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Dork Hunters from Outer Space

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Dork Hunters from Outer Space
Also known asDork - Jäger aus dem All
GenreComedy
Action
Created byRick Ungar
Written byRick Ungar
Sean Catherine Derek
Directed byStuart Evans (season 1)
Barry Baker (season 2)
Chris Evans (season 2)
Voices of
ComposerAllen Bohbot
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Germany
Original languagesEnglish
German
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes36 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersRick Ungar
Allen Bohbot
ProducerStuart Evans
Running time22 minutes
Production companiesBKN International
BKN New Media
Original release
NetworkITV/GMTV (United Kingdom)
RTL II (Germany)
ReleaseAugust 17, 2008 (2008-08-17) –
April 19, 2009 (2009-04-19)

Dork Hunters from Outer Space (German: Dork - Jäger aus dem All) is an animated television series produced by the German company BKN International and British subsidiary BKN New Media.[1] The series was created by Rick Ungar. It first aired on RTL II in Germany and on GMTV in the United Kingdom.[2]

The show is about a group of five teenagers (two humans and three aliens) who try to stop a group of villains called the Dorks. The kids take their orders from a goldfish named Sidney.

The show received high ratings on GMTV, ranking as the channel's second most-popular show among children aged 4–9 for the year of 2008.[3]

Plot

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The series centres on five teenagers named Mac, Eddie, Nikki, Angie and Romeo. Eddie and Angie are twin siblings who attend a high school in Paramus, New Jersey, while Mac, Nikki, and Romeo are extraterrestrials who accidentally landed on earth after taking a wrong turn at Saturn.

Due to their powers, they can detect the nasty smells of "Dorks", aliens with the power to disguise themselves as humans and cause trouble, summoned by a dog-resembling alien named Fido, the loyal pet of Principal Jones.[4]

Characters

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Protagonists

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  • Eddie (voiced by Eric Meyers), one of the two humans on the Dork Hunters team. He is Angie's twin brother and is very clever. He is 14 years old.[5]
  • Angie (voiced by Lili Katz), a human girl and the fashionista of the team who loves clothes and make-up. She is 14 years old.[5]
  • Mac (voiced by Alan Marriott), an alien with a long tongue. He is 16 years old.[5]
  • Nicki (voiced by Lynn Blade), an alien who can shoot lasers from her fingers. She is 16 years old.[5]
  • Romeo (voiced by Ben Small), an alien with a skateboard that can shoot laser beams. He is 16 years old.[5]
  • Chief Sidney a talking goldfish who is the leader of the Dork Hunters. He lives in a little aquarium.

Antagonists

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  • Fido (voiced by Gary Martin), the Chihuahua-disguised leader of the Dorks who is the show's main antagonist.
  • Principal Jones (voiced by Dian Perry), the principal of the High School and the owner of Fido.

