Spliced is a Canadian animated television series produced by Nelvana in association with Teletoon that aired from April 1, 2010 to September 30, 2010 in its Canadian release.
Plot
Spliced is a modern take of H. G. Wells' 1896 science-fiction, The Island of Doctor Moreau. Spliced marginally distorts Wells' characters in this modern twist by making the mutants the result of genetic experiments created by recombinant DNA rather than Wells' original vivisection process. As with the original story, these experimental results, plus one platypus not in the original story, live on an isolated tropical island that is called "Keep Away Island" in the cartoon. The mad scientist who created them was arrested and removed by authorities via boat. Left to their own devices, these mutated beasts form a functional society.
Characters
- Peri (voiced by Rob Stefaniuk) is a kind-hearted and considerate mutant, and is always the first one between him and Entrée to realize when their mischief has gone too far. With that said, despite regularly hanging out with Entrée, even he can barely tolerate his selfishness and low intelligence at times. Peri is an expert bowler, and he and his best friend Entrée have developed their trademark game, "bucket-stick-fruit-ball". It is unknown what animals he is a hybrid of, but he appears to have the body of a fox or red squirrel and the tentacles of an squid, and is revealed to be part-butterfly in "Nobody's Cult But Mine".
- Entrée (voiced by Joe Pingue) is Peri's best friend. Entrée was created as the perfect food animal, with a cow's udders, a pig body, a chicken's wings and comb, and a shrimp tail. Since he has no legs, Entrée "walks" on his teats, which are capable of time travel and light show effects. Entrée is very selfish and gluttonous, and is always seeking instant self-gratification, no matter the cost.
- Two-Legs Joe (voiced by Pat McKenna) and Lord Wingus Eternum (voiced by Tom McCamus) are a conjoined mutant consisting of Joe, a two-legged rhinoceros, and Wingus, a bird growing out of his backside. Joe is the mayor of the town the mutants live in, which to his frustration is constantly being destroyed by Peri and Entrée. In the episode "One Joe Wingus", it is revealed that Joe and Wingus were the Doctor's first creations. Wingus was born first and was the son of his species' ruler. When Joe emerged from his body, Wingus left rather than face rejection.
- Patricia (voiced by Katie Crown) is a platypus who happened to live on Keep Away Island when the Doctor set up shop. She feels very lonely on Keep Away Island being the only creature that is not spliced. She is an author and has been shown writing a book of poetry as well as the novel Marzipan Meadows and the Kingdom of Adventure. She is a master of the martial art Plat Kwon Do.
- Princess Pony Apehands (voiced by Kedar Brown) has the head and tail of a pony and the body of a gorilla. Because she has the mental capacity of a very young girl, Princess Pony Apehands does not understand her own strength and often hurts others when she is simply trying to play with them or give them a hug. She also has a rather short temper, and will intentionally hurt any mutant who angers her.
- Compuhorse (voiced by Pat McKenna) is a horse with a computer implant. He cannot move his lips but speaks similarly to Stephen Hawking, with a synthesized voice through his keyboard.
- Fuzzy Snuggums (voiced by Julie Lemieux) is a small, furry creature of indeterminate species wishes to explore and seek adventure but always fails. Long ago, Fuzzy was chosen by the doctor to combat against robots created by another scientist on a different island. Fuzzy was made indestructible, which benefits him as his exploration attempts usually backfire upon him painfully. Though usually small and cute, Fuzzy's true form personality, which can resurface under extreme circumstances, is that of a giant, musclebound brawler.
- Mister Smarty Smarts (voiced by Mike Kiss) is a villainous combination of a dolphin, chimpanzee and a Jack Russell Terrier with a well-developed primate brain, who seeks to take over the island. He resides in a lair which is located on a slope of the volcano. Mister Smarty Pants is quite egotistical, believing the rest of the island inhabitants to be fools.
- Octocat (voiced by Katie Crown) is a combination of a cat and an octopus, who is Mister Smarty Smarts' assistant/minion. Unlike the other mutants, she cannot talk, conversing solely in meows, but the others are still able to understand her. Like Fuzzy, she was created to be a super-soldier and can assume a musclebound fighting form.
- The Wunny Sharbit is a combination of a rabbit, a great white shark, and a chainsaw. He will devour any other creature on Keep Away Island, including inanimate objects like stone and steel. The Wunny Sharbit usually does not speak; in the episode "My Fair Shark Bunny", he was provided a collar that gave him the capability of speech. His voice in the episode was provided by Jess Gibbons.
- The Doctor is a mad scientist who created the mutants of Keep Away Island in his secret lair. Having been arrested for his crimes against nature years ago, he never appears in the series proper beyond its theme song and flashbacks.
Episodes
All episodes are directed by Matt Ferguson.
Broadcast
Spliced had its worldwide debut on Jetix in Latin America on April 20, 2009. Starting in April 2010, the series aired in Canada on Teletoon. in the United States on Qubo, in Australia on ABC3, (now ABC Me) in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Nicktoons in Latin America on Disney XD, and in Sweden on Nickelodeon. The series started airing in the United States on the now-defunct children's television channel Qubo on September 19, 2009, up until the network dropped it from its lineup on October 24, 2009. However, the series returned on September 28, 2010 as part of its "Night Owl" programming block, before being discontinued on March 31, 2012. Beginning early in 2014, YTV began airing reruns on weekdays. In 2014, the series was added onto the "Always On" digital platform of Cartoon Network in the United States. It was removed in 2015. In Canada, it also aired on Cartoon Network.
Awards
Spliced won a Gemini Award in the category of "Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series" for the episode "Pink".
References
External links