FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman

"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 and is starting its third. On May 23, 2008, PBS announced that FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman would premiere season three on September 29, 2008. In June of 2008, FETCH! received its first Emmy win for best original song. [http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117987491.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1]

ynopsis

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. The theme song implies that the show was started when Ruff, after experiencing a mid-life crisis, decides that starting a game show is the best way to get over his depression. 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. In Season 2 and beyond 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 Mold Box A or Mold Box B?"); one prize is desirable, one is not.

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 have to answer 10 questions about events during the challenges. Each question is worth 5 points. They have a total of 90 seconds (for Season 3 it was reduced to 60 seconds)to answer all the questions, as well as a time limit on each question. They can pass on the question and return to it if time permits. 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). Ruff would usually ask the Fetchers if that is all the points a dog can give and would usually ask the Fetchers what time it is before the "Bone-us" points. 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).

Animated Characters

Main Characters

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 doesn't like cats. He has a crush on a poodle named Charlene who lives next door, but she 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. His great-great-great-great-great-great uncle invented the Fetch 100, precursor of the Fetch 3000.

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, which is not surprising, as it has thirty-six letters, she is most often called simply "Blossom". She is much more level-headed and cautious than Ruff. 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, which he seems to understand. Her mouth can also be seen moving, but it only forms a clear smile in the first episode of the second season, "Ruff Ruffman Breaks the Mold." In the episode "CSI Ruff", Ruff believed she stole the Grand Prize and was trying 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, makes her a "good-bye" forever video (which features several clips of Blossom hanging out with Ruff Ruffman in all of Season 2 episodes along with the "Auld Lang Syne" song), and asks her if she wants to come back for Season 3. Season 2 ends with Ruff accidentally stepping in her litter box, which she, who would think about it, forgot to take with her. Blossom has been promoted in Season 3.

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. It also appears she will be arrested in Season Three, where the new FETCHers will learn about the judicial system. Alongside that, in the season 3 preview, she is seen screaming and covering her eyes in an episode featuring monster trucks, and she is shown asking Ruff, "Don't I get a hello?" in another.

Chet

Chet is Ruff's new intern and mouse. He first appears in "When Home is a House of Cards" in season three while Ruff Ruffman is looking for a new intern after Blossom gets promoted. He is the first animal who comes in, but moves straight into a mouse hole in the Fetch 3000 before Ruff can even say anything. He also doesn't speak, but makes shaking noises to talk.

upporting Characters

Henry is Ruff's boss. Only mentioned when Ruff receives phone calls on the "Henry Hotline", Henry provides Ruff with the show's budget, and oversees Ruff's spending. He also sent the intern Blossom, his niece's cat, to learn about producing for Season 2. Although not fully seen, Ruff mentions him "Yippie Tie Yie Yay, Get a Long Little Doggies" when explaining his dream (although we don't see his face) at the beginning of the episode.

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, and is an expert trapeze artist. He is seen in the season 3 preview, with the Fetch 3000 (which humorously has a sign that says "Fetch with Scruff Ruffman", although the monitor says "Fetch with Scruff and Ruff") where he says "Hello, Ruff" with Ruff yelling out, "SCRUFF!"

Ruffael Ruffmanowitz is Ruff's great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather. He was only seen in photographs in a first season episode, "The Mystery of the Missing Thing in the Haunted Castle", 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 a Season 2 episode, "The Mystery of DogTopia and Catlantis", he helped Ruff by finding the coordinates for Dogtopia and Catlantis. He is very paranoid about the FETCHers going to Misery Island. In the season 3 preview, he mentions to Ruff about "The millions of Fetch viewers are in grave danger!" This could mean he will be seen in a later episode.

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.

Helga is a fashion designer from Europe. She is shown in the Season 2 episode "Take me out to the Fashion Show". In that episode, she tells Ruff that if he can get a good enough fashion, she'll let him visit her. She, at first, is mad with his chocie of clothes, until the end of the episode (when Ruff's outfit is based on the trash he was supposed to throw away).

Glendalf (aka Glen) is Ruff's nephew. He is obsessed with magic and fantasy, and will apparently make his first appearance in Season 3 (he suggests a challenge to Ruff).

Bluff is another of Ruff's cousins. Not much is known about his first appearance, which will also be in the third season. He appears in the Season 3 preview video, but only says the line "I'm gonna go easy on you, Ruff."

