Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman (sometimes shortened as Fetch!) is an American live-action/animated television series that aired on PBS Kids Go! and is largely targeted toward children ages 6–10. It is a reality competition hosted by Ruff Ruffman, an animated anthropomorphic dog who dispenses challenges to the show's real-life contestants. The series aired from May 29, 2006, to November 4, 2010, on PBS across five seasons and 100 episodes, and featured 30 contestants. Although a sixth season was planned, with auditions taking place in January 2010, WGBH announced on June 14, 2010, that the series would end due to lack of funding. In June 2008, the series received its first Emmy for Best Original Song for its theme.
Premise
Fetch! is a reality-based game show where young contestants (ages 10–14) face various challenges to gain points. During these challenges, they must complete various tasks assigned to them ahead of time and on the fly by Ruff and surrogates, depending on the situation. There is also an educational component, as contestants often must learn something, such as astronomy, puzzles, carpentry, engineering, food science, biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, to complete the task. Unlike most reality competition shows, there were no eliminations except for the season finale, and the standings for the show were determined by a points system that awarded points based on challenge performance in each episode. In the season finale, a final points tally was tabulated and a series of elimination challenges in the studio occurred to determine the winner for the season.
Not all contestants leave the studio each episode to complete tasks. According to Ruff, "As determined by the Fetch 3000", the contestants in the studio participate in the "Half-Time Quiz Show", in which he asks them up to ten questions, with limited time based on the activities of the contestants out on challenges. While participating in challenges, contestants will have the potential to earn up to 100 points. The contestants in the studio can earn a maximum of 50 points in the "Half-Time Quiz Show". The show has a Fetch Fairness Guarantee; that every contestant will "compete for the same number of points" across thirteen challenges and six "Half-time Quiz Shows" before the final episode. Additionally, Ruff assigns "Bone-us" points, usually 5 or 10, but sometimes 15 or 20, to stand-out contestants. On rare occasions, there is the possibility to earn more than 100 points outside of bonuses. The record for most points earned in one episode was 125, by Brian, Noah, and Khalil in episode 5, season 1, "Ye Olde Colonial Episode". In Season 4, contestants can have 1/2 points, such as 515 points. At the end of the season, the final points tally is tabulated and a series of elimination challenges occur in the studio to determine the winner of the season. The winner won the "Grand Prize" (which varied in each season) and got a poster on the Fetch Wall of Fame.
Prizes are not always desirable, and sometimes the prize holder winds up with a "booby prize"; for example, in "Good Dancing and Bad Breath", Anna and Brian had to dance a waltz in the studio. During the first season, the contestant had the choice of either keeping the prize or giving it to a fellow contestant. During the remaining four seasons, there are two unknown prizes which the winner chooses between. The chosen prize may be "mailed" to the mailbox in Studio G, although occasionally large prizes are hidden elsewhere on the set. In season 2, episode 7, "I'm OK, You're Okra", Rosario gave his prize to Nina. In season 4, episode 15, "Ruff Needs His Herring Checked", Sterling returned his prize to the mailbox.
Cultural references and guest stars
Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman contains many cultural references, which make up most of its comedic style. In the season 2 premiere, when Nina does a sloppy job at making chocolate candy, Ruff remarks that it is "Jackson Pollock candy." In the following episode, he mentions that he likes REO Speedwagon. In season 2, episode 4, when Rosario voiced Ruff for the first time, Ruff remarked: "Is that Ruff Ruffman or Marge Simpson?" In season 2, episode 15, when the scuba instructors arrived at the beach, Ruff claimed that they were "faster than Batman" and that he "hoped [Batman] was watching the show". In season 3, episode 13, when Sam and Harsha throw sacks in a pail, Ruff states, "I feel like Shaq in the free throw line", referencing Shaquille O' Neal.
In season 4, episode 14, when Talia finds a horseshoe crab while working on a shrimp boat, Ruff states that it "Looks like Darth Vader's face with a billion legs coming out of it!" In season 4, episode 16, when Ruff calls Isaac, who is dressed as an old lady, he accidentally calls him Mrs. Doubtfire before correcting himself and calling him Mrs. Issacson. In season 4, episode 17, Talia gets to hold Roger Federer's tennis racket. In season 5, episode 14, when Rubye and Marc learn skydiving signs, Ruff remarked that one of the signs resembled "one of Beyoncé's dance moves." In season 5, episode 18, when Joe explains to the FETCHers and Michelle about the book she read, Michelle states: "I believe that was Green Eggs and Ham."
The show also had several guest stars. In season 1, episode 6, Aaron Carter and the contestants appear in his new music video. In season 1, episode 10, Anna and Noah earn quick cash by building a lemonade stand with the help of Norm Abram. In season 2, episode 2, Ruff sends Madi and Willie to meet the Blue Man Group. In season 2, episode 4, Bridget and Rosario met puppeteer John Kennedy posing as Bernie the Pig. In season 3, episode 4, Sam meets Senator Ted Kennedy. In season 4, episode 2, the host of Design Squad Nathan Ball, appeared in a pole vault challenge. In season 4, episode 17, Gary Sohmers, an appraiser for 13 seasons of Antiques Roadshow, appears to challenge two of the contestants to explore the Brimfield Antique Show in Brimfield, Massachusetts. In season 5, episode 3, Rubye meets magicians Penn & Teller in Las Vegas. In season 5, episode 4, Crush the sea turtle from the movie Finding Nemo appears via Ruff's Fetch 3000, with Andrew Stanton reprising his role.
