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{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
| name = Rocket Monkeys
| image = RocketMonkeysLogotrans.gif
| image = RocketMonkeysLogotrans.gif
| caption =
| caption =
| alt_name = The Rocket Monkeys
| alt_name = The Rocket Monkeys
| genre = <!-- ADDED GENRES MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY RELIABLE SOURCES -->
[[Science fiction comedy]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thetvdb.com/series/rocket-monkeys|title=Rocket Monkeys - The TVDB.com|access-date=July 3, 2023|archive-date=July 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703232734/https://thetvdb.com/series/rocket-monkeys|url-status=live}}</ref>
| genre = <!-- ADDED GENRES MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY RELIABLE SOURCES -->
| creator = {{Plainlist |
| creator = {{Plainlist |
* Dan Abdo
* Dan Abdo
* Jason Patterson
* Jason Patterson
}}
}}
| based_on =
| based_on =
| developer = {{Plainlist |
| developer = {{Plainlist |
* Alex Galatis
* Alex Galatis
* Mark Evestaff
* Mark Evestaff
}}
}}
| writer =
| writer =
| director = J Falconer
| director = J. Falconer
| creative_director = Mark Evestaff
| creative_director = Mark Evestaff
| presenter =
| presenter =
| starring =
| starring =
| judges =
| judges =
| voices = {{Plainlist |
| voices = {{Plainlist |
* [[Seán Cullen]]
* [[Seán Cullen]]
* Mark Edwards
* Mark Edwards
* [[David Berni]]
* [[David Berni]]
* Jamie Watson
* Jamie Watson
}}
}}
| narrated =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme = "Rocket Monkeys" performed by [[Tony Daniels]]
| opentheme = "Rocket Monkeys" performed by [[Tony Daniels]]
| endtheme = "Rocket Monkeys" performed by David Berni (as YAY-OK)
| endtheme = "Rocket Monkeys" performed by David Berni (as YAY-OK)
| composer = {{Plainlist |
| composer = {{Plainlist |
* Eggplant LF
* Eggplant LF
* Steve D'Angelo
* Steve D'Angelo
Line 36: Line 36:
* Jeffrey Morrow
* Jeffrey Morrow
}}
}}
| country = United States<br />Canada
| country = Canada
| language = English
| language = English
| num_seasons = 3
| num_seasons = 3
| num_episodes = 65 (130 segments)
| num_episodes = 66 (130 segments)
| list_episodes = List of Rocket Monkeys episodes
| list_episodes = List of Rocket Monkeys episodes
| executive_producer = {{plainlist |
| executive_producer = {{plainlist |
* Ira Levy
* Ira Levy
* Peter Williamson
* Peter Williamson
* Joan Lambur
* Joan Lambur
* Dan Abdo
* Dan Abdo (S1)
* Michael Feder
* Michael Feder (S1)
* Jason Patterson
* Jason Patterson (S1)
* Michael McGuigan (S3)
* Michael McGuigan (S3)
* Nat Abraham (S3)
* Nat Abraham (S3)
}}
}}
| producer = Mark Evestaff
| producer = Mark Evestaff
| editor =
| editor =
| location =
| location =
| cinematography =
| cinematography =
| camera =
| camera =
| runtime = 22 minutes (11 minutes per segment)
| runtime = 22 minutes (11 minutes per segment)<br>44 minutes ("Terrors and Tiaras")
| company = {{ubl|[[Breakthrough Entertainment]]|[[Atomic Cartoons]]|Hornet Films}}
| company = {{ubl|[[Breakthrough Entertainment]]|[[Atomic Cartoons]]|Hornet Films}}
| distributor =
| channel = [[Teletoon]]
| channel = [[Teletoon]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|2013|01|10}}
| picture_format = [[HDTV]] [[1080i]]
| last_aired = {{End date|2016|11|23}}
| audio_format = [[Surround]]
| related =
| first_run =
| first_aired = {{Start date|2013|01|10}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2016|11|23}}
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| related =
| website =
| website_title =
| production_website =
| production_website_title =
}}
}}

