Special Agent Oso

Special Agent Oso (/oʊˈsoʊ/) is an American computer-animated children's television series created by Ford Riley for Playhouse Disney.[1] The series debuted on April 4, 2009.[2] It deals with Oso, a panda bear, who is a special agent working for the United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events, an agency dedicated to helping children with such everyday tasks as mailing a letter, riding a bike, or making a sandwich.[3] Special Agent Oso ended on May 17, 2012.[4] A total of 60 episodes over two seasons have aired.[5]

Special Agent Oso
A CGI image of a Disney logo with the word "Special Agent" in yellow and green lettering with the word "Oso" in red lettering with a multi-colored stuffed bear on the 2nd O.
Created byFord Riley
Directed byJamie Mitchell
Voices of
Theme music composerFord Riley and Mike Himelstein
ComposersMike Himelstein and Michael Turner
Country of originUnited States
Original languagesEnglish
Spanish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes60 (117 segments) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerFord Riley
AnimatorSunwoo Entertainment
EditorPieter Kaufman
Running time24 minutes (2 12-minute segments per episode, except for episodes 35, 56, and 60)
Production companyDisney Television Animation
Release
Original network
Original releaseApril 4, 2009 (2009-04-04) –
May 17, 2012 (2012-05-17)

The series received generally positive reviews from critics. It was nominated for Outstanding Original Song at the 2010 Daytime Emmy Awards. Both Special Agent Oso and the spin-off, which aired during interstitials, Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps (a show on healthy habits) are available to stream on Disney+.[6][7]

Premise

Each episode begins with Special Agent Oso beginning a training exercise given by one of his three instructors, Wolfie, Dottie, or Bufo, which he usually fails on his first try, causing him to say "It's all part of the plan more or less." Invariably, during the exercise, at least one child is confronted with a simple task which they have trouble completing, an event which a Shutterbug drone notices, which in some way relates to Oso's assignment (primarily due to the lesson that both he and the child learn). Paw Pilot, Oso's computerized assistant, alerts him about a special assignment by alerting Oso by repeating "Special Alert" twice. Oso is always assigned to the case, and Paw Pilot, along with the voice over Mr. Dos, illustrates his client's plight and assigns him a mission to help the child complete the task. To do so, Paw Pilot provides Oso with "three special steps," a simplified step-by-step guide to completing the task, while Mr. Dos gives Oso a briefing as to the child's exact problem. Oso is transported to the child's location and attempts to follow the steps as the steps, in and of themselves, are usually too vague to complete the task properly. Paw Pilot also gives further elaborations, including at least one helpful trick, which reveals the mistake Oso has made during the training exercise. On the third and final step, Paw Pilot senses the time limit on the task between 3 and 19 seconds and begins counting down when the time limit is near. Oso and the child usually complete the task, just as the time runs out. The completion of all three steps often involves gadgets, such as a pen that can become a grappling device and a jetpack.

Returning from the assignment, the helpful trick given during the assignment always turns out to be the same trick Oso needed to complete the interrupted training exercise, which he likewise completes and passes, getting a "digi-medal," a digital award, for both the training exercise and the special assignment.

Episodes
Main article: List of Special Agent Oso episodes
SeasonSegmentsEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
14824April 4, 2009 (2009-04-04)April 17, 2010 (2010-04-17)Playhouse Disney
2303616July 10, 2010 (2010-07-10)January 24, 2011 (2011-01-24)
3620February 14, 2011 (2011-02-14)May 17, 2012 (2012-05-17)Disney Junior

The show has 60 episodes; 24 in the first season and 36 in the second. The episode names are usually references to the names of the James Bond films from Eon Productions, such as The World Is Not Enough and The Man with the Golden Gun but not a parody of them. Across its run, Special Agent Oso had at least one episode title that referenced each of the then-22 Bond films (Skyfall was still in development at the time the show concluded). Some episode titles also reference the Carly Simon song Nobody Does It Better, theme song to The Spy Who Loved Me. One episode references the non-Eon film Never Say Never Again. One episode also spoofs Another Way to Die, which is the theme song to Quantum of Solace.

Format

Each episode is composed of four components:

  • The Three Special Steps are the steps that Paw Pilot gives Oso to follow when he is on his special assignments. Oso has a matter of time to finish the three special steps. The third step is usually timed between 3 and 19 seconds.
  • The training exercises are Oso's training task assigned by Wolfie, Dotty or Buffo. Oso usually fails on his first try, but in the course of doing the special assignments, he refers to the mistake he made in his training exercise, thanks to the person he is helping. He then returns to his training exercise and does it right on his second try, then earns a "Digi-Medal."
  • The special assignments are missions that Oso is requested to complete by the mysterious Mr. Dos, in order to help a child in need. Sometimes, Oso asks the audience to help him on his special assignments if it gets tricky and he needs some help. Oso tries to complete the Three Special Steps that Paw Pilot gives him. Then he earns a "Digi-Medal."
  • Audience participation or interaction with Oso. Sometimes, Oso will ask the audience to help him find something hidden or missing on the screen. Other times, Oso will ask the audience to try something physically demanding that he is doing.

