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Game Over (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Game Over is an American computer-animated
television series created by David Sacks
, produced by Carsey-Werner Productions
, and broadcast on UPN
in 2004. It was canceled due to low ratings.
Game Over (the title was inspired by the phrase "game over
" that commonly concludes video games whether the player loses or finishes the game, depending on which video game he or she plays) focused on what happens to video game characters after the game ends. The show is based around the Smashenburns, a far-from-ordinary suburb
an family that lives in an alternate video game universe.
The show made numerous references to videogames and even featured certain game characters as cameos. For example, Crash Bandicoot
appears on a Got Milk?
billboard whilst creatures from Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
appear in one of the episodes.
Marisa Tomei
voiced the character of Raquel Smashenburn in the show's unaired pilot episode, but scheduling problems saw Lucy Liu
take over the role for the actual series.
Game Over was heavily hyped by UPN before its debut. Some were skeptical of Game Over due to UPN's track record with their cartoons, but the show generally received positive press upon its airing. Despite this, only six episodes were made, which aired on a variety of different days – the fourth and fifth episodes were broadcast on April 2, 2004, and the sixth episode ("Monkey Dearest") was not aired.
in North America
on June 28, 2005.
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
television series created by David Sacks
David Sacks
David Sacks is a television writer and producer. His writing and producing credits include The Simpsons, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Malcolm in the Middle, The Tick and Murphy Brown...
, produced by Carsey-Werner Productions
Carsey-Werner Productions
Carsey-Werner Productions is an independent production company founded in 1981 by former ABC writer/producer duo Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner...
, and broadcast on UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
in 2004. It was canceled due to low ratings.
Game Over (the title was inspired by the phrase "game over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
" that commonly concludes video games whether the player loses or finishes the game, depending on which video game he or she plays) focused on what happens to video game characters after the game ends. The show is based around the Smashenburns, a far-from-ordinary suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an family that lives in an alternate video game universe.
The show made numerous references to videogames and even featured certain game characters as cameos. For example, Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot (character)
Crash Bandicoot, or simply Crash, is a video game character and the primary protagonist of the Crash Bandicoot series of video games. Introduced in the 1996 video game Crash Bandicoot, Crash is an Eastern Barred Bandicoot that was genetically enhanced by the series antagonist Doctor Neo Cortex and...
appears on a Got Milk?
Got Milk?
Got Milk? is an American advertising campaign encouraging the consumption of cow's milk, which was created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993 and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers. It has been running...
billboard whilst creatures from Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee is a multi-award–winning platform video game developed by Oddworld Inhabitants and published by GT Interactive. It was released in 1997 for the PlayStation video game console, DOS and Microsoft Windows in North America, Australia and Europe...
appear in one of the episodes.
Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987...
voiced the character of Raquel Smashenburn in the show's unaired pilot episode, but scheduling problems saw Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu
Lucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
take over the role for the actual series.
Game Over was heavily hyped by UPN before its debut. Some were skeptical of Game Over due to UPN's track record with their cartoons, but the show generally received positive press upon its airing. Despite this, only six episodes were made, which aired on a variety of different days – the fourth and fifth episodes were broadcast on April 2, 2004, and the sixth episode ("Monkey Dearest") was not aired.
Characters
- Rip Smashenburn, a Grand PrixGrand Prix motor racingGrand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
driver who races every day and crashes his car all the time. (Patrick WarburtonPatrick WarburtonPatrick John Warburton is an American actor of television, film, and voice. He is best known for his several TV roles, including the title role of The Tick, David Puddy on Seinfeld, the evil Johnny Johnson on NewsRadio, and anchorman Jeb Denton on Less Than Perfect...
) - Raquel Smashenburn, a covert agent who fights monsters and is vaguely similar to Lara CroftLara CroftLara Croft is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Square Enix video game series Tomb Raider. She is presented as a beautiful, intelligent, and athletic British archaeologist-adventurer who ventures into ancient, hazardous tombs and ruins around the world...
. (Lucy LiuLucy LiuLucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
) - Alice Smashenburn, a cynical yet socially conscious 14-year-old. Is part of a beach volleyball team, but wears a hoodie instead of a skimpy bikini. (Rachel DratchRachel DratchRachel Susan Dratch is an American comic actress best known for her roles as a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
) - Billy Smashenburn, a 13-year-old hoping to become a rapper. (Elizabeth DailyElizabeth DailyElizabeth Ann Guttman , better known by her stage names of Elizabeth Daily and E.G. Daily, is an American voice actress, actress, singer-songwriter, and musician...
) - Turbo, their pet, a 300-pound talking doglike creature who robs pawn shops and smokes cigars. (Artie LangeArtie LangeArthur Steven "Artie" Lange, Jr. is an American actor, comedian and radio personality best known for his tenures with the The Howard Stern Show and the comedy sketch series MADtv....
) - The Changs, including Dark Princess Chang (Marie MatikoMarie Matiko-Early life:Marie Matiko is of Chinese, Japanese and Filipino heritage.She endured a stern cultural upbringing, which ultimately fostered discipline and an inherent passion for the arts as a child, where she could freely express herself. "When I was in grade school, I wanted to become a concert...
), a family of Kung-Fu-fighting Shaolin monks who live next door. - Another Next door neighbour who talks to Rip in first person perspective.
DVD release
Anchor Bay Entertainment released all six episodes of the series as Game Over: The Complete Series on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on June 28, 2005.