'''''Rocket Monkeys''''' is a [[animated television series]] created by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson for [[Teletoon]]. It premiered in Canada on January 10, 2013,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv-eh.com/2013/01/03/rocket-monkeys-premieres-january-10-on-teletoon/|title=Rocket Monkeys premieres January 10 on Teletoon|date=3 January 2013}}</ref> and aired its last new episode on November 23, 2016, before entering reruns. The series is produced by [[Breakthrough Entertainment]] in association with Hornet Films and [[Atomic Cartoons]]. 65 episodes were produced.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crump |first1=William D. |title=Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film |date=2019 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476672939 |pages=256–257}}</ref>
'''''Rocket Monkeys''''' is a Canadian [[animated television series]] created by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson for [[Teletoon]]. It premiered in Canada on January 10, 2013,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv-eh.com/2013/01/03/rocket-monkeys-premieres-january-10-on-teletoon/|title=Rocket Monkeys premieres January 10 on Teletoon|date=3 January 2013|access-date=7 February 2016|archive-date=30 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630162556/http://www.tv-eh.com/2013/01/03/rocket-monkeys-premieres-january-10-on-teletoon/|url-status=live}}</ref> and aired its last new episode on November 23, 2016, before entering reruns. The series is produced by [[Breakthrough Entertainment]] in association with Hornet Films and [[Atomic Cartoons]]. 66 episodes were produced.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crump |first1=William D. |title=Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film |date=2019 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476672939 |pages=256–257}}</ref>

Although the show received negative reviews from critics and audiences, it won several [[Canadian Screen Awards]],<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Indie producers win big at 2016 Canadian Screen Awards |url=https://cmpa.ca/press-releases/indie-producers-win-big-at-2016-canadian-screen-awards/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227012300/https://cmpa.ca/press-releases/indie-producers-win-big-at-2016-canadian-screen-awards/ |archive-date=December 27, 2022 |access-date=December 27, 2022}}</ref> including Best Animated Program in both 2015 and 2016.


==Plot==
==Plot==
Brothers Gus and Wally are monkey astronauts. They're not the brightest or coolest astronauts, but since they are the only ones around, they are called upon to go into space and carry out different kinds of important missions—including battling rogue black holes and vengeful aliens. Other members of the brothers' crew include bossy astrophysicist Dr. Chimpsky, who gives the monkeys their assignments; YAY-OK, a devoted robot that is slightly outdated and is the brothers' only hope to help keep them on course; and Inky, a space octopus and artist who communicates through his ink drawings.
Two anthropomorphic monkey astronauts, named Gus and Wally, work at the GASI Headquarters. They're not the brightest or coolest astronauts, but since they are the only ones around, they are called upon to go into space and carry out different kinds of important missions—including battling rogue black holes and vengeful aliens. Other members of the brothers' crew include bossy astrophysicist Dr. Chimpsky, who gives the monkeys their assignments; YAY-OK, a devoted robot that is slightly outdated and is the brothers' only hope to help keep them on course; and Inky, a space octopus and artist who communicates through his ink drawings.


