Bob and Margaret
Bob and Margaret is a 1998-2001 British-Canadian adult animated television series produced by animation studio Nelvana and created by David Fine and Alison Snowden.[1] The series was based on the Academy Award-winning short film Bob's Birthday, featuring the same main characters, which won the Best Animated Short Film Oscar in 1994.[2] The series is one of the few Canadian TV shows to ever have regular American exposure. In Canada, it was the highest rated Canadian made animated series ever when it aired in primetime on Global.
| Bob and Margaret | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | David Fine and Alison Snowden |
| Starring | Andy Hamilton/Brian George as Bob Fish Alison Snowden as Margaret Fish |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom Canada |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 52 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 22 mins |
| Production company(s) | Snowden Fine Animation Philippines Animation Studios National Film Board of Canada Nelvana |
| Release | |
| Original network | Global (Canada) Channel 4 (UK) |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Original release | June 22, 1998 – December 25, 2001 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Ricky Sprocket: Showbiz Boy O Canada |
The show revolved around a married English couple named Bob and Margaret Fish, a middle class 40-ish working couple with no children and two dogs named William and Elizabeth.[3] Bob is a dentist and Margaret is a chiropodist. Bob and Margaret struggle with everyday issues and mid life crises. Stories often revolve around the mundane, but in a way which is eminently relatable. From the trials of shopping to dealing with friends who annoy them, but owe them a dinner.
In the first two seasons, Bob and Margaret lived in England, in the South London community of Balham. For the third and fourth seasons, however, they moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, allowing the writers to explore the humour of culture clash. The move was actually inspired by the realities of funding, with certain Canadian tax benefits dependent on stories actually based in Canada. As such, to keep the series funded, the move was necessary. The creators of the series (real-life husband-and-wife David Fine and Alison Snowden) chose to take an executive role on these latter two seasons, reviewing scripts and consulting, but not involved in the detail they were for the first two seasons. Snowden continued to provide the voice of Margaret, but Bob's voice, originally played by Andy Hamilton, was replaced by Brian George.
The programme was shown in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 and Ftn, in the United States 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 2 years after Comedy Central showed the last second-season episode) on the Showtime cable channel; they currently rerun all four seasons on their specialty "Showtime Women" channel.
Bob and Margaret formerly aired on Locomotion, and Adult Swim Latin America. Cartoon Network Brasil aired its four seasons on the Adult Swim block. The London seasons also get shown in the UK, currently on Channel 4. It also had a brief run, years later, on Canada's YTV. In December 2013, biTe started to air this series (until the rebrand to Makeful on August 24, 2015).
The second series can be found on Region 1 NTSC DVDs in Canada and Region 2 PAL DVDs in the UK. Season one can be found on VHS in PAL (at least in the UK) and NTSC (at least in Canada), and the DVD was released in Canada in February 2010 as an NTSC Region 1 Set. The third and the fourth seasons can be viewed in Amazon Video and ITunes.
Characters
Main characters
- Bob Fish (voiced by Andy Hamilton in Season 1&2, Brian George in Season 3&4): is portrayed as an English dentist working in South London and is the husband of Margaret. His Parents are Daisy and Cesial Fish who often addresses him as Robert. Bob has a brother named Peter a successful world class television chef and sister named Susan who is a recent divorcee and single mum. In the show, his father is deceased and only appears in past flashbacks. His mother Daisy still lives and is very mean-spirited to Bob but not to his brother Peter. Throughout the series Bob is portrayed as the most kind and understanding person out of his family, however there are times he unknowingly becomes offensive often targeting Margaret but he eventually realizes it and makes his apologies. He and Margaret have two dogs named William and Elizabeth and the food they are often seen eating is Chinese and sometimes Indian.
- Margaret Fish (voiced by Alison Snowden): Bob's wife, Margaret, is portrayed as an English chiropodist working in South London. Her parents are Tony and Maureen Heslop who greatly adore her husband Bob however they show little to no respect for Margaret. Margaret resents her parents for it but does not show it. Throughout the series she was portrayed as caring and very passive which leads other people to take advantage of her, however in various cases she learns to stand up for herself but only when the time calls for it. At one time, Margaret was accidentally classified as terrorist by the London police department who even attempted to assassinate her until they were informed that she was innocent. 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 and humorous view of life. The TV series depict them as being proud Canadians and always having to compare Toronto as being a better city than London and once with New York City (Stranded in Toronto). However, as much as they love and adore Bob and Margaret, they certainly and unknowingly annoy them on numerous occasions, for example, when they play their vacation videos about their visits to London and all the hilarious and humiliating moments of their taping Bob and Margaret at their worst time. The couple have two aggressive cats named Buster and Bailey. They first appeared in the episode "The Discomfort of Strangers" in Season 1 and recurrently in Season 3 and 4.
