, some low-res promo videos can be found. In addition to a general "La bande-annonce" ad for the new series (which we've already seen in full HD) and "Les gentils", there's "Les gadgets" and "Les méchants" ("The Bad Guys")". The latter does admittedly contain some scenes which I will call unnecessary spoilers, so decide for yourself if you wanna watch.
And THAT should be all for now. WHEW. I think I'm going to bed...
The French theme song/intro sequence for the new series. This was published on YouTube on January 2, but actually uploaded a few weeks before and shared on December 30 on Boomerang France's Facebook page, which is where Daniel discovered it. Interestingly, this is not a translated version of the new English-language theme, but rather an orchestration of Shuki Levy's original composition... complete with lyrics from the 1983 French theme and custom-made sound effects. (Oh, and the video is without credits on top and in full 1080p HD.) I'll have more to say on this French theme song later. Daniel's commentary, in Spanish, can be read here.
The first three minutes of episode 1a, "Gadget 2.0 Part 1", was also published on YouTube the same day as the intro sequence, on January 2. I actually stopped watching this clip after the intro when I found it, not wanting spoilers in a language I don't speak. Daniel, on the other hand, has posted a review of the clip (also with warning of spoilers). I'll point out one detail right away, though: this version of the intro - very likely the one used for television airings - has both written credits and no sound effects, as a contrast to the "générique" video above.
A generic teaser published on YouTube the same day as the two videos above - but which was actually uploaded to Boomerang France's Facebook site on December 22. Since the Facebook upload has slightly higher resolution, I'm embedding that version here:
Post by Boomerang TV.
This, then, leads us over to Boomerang France's Facebook site, which confusingly is just called "Boomerang TV". Teasers for the new series have been popping up there in the form of images and videos since December 15, apparently. Here are some of them...
From December 15, this first teaser is a silhouette version of the Gadget copter promo image which can be seen here. |
You've all seen the image above countless times, of course, but this version - shared on Facebook on December 19 - replaces the original English title logo with the French one. I'll agree with Daniel that the logo here feels flatter and less natural than in the English-language pic, where the title was given a three-dimensional perspective that felt natural considering how Gadget was holding it. The French logo has likely been inserted in a much more rushed fashion.
From January 1. The caption says, as you might have guessed, "Happy New Year!" |
The following two images are quite clearly framegrabs from "Gadget 2.0", as they were used to advertise for the premiere episode back on January 3. I'm including them here since they don't seem to spoil much of anything, but rather pique the curiosity:
Below, from January 7, some promo art of Dr Claw and Talon in a rather interesting style... it seems drawn lines have been added on top of the CGI rendering. The caption asks, "What is the name of Insspector Gadget's greatest enemy?" (And speaking of names, Talon is named "Tristan" in the French dub of the series. Just thought I'd mention it here since I haven't elsewhere.)
And here's a Facebook video called "Les gentils" from January 14, focusing on Penny and Brain ("Les gentils" = "The Good Guys" or something to that effect). It could already be seen on Boomerangtv.fr, but this version has much better quality. I'd say it contains no major spoilers... though obviously, if you want no spoilers of scenes at all, don't watch it.
Post by Boomerang TV.
Since I mentioned boomerangtv.fr, a quick look at the Gadget stuff on Boomerang France's official web site could also be appropriate. For small kids, there's a games section where you can play an Inspecteur Gadget quiz (hey, I got 6 out of 6 correct even without speaking French! I feel good now) as well as three puzzle games.
More interestingly, though, some low-res promo videos can be found. In addition to a general "La bande-annonce" ad for the new series (which we've already seen in full HD) and "Les gentils", there's "Les gadgets" and "Les méchants" ("The Bad Guys")". The latter does admittedly contain some scenes which I will call unnecessary spoilers, so decide for yourself if you wanna watch.
And THAT should be all for now. WHEW. I think I'm going to bed...
Final add-on: Boomerang France's current Facebook banner. The YouTube banner is also a variant of this. (Not sure why the 10:25 airing time is off by 5 minutes, though.) |
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Boomerang UK to Premiere The New Inspector Gadget Series on February 16, 2015 at 8AM
This according to the Cartoon Network fan site RegularCapital, which just posted a fresh press release from today from Turner UK. As in several other areas, the new Gadget series is set to start concurrently with Boomerang's major rebrand in Great Britain, which takes place on Monday, February 16. Here's the relevant part of the press release:
Always nice to see another premiere date confirmed... the list keeps growing.
Inspector Gadget
New Show
From 16th February at 8am for Half-term
Brand new CGI animated series, Inspector Gadget, follows everyone’s favourite clueless detective; who doesn’t really know how to use the various gadgets built into his body. He usually overcomes perilous situations by sheer luck, or with help from his faithful niece Penny and intelligent dog Brain.
Always nice to see another premiere date confirmed... the list keeps growing.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Teletoon Canada Premieres the New Inspector Gadget in... June 2015!