Episodes
Cast members
FETCH! Cast member 1 Cast member 2 Cast member 3 Cast member 4 Cast member 5 Cast member 6 Season 1 (2006) Noah Ellis Khalil Flemming Taylor Garron Brian McGoff Julia Millstein Anna Sheridan Season 2 (2007) Madison "Madi" Bader William "Willie" Bornkessel Rosario Corso Bridget O'Sullivan Michael "Mike" Spence Nina Wadekar Season 3 (2008) Harsha Amaravadi Samuel "Sam" Blumenfeld Samantha "Sammy" Boucher Jay Brosnan Demetrius Joseph "DJ" Thomas Noel Um Season 4 (2009) Isaac Bean Brian Conry Liza Giangrande Bethany Owens Talia Patapoutian Sterling Singletary † Season 5 (2010) Emeline "Emmie" Atwood Marc "Marco" Frongillo Rubye Peyser Marc Prophet Jay Ricco Shreya Viswanathan
Characters
Main
Ruff Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) is the host and main character of the show. He does not like cats and thinks dogs are superior to them, but his boss, Blossom, is an exception to this. Blossom, whose full name is Princess Blossom Pepperdoodle Von Yum Yum, is a mute black cat. At the beginning of Season 2, she is Ruff's intern, but is later promoted to being his supervisor in Season 3. Ruff did not enjoy Blossom's company at first, but forms a close bond with her in later seasons. Chet, a brown mouse who is Ruff's intern. He first appears in Season 3's second episode "When Home is a House of Cards", where he replaces Blossom when she is promoted to supervisor. He is also mute and does not seem to have any eyes or limbs. He is capable of doing feats that would normally be considered impossible, such as completing an obstacle course in seconds and building a jet engine that runs on expired liver and pineapple biscuit shakes. Henry is Ruff's boss, who is never seen but occasionally calls Ruff on the "Henry Hotline". Henry provides Ruff with the show's budget and oversees his spending. Murray is one of Ruff's cousins, who runs the behind-the-scenes technical work and is constantly blamed for minor problems on the show. Unlike other animated animals, Murray is portrayed by a real Basset Hound and sometimes appears in challenges. He stopped appearing at the start of Season 4. Tank is a bulldog who replaces Murray in Season Four, and wears a FETCH! shirt and earmuffs. Despite initially not seeming to be one, Tank has proven to be a reliable worker.
Supporting Grandma Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Ruff and Scruff's grandmother, who speaks with a Long Island accent. She loves Ruff, but can be very critical at times. Like her son and daughter-in-law, Wink and Dinah Ruffman, she was a game show host/spy in her youth. Scruff Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Ruff's identical evil twin brother, who is distinguished from him by a five-o'clock shadow. Throughout the show's run, Scruff becomes less evil and seeks to redeem himself and his family name. This likely stems from his girlfriend Petunia Fidolopolus framing Grandma Ruffman for trying to break Scruff out of prison. In season 5, he is paroled and is currently living under Grandma Ruffman's custody. Ruffael Ruffmanowitz (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Ruff's great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, who was an inventor. Great Uncle McRuffmantosh (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Ruff's great-uncle who has a beard and has an exaggerated Scottish accent. He is a scholar with a Ph.D., and usually appears on the show for historical challenges. Spot Spotnik is Ruff's rival, who is tan with brown spots. Ruff sometimes sees him as his old friend, but he is shown to be devious and will do anything to come out on top. He tricks Ruff into thinking that Fetch! is canceled so he can be Charlene's date to a dance, and is responsible for traumatizing Ruff by ruining a ballet he starred in. Charlene is the poodle next door and love interest of both Ruff and Spot, who do not reciprocate their feelings. Helga von Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Ruff's cousin, a fashion designer from Germany. Rüf Rüfmän (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Ruff's cousin, a rock star from Sweden. Glen Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Ruff and Scruff's nephew. He wears dental braces and is obsessed with magic and fantasy. He is also Ruff's resident technical genius, and usually fixes the Fetch 3000 in exchange for the Fetchers completing his challenges. Gerry Geranium (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Grandma Ruffman's pet parrot, who Ruff sometimes looks after. In seasons 4 and 5, he explains to Ruff that his parents are alive and aids him in finding them. Blackmuzzle Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) is the most feared canine pirate of the seven seas. He appears at the end of "Arrgh – All Me Eggs Are Cracked!" for pledging the show with his own loot. He also appears in "Season Four is Canceled" to attack Ruff's doghouse boat because he was bored and Ruff refused to give him Gerry to replace a frog on his shoulder. He tells Ruff that he recently acquired the internet so he does not have to shout from his ship; in response, Ruff told him to visit his website, allowing Ruff, Blossom, and Chet to lose him. Later on, he tells Ruff in a voicemail to be an oceanographer and helps him navigate the sea. Bluff Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) is Ruff's wealthy cousin, who is an expert at Go Fish and often asks him for favors, such as looking after wild animals. He is also a conman, as he once tricked Ruff into promoting his beef jerky by claiming he had an Egyptian curse. Roxy Ruffman is Ruff's sister. She is mentioned in "Feeling Sheepish Ruff?", in which Ruff looks after her sheep. It is implied that she is Glen's mother. Harriet Hackensack (voiced by Jim Conroy) is the Australian owner of Ruff's network company, which has recently bought at the start of Season 4. She dislikes Murray for stealing her valuable sled Rosebud.