Set on a farm, the show focuses primarily on three particular puppies: Lucky, TV expert, leader, and unconventional hero; Rolly, his loyal, scholarly, and always-hungry brother; and Cadpig, their sister, runt of the family. The three siblings are often joined by Spot, a chicken who wants to be a dog and a member of the "Bark Brigade." Early promotional material had listed "dictatorial Penny and mischievous Patch" as two other puppy cast members, but the highlighted puppies were whittled down to three.
Other puppies appearing in the show have included the brave, three-legged Tripod; the well-meaning but clueless Dipstick; the constantly urinating Whizzer; the indecisive, fashion-conscious Two-Tone; and the Sheepdog mix, Mooch, who serves as the farm's bully. Penny and Patch also make occasional appearances, though with different personalities than originally promoted. The show seems to be a blending of both the original animated film and the live-action feature.
Production[]
101 Dalmatians: The Series debuted in syndication on September 13, 1997 running new episodes five days a week. Less than two weeks later, the show came to ABC's One Saturday Morning lineup, airing original episodes that could only be seen on the network. Sixty-five episodes were produced: Twelve shows with 21 episodes on ABC and 53 shows containing 84 episodes in syndication. By March 1998 the show played its last episode in syndication.
Reruns continued to play on ABC until 2002, when the show was moved to the Disney Channel and then later to Toon Disney. On January 30, 2006, Toon Disney aired the show for the final time regularly, while four episodes were shown in March 2007 for the final time. As of that day, 101 Dalmatians: The Series is off the air in most countries with a Disney Channel franchise. It is currently being aired on the United Kingdom channel Sky Movies Disney and was also aired on the Latin American version of Disney Channel during 2008, then on January 2, 2010, Season 2 moved to RTE Two in Ireland. The series aired on Disney Junior in 2012, however, only several select episodes are shown and some episodes are also abruptly edited for possible time or censor reasons. The show went off the channel in 2013. The show was added to streaming services such as iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play and YouTube in February 2017 and was added to Disney+ on June 19, 2020.
Characters[]
Main characters[]
Lucky (voiced by Pamela Adlon and Debi Mae West): The most adventurous of the puppies and is unique in having his only spots in the shape of a horseshoe on his back.
Cadpig (voiced by Kath Soucie): Cadpig is the runt of the litter and the smallest of the puppies but quite possibly the most intelligent, if not deluded. She is unique in having long floppy ears, a big head, a kind personality, and she's also quite strong for her size.
Rolly (voiced by Kath Soucie): Rolly is the very hungry one. Almost all his decisions are based on food and this, at times, gets him and the pups into trouble. He is, however, a loyal and helpful sibling, especially when it comes to his incredible sense of smell.
Spot (voiced by Tara Strong): Spot is a chicken who wants to become a Dalmatian. She is a voice of reason for the foursome but, more often than not, is ignored. She is easily frightened and is prone to literally bouncing off the walls. She is, however, a good dancer (which has to count for something, according to her) and appears to be good at math. She is also able to fly.
Roger and Anita Dearly (voiced by Jeff Bennett and Kath Soucie, respectively): Owners of the 101 Dalmatians and Dearly Farm.
Cruella De Vil (voiced by April Winchell): Once again the main antagonist of this series, Cruella is now a corporate criminal and most of her plans revolve around getting richer, tormenting the Dalmatians, and plotting to steal the Dearly Farm. Unlike her original animated counterpart, this version of Cruella isn't a heavy smoker nor is she obsessed with animal fur.
Horace and Jasper (voiced by David L. Lander and Michael McKean): Cruella's henchmen. They are usually hired to perform her plans, usually failing.
Supporting characters[]
Nanny (voiced by Charlotte Rae): The Dearly's caretaker who always helps Roger and Anita around the Dearly Farm; also helps with feeding the Dalmatians as well.
Pongo (voiced by Kevin Schon): The father of the Dalmatians, and the husband and mate of Perdita.
Perdita (voiced by Pam Dawber): The mother of the Dalmatians, and the wife and mate of Pongo.
Mooch: (voiced by Danny Cooksey): A Sheepdog mix who can be annoying at times, but has a heart of gold.
Two-Tone (voiced by Tara Strong): One of the Dalmatian puppies, sidekick of Cruella De Vil and Mooch's on-again, off-again girlfriend. She is depicted as half black with white spots, and half white with black spots.
Perla and Suzy (voiced by Russi Taylor and Rebecca Honig): The two of the mice from Cinderella. They are usually go to the ball. Perla is very smart and thinks quickly in terrible situations. And Suzy is very smart and moves quickly in terrible situations.
Dipstick (voiced by Thom Adcox-Hernandez): A male Dalmatian puppy who can be considered dim-witted; also part of Mooch's gang.
Whizzer (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh): A male Dalmatian puppy with bladder control issues; also part of Mooch's gang.