This information comes from character animator Scott Baltjes over on his Flickr account, underneath a photo which was taken on December 12, 2014 (and uploaded on December 15). And before I post his full quote, I kinda feel like showcasing the photo. Remember those cardboard cutouts in DHX Halifax's hallways of Gadget, Penny and Brain (among other characters)? Well, turns out the DHX empoyees decided to dress up Gadget a bit for a recent Christmas party:
Now then - here's Baltjes' image description, including that very interesting Teletoon Canada information...
The interesting thing here is not only how much later the Teletoon Canada premiere will be than for every other country announced so far (which Baltjes even acknowledges himself with "Everywhere else in January or February")... but also that it mirrors information announced in the French press last summer. Back then, it was reported on numerous French news sites that the public channel France 3 had purchased the new series, and would air it in the fall of 2015, following the tentative Candian premiere in June. Here's a Google-translated quote from an Ozap.com piece from July 9, 2014 (which I already posted about here):
The June 2015 part matches what Baltjes is saying about Teletoon. Considering that, could the part about France 3 actually be true as well? I had assumed that Boomerang France broadcasting the reboot automatically meant that the France 3 deal had fallen through... but maybe not. One of this blog's readers, Nbu, presented a theory regarding this a little while back:
If Nbu's assumption here is correct, then perhaps both Boomerang and France 3 aquired broadcast rights for the new series... with the agreement that it would premiere first on the paid Boomerang channel early in 2015, then get a second, free launch by France 3 in the fall. Considering Gadget's huge popularity among French audiences, it sort of feels logical to give the reboot the most wide-spread release possible.
Anyway, the info on Teletoon Canada seems more than legit, so I'm adding that to my list of upcoming premieres in the news margin. I'm more than a little surpriced, honestly, that the network which actually commssioned the new Gadget series will seemingly be the last (or one of the last) to premiere it... but then again, maybe Teletoon's summer 2015 launch was planned before any Boomerang premiere dates were set.
Now then - here's Baltjes' image description, including that very interesting Teletoon Canada information...
DHXmas Party
Inspector Gadget - airing on Teletoon here in Canada June 2015. Everywhere else in January or February.
The interesting thing here is not only how much later the Teletoon Canada premiere will be than for every other country announced so far (which Baltjes even acknowledges himself with "Everywhere else in January or February")... but also that it mirrors information announced in the French press last summer. Back then, it was reported on numerous French news sites that the public channel France 3 had purchased the new series, and would air it in the fall of 2015, following the tentative Candian premiere in June. Here's a Google-translated quote from an Ozap.com piece from July 9, 2014 (which I already posted about here):
This new series of 52 episodes of 11 minutes will be delivered in June 2015 by the Canadian production but it will take a few months to France 3 for the translation, dubbing and production of a less dated theme song. The channel should therefore not broadcast "Inspector Gadget" 2.0 before fall 2015.
The June 2015 part matches what Baltjes is saying about Teletoon. Considering that, could the part about France 3 actually be true as well? I had assumed that Boomerang France broadcasting the reboot automatically meant that the France 3 deal had fallen through... but maybe not. One of this blog's readers, Nbu, presented a theory regarding this a little while back:
About the France 3 deal : it's likely F3 purchased the series for a second release, meaning Gadget will come on it later that year, maybe september 2015.
If Nbu's assumption here is correct, then perhaps both Boomerang and France 3 aquired broadcast rights for the new series... with the agreement that it would premiere first on the paid Boomerang channel early in 2015, then get a second, free launch by France 3 in the fall. Considering Gadget's huge popularity among French audiences, it sort of feels logical to give the reboot the most wide-spread release possible.
Anyway, the info on Teletoon Canada seems more than legit, so I'm adding that to my list of upcoming premieres in the news margin. I'm more than a little surpriced, honestly, that the network which actually commssioned the new Gadget series will seemingly be the last (or one of the last) to premiere it... but then again, maybe Teletoon's summer 2015 launch was planned before any Boomerang premiere dates were set.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Boomerang Italy Premieres the New "Ispettore Gadget" on February 16, 2015 at 19:00
And we're back! I'm beginning to realize it is not humanly possible for me to feature properly every bit of news popping up these days (as I'm busier than I was during Christmas and already behind), but I'll try to race through some of them. Here's one about another country/channel joining the broadcast lineup, namely Boomerang Italy. According to the Italian news site tvblog.it:
In English:
So now you know, all you hundreds of Italian Gadget fans undoubtedly reading this. Hey, anyone think they'll get Cristina D'Avena to sing a new Italian theme tune? The one she did in 1993 for the original series seems to have caught on pretty well...
L'Ispettore Gadget, la nuova serie in prima tv da febbraio su Boomerang
(...) Per le nuove generazioni arriva l'occasione di conoscere il personaggio che ha segnato l'infanzia dei bambini degli anni '80 e '90. La novità è l'arrivo del remake realizzato da DHX Media, in Cgi, in onda dal 16 febbraio tutti i giorni dal lunedì al venerdì alle 19.00 su Boomerang.
