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Rocko's Modern Life

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Rocko's Modern Life
File:RMLlogo.JPG
Created byJoe Murray
Developed byNickelodeon Studios
StarringCarlos Alazraqui
Tom Kenny
Doug Lawrence
Charles Adler
Linda Wallem
Opening theme"Rocko's Modern Life" by Pat Irwin[1]
Country of origin United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes52 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerJoe Murray
ProducerNickelodeon Studios
Running time22 minutes (11 per episode) (approx.)
Original release
NetworkNickelodeon
ReleaseSeptember 18, 1993 –
November 24, 1996

Rocko's Modern Life is an American animated television series whose four seasons aired from 1993 to 1996. The show was based around the surreal, parodistic adventures of an anthropomorphic wallaby named Rocko, and his life in the city of O-Town. The series was created by Joe Murray. One of Nickelodeon's Nicktoons, it was the fourth series released in the Nicktoons group, and the first to be introduced since the original three were introduced in August 1991. The program was produced by Joe Murray Productions and Nickelodeon Studios, and occasionally by Games Productions.

The show is laden with suggestive double entendres, innuendo, and social commentary. For this reason, it has become a prominent cult classic. There are two separate versions of the Rocko's Modern Life theme song (the new version performed by the B-52's).

Episodes

Main article: Rocko's Modern Life media and release information

Places and locations

Many of the locations in the television show Rocko's Modern Life have the letter "O" for example O-Town and Conglom-O. When asked about the use of "O" in his show Murray said "I always got a big kick out of the businesses that were 'House-O-Paint', or 'Ton-O-Noodles', because their names seemed to homogenize what they sold, and strip the products of true individuality and stress volume ... and we all know, the American dream is volume!! So what better company to create volume than 'Conglom-O', and since a majority of the town worked at Conglom-O, it should be called 'O' Town. I also wanted the town to be 'anytown' USA, and I used to love sports players with a big ZERO on their back. It was funny to me."[2]

List of places in the television show

  • Chameleon Bros. Video is an artsy video shop run by the Chameleon Brothers.
  • Chokey/Chewy Chicken is a favorite restaurant/hang-out place for Rocko, Heffer, and Filburt. In the beginning of the show's run it was called the Chokey Chicken. However, they had to change it to the Chewy Chicken because The Chokey Chicken was a clear reference to "Choking the Chicken." Which is a slang term for masturbation.
  • Conglom-O Corporation is a the biggest company in town, it even runs City Hall. It is run by Mr. Dupette, who has very peculiar ways to see if the employees are fit to work there. It doesn't seem to have a specific purpose or product - it's just a giant company that manufactures every product. Conglom-O's slogan is always shown beneath its name. The slogan is "We own you," revealing in a later musical episode that they own everything in O-Town. When Ed Bighead was shown to work at Conglom-O in 1961, the slogan stated "We Will Own You" (alluding to the future of mega-corporations).
  • Buff-Pooch is a health spa and weight loss clinic for dogs.
  • Flambe le Flab is a health spa.
  • Heck is where "bad people" go when they die. Run by Peaches, it is where Heffer is doomed to eternal suffering. The TVs in Heck don't have remotes.
  • Holl-o-Wood is a town that resembles Hollywood.
  • Kind of a Lot O' Comics is a comic book store where Rocko works.
  • The Lazy I Ranch is Uncle Gib Hootsen's ranch.
  • O-Town is the town in which Rocko lives. Presumably, it is located somewhere in Ohio or somewhere in the Midwest.
  • Paris is in an episode where Rocko met his "pen pal"
  • Scratch & Sniff Cafe
  • SuperLot-O-Comics is a large comic book store.