Episodes

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Season 1

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# Title Written by Original airdate Production code
1.01"The Ref"Rick Ungar
Sean Derek
March 26, 2008 (2008-03-26) (Germany)
August 17, 2008 (2008-08-17) (United Kingdom)
101
During a Basketball game. The Dork Hunters wonder if the referee is a Dork, following the familiar smell going all around the court.
1.02"Field Trip"Rick Ungar
Sean Derek
August 24, 2008 (2008-08-24)102
The Dork Hunters go on a field trip to the museum, but they must battle against some Dorks who are protecting a Microgalaxy in the building.
1.03"Tunnel Vision"Rick Ungar
David Mowers
August 31, 2008 (2008-08-31)103
Dorks have hidden a Microgalaxy down in the sewers, it's up to the Dork Hunters to get onto a mission that may smell as worse as the Dorks.
1.04"Big Top"Rick Ungar
Mark Steen
September 7, 2008 (2008-09-07)104
A Microgalaxy is discovered in the Circus, but Eddie is afraid of clowns! Can the Dork Hunters find a way to overcome Eddie's fear?
1.05"Flea Market"Hugh PalmerSeptember 14, 2008 (2008-09-14)105
Angie buys a Lava Lamp that she isn't fond of, and sells it. The only problem is that it contains a Microgalaxy!
1.06"Dog Gone"Mark SeidenbergSeptember 21, 2008 (2008-09-21)106
When Fido accidentally eats a Microgalaxy, the whole world is at risk.
1.07"Fast Food Friends"Glenn LeopoldSeptember 28, 2008 (2008-09-28)107
Eddie and Angie are faced against clones of each other.
1.08"Zero to Hero"Sean RocheOctober 5, 2008 (2008-10-05)108
Eddie and Angie team up with a famous sci-fi actor to retrieve a Microgalaxy hidden in one of his awards.
1.09"The Dorkinator"Len UhleyOctober 12, 2008 (2008-10-12)109
A Dork from earth is sent to destroy the Dork Hunters, and he's tough.
1.10"Toy Soldiers"Dennis Haley
Marcy Brown
October 19, 2008 (2008-10-19)110
Wacky Waldo's prototype toys keeps causing the Dork Hunters' alarms to activate.
1.11"The Falcon"Rick UngarOctober 26, 2008 (2008-10-26)111
Skateborder Bonnie Falcon is visiting the city, and Romeo is excited, but Mac is suspicious about his true powers.
1.12"Finding Sidney"Christy Marx
Randy Littlejohn
November 2, 2008 (2008-11-02)112
On a mission to try and find the Dork Commander Headquarters, the Dorks kidnap Sidney.
1.13"Romeo and Julia"Mark SeidenbergNovember 9, 2008 (2008-11-09)113
The Dork Hunters get suspicious when Romeo starts hanging out with a new neighbour.
1.14"3rd Rock Star"Dennis Haley
Marcy Brown
December 2008 (2008-1116)114
Could famous singer Lacy Lavender and his band be Dorks? Her biggest fans Nikki and Angie are here to find out.
1.15"Fish Out of Water"Len UhleyNovember 23, 2008 (2008-11-23)115
Dorks attempt to take over the Dork Hunters base to take down Sidney and stop the Dork Hunters from stopping them.
1.16"Dr. Dorkenstein"Mark SeidenbergNovember 30, 2008 (2008-11-30)116
Fido creates a robot Dork to keep the Dork Hunters in order.
1.17"Wild Dorkingdom"Glenn LeopoldDecember 7, 2008 (2008-12-07)117
It's Sidney's birthday, and the Dork Hunters take him to a fancy hotel. Little as they know, Principal Jones and Fido are there as well.
1.18"Dorks in Black"Steven DarancetteDecember 14, 2008 (2008-12-14)118
Principal Jones is the one who needs saving when the Dork Hunters are asked to retrieve a Microgalaxy in Area 51.
1.19"Loser Island"Sean RocheDecember 21, 2008 (2008-12-21)119
The Dork Hunters discover a Microgalaxy on the set of a reality show, and begin to suspect if the host is a Dork.
1.20"Debbie, We Hardly Know Ye..."Len UhleyDecember 28, 2008 (2008-12-28)120
Fido hynotises one of the Dork Hunters' classmates into trusting and then destroying them.
1.21"Principal Jones' Day Off"Sean RocheJanuary 4, 2009 (2009-01-04)121
The Dork Hunters plot a scheme to stop the Microgalaxy delivery system from reaching Fido and Principal Jones.
1.22"Break Up"Rick UngarJanuary 11, 2009 (2009-01-11)122
Mac, Nikki and Romeo are informed that they are going to be transferred over to a new Galaxy. Eddie and Angie must train some new teammates to become their new assistants.
1.23"Dog Days of Disco"Steven DarancetteJanuary 18, 2009 (2009-01-18)123
Fido tells Principal Jones the story about how the first Microgalaxy made it to space and how the Dorks used Earth as their new home.
1.24"Jean Splicing"Glenn LeopoldJanuary 25, 2009 (2009-01-25)124
Angie loves fashion and shopping, and Fido decides to use this to his advantage to trap her.
1.25"Dorks of Hazzard"Glenn LeopoldFebruary 1, 2009 (2009-02-01)125
Eddie and Romeo are pitted against a Dork whose monster truck has a Microgalaxy inside.
1.26"Mind Wavy Gravy"Sean RocheFebruary 8, 2009 (2009-02-08)126
Fido creates a gravy that can make the Dork Hunters forget who they are.

Season 2

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# Title Written by Original airdate Production code
2.01"Dorkzilla"Glenn LeopoldFebruary 15, 2009 (2009-02-15)201
Fido plots a scheme to trap the Dork Hunters inside a Microgalaxy by shrinking them down to size.
2.02"Private School"Steven DarancetteFebruary 22, 2009 (2009-02-22)202
Eddie and Angie are transferred over to a private school. However, they soon discover that it is infested with Dorks.
2.03"Scavenger Hunt"Sean Catherine DerekMarch 1, 2009 (2009-03-01)203
Fido and Principal Jones must rely on the Dork Hunters' help when a bee gives Fido a life-threatening sting.
2.04"Bone of Contention"Len UhleyMarch 8, 2009 (2009-03-08)204
Fido loses his communication bone and the earth is at jeopardy.
2.05"Sushi Sidney"Sean Catherine DerekMarch 15, 2009 (2009-03-15)205
After losing a Microgalaxy to the Dorks, the Dork Hunters are supervised by an observer, bringing more problems than ever.
2.06"Summer Vacation, Part 1"Rick UngarMarch 22, 2009 (2009-03-22)206
The Dork Hunters go on summer vacation to Tortuga Island, but are unaware that they are about to be the victims of a plot involving pirates, Fido, Principal Jones and a Microgalaxy!
2.07"Summer Vacation, Part 2"Sean Catherine DerekMarch 29, 2009 (2009-03-29)207
2.08"Summer Vacation, Part 3"Sean Catherine DerekApril 5, 2009 (2009-04-05)208
2.09"The D Files"Steven DarancetteApril 12, 2009 (2009-04-12)209
Fido and Principal Jones trick an innocent mailman into revealing the Dork Hunters' secret whereabouts.
2.10"The Final Episode... Or Not?"Len UhleyApril 19, 2009 (2009-04-19)210
The Dork Hunters, Fido and Principal Jones realize that "Dork Hunters" series was nothing more than a reality show and that they were all actors. The producers negotiate with them all to bring the series back.