==Characters==
==Characters==
* Gus Monkey (voiced by [[Seán Cullen]]) is Wally's older brother. He wants nothing more than to be a hero, but he can't always put aside his monkey instincts. The closest thing the ship has to a captain, he takes being a GASI cadet very seriously—well, when he feels like it.<ref name="teletoon.com">http://www.teletoon.com/en/tv/rocketMonkeys</ref>
* '''Gus Monkey''' (voiced by [[Seán Cullen]]) is Wally's monkey partner and older brother, who has brown fur and a blue spacesuit, and is considered the smarter of the two. He wants nothing more than to be a hero, but he can't always put aside his monkey instincts. The closest thing the ship has to a captain, he takes being a GASI cadet very seriously — well, when he feels like it.<ref name="teletoon.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.teletoon.com/en/tv/rocketMonkeys |title=ROCKET MONKEYS &#124; teletoon.com |access-date=2013-11-24 |archive-date=2018-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180606155917/http://www.teletoon.com/en/tv/rocketMonkeys |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Wally Monkey (voiced by Mark Edwards) is Gus' monkey partner and brother, and is considered the smarter of the two. However Poorly-groomed yet somehow adorable, Wally would rather be playing Banana Blasters or organizing his expired pudding collection than jetting off on some crazy expedition. If there's one thing Wally's good at, it's being a monkey—he can howl and fling with the best of them.<ref name="teletoon.com"/>
* '''Wally Monkey''' (voiced by Mark Edwards) is Gus' monkey partner and younger brother, who has yellow fur and a red spacesuit. Poorly-groomed yet somehow adorable, Wally would rather be playing Banana Blasters or organizing his expired pudding collection than jetting off on some crazy expedition. If there's one thing Wally's good at, it's being a monkey — he can howl and fling with the best of them.<ref name="teletoon.com"/>
* Yay-OK (voiced by [[David Berni]]) is Wally and Gus' obsolete robot companion that helps them on their adventures through space. There's nothing this robot wouldn't do for his beloved monkeys—after all, he's programmed that way. He's quite the charmer, too—from the fridge to the blender to the vending machine, there isn't a ladybot on board whose circuits he hasn't made beep a little faster.<ref name="teletoon.com"/>
* '''Yay-OK''' (voiced by [[David Berni]]) is Wally and Gus' obsolete robot companion that helps them on their adventures through space. There's nothing this robot wouldn't do for his beloved monkeys — after all, he's programmed that way. He's quite the charmer, too — from the fridge to the blender to the vending machine, there isn't a ladybot on board whose circuits he hasn't made beep a little faster.<ref name="teletoon.com"/>
* Dr. Chimpsky (voiced by Jamie Watson) is the leader of GASI headquarters. He assigns the Monkeys their highly important missions (which sometimes include getting him more ice when his drink gets too warm) and does his best to keep them on track when they get distracted.<ref name="teletoon.com"/>
* '''Dr. Chimpsky''' (voiced by Jamie Watson) is the leader of GASI Headquarters. He assigns the Monkeys their highly important missions (which sometimes include getting him more ice when his drink gets too warm) and does his best to keep them on track when they get distracted.<ref name="teletoon.com"/>
* Inky is a space octopus and an artist who communicates through his incredible ink drawings. Whether he's a member of the crew or just unbearably cute, is anybody's guess. But either way, his artistic talents make him super fun to have around.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nicktoons.co.uk/shows/rocket-monkeys/characters/inky/lwqloc|title=Inky From Rocket Monkeys - Nick.com}}</ref>
* '''Inky''' is a space octopus and an artist who communicates through his incredible ink drawings. Whether he's a member of the crew or just unbearably cute, is anybody's guess. But either way, his artistic talents make him super fun to have around.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nicktoons.co.uk/shows/rocket-monkeys/characters/inky/lwqloc|title=INKY|website=Nicktoons.co.uk|access-date=19 February 2022|archive-date=4 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804004526/http://www.nicktoons.co.uk/shows/rocket-monkeys/characters/inky/lwqloc|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Lord Peel (voiced by [[Mark McKinney]]) is the main antagonist of the series, whom the monkeys constantly mistake for a banana. Before the events of the series, he was a noble businessman. But then the Rocket Monkeys began to crave him, and he's been trying to get revenge on them for trying to eat him and especially for forcing him into the dark side.
* '''Lord Peel''' (voiced by [[Mark McKinney]]) is the main antagonist of the series, whom the monkeys constantly mistake for a banana. Before the events of the series, he was a noble businessman. But then the Rocket Monkeys began to crave him, and he's been trying to get revenge on them for trying to eat him and especially for forcing him into the dark side.
* Nefarious (voiced by Seán Cullen) is one of the antagonists of the series. He lives in a prison asteroid, which he tries to escape in most episodes.
* '''Nefarious''' (voiced by Seán Cullen) is one of the antagonists of the series. He lives in a prison asteroid, which he tries to escape in most episodes in which he appears.
* SLO-MO (voiced by [[Teresa Pavlinek]]) is Nefarious’ robot companion. In some episodes, she cares about YAY-OK a lot.
* '''SLO-MO''' (voiced by [[Teresa Pavlinek]]) is Nefarious' robot minion. Some episodes show her having (requited or not) an infatuation with Yay-OK.
* Deep Space Dave (also voiced by [[Seán Cullen]]) is a superhero who always relies on his fans- the monkeys, of course.
* '''Deep Space Dave''' (also voiced by [[Seán Cullen]]) is a superhero who always relies on his fans - the monkeys, of course.