List of places in the comic book

  • Bet Your Life Race-Ways - A horse racetrack featured in Issue #4's first story, "Remote Controlled"
  • Cafe Low-Cal - A health food restaurant featured in Issue #3's story, "Eat This! It's Good for You!"
  • Club Seals - A nightclub and concert hall featured in Issue #4's second story, "Beaten by a Club."
  • The Grease Pit - A fast food restaurant featured in Issue #4's first story, "Remote Controlled"
  • Hardening of the Arteries Eatery - A fast food restaurant featured in Issue #3's story, "Eat This! It's Good for You!"
  • Humongo Comicon - Rocko works as a comic book dealer at this convention in Issue #7's first story, "Conned Again"
  • O-Town is the town in which Rocko lives. Presumably, it is located somewhere in Ohio or somewhere in the Midwest.
  • Pet Paradise Pet Supplies - A pet supply store that Rocko arrives at in Issue #6's second story, "Lice on the Loose"
  • St. Nick O'Time Hospital - A hospital appearing in Issue #1's first story, "Dental Hijinks."

Characters

Main article: Characters in Rocko's Modern Life

Main voice cast

Characters Image Voice actor
Rocko File:Rockos.jpg Carlos Alazraqui
Heffer Wolfe File:RML char Heffer Wolfe.jpg Tom Kenny
Filburt File:RML Char Filbert Shellbach.jpg Mr. Lawrence
Spunky File:RML Char Spunky.jpg Carlos Alazraqui
Ed Bighead File:RML Char Ed Bighead.jpg Charlie Adler
Bev Bighead File:RML Char Bev Bighead.jpg Charlie Adler

Cast and crew

  • Cast
  • Carlos Alazraqui as Rocko/Spunky/Leon/Granny Rocko
  • Tom Kenny as Heffer Wolfe/Chuck/Mr. Smitty/Really Really Big Man/Peaches/Various males
  • Mr. Lawrence as Filburt/Peter Wolf
  • Linda Wallem as Dr. Hutchison/Mrs. Virginia Wolf/Grandma Wolf/Cindy Wolf/Tammy the Pig/Various females
  • Charlie Adler as Ed Bighead/Gladys/Mr. George Wolf/Grandpa Wolf/Bev Bighead/Mr. Dupette/Mr. and Mrs. Fathead/Various males
  • Joe Murray as Ralph Bighead
  • Kevin Meaney as Mother Hutchison (appeared in two episodes)
  • Some of the voice actors in Rocko's Modern Life currently do voices for other popular Nickelodeon shows. On Spongebob Squarepants, Tom Kenny (voice of Heffer on Rocko's Modern Life) does the voices of SpongeBob, Gary the Snail, Patchy the Pirate, and others, while Doug "Mr." Lawrence (voice of Filburt on Rocko's Modern Life) does the voices of Plankton, Larry the Lobster and others. On Fairly OddParents, Carlos Alazraqui (voice of Rocko) does the voice of Mr. Denzel Crocker
  • Crew

Comic book series

File:RockoVol4Issue1.PNG
Volume 1, Issue 4 of Rocko's Modern Life comic

Marvel Comics produced a seven-issue comic strip series based on the television series.

The comics contain stories not seen in the television show. In addition, some television show characters and places are absent from the comic book series, while some original places and characters appear in the comics.

John "Lewie" Lewandowski wrote all of the stories except for one; the second story of Issue #4 was written by Joey Cavalieri.

Tom DeFalco served as the editor-in-chief for the project.

Rocko, the main character, was in a previously-created and never-released comic book. In the comic, he has the name "Travis" [1].

DVD Collection

  • Fans have requested that Nickelodeon produce a DVD collection of the Rocko series for years. Nickelodeon has not produced any DVD collection of Rocko, even though they have released dozens of DVDs for series such as Spongebob Squarepants.[3] As a result, several online petitions have been posted and endorsed by thousands of fans who would buy a DVD collection if it were produced.[4][5][6][7] According to TVShowsOnDVD.com, it is in the top 40 most requested unreleased shows.[8]

Animals featured

Television show and comic

Television show

References

  1. ^ ""Pat Irwin"" (in English). Retrieved 2006-10-02. I love cartoons and have composed and performed the music for 'Rocko's Modern Life'{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  2. ^ http://www.title14.com/rocko/contributors/murray.html
  3. ^ http://shop.nickjr.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=1330971&cp=1029141
  4. ^ http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?rocko04
  5. ^ http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?RSRonDVD
  6. ^ http://www.petitiononline.com/rockodvd/petition.html
  7. ^ http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/RockosModernLifeDVD
  8. ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/showinfo.cfm?showID=3587

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Rocko's Modern Life.
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