FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman

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Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman
Format	Reality, Game Show, Children's
Created by	Kate Taylor
Starring	Jim Conroy as Ruff Ruffman
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	40
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	PBS
Original run	May 29, 2006 – Present
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman is a children's television series on PBS during the PBS Kids GO! block of educational programming. It is a game show/reality show parody that is hosted by an animated anthropomorphic dog who dispenses challenges to the show's real-life contestants. Premiering on May 29, 2006, the show has since completed two seasons. On May 23, 2008, PBS announced that FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman would premiere season three on September 29, 2008.

Contents 1 Synopsis 1.1 Points 2 Animated Characters 2.1 Main Characters 2.1.1 Ruff Ruffman 2.1.2 Princess Blossom Pepper Doodle Von Yum Yum 2.1.3 Grandma Ruffman 2.2 Supporting Characters 3 Season One 3.1 Contestants 3.2 Episodes 3.3 Points Chart 3.4 Point Totals Before Season 1 Finale 3.5 Final results 4 Season Two 4.1 Contestants 4.2 Episodes 4.3 Point totals before Season 2 finale 4.4 Final results 5 Season Three 6 DVD releases 7 Facts about the FETCHers and the Show 8 Promotions 9 Production and Funding 9.1 Production 9.2 Casting 9.3 Funding 10 References 11 External links

[edit] Synopsis

FETCH! is a reality-based game show where young contestants take on various challenges to gain points. During these challenges, the contestants must complete a variety of tasks assigned to them ahead of time (and on the fly) by Ruff and surrogates, depending on the situation. There is also an educational component, as contestants often must learn something (i.e. Astronomy, Carpentry, Food Science, Biology, etc) in order to complete the task.

Not all contestants leave the studio to complete tasks each episode. Remaining contestants participate in the "Half-Time Quiz Show", where Ruff asks them questions based on the activities of the contestants out on challenges (see below). Once the contestants complete the activities in the field to the best of their abilities, they return to the studio for a daily point tally, and a daily prize is awarded to the contestant with the most points. At the end of the season, a final point tally is conducted, with the winner of the tally being declared winner of that season.

Prizes are not always desirable, and sometimes the prize holder winds up with a "booby prize", as in Good Dancing and Bad Teeth, Anna and Brian had to dance a waltz in the studio. During the first season the contestant had the choice of keeping the prize, or giving it to a fellow contestant. During the second season the there are two prizes the winner can choose from that are both unknown. The prizes are hidden behind objects based on the episode's theme (e.g. "Will you pick the prize behind Idol A or Idol B?").

[edit] Points

Out on challenges, contestants have the potential to earn up to 100 points. The contestants in the studio have a chance to win a maximum of 50 points in the Half-Time Quiz Show in which they attempt to answer 10 questions about events during the challenges. Each question is worth 5 points. They have a total of 90 seconds to answer all the questions, as well as a time limit on each question. There is also a Fetch Fairness Guarantee, which states that every contestant will have had an equal number of challenges (usually 13) and quiz shows (usually 6) before the final episode. Additionally, there are between 5 and 10 "Bone-us" points (a play on the word "bonus", as well as a dog bone) available for one or two stand-out contestants (however, Ruff has been known to deduct points as well). On rare occasions, such as an episode with a colonial theme, there is the possibility to earn more than 100 points (outside of any bonuses).

[edit] Animated Characters

[edit] Main Characters

[edit] Ruff Ruffman

Ruff Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) is the humorous and eccentric dog who hosts the show, conveying the challenges presented by the animated Fetch 3000 computer. He is very afraid of cats, but has a crush on a poodle named Charlene who lives next door. Sadly, Charlene has complained about his bad breath, and threatened to sue if he doesn't stop sending her his love poems. Ruff grouses about his contract to produce a reality TV program, and the stresses of running one. He loves all food, American-Chinese take-out in particular. His physical appearance features "eyebrows that float above his head mysteriously". Ruff has trouble remembering Blossom's name.