==Production and development==
==Production and development==
The development of the series begins in 2006. The two protagonist monkeys, Gus and Wally, are inspired by the complicity of the two creators of the series, Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson,<ref name="thr">{{cite web|title=Nickelodeon Acquires Canadian Cartoon ''Rocket Monkeys'' for Global Network|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nickelodeon-acquires-canadian-cartoon-rocket-422447|author=Etan Vlessing|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|language=en|date=19 February 2013}}</ref> friends since high school. Jason and Dan did some animation tests and sketches which they showed Michael Feder. Feder, a partner of Hornet Inc, then helped in the development of ''Rocket Monkeys'', under the label of Hornet Films in [[New York]]. In 2007, the animation division of their studio closed. [[4Kids Entertainment]] then volunteered to take care of the pre-production of the series from spring 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hornet Team Builds Buzz for ''Rocket Monkeys''|url=http://www.coldhardflash.com/2008/01/hornet-team-builds-buzz-for-rocket.html|author=AARON|website=Cold Hard Flash|language=en|date=24 January 2008|access-date=1 September 2013}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=''Rocket Monkeys'' Prepped for Blast-off at MIPCOM|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/rocket-monkeys-prepped-for-blast-off-at-mipcom/|website=Animation Magazine|language=en|date=14 September 2009|access-date=1 September 2013}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=4Licensing Corporation Launches ''Rocket Monkeys'' Licensing Program|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130408005256/en/4Licensing-Corporation-Launches-Rocket-Monkeys-Licensing-Program|website=Business Wire|language=en|date=8 August 2013|access-date=1 September 2013}}</ref>
The development of the series begins in 2006. The two protagonist monkeys, Gus and Wally, are inspired by the complicity of the two creators of the series, Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson,<ref name="thr">{{cite web|title=Nickelodeon Acquires Canadian Cartoon ''Rocket Monkeys'' for Global Network|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nickelodeon-acquires-canadian-cartoon-rocket-422447|author=Etan Vlessing|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|language=en|date=19 February 2013|access-date=7 February 2016|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924194310/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nickelodeon-acquires-canadian-cartoon-rocket-422447|url-status=live}}</ref> friends since high school. Jason and Dan did some animation tests and sketches, which they showed to Michael Feder. Feder, a partner of Hornet Inc, then helped in the development of ''Rocket Monkeys'', under the label of Hornet Films. In 2007, the animation division of their studio closed. [[4Kids Entertainment]] then volunteered to take care of the pre-production of the series from spring 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hornet Team Builds Buzz for ''Rocket Monkeys''|url=http://www.coldhardflash.com/2008/01/hornet-team-builds-buzz-for-rocket.html|author=AARON|website=Cold Hard Flash|language=en|date=24 January 2008|access-date=1 September 2013|archive-date=5 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305023246/http://coldhardflash.com/2008/01/hornet-team-builds-buzz-for-rocket.html|url-status=live}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=14 September 2009 |title=''Rocket Monkeys'' Prepped for Blast-off at MIPCOM |url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/rocket-monkeys-prepped-for-blast-off-at-mipcom/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114746/http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/rocket-monkeys-prepped-for-blast-off-at-mipcom/ |archive-date=2 April 2015 |access-date=1 September 2013 |website=[[Animation Magazine]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=4Licensing Corporation Launches ''Rocket Monkeys'' Licensing Program|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130408005256/en/4Licensing-Corporation-Launches-Rocket-Monkeys-Licensing-Program|website=Business Wire|language=en|date=8 August 2013|access-date=1 September 2013|archive-date=16 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416040146/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130408005256/en/4Licensing-Corporation-Launches-Rocket-Monkeys-Licensing-Program|url-status=live}}</ref>