- Heather (voiced by Vickie Papavs):Heather is a secretary of Bob's working in his dental office in Toronto, she has similar attributes to Penny in terms of facial expression but is more kind and less judgemental with a carefree attitude.
- Ed, Patel and Audra: Ed and Patel are Bob's dental hygienists working in his Toronto dental clinic. Ed is defined as a Canadian woodman while his friend Patel is an Indian hygienist who encourages Bob to take on challenges for success. In one episode, both Ed and Patel fight when all three of them (including 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, she employs Margaret as the clinic's podiatrist. She appears to be of Jamaican descent.
- Guinevere (voiced by Tracey Hoyt): Guinevere is Margaret's secretary at the 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 seen as a lazy, alcoholic couch potato, and his wife Joyce is a hardworking smoker. The couple is mostly seen feuding.
- Gary: Son of Trevor and Joyce and a former army cadet who has a crush Bob's secretary Heather.
British-based characters
- Daisy: Bob's mother.
- Peter: (voiced by Steve Coogan) Bob's brother and a successful television chef.
- Neil and Moira: (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: (Gerald and Charlotte voiced by Lily Snowden) Peter's children who appear in the episode For Petes Sake in Season 1.
- Beany and Boney: Two burglars from London. (Beany voiced by Steve Brody)
- 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 Beatles and Ken Baxter: (Ken Baxter 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 characterized as a lazy, irresponsible and neglectful employee who seems to have an attitude problem. Death threats from violent protesters force Bob and Margaret to depart London on account of their dogs being improperly cared for - something that was actually Penny's fault.
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | DVD and Blu-ray release date | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |||
| 1 | 13 | June 22, 1998 | November 2, 1998 | 16 February 2010 [4] | N/A | N/A | |
| 2 | 13 | August 19, 1999 | May 20, 2000 | 25 September 2005 [5] | 17 July 2006 [6] | N/A | |
| 3 | 13 | May 30, 2001 | August 22, 2001 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 4 | 13 | September 13, 2001 | December 25, 2001 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Episodes
Season 1 (1998)
- All episodes in Season 1 are directed by Jamie Whitney.
| No. in series | Title | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "A Tale of Two Dentists" | David Fine | June 22, 1998 |
| 2 | "A Night In" | David Fine | June 29, 1998 |
| 3 | "Blood, Sweat and Tears" | Alison Snowden | July 6, 1998 |
| 4 | "Bob's Burglary" | Alison Snowden and David Fine | July 13, 1998 |
| 5 | "Shopping" | David Fine | July 20, 1998 |
| 6 | "The Holiday" | Alison Snowden | July 27, 1998 |
| 7 | "For Pete's Sake" | Alison Snowden | September 21, 1998 |
| 8 | "Friends for Dinner" | David Fine | September 28, 1998 |
| 9 | "Love's Labors Lost" | Alison Snowden | October 5, 1998 |
| 10 | "The Dental Convention" | Peter Baynham | October 12, 1998 |
| 11 | "Discomfort of Strangers" | David Fine and Alison Snowden | October 19, 1998 |
| 12 | "Trick of Treat" | David Fine and Alison Snowden | October 26, 1998 |
| 13 | "Neighbors" | Peter Baynham | November 2, 1998 |
Season 2 (1999−2000)
| 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 | August 19, 1999 |
| 15 | "No Trouble" | Doug Thoms | Peter Baynham | August 26, 1999 |
| 16 | "The Trouble with Mummy" | Jamie Whitney | Jamie Whitney, David Fine and Alison Snowden | September 2, 1999 |
| 17 | "The Fly on the Wall" | Doug Thoms | Tim Fountain | September 9, 1999 |