[edit] Princess Blossom Pepper Doodle Von Yum Yum

Princess Blossom Pepper Doodle Von Yum Yum (a cat) is Ruff's intern for season 2. Since Ruff has trouble remembering her full name, she is most often called simply "Blossom". Quite serious, she is usually seen taking notes on her laptop, and she has never actually spoken on the show. Instead, she makes strange squeaking sounds to get Ruff's attention. In the episode CSI Ruff, Ruff believed she stole the Grand Prize, and tried to frame him. However, it is revealed in the last episode, The Grand Prizeless Grand Finale, that it was Scruff Ruffman who stole it, and Blossom becomes the hero for getting it back. In the end, Ruff befriends Blossom and pleads her to come back for Season 3.

[edit] Grandma Ruffman

Grandma Ruffman, also voiced by Conroy, is Ruff Ruffman's exceptionally stubborn grandmother who appeared in three episodes, Grandma Ruffman's Recipe for Success, The Small Fork Is For Dessert (Unless You're a Dolphin), and Tape Loops and Loop-the-Loops. Like Ruff, she is also pretentious, and animated in Macromedia Flash. As a writer, she attempted to market her products on her grandson's show, and as a grandmother, she constantly fussed about insignificant things, such as Ruff's manners and other FETCHers staying behind in the studio.

[edit] Supporting Characters

Henry is Ruff's boss. Only mentioned when Ruff receives phone calls, Henry provides Ruff with the show's budget, and oversees Ruff's spending. He also sent the intern Blossom to learn about producing for Season 2.

Murray is one of Ruff's cousins. He runs the behind-the-scenes technical work, and is constantly blamed for minor problems regarding the show. Unlike the other animated animals, Murray is portrayed by a real basset hound, and sometimes appears in the kids' challenges. Like Ruff, he seems to enjoy being fussed over by the FETCHers.

Charlene is Ruff's unrequited love interest. She is only seen as a poodle in a heart-shaped picture that Ruff periodically pulls out.

Scruff Ruffman is Ruff's identical (but evil) twin brother. He steals artwork in the episode Scruff Ruffman At Large!, leading to one of the episode's challenges. He also stole the Grand Prize in Season 2, which was recovered by Blossom.

Ruffiael Ruffmanowitz is Ruff's great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather. He was only seen in photographs in a first season episode, and said to be the dog of inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr.. He looks exactly like Ruff, except with hair and moustache like Albert Einstein's . He also invented the FETCH 100, a primitive version of the FETCH 3000, which unfortunately calculated that 3 plus 3 is 24.

Uncle McRuffmantosh is Ruff Ruffman's great uncle and also looks like Ruff except he has a beard, kilt, and speaks with an exaggerated Scottish accent. Only shown in the fifth episode in Season 2, he helped Ruff by finding the coordinates for Dogtopia and Catlantis. He has a Scottish accent, and he is very paranoid about the FETCHers going to Misery Island.

Spot Spotnik is Ruff's rival. He is mentioned in Send in the Clowns, when the kids build a water balloon launcher to get back at him, in You Lucky Dog when Ruff challenges him to a race, and in How to Get Dogs and Doggerel in Better Shape when he tries to win Charlene's love.

[edit] Season One

[edit] Contestants

• Noah Ellis
• Taylor Garron (from ZOOM)
• Khalil Matthews
• Brian McGoff
• Julia Perry-Oliver
• Anna Sheridan

[edit] Episodes

There are 20 episodes in season 1.

1. "3-2-1 Blast Off!" (05/29/06) - While Ruff Ruffman scrambles to get ready for the first episode, Anna, Julia, and Khalil go on a hunt for all nine planets in a scale model of the Solar System scattered throughout the "lovely city of Boston". Taylor, Noah, and Brian stay in Studio G (Ruff's garage).
2. "Good Dancing and Bad Teeth" (05/29/06) - Ruff Ruffman sends Julia and Khalil to learn how to dance the waltz, while Anna and Brian investigate whether dog mouths are cleaner than human mouths. Noah and Taylor stay behind.
3. "How To Get Out Your Inner Hip Hop" (05/29/06) - Anna learns hip hop dance, and Noah, Khalil, and Julia cook for zoo animals. Taylor and Brian stay behind.
   