Tripod (voiced by Lane Toran): A male Dalmatian puppy who serves as Lucky's constant rival. He wears a green sweatband and is missing his front left leg.
Scorch (voiced by Frank Welker): Cruella's pet ferret who has an appetite for Spot.
The Colonel (voiced by Jim Cummings): An Old English Sheepdog and commanding officer of the "Bark Brigade".
Not much merchandise has been made of this series unlike other Disney series, the only ones being:
"A Christmas Cruella" VHS (also part of "Disney's Christmas Favorites" album)
"Dalmatian Vacation" Video CD
"Dalmatian Vacation" VHS and LaserDisc (Japan only)
"Surf Puppies" CD
"The Big Dig" (book)
"Cruella Returns" (book)
"Springtime Fun" (book)
"Hide-and-Go-Seek at the Farm" (book)
"Visit the Farm" (book)
Rare episode cels
Car toys for McDonald's Happy Meals (sold from December 1997 to January 1998)
Curly straws from McDonald's restaurants located in Wal-Mart stores
Beanbag toys included with Sweethearts candy (Caldor exclusive)
Disney Channel branded keychains (Japan only)
Continuity issues[]
The series does not take place in the same continuity as the movies; an example of which being the fact that everyone in the series (except Cruella) has American accents while the movie is set in London and its surroundings. The original animated movie is set in the early 1960s, while the live-action films and the series are set in a modern day world (1996 at the time). Also, Roger and Anita's last name is Dearly, just like in the original novel and 1996 film. It is also notable that the movie is more realistic, while the series is very cartoon-like. The series comes closer to the essence of Dodie Smith's book than the movies and is based on everything 101 Dalmatians-related (Cadpig is one character that is not characterized in the movies). Therefore, all three media can be considered canon, even though they are not in the same continuity.
Trivia[]
The episodes "My Fair Chicken" and "My Fair Moochie" were based on My Fair Lady, a movie based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion.
As mentioned above, there were originally supposed to be five main characters: Lucky, Cadpig, Rolly, Patch, and Penny. Patch was relegated to the role of a minor character, and Penny does not appear in the series at all, as it was feared that there would be too many main characters. Spot was added in later.
Most episode titles are based on dog-related puns.
A running gag throughout the TV series is Cruella calling Roger by a different name.
Jeff Bennett and Kath Soucie voiced two other married couples in Dexter's Laboratory as Dexter's parents, and those of Mandark.
Kath Soucie would also voice Annie Redfeather and Aurora, with Pamela Adlon as Zach Nichols, Frank Welker as Sock, and Jim Cummings as Ari, in the TV show Adventures from the Book of Virtues.
In the episode "Virtual Lucky", Lucky's name in Roger's video game is known as "Barkio", which is an obvious reference to Nintendo's Mario. The opening of Roger's game featuring Barkio's floating head is also a reference to Nintendo 64's launch title, Super Mario 64.
In "Valentine Daze", Roger says that he's working on a video game called "The Hunchbox of Notre Dame". This is a reference to The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which is a 1996 Disney movie.
The episode "Twelve Angry Pups" is a courtroom drama named after the Reginald Rose drama, Twelve Angry Men. The episode contains allusions to the O. J. Simpson murder trial, including Mooch escaping on a "white bronco", which in this case is a horse, not a Ford 2-door SUV.
Television series:101 Dalmatians: The Series • 101 Dalmatian Street Video Games:Animated StoryBook: 101 Dalmatians • Math Antics with Disney's 101 Dalmatians • Disney Hotshots: Disney's 101 Dalmatians • 101 Dalmatians: Escape from DeVil Manor • 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue • 102 Dalmatians: Activity Center • 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure • Kingdom Hearts Books:Disney Princess Beginnings • Hello, Cruel Heart • Be Careful What You Wish Fur • Evil Thing: A Tale of That Devil Woman • Evil Thing: A Villains Graphic Novel