Production

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The show was first announced under the title Triple Threat from Outer Space in 2005.[6] It was given a budget of US$6.5 million and was scheduled to air by September 2006. At this stage, the concept was slightly different, and it was about three alien girls named Star, Mac, and Nicki posing as humans.[7] For the final show, Star's name was changed to Romeo, Mac was changed to a boy, and human twins Eddie and Angie were added to the team. The series' new title and characters were confirmed in an Animation Magazine article in December 2005.[8]

BKN International, a German studio, produced the show after setting up a subsidiary in London called BKN New Media Ltd. Originally, 26 episodes were planned, but was increased to 36 by February 2007.[9] Jeff "Swampy" Marsh was the director of production.[8] Sean Catherine Derek, known for her work on Batman: The Animated Series, was the co-developer of the show (alongside creator Rick Ungar).[10] Dreamforest Animation in the Philippines handled the series' animation.

Broadcast

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In February 2007, GMTV in the United Kingdom and RTL II in Germany was announced as the initial broadcasters for the series.[11] The series was originally planned to premiere on RTL II first in Late-2007, but instead premiered on March 26, 2008, airing every weekday.[12]

In April 2008, Network Ten in Australia, SABC in South Africa and CTC in Russia had acquired the broadcast rights in their respective countries.[13]

In January 2009, Jetix acquired pay-TV rights for the show in the United Kingdom.[3]

In Spain, the series aired on Clan TVE.[14]

Film

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A feature film based on the show, titled Dork Hunters and the Pirates of Tortuga Island, was announced by BKN on May 15, 2008,[15] and was released on DVD in the United States by Image Entertainment on March 9, 2010.[16][17]

Similar to the Zorro: Generation Z DVD movies, Dork Hunters and the Pirates of Tortuga Island consists of three related episodes (The "Summer Vacation" three-parter) edited in a feature-length format.

Reception

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Brian Costello from Common Sense Media gave the film one star, criticising the main characters for their stereotypical personalities.[18]

Home Media

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In Australia, Magna Home Entertainment released two DVDs of the series each containing nine episodes on May 9, 2009, called "The Dorkinator",[19] and "Dorks in Black".

In the United States, Image Entertainment released a three-disc set containing all 36 episodes of the series on February 9, 2010.[20]

Ratings

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The series was the second most popular show on GMTV among children aged 4–9 for the year of 2008. It had an audience share of around 38%. It also ranked as the number two show in terms of share across all children 4–15 years in November 2008.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "BKN takes off on Dork Hunters from Outer Space". www.scotsman.com. 2 September 2008.
  2. ^ Screen, World (13 February 2007). "WorldScreen.com - Articles - BKN Closes British, German Deals on Dork Hunters".
  3. ^ a b c "Jetix UK bags BKN's Dork Hunters". C21media.
  4. ^ "Kidz Ent. And EEMC Take On BKN's Newest Heroes". Animation World Network.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Dork Hunters from Outer Space Trailer (2006)". 18 April 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  6. ^ Meza, Ed (18 May 2005). "BKN, ToonMax TV ink for prod'n venture".
  7. ^ "Up Next: What's developing in kids production".
  8. ^ a b Ball, Ryan (6 December 2005). "Dork Hunters Stalk BKN".
  9. ^ "BKN International AG: Major TV Broadcast Deals and Pan-European Master Toy Deal for DORK HUNTERS FROM OUTER SPACE sealed - dgap.de". www.dgap.de.
  10. ^ "Sean Catherine Derek Bio". seancatherinederek.com.
  11. ^ "BKN seals TV Broadcast Deals and Pan-European Master Toy Deal for DORK HUNTERS FROM OUTER SPACE". 14 February 2007.
  12. ^ "Neu bei RTL II:"Dork – Jäger aus dem All"". 13 February 2008.
  13. ^ "BKN International AG: Die Dork Hunters von BKN weiterhin auf Erfolgskurs - dgap.de".
  14. ^ "Un verano muy animado en 'Clan TVE'". 20 June 2010.
  15. ^ "BKN Releases Two New Films".
  16. ^ "Dork Hunters & Pirates of Tortuga Island". amazon.com. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  17. ^ "Dork Hunters and the Pirates of Tortuga Island Movie Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org.
  18. ^ "Dork Hunters and the Pirates of Tortuga Island Movie Review | Common Sense Media".
  19. ^ "Dork Hunters From Outer Space - The Dorkinator - Vol 1". Sanity. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  20. ^ "Dork Hunters from Outer Space: The Animated Series". amazon.com. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2022.