   

   FETCH! teaches viewers about different lifestyles and careers through demonstration. In this case, a contestant is doing chores as a colonial farmer.
4. "Cats? I Thought You Said Kites!" (05/29/06) - Noah and Brian build a kite to deliver a dog biscuit, and Taylor and Anna attempt to teach cats to fetch. Julia and Khalil stay behind.
5. "Ye Olde Colonial Episode" (06/05/06) - Ruff forces the kids to give up their electronics for a day in 1627 on Plimoth Plantation.
6. "Saturday Night With A Slight Fever" (06/06/06) - Taylor, Brian, and Noah are required to make a music video with some easily-recognizable stars - their grandparents- while staying under a budget. Anna, Julia, and Khalil stay behind at Studio G.
7. "To Bee or Not to Bee" (06/07/06) - Ruff gets stuck in a bee costume when filming an advertisement for FETCH!. Brian and Khalil learn to be beekeepers, while Julia and Anna learn to windsurf. Taylor and Noah stay in Studio G.
8. "B.L.T. For Breakfast?" (06/08/06) - Ruff must sell his new beverage. Brian braves a day as a short-order cook in a local diner, while Taylor, Khalil, and Noah design a new ice-cream flavor with ingredients that start with the letters B, L, and T. Anna and Julia stay at the Studio.
9. "The Mystery of the Missing Thing in the Haunted Castle" (06/12/06) - Ruff sends the kids to retrieve a lost invention in the castle of inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr.
10. "This Old... Lemonade Stand" (06/13/06) - Ruff accidentally reduces the show's budget to 13¢. Norm Abram, one of the hosts of This Old House, another program on PBS, teaches Anna and Noah to build a lemonade stand. Anna and Noah must also test thermal insulation to sell lemonade as a fundraiser. Meanwhile, the rest stay in Studio G and help bail Ruff out with his financial problems. This is the only show in Season 1 where the Fetchers who stay behind get all 50 points on the half-time quiz show and get bone-us points.
11. "It's Raining Cats and Dogs" (06/14/06) - Ruff is confused when a weather forecast predicts clear skies, but there is thunder. Taylor learns to forecast the weather, conduct interviews, and give a live weather report in front of a greenscreen. The boys paint a mural in Jamaica Plain for the mayor of Boston. Julia and Anna stay at Studio G once more.
12. "That Doesn't Float My Boat" (06/15/06) - Ruff Ruffman floods the doghouse when trying to relax. Julia, Anna, and Khalil build a boat out of recycled trash, test it out and race in it. Taylor, Noah, and Brian stay behind.
13. "Send in the Clowns" (06/19/06) - It is revealed that Ruff wanted to be a clown, but was cheated out by Spot Spotnik (see character list). Julia, Taylor, Noah, and Anna build water balloon launchers for revenge. Brian spends the day with Circus Smirkus and learns how to be a clown. Khalil stays behind, alone.
14. "Grandma Ruffman's Recipe for Success" (06/20/06) - Under Grandma Ruffman's marketing advice, Khalil learns to be a stand-up comedian, and Taylor, Noah, and Brian cook Grandma Ruffman's recipes on a farm to learn about energy transfers in a New England food chain. Julia and Anna stay at Studio G.
15. "Tryin' Chef" (06/21/06) - Ruff is tired of his food. Taylor, Brian, Julia, and Khalil compete against each other as chefs - Iron Chef style to cook up new recipes for Ruff. Noah and Anna are left behind again, but help bail Ruff out.
16. "Don't Put the Kart Before the Sea Lion" (06/22/06) - Ruff is training for an interactive driving test monitored by the DMV, but crashes into a sea lion tank. Taylor trains sea lions; Julia helps in a pit crew for a junior go-karter. Anna, Khalil, Noah, and Brian stay behind.
17. "Relaxin' with Ruff" (06/26/06) - Ruff decides to calm down from the stresses of running a show. The kids learn to relax with yoga and to calculate heart rate (pulses in 15 sec * 4). Next, they mathematically measure their "fear factor" at Canobie Lake Park, an amusement park in New Hampshire.
18. "Scat Cat, Scat" (06/27/06) - A cat steals Ruff's kneeboard. Noah learns to kneeboard. The girls track down wild animals using various clues, especially scat. Khalil and Brian stay in the studio.
19. "Ruff Ruffman Spaces Out" (06/28/06) - The FETCHers go to space camp when the FETCH satellite breaks down.
20. "The Dogcathalon Finale" (06/29/06) - Three elimination rounds and one ultimate quiz will pit the FETCHers against each other. At last Anna is crowned FETCH! seasonal champion.

