Director: | Dave Thomas |
Composer: | Matthew Morse |
Language: | English |
Num Seasons: | 2 |
Num Episodes: | 52 |
Camera: | Single-Camera |
Runtime: | 24-30 minutes |
Network: | HBO Family |
Crashbox is a stop-motion animated educational children's television series co-created by Eamon Harrington and John Watkin for HBO Family that ran from 1999 to 2000 in the United States. It was HBO's second series (their first being Braingames 15 years earlier) focusing on educational skits.
Crashbox was one of the original programs for the relaunch of the HBO Family channel in February 1999.[1] [2] [3] Although it has never been released on physical media like DVD or VHS, it has consistently been rerun on HBO Family and is found on various streaming services.
Crashbox was created by Planet Grande Pictures (consisting of Eamon Harrington and John Watkin) and is animated by Cuppa Coffee Studios, headed by Adam Shaheen. Planet Grande Pictures engaged Cuppa Coffee Studios for 8 months to complete 13 hours of programming.[4] [5] Some of the segments produced for Season 1 were reused for the first half of Season 2, while production of the second half went underway in late 1999.
Along with the 52 aired episodes, it has been stated that a total of 65 episodes were at one point produced/planned, as mentioned during an demo reel for Planet Grande Pictures. Most sources state that only 52 episodes were produced, and only 52 episodes have been registered in the Library of Congress.[6]
The show takes place in the insides of a game computer where green game cartridges (which are sculpted out of clay) are created and loaded by rusty tin robots, occasionally with short sketches of them "repairing" damaged games. The format of each episode is The Electric Company-esque, with sketches not connecting nor following a sequential plot. Each half-hour episode consists of seven (occasionally eight) 1-to-5-minute educational games, each covering topics like history, math, spelling, and science.[7]
The following are the games of the show listed in alphabetical order:
Near the end of each episode, the closing segment "Crashbox Rewind" takes place, where the robots rewind through certain segments (typically four or five) to showcase what the viewers have learned. The seven segments marked with an asterisk (*) are never played during Rewind. At least two-to-four of these segments appear in every episode (only in Season 1).
Factory, Cafeteria, Maintenance | Robots | Jerry Stiller,[11] Tim Gedemer (uncredited) | |
---|---|---|---|
Captain Bones | Captain Bones | ||
Dirty Pictures | Cleaning Maid | Maggie Baird (uncredited) | |
Old Fossil | Greg Eagles (uncredited) | ||
Distraction News | Dora Smarmy | Mari Weiss | |
Ear-We-Are | Left Ear | John Watkin | |
Right Ear | Alan Schlaifer | ||
Eddie Bull | Eddie Bull | Ritchie Montgomery | |
Haunted House Party | Horrid One | John Watkin | |
Butler | Alan Schlaifer | ||
Lens McCracken | Lens McCracken | S. Scott Bullock | |
Mugshots | Detective Verity Wisenheimer | Maggie Baird | |
Paige and Sage | Valley Girl | Dawn Maxey | |
Poop or Scoop | Announcer | Danny Wells | |
Psycho Math | Professor Rocket | Joseph Motiki[12] (Season 1/2A; uncredited), Arif S. Kinchen (Season 2B) | |
Radio Scramble | Jumpin' Johnnie Jumble[13] | Peter Lurie | |
Revolting Slob | Polite Female Voice | Edie McClurg | |
Revolting Slob | Mike McShane | ||