At the beginning of 2012, production was completed and the animation was taken over by [[Atomic Cartoons]] in [[Vancouver]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cadet|first=Open Space|date=2016-01-22|title=AndrewLucasArt: Rocket Monkeys!|url=http://andrewlucas.blogspot.com/2016/01/rocket-monkeys_22.html|access-date=2021-01-15|website=AndrewLucasArt}}</ref>
At the beginning of 2012, production was completed, and the animation was taken over by [[Atomic Cartoons]] in [[Vancouver]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cadet |first=Open Space |date=January 22, 2016 |title=AndrewLucasArt: Rocket Monkeys! |url=http://andrewlucas.blogspot.com/2016/01/rocket-monkeys_22.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121203842/http://andrewlucas.blogspot.com/2016/01/rocket-monkeys_22.html |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |access-date=January 15, 2021 |website=AndrewLucasArt}}</ref>


==Episodes==
==Episodes==
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==Broadcast and home media==
==Broadcast and home media==
''Rocket Monkeys'' had been broadcast in Canada on its original channel, [[Teletoon]], since January 10, 2013. It currently airs on [[Cartoon Network Canada|Cartoon Network]] in Canada<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teletoonmedia.com/en/index.php/teletoon/press_release/category/Rocket_Monkeys|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619010334/http://www.teletoonmedia.com/en/index.php/teletoon/press_release/category/Rocket_Monkeys|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 June 2013|title=The Press Room « Teletoon « Press Release « TELETOON GOES BANANAS WITH NEW ORIGINAL SERIES ROCKET MONKEYS|date=19 June 2013}}</ref> The series is available for digital per-episode purchase in Canada, and cannot be purchased in the U.S. in that manner. As of 2021, the series (with the exception of some episodes), can be seen on the completely free streaming service, [[Tubi]].
''Rocket Monkeys'' was broadcast in Canada on its channel [[Cartoon Network (Canadian TV channel)|Teletoon]], from January 10, 2013, to November 23, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teletoonmedia.com/en/index.php/teletoon/press_release/category/Rocket_Monkeys|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619010334/http://www.teletoonmedia.com/en/index.php/teletoon/press_release/category/Rocket_Monkeys|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 June 2013|title=The Press Room « Teletoon « Press Release « TELETOON GOES BANANAS WITH NEW ORIGINAL SERIES ROCKET MONKEYS|date=19 June 2013}}</ref> The series is available for digital per-episode purchase in Canada, and cannot be purchased in the U.S. in that manner. As of 2021, the series (except some episodes), can be seen on the completely free streaming service, [[Tubi]].


On February 21, 2013, [[Nickelodeon]] announced that they had acquired the broadcast rights to the series, including for the U.S., though its history on that network was marked with several shifts. It premiered on March 4, 2013, but then shifted over to sister network [[Nicktoons (TV channel)|Nicktoons]] due to low ratings and waning promotion on Nickelodeon, before that network dropped entirely it in May 2014, leaving it off US airwaves for just over three years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nickelodeon-acquires-canadian-cartoon-rocket-422447|title=Nickelodeon Acquires Canadian Cartoon 'Rocket Monkeys' for Global Network}}</ref> The second season finally premiered in the U.S. on July 3, 2017 as part of the over-the-air [[KidsClick]] [[broadcast syndication|syndicated]] children's block and has aired until the block shut down in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toonbarn.com/other-cartoons/kidsclick-lineup-revealed/|title=KidsClick Lineup Revealed|date=June 19, 2017|access-date=June 19, 2017|work=ToonBarn}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, it premiered on [[Nicktoons (UK)|Nicktoons]] in 2013 and ended sometime in 2017, but repeats aired from December 2017 to 28 January 2018, and it also aired on [[CITV]]. In Southeast Asia, it aired on [[Disney XD (Southeast Asia)|Disney XD]], and in Poland, it aired on [[Disney XD (Polish TV channel)|Disney XD]].
On February 21, 2013, [[Nickelodeon]] announced that they had acquired the broadcast rights to the series, including for the U.S., though its history on that network was marked with several shifts. It premiered on March 4, 2013, but then shifted over to sister network [[Nicktoons (American TV channel)|Nicktoons]] due to low ratings and waning promotion on Nickelodeon, before that network dropped it entirely in May 2014, leaving it off US airwaves for just over three years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nickelodeon-acquires-canadian-cartoon-rocket-422447|title=Nickelodeon Acquires Canadian Cartoon 'Rocket Monkeys' for Global Network|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=19 February 2013|access-date=7 February 2016|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924194310/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nickelodeon-acquires-canadian-cartoon-rocket-422447|url-status=live}}</ref> The second season finally premiered in the U.S. on July 3, 2017, as part of the over-the-air [[KidsClick]] [[broadcast syndication|syndicated]] children's block and has aired until the block shut down in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toonbarn.com/other-cartoons/kidsclick-lineup-revealed/|title=KidsClick Lineup Revealed|date=June 19, 2017|access-date=June 19, 2017|work=ToonBarn|archive-date=June 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623164146/http://www.toonbarn.com/other-cartoons/kidsclick-lineup-revealed|url-status=live}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, it premiered on [[Nicktoons (UK)|Nicktoons]] in 2013 and ended sometime in 2017, but repeats aired from December 2017 to 28 January 2018, and it also aired on [[CITV]]. In Southeast Asia and Poland, it aired on [[List of Disney XD TV channels|Disney XD]].