[edit] Points Chart

Contestants	Key	Points (By Episode)																				Challenges	Quiz Shows
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
Anna	Daily Points	80	95	90	75	110	45	96	35	105	80	45	95	100	45	40	35	95	65	90		13	6
	Total Points	80	175	265	340	450	495	591	626	731	811	856	951	1,051	1,096	1,136	1,171	1,266	1,331	1,421	1,421
	Placement	2nd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	2nd	1st	1st	2nd	2nd	1st	1st	3rd	3rd	3rd	1st	1st	1st
Brian	Daily Points	40	95	40	65	125	90	70	80	100	55	85	40	85	80	90	35	100	35	95		13	6
	Total Points	40	135	175	240	365	455	525	605	705	760	845	885	970	1,050	1,140	1,175	1,275	1,310	1,405	1,405
	Placement	4th	4th	3rd	4th	4th	4th	4th	3rd	3rd	3rd	3rd	3rd	4th	4th	2nd	2nd	2nd	4th	5th	4th
Julia	Daily Points	80	85	100	35	105	45	91	35	105	55	45	85	70	45	75	80	90	70	110		13	6
	Total Points	80	165	265	300	405	450	541	576	681	736	781	866	936	981	1,056	1,136	1,226	1,296	1,406	1,406
	Placement	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd	5th	3rd	5th	4th	5th	5th	5th	5th	5th	6th	5th	5th	6th	4th	5th
Khalil	Daily Points	85	85	90	35	125	45	90	75	100	55	80	90	40	90	75	35	95	35	90		13	6
	Total Points	85	170	260	295	420	465	555	630	730	785	865	955	995	1,085	1,160	1,195	1,290	1,325	1,415	1,415
	Placements	1st	2nd	2nd	3rd	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	1st	1st	2nd	2nd	1st	1st	1st	3rd	3rd	2nd
Noah	Daily Points	40	45	90	65	125	95	45	75	100	75	80	40	100	80	40	35	95	105	90		13	6
	Total Points	40	85	175	240	365	460	505	580	680	755	835	875	975	1,055	1,095	1,130	1,225	1,330	1,420	1,420
	Placements	4th	5th	3rd	4th	4th	3rd	5th	4th	5th	4th	4th	4th	3rd	3rd	4th	6th	6th	2nd	2nd	3rd
Taylor	Daily Points	40	45	40	80	100	90	45	75	100	55	95	40	70	85	100	90	90	70	90		13	6
	Total Points	40	85	125	205	305	395	440	515	615	670	765	805	875	960	1,060	1,150	1,240	1,310	1,400	1,400
	Placements	4th	5th	4th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	5th	4th	4th	4th	6th	6th

• Yellow means the contestant was the Daily Winner.
• Green means the contestant stayed in the studio for the half-time quiz show.

[edit] Point Totals Before Season 1 Finale

• • 1st Place: Anna
  • 2nd Place: Noah
  • 3rd Place: Khalil
  • 4th Place: Julia
  • 5th Place: Brian
  • 6th Place: Taylor

All did 13 challenge episodes and 6 quiz shows.

[edit] Final results

Winner of Season one: Anna

• 2nd Place: Khalil
• 3rd Place: Noah
• 4th Place: Brian
• 5th Place: Julia
• 6th Place: Taylor

[edit] Season Two

Season two of Fetch! started on May 28, 2007.

[edit] Contestants

• Madi Bader
• Willie Erickson
• Bridget Madison
• Rosario Michaels
• Mike Spence
• Nina Wadelkar

[edit] Episodes

There are 20 episodes in season 2.

1. "Ruff Ruffman Breaks the Mold" (05/29/07) Ruff sends Mike and Willie to a mold expert to learn about germs, while Nina and Madi must go to a chocolate factory to learn how to make candy. Ruff also meets his new intern... a cat! Bridget and Rosario stay behind in the studio.