Riddlesnake | Riddlesnake Raj | Veena Bidasha | |
Sketch Pad | Sketch Pad | Greg Eagles | |
Ten 2nds | Announcer | Alan Schlaifer | |
Think Tank | Captain Bob | Greg Eagles | |
Wordshake | Chef Pierre[14] | John Watkin |
Episode | Airdate | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 | Game 8 | Full Games | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Feb 1, 1999 | Distraction News | Sketch Pad | Psycho Math | Ear-We-Are | Haunted House Party | Eddie Bull | 10 2nds | Riddle Snake | Distraction News to Riddle Snake | |
2 | Feb 2, 1999 | Radio Scramble | Captain Bones | Poop or Scoop | 10 2nds | Haunted House Party | Revolting Slob | Word Shake | Radio Scramble to Word Shake | ||
3 | Feb 3, 1999 | Mug Shots | Distraction News | Psycho Math | Ear-We-Are | Paige and Sage | Eddie Bull | 10 2nds | Riddle Snake | Mug Shots to Riddle Snake | |
4 | Feb 4, 1999 | Poop or Scoop | Captain Bones | Distraction News | Paige and Sage | Think Tank | Dirty Pictures | Lens McCracken | Poop or Scoop to Lens McCracken | ||
5 | Feb 5, 1999 | Haunted House Party | Revolting Slob | Think Tank | Poop or Scoop | Ear-We-Are | Psycho Math | 10 2nds | Haunted House Party to 10 2nds | ||
6 | Feb 6, 1999 | Radio Scramble | Eddie Bull | Captain Bones | Sketch Pad | Mug Shots | Think Tank | Ear-We-Are | Radio Scramble to Ear-We-Are | ||
7 | Feb 7, 1999 | Lens McCracken | Captain Bones | Revolting Slob | Dirty Pictures | Sketch Pad | Poop or Scoop | 10 2nds | Lens McCracken to 10 2nds | ||
8 | Feb 13, 1999 | Lens McCracken | Distraction News | Sketch Pad | Dirty Pictures | Eddie Bull | Psycho Math | Riddle Snake | 10 2nds | Lens McCracken to 10 2nds | |
9 | Feb 14, 1999 | Radio Scramble | Distraction News | Psycho Math | Dirty Pictures | Lens McCracken | Eddie Bull | Ear-We-Are | Radio Scramble to Ear-We-Are | ||
10 | Feb 20, 1999 | Radio Scramble | Eddie Bull | Sketch Pad | Paige and Sage | Haunted House Party | Psycho Math | Lens McCracken | Riddle Snake | Radio Scramble to Riddle Snake | |
11 | Feb 21, 1999 | Mug Shots | Sketch Pad | Psycho Math | Dirty Pictures | Distraction News | Riddle Snake | Word Shake | Mug Shots to Word Shake | ||
12 | Feb 27, 1999 | Revolting Slob | Think Tank | Poop or Scoop | Riddle Snake | Psycho Math | Paige and Sage | Lens McCracken | Revolting Slob to Lens McCracken | ||
13 | Feb 28, 1999 | Revolting Slob | Think Tank | Poop or Scoop | Ear-We-Are | Psycho Math | Dirty Pictures | Lens McCracken | Revolting Slob to Lens McCracken | ||
14 | Mar 6, 1999 | Revolting Slob | Think Tank | Poop or Scoop | Riddle Snake | Psycho Math | Dirty Pictures | Paige and Sage | Revolting Slob to Paige and Sage | ||
15 | Mar 7, 1999 | Captain Bones | Distraction News | Haunted House Party | Radio Scramble | Riddle Snake | Eddie Bull | Lens McCracken | Paige and Sage | Captain Bones to Paige and Sage | |
16 | Mar 13, 1999 | Captain Bones | Distraction News | Mug Shots | Ear-We-Are | Poop or Scoop | Paige and Sage | Riddle Snake | Captain Bones to Riddle Snake | ||
17 | Mar 14, 1999 | Radio Scramble | Revolting Slob | Poop or Scoop | 10 2nds | Captain Bones | Haunted House Party | Paige and Sage | Radio Scramble to Paige and Sage | ||
18 | Mar 20, 1999 | Think Tank | Distraction News | Radio Scramble | Haunted House Party | Poop or Scoop | Captain Bones | Lens McCracken | Think Tank to Lens McCracken | ||