Characters

Main
  • Oso (voiced by Sean Astin[8]) is the colorful special agent stuffed panda who predominantly works on helping children perform various tasks. His name, Oso, is Spanish for bear.
  • Paw Pilot (voiced by Meghan Strange[9]) is Oso's computerized assistant who guides him through the three special steps he needs to accomplish his current mission. Her name is a reference to the Palm Pilot series of handheld computers.
  • Mr. Dos (voiced by Gary Anthony Williams[10]) is Oso's smartwatch boss that assigns his missions.
  • Wolfie (voiced by Phill Lewis[11]) a special agent that regularly oversees Oso's training.
  • Dottie (voiced by Amber Hood[12]) is the other special agent animal that regularly oversees Oso's training.
  • Professor Buffo (voiced by Brad Garrett and later Jess Harnell[13]) is a slightly clumsy and excitable Italian-speaking bison who is the inventor of Oso's gadgets.
  • Whirly Bird (voiced by Cam Clarke[14]) is Oso's bird-shaped autogyro who takes Oso to wherever someone needs help. He doesn't hear very well and often misunderstands what Oso tells him, which usually leads to Oso's ejection at inopportune moments and places.
  • Shutterbug is a mute ladybug-shaped robotic camera who keeps an eye out for children who need help.

Guest voices

Additional voices

Broadcast

The first season of Special Agent Oso premiered in the United States and United Kingdom on April 4, 2009,[15] and aired through April 17, 2010. The second and final season premiered on July 10, 2010 and the series finale aired May 17, 2012. In season 2, new characters, Professor Buffo and Special Agent Musa, were introduced. The show has a crossover with Handy Manny called "The Manny with the Golden Bear."

Reception

Critical response

Hannah Johnson of Screen Rant found the character of Dotty to be a positive role model, writing, "It is evident that she has worked hard to get where she is, being the only female supervisor in an androcentric career, where all her colleagues are men. The orange cat has a fun and giggly personality, her favorite color is pink, and she likes visiting space as part of her missions. Dotty is a complex character succeeding in a man's world."[16] Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave Special Agent Oso a grade of four out of five stars, praised the depiction of positive messages and role models, citing resourcefulness and perseverance, and complimented the presence of educational value in the show, saying, "Age-appropriate skills like shape recognition, chronology, and spatial relationships are emphasized within the context of the plot, so kids learn while they enjoy the stories. The show's best quality is its positive message about the joy to be found in helping others."[17]

Ratings

During April, Playhouse Disney UK saw its best weekly share among kids at 2.3%, a month that also had its best series launch with the preschool-targeted Special Agent Oso, which premiered on April 4 at 9:50 a.m. and attracted 377,000 viewers, including 181,000 kids aged four to 15.[18]

Accolades
Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2010 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Original Song Mike Himelstein, Ford Riley Nominated [19][20]
2012 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role - Young Actor Jet Jurgensmeyer Nominated [21]
2013 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role - Television - Young Actor Nominated [22]

Spin-off

Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps

Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps is a short series that aired in the United States during the Disney Junior programming block.[23][24] The spin-off premiered on February 14, 2011.[25][26] It encourages children to use "three healthy steps" regarding eating, being healthy, and exercising.[27] This series combined both animated characters and real life actors. The animated characters that are featured in the short series are Special Agent Oso, Paw Pilot, Special Agent Wolfie, Special Agent Dotty, and Professor Buffo.

References
  1. Zahed, Ramin (April 1, 2009). "The Name's Oso, Special Agent Oso". Animation Magazine. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  2. "Special Agent Oso Season 1 Episodes". TVGuide. Archived from the original on August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  3. "Special Agent Oso (television)". D23. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  4. "Special Agent Oso Season 2 Episodes". TVGuide. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  5. 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. 174–175. ISBN 978-1-4766-7293-9.
  6. Donnelly, Jim (April 30, 2021). "What's Coming to Disney+ in May 2021 - See the List! | Disney+". ABC.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  7. Spencer, Samuel (April 29, 2021). "All the TV Shows and Films Coming to Disney+ in May 2021". Newsweek. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  8. "Voice Of Oso – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  9. "Voice Of Paw Pilot – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  10. "Voice Of Mr. Dos – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  11. "Voice Of Wolfie – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  12. "Voice Of Dotty – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  13. "Voice Of Professor Bufflo – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  14. "Voice Of Whirly Bird – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  15. Moody, Annemarie (March 31, 2009). "Special Agent Oso Premieres April 4". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  16. Johnson, Hanah (December 6, 2020). "Sheriff Callie's Wild West & 9 Other Disney Junior Shows With Great Female Role Models". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  17. Ashby, Emily. "Special Agent Oso TV Review | Common Sense Media". Common Sense Media. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  18. Afan, Emily Claire (May 4, 2009). "Ratings Watch: Playhouse Disney UK scores with Special Agent Oso". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  19. Lewis, Jessica (May 12, 2010). "2010 Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced!". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  20. McLean, Tom (May 13, 2010). "PBS, Nick Lead Daytime Emmys' Animation Nominations". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  21. "33rd Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  22. "34th Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  23. Guthrie, Marisa (January 10, 2011). "Disney Junior Programming to Launch in February". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  24. Getzler, Wendy Goldman (January 11, 2011). "Disney Junior launch date announced". Kidscreen. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  25. "Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps Season 1 Episodes". TVGuide. Archived from the original on August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  26. Graser, Marc (August 10, 2010). "Disney profits soar in third quarter". Variety. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  27. McLean, Tom (January 10, 2011). "Disney Jr. Debut Set for Feb. 14". Animation Magazine. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
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