2."Ruff's Case of Blues in the Brain" (5/30/07) Ruff challenges Bridget and Mike to prove the urban myth that humans only use 10% of their brains. He sends Madi and Willie to take music lessons with Blue Man Group. Rosario and Nina stay behind.

3. "You Lucky Dog" (5/31/07) Ruff enters Rosario, Nina and Mike into a soapbox derby race. He enters Bridget in a Chinese Dragon Boat race to improve his own bad luck. Madi and Willie stay behind.

4. "Ruff's Big Break" (6/4/07) Ruff spins and dances on the fence outside the doghouse, and hurts his leg. He sends Bridget and Rosario to ease his fears about going to the hospital, and sends Mike and Willie to learn how to improve his balance. Nina and Madi stay behind.

5. "The Mystery of DogTopia and Catlantis" (6/5/07) Ruff sends all the FETCHers to Misery Island to solve the mystery of what happened between dogs and cats in the lost civilization of Dogtopia and Catlantis.

6. "Reducing The Calories and Cats In Your Life" (5/28/07) Ruff challenges Mike and Nina to make a healthier pizza and sends Bridget and Madi to volunteer as "kitty adoption counselors" at an animal shelter. Rosario and Willie stay behind.

7. "I'm OK, You're Okra" (6/6/07) Ruff challenges Madi and Mike to prove that dogs have a soothing effect on people, and he sends Rosario and Nina to the Louisiana Bayou to learn how to make gumbo. Bridget and Willie stay behind.

8. "The Small Fork Is For Dessert (Unless You're A Dolphin)" (6/7/07) Grandma Ruffman returns! Appalled by Ruff's manners, Grandma sends Rosario and Nina to meet an etiquette expert. She sends Willie to Florida to compete against Calvin the dolphin. Bridget, Mike, and Madi stay behind.

9. "Roughing It With Ruff" (6/11/07) Fearing that he is being forced to live out in the wild, Ruff sends all the kids into the wilderness to meet with a survival expert to learn the ways of the woods.

10. "Ruff's Bowling Is Going Downhill" (6/12/07) Rosario goes to the mountains to learn how to snowboard, and Bridget and Willie go to Michigan to build a better bowling machine. Mike, Madi, and Nina stay behind.

11. "Mush If By Land, Mush Mush If By Sea" (6/13/07) In the first of this two-part episode, Willie and Nina embark on a race following Paul Revere's famous ride through the streets of Boston. Madi and Rosario go to Colorado in search of the Continental Divide. Bridget and Mike stay behind.

12. "Still More Mush If By Land, Mush Mush If By Sea" (6/14/07) In the second half of this two-part episode, Madi and Rosario travel by dogsled and snowshoe to the Continental divide, while Nina and Willie warn the countryside (Boston suburbs) that the Redcoats are coming. Bridget and Mike are still in the studio. Technically there is no "Half-time Quiz Show" in this episode (due to the fact that this was a "Part two" episode), but Ruff gave Bridget and Mike a task to complete for the same number of points.

13. "Yippie Tie Yie Yay, Get Along Little Doggies" (6/18/07) Ruff is inspired by a dream about ranch dressing in a ten-gallon hat and sends all his FETCHers out west on a cattle drive.

14. "Tape Loops and Loop-the-Loops" (6/19/07) Ruff challenges Mike and Madi to write a song for Grandma Ruffman. Bridget and Willie go to Disney World to design a rollercoaster. Rosario and Nina stay behind.

15. "A Lobster Bake? Oh Buoy!" (6/20/07) Ruff challenges Nina and Willie to learn scuba diving to retrieve some stuff he lost. He then sends Bridget and Rosario out to learn about lobster trapping. Mike and Madi stay behind.

16. "How to Get Dogs and Doggerel in Better Shape" (6/21/07) Ruff wants to impress Charlene, the poodle, so he sends Madi, Mike, and Willie to learn about getting fit. He sends Nina to learn the art of writing poetry. Bridget and Rosario stay behind.