19 | Mar 21, 1999 | Think Tank | Mug Shots | Captain Bones | Paige and Sage | Eddie Bull | Word Shake | Riddle Snake | Think Tank to Riddle Snake | ||
20 | Mar 27, 1999 | Radio Scramble | Mug Shots | Sketch Pad | Psycho Math | Haunted House Party | 10 2nds | Word Shake | Radio Scramble to Word Shake | ||
21 | Mar 28, 1999 | Eddie Bull | Radio Scramble | Dirty Pictures | Mug Shots | Ear-We-Are | Psycho Math | Word Shake | Eddie Bull to Word Shake | ||
22 | Apr 3, 1999 | Haunted House Party | Sketch Pad | Radio Scramble | Revolting Slob | Riddle Snake | Eddie Bull | Word Shake | Haunted House Party to Word Shake | ||
23 | Apr 4, 1999 | Mug Shots | Word Shake | Haunted House Party | Lens McCracken | Poop or Scoop | Captain Bones | Riddle Snake | Mug Shots to Riddle Snake | ||
24 | Apr 10, 1999 | Radio Scramble | Sketch Pad | Eddie Bull | Word Shake | Captain Bones | Dirty Pictures | Lens McCracken | Radio Scramble to Lens McCracken | ||
25 | Apr 11, 1999 | Haunted House Party | Think Tank | Ear-We-Are | Mug Shots | Poop or Scoop | Word Shake | Riddle Snake | Haunted House Party to Riddle Snake | ||
26 | Apr 17, 1999 | Revolting Slob | Eddie Bull | Haunted House Party | Captain Bones | Radio Scramble | 10 2nds | Lens McCracken | Revolting Slob to Lens McCracken | ||
27 | Aug 1, 1999 | Distraction News (1) | Captain Bones (19) | Sketch Pad (1) | Haunted House Party (23) | Poop or Scoop (25) | Mug Shots (25) | 10 2nds (8) | Riddle Snake (11) | Distraction News (1) to Riddle Snake (11) | |
28 | Aug 7, 1999 | Captain Bones (16) | Revolting Slob (17) | Mug Shots (20) | Distraction News (15) | Haunted House Party (2) | Poop or Scoop (2) | Lens McCracken (15) | Riddle Snake (16) | Captain Bones (16) to Riddle Snake (16) | |
29 | Aug 8, 1999 | Haunted House Party (5) | Revolting Slob (2) | Think Tank (14) | Poop or Scoop (13) | Captain Bones (24) | Mug Shots (21) | 10 2nds (20) | Riddle Snake (10) | Haunted House Party (5) to Riddle Snake (10) | |
30 | Aug 14, 1999 | Revolting Slob (12) | Distraction News (8) | Psycho Math (1) | Haunted House Party (18) | Radio Scramble (26) | Poop or Scoop (5) | 10 2nds (1) | Riddle Snake (12) | Revolting Slob (12) to Riddle Snake (12) | |
31 | Aug 15, 1999 | Radio Scramble (2) | Revolting Slob (5) | Poop or Scoop (14) | Dirty Pictures (4) | Mug Shots (6) | Psycho Math (9) | Sketch Pad (8) | 10 2nds (7) | Radio Scramble (2) to 10 2nds (7) | |
32 | Aug 21, 1999 | Captain Bones (15) | Revolting Slob (7) | Poop or Scoop (17) | Haunted House Party (17) | Distraction News (11) | Think Tank (13) | 10 2nds (5) | Riddle Snake (3) | Captain Bones (15) to Riddle Snake (3) | |
33 | Aug 22, 1999 | Revolting Slob (26) | Distraction News (9) | Sketch Pad (11) | Dirty Pictures (7) | Poop or Scoop (16) | Psycho Math (11) | Think Tank (25) | Riddle Snake (14) | Revolting Slob (26) to Riddle Snake (14) | |
34 | Aug 28, 1999 | Mug Shots (23) | Distraction News (4) | Captain Bones (23) | Dirty Pictures (11) | Sketch Pad (7) | Eddie Bull (9) | Lens McCracken (23) | Riddle Snake (25) | Mug Shots (23) to Riddle Snake (25) | |
35 | Aug 29, 1999 | Radio Scramble (24) | Distraction News (16) | Revolting Slob (22) | Haunted House Party (26) | Captain Bones (17) | Sketch Pad (22) | Eddie Bull (10) | Riddle Snake (23) | Radio Scramble (24) to Riddle Snake (23) | |