ABC Episodes: "Home is Where the Bark Is" • "He Followed Me Home" • "Love 'Em and Flea 'Em" • "Howl Noon" • "Easy on the Lies" • "Two for the Show" • "An Officer and a Gentledog" • "Bad to the Bone" • "Southern Fried Cruella" • "Swine Song" • "Watch for Falling Idols" • "The High Price of Fame" • "The Great Cat Invasion" • "No Train, No Gain" • "Rolly's Egg-Celent Adventure" • "Wild Chick Chase" • "The Dogs of DeVil" • "Dog's Best Friend" • "A Christmas Cruella" • "Out to Launch" • "Prophet and Loss" Syndicated Episodes: "You Slipped a Disk" • "Chow About That?" • "Tic Track Toe" • "Lucky All Star" • "Shake, Rattle, and Woof" • "Cadpig Behind Bars" • "Leisure Lawsuit" • "Purred It Through the Grapevine" • "Our Own Digs" • "Goose Pimples (Goose Pamples)" • "Two Faces of Anita" • "The Fungus Among Us" • "Market Mayhem" • "Lucky to be Alone" • "Four Stories Up" • "It's a Swamp Thing" • "Roll Out the Pork Barrel" • "Alive N' Chicken" • "Prima Doggy" • "You Say It's Your Birthday" • "Oozy Does It" • "Barnboozled" • "Citizen Canine" • "Full Metal Pullet" • "Dough the Right Thing" • "Frisky Business" • "Cadet of the Month" • "Valentine Daze" • "Close But No Cigar" • "Invasion of the Doggy Snatchers" • "Smoke Detectors" • "Lobster Tale" • "Double Dog Dare" • "Mooove It On Over" • "Shipwrecked" • "Mall Pups" • "Shrewzle Watch" • "The Life You Save" • "Spots and Shots" • "On the Lamb" • "Treasure of Swamp Island" • "Lord of the Termites" • "Fountain of Youth" • "Walk a Mile in My Tracks" • "Cruella World" • "Hail to the Chief" • "Food for Thought" • "The Maltese Chicken" • "Film Fatale" • "My Fair Chicken" • "Snow Bounders" • "Gnaw or Never" • "Poison Ivy" • "Twelve Angry Pups" • "The Good-bye Chick" • "Robo-Rolly" • "Splishing and Splashing" • "Virtual Lucky" • "Cupid Pups" • "The Artist Formerly Known as Spot" • "The Nose Knows" • "K is for Kibble" • "Humanitarian of the Year" • "Beauty Pageant Pandemonium" • "Hog-Tied" • "Coup DeVil" • "Every Little Crooked Nanny" • "Cone Head" • "Channels" • "Un-Lucky" • "The Making of..." • "Best of Show" • "Walk on the Wild Side" • "Horace and Jasper's Big Career Move" • "DeVil-Age Elder" • "Jurassic Bark" • "My Fair Moochie" • "Dog Food Day Afternoon" • "Spot's Fairy God-Chicken" • "Good Neighbor Cruella" • "Animal House Party" • "Dalmatian Vacation, Part I - Road Warriors" • "Dalmatian Vacation, Part II - Cross-Country Calamity" • "Dalmatian Vacation, Part III - Dearly Beloved" 101 Dalmatian Street Shorts: "Merry Pups" • "Muddy Pups" • "Prank Pups" • "Ransom Pups" • "Target Pups" • "Yoga Pups" • "Jurassic Pups" "Space Pups" • "Disco Pups" • "Diva Pups"
Season One: "Dog's Best Friend" • "Boom Night" • "Power to the Puppies" • "Who The Dog Do You Think You Are?" • "Walkies on the Wild Side" • "May Contain Nuts" • "Winter Funderland" • "Snow Day" • "Perfect Match" • "All Fired Up" • "Poetry Scam" • "Crushed Out" • "Girls' Day Out" • "The Woof Factor" • "The Nose Job" • "My Fair Dolly" • "Flea-Mageddon" • "A Right Royal Rumble" • "Dal-Martians" • "A Date with Destiny... Dallas and Déjà Vu" • The Wow of Miaow • Fear Window • The Dog House • A Summer to Remember • Long Tongue Day • Doggy Da Vinci • London, We Have a Problem • It's My Party • Fox in the Dog House • Fetch • Don't Push Your Luck • The Curse of the Ferrydog • The Walls Are Alive • Diamond Dogs • Ride Along • Poodlewolf • The Longest Night • Balancing Act • Dawkins Strikes Back • Poodlefall! • Dotty Dancing • Yappily Ever After • D-Factor • Puppy Dreams • Dante's Inferno • Better the De Vil You Know • The De Vil Wears Puppies
Locations
London • Regents Park • Hell Hall • Dinsford • Dearly Farm • Gruteley County • Cherry Tree Farm • House of DeVil • 101 Dalmatian Street • 2nd Time Around • Liberty London • Smith & Wollensky • House of Baroness • John's Apartmnt
Animated Storybook:I Love Fur • Puppies, Oh, Puppies • Twilight Bark • Up the Stair • Cover Yourselves with Soot Television series:1-0-1 • Dalmatian Vacation • Surf Puppies • I Got My Pups with Me • It's a Dog's Life • In the House • Dolly's Rap • Dogs are Out for Summer Sun • It's a Prank • We're Sending You Love Deleted:Don't Buy a Parrot from a Sailor • March of the One Hundred and One • Cheerio, Good-Bye, Toodle-oo, Hip Hip! • One Hundred and One • The Creation of Cruella De Vil
da:101 dalmatinere (serie)es:101 Dálmatas: La Serieit:La carica dei 101 - La seriepl:101 dalmatyńczyków (serial)pt-br:101 Dálmatas: A Sérieru:101 далматинец (мультсериал)