17. "Scruff Ruffman At Large!" (6/25/07) Ruff discovers that his evil twin, Scruff Ruffman, has pulled off a major art heist. Ruff sends Bridget, Rosario, and Nina down into a cave to recover the missing paintings. He challenges Madi to be a trapeze artist. Willie and Mike stay behind.

18. "Take Me Out to the Fashion Show" (6/26/07) Ruff has two things that are mistakenly at the same time- throw the first pitch at a baseball game and go to Europe for a party for his fashion cousin, Helga. So, he hires someone to dress up like him and throw the pitch while he goes to Europe. He soon realizes he accidentally put his clothes in the trash and his trash in the dry cleaning. After the party, Helga tells Ruff he can no longer go to Europe unless he can get some fashion sense, and the Ruff costume was so big the pitch was thrown badly. Ruff sends Mike out to the ballpark to learn the science of pitching strikes, and he challenges Bridget, Madi and Rosario to create high fashion for dogs. Willie and Nina stay behind.

19. "CSI Ruff" (6/27/07) Ruff's grand prize has been stolen! Ruff sends all the FETCHers to a forensics lab to solve the crime.

20. "The Grand Prizeless Grand Finale" (6/28/07) It's the grand finale and Ruff may be going to jail for stealing the FETCH Grand Prize! The kids compete in a series of elimination games to become the FETCH Grand Champion. Blossom disguises herself as Scruff, gets the grand prize fom Scruff's assistants and gives it to Ruff, meaning Ruff doesn't go to jail. In the end, Mike takes home the grand prize.

[edit] Point totals before Season 2 finale

• 1. Mike - 1325, 13 challenges, 6 quiz shows
• 2. Rosario - 1320, 13 challenges, 6 quiz shows
• 3. Bridget - 1315, 13 challenges, 6 quiz shows
• 4. Willie - 1305, 13 challenges, 6 quiz shows
• 5. Nina - 1290, 13 challenges, 6 quiz shows
• 6. Madi - 1285, 13 challenges, 6 quiz shows

[edit] Final results

Winner of Season Two: Mike

• 2nd Place: Willie

• 3rd Place: Rosario

• 4th Place: Bridget

• 5th Place: Madi

• 6th Place: Nina

[edit] Season Three

According to the official website, Season Three of FETCH! premieres September 29, 2008. It also appears that Blossom will return.

[edit] DVD releases

There are no current plans for a DVD release.

Both seasons are available on iTunes, minus episode six of the first season (Saturday Night With A Slight Fever" (06/06/06) - Taylor, Brian, and Noah are required to make a music video with some easily-recognizable stars - their grandparents- while staying under a budget. Anna, Julia, and Khalil stay behind at Studio G).

[edit] Facts about the FETCHers and the Show

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• FETCH! uses various songs from the libraries of Associated Production Music, the company that makes tunes for ZOOM and Postcards from Buster.
• Studio G (Ruff's garage) was located in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. It is now located in Brighton^{[citation needed]}.
• Fetch! was originally called Hot Seat in 2004, as a parody of the the 1980s talkshow of the same name. "Hot Spot" became the new name during the auditions that took place in April, 2005 by Nancy Doyle Casting^{[citation needed]}.
• The Grand Prize for season 1 was a camera (for most points won that episode) and, as decided by a contestant, a chance to go white water rafting. However, every cast member also got to go white water rafting.
• Season 2 has the first 2-part episode in the series.
• The Half Time Quiz Show was won (gaining all 50 points) in You Lucky Dog and The Small Fork Is For Dessert (Unless You're A Dolphin). In Season 1 it was won once in This Old... Lemonade Stand.
• Though the first episode was scheduled to be the first aired episode (the premiere), for unknown reasons, episode 6 ("Reducing the Calories and Cats in Your Life") was shown first, pushing the airing dates for the first five episodes one day back.
• Madi and Nina from Season 2 are the only FETCHers who are left-handed.
• At the end of the season 2 finale, Ruff hinted that there will be a third season. Also, it was hinted that Ruff's intern, Princess Blossom Pepper doodle von Yum Yum would not be back next season but this fact is not confirmed. However, on the offical website, it shows Blossom on the advertisement picture, so there is a chance she will be back.^{[citation needed]}
• In the first season the winner of the day was given a choice to take the mystery prize or give it to another contestant, but in season two that was changed to having the winner pick one of two mystery prizes. However, in the Season 2 episode I'm OK, You're Okra, Rosario gave the prize to Nina.
• Laurel McGoff, Brian of Season 1's sister, appeared in two Season 1 episodes and also participated in Kid Nation.
• According to the FETCH website, Nina was the youngest FETCHer in Season 2; she was 10. Also according to the official website, Khalil was the youngest FETCHer in Season 1, while Anna was the oldest.
• In Season 1, Episode 1, Ruff would call the winner as the Fetch! World Champ, but eventually renamed at Fetch! Grand Champion.
• On one of Ruff's podcasts (Ruff Needs YOU!), it says the viewers can send in ideas about challenges for season 3 by contacting the show's editors.