36 | Sep 4, 1999 | Revolting Slob (13) | Mug Shots (16) | Sketch Pad (6) | Psycho Math (21) | Haunted House Party (20) | Poop or Scoop (12) | Radio Scramble (18) | 10 2nds (3) | Revolting Slob (13) to 10 2nds (3) | |
37 | Sep 5, 1999 | Think Tank (18) | Mug Shots (19) | Captain Bones (2) | Eddie Bull (22) | Haunted House Party (10) | Sketch Pad (10) | Lens McCracken (4) | 10 2nds (26) | Think Tank (18) to 10 2nds (26) | |
38 | Sep 11, 1999 | Mug Shots (3) | Sketch Pad (24) | Distraction News (3) | Dirty Pictures (9) | Psycho Math (13) | Think Tank (12) | Eddie Bull (24) | Lens McCracken (10) | Mug Shots (3) to Lens McCracken (10) | |
39 | Sep 12, 1999 | Revolting Slob (14) | Distraction News (18) | Psycho Math (5) | Dirty Pictures (13) | Poop or Scoop (18) | Radio Scramble (15) | 10 2nds (17) | Riddle Snake (1) | Revolting Slob (14) to Riddle Snake (1) |
Episode | Airdate | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 | Game 8 | Full Games | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
40 | Feb 19, 2000 | Revolting Slob | Distraction News | Psycho Math | 10 2nds | Sketch Pad | Poop or Scoop | Haunted House Party | Riddle Snake | Revolting Slob to Riddle Snake | |
41 | Feb 20, 2000 | Distraction News | Psycho Math | Mug Shots | Think Tank | Captain Bones | Dirty Pictures | Radio Scramble | Distraction News to Radio Scramble | ||
42 | Feb 26, 2000 | Mug Shots | Revolting Slob | Sketch Pad | Psycho Math | Haunted House Party | Poop or Scoop | Riddle Snake | Mug Shots to Riddle Snake | ||
43 | Feb 27, 2000 | Revolting Slob | Captain Bones | Sketch Pad | Poop or Scoop | Haunted House Party | Radio Scramble | 10 2nds | Revolting Slob to 10 2nds | ||
44 | Mar 4, 2000 | Distraction News | Revolting Slob | Psycho Math | Eddie Bull | Think Tank | Mug Shots | Dirty Pictures | 10 2nds | Distraction News to 10 2nds | |
45 | Mar 5, 2000 | Distraction News | Captain Bones | Revolting Slob | Poop or Scoop | Sketch Pad | Haunted House Party | 10 2nds | Distraction News to 10 2nds | ||
46 | Mar 11, 2000 | Haunted House Party | Mug Shots | Eddie Bull | Think Tank | Psycho Math | Radio Scramble | Riddle Snake | Haunted House Party to Riddle Snake | ||
47 | Mar 12, 2000 | Haunted House Party | Captain Bones | Mug Shots | Distraction News | Eddie Bull | Psycho Math | 10 2nds | Haunted House Party to 10 2nds | ||
48 | Mar 18, 2000 | Revolting Slob | Poop or Scoop | Distraction News | Captain Bones | Dirty Pictures | Radio Scramble | Riddle Snake | Revolting Slob to Riddle Snake | ||
49 | Mar 19, 2000 | Mug Shots | Sketch Pad | Radio Scramble | Dirty Pictures | Psycho Math | Poop or Scoop | Riddle Snake | Mug Shots to Riddle Snake | ||
50 | Mar 25, 2000 | Mug Shots | Revolting Slob | Captain Bones | Distraction News | Eddie Bull | Think Tank | Dirty Pictures | Riddle Snake | Mug Shots to Riddle Snake | |
51 | Mar 26, 2000 | Mug Shots | Sketch Pad | Psycho Math | Radio Scramble | Haunted House Party | Eddie Bull | 10 2nds | Mug Shots to 10 2nds | ||
52 | Apr 1, 2000 | Revolting Slob | Haunted House Party | Poop or Scoop | Distraction News | Captain Bones | Sketch Pad | Think Tank | Revolting Slob to Think Tank |
Along with the series premiere in 1999, two interstitial series were aired on HBO Family. "Smart Mouth", featuring Dora Smarmy from "Distraction News", has her explaining unusual vocabulary words with personal experiences. "Who Knew?", featuring Professor Rocket from "Psycho Math", features him talking about strange facts and trivia.