| 18 | "Problems" | Jamie Whitney | Jeremy Hardy | September 16, 1999 |
| 19 | "A Patient Dies in Bob's Chair" | Doug Thoms | Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil | September 23, 1999 |
| 20 | "Cuckoo in the Nest" | Karen Lessmann and Jamie Whitney | Tim Fountain | November 20, 1999 |
| 21 | "A New Life" | Doug Thoms | Peter Baynham | November 27, 1999 |
| 22 | "Animal Behavior" | Karen Lessmann and Jamie Whitney | Rosie Shuster | December 4, 1999 |
| 23 | "Party Politics" | Doug Thoms | Sarah Smith | January 8, 2000 |
| 24 | "Going Dutch" | Karen Lessmann | Sally Phillips | January 15, 2000 |
| 25 | "My Foot Hurts" | Karen Lessmann | Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil | April 30, 2000 |
| 26 | "A Bob or Two" | Karen Lessmann | Tim Fountain and David Fine | May 20, 2000 |
Season 3 (2001)
| No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | "Stranded in Toronto" | Julian Harris | Rosalind Shuster | May 30, 2001 |
| 28 | "Strangers in a Strange Land" | Dan Poitras | Valri Blomfield | May 30, 2001 |
| 29 | "Margaret Gets a Job" | Julian Harris | Rosalind Shuster and David Cole | June 13, 2001 |
| 30 | "'Til Death Do Us Part" | Dan Poitras | Heather Conkie | June 20, 2001 |
| 31 | "The Wedding" | Julian Harris | David Cole | June 27, 2001 |
| 32 | "Fish at the Bat" | Dan Poitras | Matthew Cope | July 4, 2001 |
| 33 | "Over-Exposed" | Dan Poitras | Valri Blomfield and David Cole Story idea by: Andrew Nicholls and Darrell Vickers |
July 11, 2001 |
| 34 | "Age Before Beauty" | Julian Harris | Leila Basen and David Preston | July 18, 2001 |
| 35 | "Book Club" | Julian Harris | Heather Conkie | July 25, 2001 |
| 36 | "On Location" | Julian Harris | Valri Bromfield | August 1, 2001 |
| 37 | "Cottage Country" | Dan Poitras | Terry Saltsman | August 8, 2001 |
| 38 | "Driving Bob" | Julian Harris | Valri Bromfield | August 15, 2001 |
| 39 | "Undefined Border" | Julian Harris | David Cole | August 22, 2001 |
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 | September 13, 2001 |
| 41 | "Jury Duty" | David Thomas | David Cole | September 20, 2001 |
| 42 | "The Player" | Harold Harris | Chas Lawther and Gail Kerbel | September 27, 2001 |
| 43 | "The Getaway" | David Thomas | Matthew Cope and David Cole | October 4, 2001 |
| 44 | "Mummy's Boy" | David Thomas | Julie Lacey | October 11, 2001 |
| 45 | "Gone to Seed" | David Thomas | Terry Saltsman | October 18, 2001 |
| 46 | "The Candidate" | Julian Harris | Terry Saltsman | October 25, 2001 |
| 47 | "Life Saver" | Julian Harris | Jennifer Cowan | November 1, 2001 |
| 48 | "I, Bob" | Julian Harris | David Cole | November 8, 2001 |
| 49 | "Mastermind" | Julian Harris | David Cole | November 15, 2001 |
| 50 | "Outward Bound" | David Thomas | David Fine and David Cole | November 22, 2001 |
| 51 | "Gary" | David Thomas | Chas Lawther and Gail Kerbel | November 29, 2001 |
| 52 | "A Very Fishy Christmas" | David Thomas | David Fine | December 25, 2001 |
See also
- O Canada (TV series), Cartoon Network series that featured "Bob's Birthday"
- Ricky Sprocket: Showbiz Boy
References
- Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 85–86. ISBN 978-1538103739.
- Gates, Anita (June 21, 1998). "TELEVISION; Unassertive, Unexciting And Loverly". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-12.
- Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 149. ISBN 978-1476665993.
- Bob & Margaret Series 1 Amazon Link (Region 1)
- Bob & Margaret Series 2 Amazon Link(Region 1)
- Bob & Margaret Series 2 Amazon Link (Region 2)
External links
- Bob and Margaret on IMDb
- Bob and Margaret at TV.com
- SnowdenFine.com — the creators' website