== Reception ==
''Rocket Monkeys'' received negative reviews from critics and audiences.

Emily Ashby of ''[[Common Sense Media]]'' rate a show two stars out of five, saying that the show was "tries to be edgy and clever with its humor, but gross-out laughs usually dominate the content." She describes the main characters, Gus and Wally, are "loud, rude, and chronically dim," which "also persistent in the worst possible way, forever trying to one-up each other or get what they want by whining about it." Overall, she calls the show is "hectic and tiresome."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ashby |first=Emily |title=Rocket Monkeys TV Review |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/rocket-monkeys |access-date=November 27, 2024 |website=Common Sense Media |language=en}}</ref>

Despite reviews that are negative, the show won at the [[Canadian Screen Awards]] for the Best Animated Program or Series and Best Writing in an Animated Program or Series (Dan Abdo) in both 2015 and 2016,<ref name=":0" /> plus, it was nominated for Best Performance in an Animated Program or Series (Mark Robert Edwards) in 2014, and, in the same year, it won at the 10th Annual [[Shaw Rocket Fund|Shaw Rocket Prize]] alongside [[Justin Time (TV series)|''Justin Time'']] and ''If I Had Wings''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=November 25, 2014 |title=Toronto productions ‘Justin Time,’ ‘Rocket Monkeys’ among Shaw Rocket Prize winners |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/1692692/toronto-productions-justin-time-rocket-monkeys-among-shaw-rocket-prize-winners/ |access-date=November 27, 2024 |website=[[Global News]] |language=en-US}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{Teletoon}}
{{Teletoon}}

[[Category:2010s Canadian animated television series]]
[[Category:2010s Canadian animated television series]]
[[Category:2010s Canadian children's television series]]
[[Category:2010s Canadian comic science fiction television series]]
[[Category:2010s Canadian comic science fiction television series]]
[[Category:2013 Canadian television series debuts]]
[[Category:2013 Canadian television series debuts]]
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[[Category:Television series set in outer space]]
[[Category:Television series set in outer space]]
[[Category:Canadian flash animated television series]]
[[Category:Canadian flash animated television series]]
[[Category:Canadian English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Teletoon original programming]]
[[Category:Teletoon original programming]]
[[Category:Disney XD original programming]]
[[Category:Nickelodeon original programming]]
[[Category:Nicktoons (TV network) original programming]]
[[Category:KidsClick]]
[[Category:KidsClick]]
[[Category:Animated television series about brothers]]

Latest revision as of 08:52, 21 December 2024

Rocket Monkeys
Also known asThe Rocket Monkeys
GenreScience fiction comedy[1]
Created by
  • Dan Abdo
  • Jason Patterson
Developed by
  • Alex Galatis
  • Mark Evestaff
Directed byJ. Falconer
Creative directorMark Evestaff
Voices of
Opening theme"Rocket Monkeys" performed by Tony Daniels
Ending theme"Rocket Monkeys" performed by David Berni (as YAY-OK)
Composers
  • Eggplant LF
  • Steve D'Angelo
  • Terry Tompkins
  • Jeffrey Morrow
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes66 (130 segments) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Ira Levy
  • Peter Williamson
  • Joan Lambur
  • Dan Abdo (S1)
  • Michael Feder (S1)
  • Jason Patterson (S1)
  • Michael McGuigan (S3)
  • Nat Abraham (S3)
ProducerMark Evestaff
Running time22 minutes (11 minutes per segment)
44 minutes ("Terrors and Tiaras")
Production companies
Original release
NetworkTeletoon
ReleaseJanuary 10, 2013 (2013-01-10) –
November 23, 2016 (2016-11-23)