[edit] Promotions

In order to promote the show, the first season's contestants (along with a live action version of Ruff Ruffman) and the Jonas Brothers participated in the 80th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 23rd, 2006. The Season 2 FETCHers appeared on the same float in the 81st Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 22nd, 2007 - Corbin Bleu appeared on the float as well, singing.

[edit] Production and Funding

[edit] Production

Fetch! is produced by WGBH Boston with much of the show's challenges currently taking place around the Boston metropolitan area. Fetch! is also produced with the help of a Province of British Columbia Production Services Tax Credit.^[1]

[edit] Casting

To try out for FETCH!, kids are required to be between the ages of 10 and 14 and be able to live in the greater Boston area over the summer, during school vacations, and several weekends throughout the school year. Moreover, FETCHers must be able to be filmed without missing school. Casting for Season 3 has already taken place.

[edit] Funding

Funding for Fetch! is provided by the following organizations:

• National Science Foundation (2006-present)
• Viewer contributions ("Viewers Like You") (2006-present)
• Arthur Vining Davis Foundation (Completion funding of $200K)^[2] (2006-2007)
• Arby's (2006-present)
• Greendog Clothes for Kids, from Macy's (2006-present)

[edit] References

• Toy Wishes: The Ultimate Guide to Family Entertainment, Spring 2007, p. 51

[edit] External links

• FETCH! official website
• Maura Tighe Casting Webpage
• FETCH! Season 2 preview video
• Fetch! Official Website: Season 2 Cast
• Fetch! Official Website: Season 1 Cast

v • d • e PBS Kids shows (as of January 2008) Current shows Barney & Friends · Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures · The Berenstain Bears* · Between the Lions · Boohbah · Caillou · Clifford the Big Red Dog* · Clifford's Puppy Days · Curious George · Dragon Tales* · Franny's Feet · George Shrinks* · It's a Big Big World · Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks · Jay Jay: The Jet Plane · Mister Rogers' Neighborhood* · Reading Rainbow* · Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat* · Sesame Street · Super Why! · Teletubbies* · Thomas and Friends · WordWorld · Zoboomafoo* PBS Kids GO! programs Arthur · Dragonfly TV · FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman · Maya & Miguel · Postcards from Buster · WordGirl · ZOOM* Past Shows 3-2-1 Contact · Adventures from the Book of Virtues · Adventures of Dudley the Dragon · Bill Nye the Science Guy · Big Comfy Couch · Bob the Builder · Captain Kangaroo · Charlie Horse Music Pizza · The Electric Company** · Gerbert · Ghostwriter · The Huggabug Club · In the Mix · Katie and Orbie · Kidsongs · Kratts' Creatures · Lamb Chop's Play-Along · Liberty's Kids · Long Ago & Far Away · The Magic School Bus · Mark Kistler's Imagination Station · Newton's Apple · Noddy · Pappyland · PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch · The Puzzle Place · Shining Time Station · Square One Television · Seven Little Monsters · Theodore Tugboat · Tots TV · Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? · Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? · Wimzie's House · Wishbone · Zoobilee Zoo Note This list does not include shows from networks airing PBS Kids shows but not funded directly from PBS, such as KLCS shows. See also PBS network shows · Educational television * No new episodes are being produced; reruns still airing on many major PBS stations ** New version to debut in 2008