Black Mussel is a dog pirate of the seven seas. He hasn't been shown on an episode yet, and the episode he should show in is unknown.

eason One

Contestants

*Noah Ellis
*Taylor Garrson (from ZOOM)
*Khalil Mathews
*Brian McGoff
*Julia Garcia
*Anna Sheridan

Episodes

There are 20 episodes in season 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).
#"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.
#"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.
#"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.
#"Ye Olde Colonial Episode" (06/05/06) - Ruff forces the kids to give up their electronics for a day in 1627 on Plimoth Plantation thanks to Ruff's new time machine (the Fetch 3000 rewired).
#"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.
#"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.
#"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 Studio G for the episode.
#"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.
#"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.
#"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. (Later, Ruff discovers that the "thunder" is actually the neighbor's cat rolling around in a large barrel.)
#"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.
#"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). Ruff decides to get revenge on Spot once and for all. 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.
#"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.
#"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.
#"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.
#"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.
#"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.
#"Ruff Ruffman Spaces Out" (06/28/06) - The FETCHers go to space camp when the FETCH satellite breaks down. At the end of the episode, the cause of the satellite breaking down was Ruff's leftover food: a pork chop!
#"The Dogcathalon Finale" (06/29/06) - Three elimination rounds and one ultimate quiz will pit the FETCHers against each othe. At last Anna is crowned FETCH! seasonal champion. At the end of the episode, Ruff packs everything up and left for Hawaii.

Point Totals Before Season 1 Finale

**1st Place: Anna (1421 points)
**2nd Place: Noah (1420 points)
**3rd Place: Khalil (1415 points)
**4th Place: Julia (1406 points)
**5th Place: Brian (1405 points)
**6th Place: Taylor (1400 points)

All did 13 challenge episodes and 6 quiz shows.

Final results

*Winner of Season one: Anna
*2nd Place: Khalil
*3rd Place: Noah
*4th Place: Brian
*5th Place: Julia
*6th Place: Taylor

eason Two

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

Contestants

*Madison Bader (known as "Madi" to viewers)
*William Erickson( known as "Willie" to viewers)
*Bridget Madison
*Rosario Michales
*Michael O'Donnell (Known as "Mike" to viewers)
*Nina Wadekar

Episodes

There are 20 episodes in season 2.

1. "Ruff Ruffman Breaks the Mold" (05/29/07)Ruff received a call from the Board of Health telling him that they are going to shut down the show until further notice. 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, which turns out to be harder than you'd think! Ruff also meets his new intern... a cat. Bridget and Rosario stay behind in the studio. In the end, the Board of Health decided to keep the show going on.

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)Spot Spotnik challenges Ruff to a soapbox derby race and Ruff accepts to get revenge on Spot. Ruff enters Rosario, Nina and Mike into the race. He enters Bridget in a Chinese Dragon Boat race to improve his own bad luck. Madi and Willie stay behind and manage to earn the full 50 points in the half-time quiz show.

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 and manage to earn the full 50 points in the half-time quiz show.

9. "Roughing It With Ruff" (6/11/07)Fearing that he is being forced to live out in the wild due to the construction of the new pool that will replace his doghouse, Ruff sends all the kids into the wilderness to meet with a survival expert to learn the ways of the woods. However, at the end of the episode it is revealed that a new doghouse will be built ten feet away, and Ruff has trouble admitting to Blossom that he really couldn't survive in the wilderness for more than a day.

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 bowling machine better than the best bowler in the world. It's a robot named Throbot. 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. At the end of this part, the FETCH 3000 lost signal and broke down! So Ruff and Blossom decided to fix the FETCH 3000 until the next part.

12. "Still More Mush If By Land, Mush Mush If By Sea" (6/14/07)In the second half of this two-part episode, Blossom re"boot"ed the FETCH 3000 with Ruff's boot and the FETCH 3000 went back to life and continues where the episode left off. 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, and get revenge on Spot Spotnik once again! 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. It turns out that Ruff was framed by none other than Scruff Ruffman who is the true culprit of stealing the grand prize. 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, a Ruff trophy.

Point totals before Season 2 finale

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

Final results

*Winner of Season two: Mike

*2nd Place: Willie

*3rd Place: Rosario

*4th Place: Bridget

*5th Place: Madi

*6th Place: Nina

eason Three

Contestants

*Demetrius (Known as "DJ" to viewers)
*Harsha
*Jay
*Samuel (Known as "Sam" to viewers)
*Noel
*Samantha (Known as "Sammy" to viewers)

Episodes

1. "The Debut of Smell-O-Vision" (09/29/08)Ruff Ruffman's season 3 premiere is presented in Smell-O-Vision but he was sprayed by a skunk before Blossom would arrive. DJ and Harsha track skunks and find out how to use chemistry to neutralize skunk spray while Jay and Sam learn to "brave the waves" and become junior lifeguards. Noel and Sammy stay behind. In the end, after making Ruff clean, Blossom stayed with him forever.

2."When Home is a House of Cards" (09/30/08) Ruff sends Sammy and Sam to the MSPCA to make a promotional video. Noel and Jay meet up with a famous card stacker to build a tower of cards. DJ and Harsha stayed behind.

3. "Just Call Him Spot" (10/1/08) DJ, Jay, and Sam meet with a chemistry expert to learn how to fight stains and Ruff sends Noel to a fire academy so she can learn how to fight fires. Harsha and Sammy stay behind.

4. "Mr. Ruffman Goes to Washington" (10/2/08) Ruff sends Sam to a high-level meeting with Senator Ted Kennedy. Meanwhile Noel, Sammy and DJ are challenged to design a float for Ruff's political campaign! Harsha and Jay stay behind.

