The Upside Down Show
Encyclopedia
The Upside Down Show AKA Down Upside is a Logie Award
winning live-action daytime children's show
featuring Shane Dundas and David Collins
that airs on Noggin, Nick Jr. Australia
and ABC Australia. The duo gained fame as physical comedians, The Umbilical Brothers
, playing brothers who lived together in a strange house with a variety of unusual rooms. The show premiered on Nick Jr. Australia in August 2006 and on Noggin US on 16 October 2006, with 13 episodes developed by the highly acclaimed Sesame Workshop
. The Sesame Workshop logo used on this show can only be seen on Noggin.
Initial views of The Upside Down Show were disappointing, as it failed to match the views of Play With Me Sesame
and Caillou
during the 2006-2007 season. The show's debut was criticized as being similar to Ernie and Bert. On 27 December 2006, in a New York Post
interview, Shane Dundas expressed doubts about the return of the show for a second season. On 1 June 2007, the Umbilical Brothers announced on their web site that Nickelodeon/Noggin USA were not interested in a third season of The Upside Down Show, despite its success. In 2007, the show won the Creative Craft Daytime Emmy Award for Main Title Design and a Parents' Choice Award Silver Honor for Television. The show continues in reruns, but in a late night time slot, which is 11:00 PM and 11:30 PM.
Executive producer(s) Steve Oedekerk
Producer(s) Paul Marshal Nickelodeon Productions Omation Animation Studio
Each episode begins with a cold open
ing showing one or both brothers in the middle of some activity, typically involving something imaginary. After greeting the audience, David introduces "The Remote" by pretending to be holding a remote control. He explains that The Remote can control the action on-screen. He demonstrates by pressing various buttons, which control Shane's actions. For example, "Fast Forward" causes Shane to move and speak fast, "Pause" causes him to freeze. In many episodes, David discovers a previously unknown "Wild-card Button," such as "Humongous" (and its opposite, the "Minute" button). This button causes some strange and/or undesired effect. David then offers The Remote to the viewer and "hands it over" by reaching off-screen downward. The brothers direct the viewer to "press the Play button." At this point, a strange and/or undesired effect happens ("Uh-oh, I think someone pressed the _____ button"). The brothers encourage the viewer to fix the situation by pressing a button for opposite effect. When they ask the viewer to "press play" a second time, the joke is repeated, and the viewer must again press the button for the opposite effect. Finally, Shane and David ask the viewer to "Just press Play" a third time, and the opening credits begin.
Title Sequence:
The Action Fingers enter the frame and perch on the title, which is flipped upside down. Pointy reads the title as "Down Upside" due to its position. Realizing the mistake, they help turn the words "Upside Down" the right way up, and read the title correctly. They then walk along atop the credits until they reach a door. The credits list the stars as David Collins and Shane Dundas, and state that the show was created by Belinda Ward, Shane Dundas, and David Collins.
Plot Structure:
The central objective of every episode is for Shane and David to get to a certain location. However, they do not know how to get there. They spend the episode adventuring through the various red doors in their apartment, as well as searching other places (e.g., under a table, behind a bookcase, inside their sofa). The brothers occasionally request help from the viewers, asking them to press buttons on their remote. Their journey takes them to 3 "Wrong Turn" rooms. In at least one of the rooms, they encounter a child who teaches them something and sets them on the correct path. Eventually they locate their destination and experience something, such as a picnic, farm, or an airport, "for the very first time".
Ending:
The show ends with the brothers back in their apartment. During the last few minutes of the show, they give the viewer an imaginary souvenir to thank them for their help throughout the episode. As the credits begin, Shane and David begin to do things (e.g. in Cowbell, they play as a rockband with Shane yelling out as (Executive Producer Kurt Russel) begins, "One, two, three!" and in Kite, Shane and David are fighting over the string until at the point (Executive In Charge of Sesame Workshop Jodi Nubbasum) credit appears, Shane and David wave left and right their bodies until at the end of the credits, and in Art Museum, Puppet accidentally surprises Shane and David, until at the point where (Executive In Charge of Sesame Workshop Jodi Nubbasum) credit appears, Shane and David pause, and Puppet now freely says, (I think somebody pressed the Pause button.)) Then the episode ends with the Sesame Workshop logo.