Both series have 80 episodes each, and aired on HBO Family, Magnet from 2001-2005, Jam from 2005-2016, and during movie breaks. Both series were removed from syndication following the HBO Kids rebrand in 2016, and only a few episodes survive to this day.
Starting in 2001, HBO Family launched two TV blocks marketed towards kids; Jam, which was marketed towards a preschool demographic, and Magnet, which was marketed to an older, afterschool crowd. Crashbox, along with its associated interstitial spinoff series, Who Knew? and Smart Mouth, aired on the Magnet block up until it was discontinued in 2005.
Crashbox retroactively joined the Jam block in 2005, in spite of the show being marketed towards a TV-Y7 audience compared to the mainly preschool-oriented programming already on the block. The show aired routinely on the block up until 2016, where the block was rebranded to HBO Kids. The show premiered on the new block a day after the rebrand, on January 18, 2016, and was moved to the afternoon along with The Electric Company for weekdays.[15]
Crashbox 14 served as the series' premiere on HBO Kids, with the rest of Season 1 airing on weekdays up until February 22, 2016. Episodes 27-37 were skipped after Episode 26 premiered, while Episodes 38-52 premiered on the block as usual. Episode 1 first aired on March 15, 2016,[16] with the rest of Season 1 following it. Season 1 then aired again up to two[17] [18] times[19] [20] until Season 2B returned to the schedule in July.[21]
Following the removal of various Sesame Workshop shows, Crashbox was moved to an early morning timeslot a few years later, and airs routinely on the channel.
Following the 2016 rebrand of HBO Family's preschool block, Jam, to HBO Kids, Crashbox aired most of its first season in the afternoon (skipping Crashbox 1 in favor of Crashbox 14). Episodes 27-37 were skipped after Episode 26 premiered.[22] Only Episodes 38[23] and 39[24] were ever aired on the HBO Kids block. The final times Episodes 27-37 aired was on Jam from January 4[25] to January 8,[26] 2016.
Episodes 27-39 have not aired on the channel since February 2016. The episodes are not available on most of HBO's digital or streaming services, including HBO Now, HBO Go, and Max; HBO has opted not to add the episodes onto the latter service due to the repeated segments used from the first season.[27] As of 2023, Crave is currently the only site that features all of Season 2 (erroneously listed as part of Season 1), including Episodes 27-39.[28]
Most sources pre-HBO Kids, such as HBO's various streaming services, promos for said episodes, and most TV Guides, list Episodes 27-39 of Crashbox as part of Season 2.[29] In following years, the removed episodes were sometimes grouped with Season 1, despite being produced for Season 2; Notable examples include Crave and Jiocinema. Besides the aforementioned services, most official HBO sources (before the removal of these episodes) considered these removed episodes as part of Season 2.
The series received generally positive reviews from audiences and parents on Common Sense Media, with a 4 out of 5 star rating.[30]