5. "Mission Improbable" (10/6/08) Ruff sends the FETCHers to Washington D.C. for training to become secret agents. Their mission is to retrieve Ruff's dog collar. 6. "How Not to Impress A Poodle's Mother" (10/7/08) Sam, Harsha and DJ work on sand sculpture at the beach while Jay learns about hair and beauty at a salon. Noel and Sammy stay behind.

7. "There's Food Safety and Then There's Food Safety"(10/8/08) Ruff sends Harsha, Noel, and Sam to build a foolproof structure that can protect a tortilla chip and Grandma Ruffman's cake. Sammy visits Spanish Harlem in New York City. DJ and Jay stay behind. 8. "Do-Se-Dos and Do-Se-Don'ts" (10/9/08)

9. "The Dogvinci Code" (10/13/08)

10. "What's Bugging Ruff" (10/14/08)

11. "Will They Like The Show? It's A Shoe-In!" (10/15/08)

12. "Socket to Me" (10/16/08)

13. "Dog of the Rings" (10/20/08)

14. "Arrgh - All Me Eggs Are Cracked" (10/21/08)

15. "Feeling Sheepish Ruff?!" (10/22/08)

16. "I'll Ruff and I'll Ruff and I'll Blow Your House Down" (10/23/08)

17. "The People Vs. Grandma Ruffman" (10/27/08)

18. "Just Toying with Ruff" (10/28/08)

19. "The Ol' Switcheroo" (10/29/08)

20. "Fetch! with Scruff Ruffman" (10/30/08)

Trivia

*Except for Noah, all of the Fetchers have siblings.

*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 BrightonFact|date=November 2007.

*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 CastingFact|date=November 2007.

*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. In season 2, the Grand Prize was just a trophy created by Ruff Ruffman.

*Season 2 has the first 2-part episode in the series where Ruff Ruffman and Blossom had to fix the FETCH 3000 during the intermission for 1 day.

*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". During Season 3 it was won in "There's Food Safety and Then There's Food Safety."

*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.

*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.

*Taylor was the first contestant in season 1 to give away her prize, giving it to Anna.

*Laurel McGoff, Brian of Season 1's sister, appeared in two Season 1 episodes ("B.L.T. for Breakfast?" and "Tryin' Chef") 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 [http://pbskids.org/fetch/show/video/index.html podcasts] (Ruff Needs YOU!), it says the viewers can send in ideas about challenges for season 3 by [http://pbskids.org/fetch/help/contact.html contacting] the show's editors.

*According to the final episode in season 1 ("The Dogcathalon Finale), Ruff is around 3 1/2 or 4 feet tall (when standing on 2 feet). This is shown when he stands next to a measurment chart on the Fetch 3000. In some scenes his head reaches the 4 foot tall mark, while in other scences, his head is halfway between 4 and 3.
*In the episode "Yippie Tie Yie Yay", at the closing skit, there are dog paws shown holding a sound board. The paws are white with brown spots, the same colors as Murray, so it is possible that this is the animated version of him.

* Brian, Taylor, and Anna from season one and Madi from season 2 all had braces at the time of the show.

*The most points ever won was in the season 1 episode "Ye Old Colonial Episode" when Brain, Khalil, and Noah each scored 125 points.

*The least points ever won on the Half Time Quiz Show was in the Season 3 premiere when Noel and Sammy scored 25 points.

*The most points ever given by Grandma Ruffman was 55 points

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 23, 2006. The Season 2 FETCHers appeared on the same float in the 81st Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 22, 2007 - Corbin Bleu appeared on the float as well, singing.

Production and Funding

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. [PBS Kids website -- Fetch! TV show credits [http://pbskids.org/fetch/parentsteachers/program/credits.html] ]

Casting

To try out for FETCH!, kids are required to be between the ages of 10 and 14 before April 31st (date for 2008 casting) 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. Season 4 auditions have all ready taken place and shooting began in June.

Funding

Funding for Fetch! is provided by the following organizations:
*National Science Foundation (2006-present)
* Viewer contributions ("Viewers Like You") (2006-present)
*The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (Completion funding of $200K) [Arthur Vining Davis foundation website -- 2006 Grants [http://www.avdfdn.org/2006grants.htm#PTV] ] (2006-2007)
*Arby's (2006-2008)
* [http://www.gogreendog.com Greendog] Clothes for Kids, from Macy's (2006-present)

References

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

External links

* [http://pbskids.org/fetch/ FETCH! official website]
* [http://mauratighe.com/ Maura Tighe Casting Webpage]
* [http://pbskids.org/fetch/show/video/preview.html FETCH! Season 1 preview video]
* [http://pbskids.org/fetch/show/video/preview_s2.html FETCH! Season 2 preview video]
* [http://pbskids.org/fetch/show/video/preview_s3.html FETCH! Season 3 preview video]
* [http://pbskids.org/fetch/parentsteachers/program/characters.html Fetch! Official Website: Season 2 Cast]
* [http://pbskids.org/fetch/parentsteachers/program/characters_s01.html Fetch! Official Website: Season 1 Cast]