Rocket Monkeys is a Canadian animated television series created by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson for Teletoon. It premiered in Canada on January 10, 2013,[2] and aired its last new episode on November 23, 2016, before entering reruns. The series is produced by Breakthrough Entertainment in association with Hornet Films and Atomic Cartoons. 66 episodes were produced.[3]

Although the show received negative reviews from critics and audiences, it won several Canadian Screen Awards,[4] including Best Animated Program in both 2015 and 2016.

Plot

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Two anthropomorphic monkey astronauts, named Gus and Wally, work at the GASI Headquarters. They're not the brightest or coolest astronauts, but since they are the only ones around, they are called upon to go into space and carry out different kinds of important missions—including battling rogue black holes and vengeful aliens. Other members of the brothers' crew include bossy astrophysicist Dr. Chimpsky, who gives the monkeys their assignments; YAY-OK, a devoted robot that is slightly outdated and is the brothers' only hope to help keep them on course; and Inky, a space octopus and artist who communicates through his ink drawings.

Characters

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  • Gus Monkey (voiced by Seán Cullen) is Wally's monkey partner and older brother, who has brown fur and a blue spacesuit, and is considered the smarter of the two. He wants nothing more than to be a hero, but he can't always put aside his monkey instincts. The closest thing the ship has to a captain, he takes being a GASI cadet very seriously — well, when he feels like it.[5]
  • Wally Monkey (voiced by Mark Edwards) is Gus' monkey partner and younger brother, who has yellow fur and a red spacesuit. Poorly-groomed yet somehow adorable, Wally would rather be playing Banana Blasters or organizing his expired pudding collection than jetting off on some crazy expedition. If there's one thing Wally's good at, it's being a monkey — he can howl and fling with the best of them.[5]
  • Yay-OK (voiced by David Berni) is Wally and Gus' obsolete robot companion that helps them on their adventures through space. There's nothing this robot wouldn't do for his beloved monkeys — after all, he's programmed that way. He's quite the charmer, too — from the fridge to the blender to the vending machine, there isn't a ladybot on board whose circuits he hasn't made beep a little faster.[5]
  • Dr. Chimpsky (voiced by Jamie Watson) is the leader of GASI Headquarters. He assigns the Monkeys their highly important missions (which sometimes include getting him more ice when his drink gets too warm) and does his best to keep them on track when they get distracted.[5]
  • Inky is a space octopus and an artist who communicates through his incredible ink drawings. Whether he's a member of the crew or just unbearably cute, is anybody's guess. But either way, his artistic talents make him super fun to have around.[6]
  • Lord Peel (voiced by Mark McKinney) is the main antagonist of the series, whom the monkeys constantly mistake for a banana. Before the events of the series, he was a noble businessman. But then the Rocket Monkeys began to crave him, and he's been trying to get revenge on them for trying to eat him and especially for forcing him into the dark side.
  • Nefarious (voiced by Seán Cullen) is one of the antagonists of the series. He lives in a prison asteroid, which he tries to escape in most episodes in which he appears.
  • SLO-MO (voiced by Teresa Pavlinek) is Nefarious' robot minion. Some episodes show her having (requited or not) an infatuation with Yay-OK.
  • Deep Space Dave (also voiced by Seán Cullen) is a superhero who always relies on his fans - the monkeys, of course.