In English:
Inspector Gadget, the new series in TV premiere from February on Boomerang
(...) For the new generations, get the chance to learn about the character that marked the childhood of children of the 80s and 90s. The news is the arrival of the remake by DHX Media, in CGI, airing from February 16 every day from Monday to Friday at 19.00 on Boomerang.
So now you know, all you hundreds of Italian Gadget fans undoubtedly reading this. Hey, anyone think they'll get Cristina D'Avena to sing a new Italian theme tune? The one she did in 1993 for the original series seems to have caught on pretty well...
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Boomerang in Africa (EMEA) Premieres Inspector Gadget's Reboot at 16:15 on January 14 (Plus Images of Historic Value!)
More schedule specifcations! The following was reported about a week ago by DStv, which is Africa's "leading multichannel digital satellite television operator", according to its info section:
...but the second image is much more interesting to me. Regular readers might recognize it - this is actually the very image that we saw from a different, low-quality perspective last June, when Penny and Brain's new character designs were first revealed on the web. At the time, all we got was a photo of some cardboard characters displayed in DHX Halifax's offices, but man, was it exciting just being able to see Penny and Brain back then! And now, we have a much better view of that original, first glimpse. Just for that, I'd say this pic even has some historic value.
Inspector Gadget
Boomerang (302)
Wed, 14 January 16:15
Inspector Gadget has been fighting crime since before most DStv Kids were born - but Boomerang has a rebooted, CGI version of the old-school classic to go with their new look.
On Wednesday 14 January at 16:15, kids can catch Inspector Gadget as he takes on his arch nemesis, Dr CLAW.
While I'm not 100% sure, I assume this timeslot for Boomerang in Africa also includes Boomerang EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, Africa) in general; considering that January 14 matches the Boomerang EMEA date we already knew.
By the way: a longer DStv write-up on the reboot, published on January 1, includes a few images of potential interest. One is the 'waving' pose of Gadget which we've seen a gazillion times before, though without any background this time around...
In fact, making the view complete, let's add in the image that was used on Gadget's cardboard display as well. This nice-quality version popped up recently on Super RTL's toggo.de...
And finally, here's the original press photo from June:
June 2014. Those were the days. A low-res photo like this could cause intense excitement. |
Thursday, January 1, 2015
German-Language Trailer and Official Show Site Courtesy of Super RTL's Toggo
Happy new series year! We're kicking off 2015 with an all-new trailer, this one giving a taste of the German dub, as it advertises for Super RTL's airing of Inspector Gadget from January 9 onwards:
The video was uploaded yesterday by Toggo, the official YouTube channel for Super RTL's program block of the same name, which airs children's entertainment aimed at 6- to 13-year-olds in the afternoons and evenings. Of course, it's within this block the Inspector Gadget reboot will air at 19:45 (7:45 pm) every Friday and Saturday. And interestingly, Toggo's web site also has an official Inspector Gadget show section, the first I've seen for the reboot. Here's a snapshot of the main page:
All the main characters - Gadget, Penny Brain, Dr Claw, Talon, Chief Quimby and M.A.D. Cat - provide short, German-written presentations of themselves (you can see Gadget's above). Oh, and there's also an absolutely exhilarating "Agenten-Mission" game at the bottom of the page:
The site is clearly targeted towards small kids, but it's still fun to see a web page devoted to the series. I'm guessing more of these will pop up shortly on broadcasters' sites around the globe.
As for the video trailer up above, I found it quite fun. Now that more and more trailers are popping up, it's nice to finally see the animation in full 1080p HD, which it is of course intended for.
I also kinda like the character presentation images on Toggo.de, which include yet another set of logo names resembling the show's title logo somewhat. Just for the heck of it, here's the whole bunch...
The video was uploaded yesterday by Toggo, the official YouTube channel for Super RTL's program block of the same name, which airs children's entertainment aimed at 6- to 13-year-olds in the afternoons and evenings. Of course, it's within this block the Inspector Gadget reboot will air at 19:45 (7:45 pm) every Friday and Saturday. And interestingly, Toggo's web site also has an official Inspector Gadget show section, the first I've seen for the reboot. Here's a snapshot of the main page:
All the main characters - Gadget, Penny Brain, Dr Claw, Talon, Chief Quimby and M.A.D. Cat - provide short, German-written presentations of themselves (you can see Gadget's above). Oh, and there's also an absolutely exhilarating "Agenten-Mission" game at the bottom of the page:
The site is clearly targeted towards small kids, but it's still fun to see a web page devoted to the series. I'm guessing more of these will pop up shortly on broadcasters' sites around the globe.
As for the video trailer up above, I found it quite fun. Now that more and more trailers are popping up, it's nice to finally see the animation in full 1080p HD, which it is of course intended for.
Several characters get logos for their names in the trailer, but strangely enough not Brain. Is even Talon more important?? |
Yikes! What's going on here? I'm almost afraid to find out. |
Always nice to see Brain and Penny working together. |
I also kinda like the character presentation images on Toggo.de, which include yet another set of logo names resembling the show's title logo somewhat. Just for the heck of it, here's the whole bunch...
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