Production and development

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The development of the series begins in 2006. The two protagonist monkeys, Gus and Wally, are inspired by the complicity of the two creators of the series, Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson,[7] friends since high school. Jason and Dan did some animation tests and sketches, which they showed to Michael Feder. Feder, a partner of Hornet Inc, then helped in the development of Rocket Monkeys, under the label of Hornet Films. In 2007, the animation division of their studio closed. 4Kids Entertainment then volunteered to take care of the pre-production of the series from spring 2008.[8][9][10]

At the beginning of 2012, production was completed, and the animation was taken over by Atomic Cartoons in Vancouver.[11]

Episodes

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Season Episodes Original airdate
First aired Last aired
1 26 (52 segments) January 10, 2013 (2013-01-10) April 2, 2014 (2014-04-02)
2 14 (27 segments) November 5, 2014 (2014-11-05) October 25, 2015 (2015-10-25)
3 26 (51 segments) March 1, 2016 (2016-03-01) November 23, 2016 (2016-11-23)

Broadcast and home media

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Rocket Monkeys was broadcast in Canada on its channel Teletoon, from January 10, 2013, to November 23, 2016.[12] The series is available for digital per-episode purchase in Canada, and cannot be purchased in the U.S. in that manner. As of 2021, the series (except some episodes), can be seen on the completely free streaming service, Tubi.

On February 21, 2013, Nickelodeon announced that they had acquired the broadcast rights to the series, including for the U.S., though its history on that network was marked with several shifts. It premiered on March 4, 2013, but then shifted over to sister network Nicktoons due to low ratings and waning promotion on Nickelodeon, before that network dropped it entirely in May 2014, leaving it off US airwaves for just over three years.[13] The second season finally premiered in the U.S. on July 3, 2017, as part of the over-the-air KidsClick syndicated children's block and has aired until the block shut down in 2019.[14] In the United Kingdom, it premiered on Nicktoons in 2013 and ended sometime in 2017, but repeats aired from December 2017 to 28 January 2018, and it also aired on CITV. In Southeast Asia and Poland, it aired on Disney XD.

Reception

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Rocket Monkeys received negative reviews from critics and audiences.

Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media rate a show two stars out of five, saying that the show was "tries to be edgy and clever with its humor, but gross-out laughs usually dominate the content." She describes the main characters, Gus and Wally, are "loud, rude, and chronically dim," which "also persistent in the worst possible way, forever trying to one-up each other or get what they want by whining about it." Overall, she calls the show is "hectic and tiresome."[15]

Despite reviews that are negative, the show won at the Canadian Screen Awards for the Best Animated Program or Series and Best Writing in an Animated Program or Series (Dan Abdo) in both 2015 and 2016,[4] plus, it was nominated for Best Performance in an Animated Program or Series (Mark Robert Edwards) in 2014, and, in the same year, it won at the 10th Annual Shaw Rocket Prize alongside Justin Time and If I Had Wings.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Rocket Monkeys - The TVDB.com". Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  2. ^ "Rocket Monkeys premieres January 10 on Teletoon". 3 January 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  3. ^ Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. pp. 256–257. ISBN 9781476672939.
  4. ^ a b "Indie producers win big at 2016 Canadian Screen Awards". Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d "ROCKET MONKEYS | teletoon.com". Archived from the original on 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  6. ^ "INKY". Nicktoons.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  7. ^ Etan Vlessing (19 February 2013). "Nickelodeon Acquires Canadian Cartoon Rocket Monkeys for Global Network". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  8. ^ AARON (24 January 2008). "Hornet Team Builds Buzz for Rocket Monkeys". Cold Hard Flash. Archived from the original on 5 March 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013..
  9. ^ "Rocket Monkeys Prepped for Blast-off at MIPCOM". Animation Magazine. 14 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  10. ^ "4Licensing Corporation Launches Rocket Monkeys Licensing Program". Business Wire. 8 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  11. ^ Cadet, Open Space (January 22, 2016). "AndrewLucasArt: Rocket Monkeys!". AndrewLucasArt. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  12. ^ "The Press Room « Teletoon « Press Release « TELETOON GOES BANANAS WITH NEW ORIGINAL SERIES ROCKET MONKEYS". 19 June 2013. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013.
  13. ^ "Nickelodeon Acquires Canadian Cartoon 'Rocket Monkeys' for Global Network". The Hollywood Reporter. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  14. ^ "KidsClick Lineup Revealed". ToonBarn. June 19, 2017. Archived from the original on June 23, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  15. ^ Ashby, Emily. "Rocket Monkeys TV Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  16. ^ Staff (November 25, 2014). "Toronto productions 'Justin Time,' 'Rocket Monkeys' among Shaw Rocket Prize winners". Global News. Retrieved November 27, 2024.