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
winning live-action daytime children's show
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
featuring Shane Dundas and David Collins
David Collins
-People:* David Collins , 18th-century cricketer associated with Hampshire* David Collins , played for Wellington and Cambridge University...
that airs on Noggin, Nick Jr. Australia
Nick Jr. Australia
Nick Jr. Australia is a 24-hour children's channel in Australia designed for pre-schoolers. Nick Jr. was a morning programming block on Nickelodeon until 2004, when Foxtel arrived and it was launched as a full 24-hour kids channel. The channel is run by XYZnetworks, under license from Viacom, and...
and ABC Australia. The duo gained fame as physical comedians, The Umbilical Brothers
The Umbilical Brothers
-History:They met in 1988, at the University of Western Sydney in a jazz class, , where David swung around and broke Shane's nose...
, playing brothers who lived together in a strange house with a variety of unusual rooms. The show premiered on Nick Jr. Australia in August 2006 and on Noggin US on 16 October 2006, with 13 episodes developed by the highly acclaimed Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop , is a Worldwide American non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children's programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world...
. The Sesame Workshop logo used on this show can only be seen on Noggin.
Initial views of The Upside Down Show were disappointing, as it failed to match the views of Play With Me Sesame
Play with Me Sesame
Play with Me Sesame is a children's television series spun off from Sesame Street, featuring Sesame Street characters such as Bert, Ernie, Grover, and Prairie Dawn. In the United States, from April 1, 2002 until September 2, 2007, the show has aired on the Nickelodeon-owned preschooler television...
and Caillou
Caillou
Caillou is a Canadian children's television show based on the books by author Christine L'Heureux and illustrator Hélène Desputeaux. Many of the stories in the animated version began with a grandmother introducing the story to her grandchildren, then reading the story about the book...
during the 2006-2007 season. The show's debut was criticized as being similar to Ernie and Bert. On 27 December 2006, in a New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
interview, Shane Dundas expressed doubts about the return of the show for a second season. On 1 June 2007, the Umbilical Brothers announced on their web site that Nickelodeon/Noggin USA were not interested in a third season of The Upside Down Show, despite its success. In 2007, the show won the Creative Craft Daytime Emmy Award for Main Title Design and a Parents' Choice Award Silver Honor for Television. The show continues in reruns, but in a late night time slot, which is 11:00 PM and 11:30 PM.
Characters
- Shane — Shane Dundas plays "Shane," who is bald and wears long cargo pants, hi-top sneakers, and a blue t-shirt featuring the symbol for "slow motion" as found on most electronic devices. He is one of the protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s of the series. - David — David CollinsDavid Collins-People:* David Collins , 18th-century cricketer associated with Hampshire* David Collins , played for Wellington and Cambridge University...
plays "David," who has dark, curly hair and wears either cargo shorts or capris, sneakers, and a striped polo shirt. He has super-sensitive hearing (only functional when he makes a "do-do-do-do" sound effect at the same time) and, as shown in one episode, a super-sensitive sense of smell. He is also a protagonist in the series. - Mrs. Foil — The only other regularly appearing human character, Mrs. Foil is the boys' friendly neighbor. She is blonde and wears a bright pink ladies' business suit, ladybug pin, orange stockings, and pink shoes. She can play the tuba and often offers comedic quips such as "See you later, alligators," or "Got to go, penguin toes,". Mrs. Foil is portrayed by actress Amanda BishopAmanda BishopAmanda Diana Bishop is an Australian actress, singer and comedian, known for her role as Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the television comedies At Home with Julia and Double Take....
(who also appears in various other segments, not necessarily as Mrs. Foil, but as a generic lady). - Puppet — Puppet is a mottled, greyish and brown hand puppet resembling no particular type of creature. He lives with the brothers and often assists them in their antics. He sometimes appears to be more rational than Shane and David but is often just as silly as the boys. He has a cousin named Mary Annette. Puppet is performed and voiced by puppeteer Mat McCoyMat McCoyMat McCoy is a puppeteer that has performed extensively within Australia and internationally.He performed as the on-set manipulator of Rygel and Performance team leader for Pilot for The Jim Henson Company production of Farscape as well as performing an extensive range of guest animatronic...
. - The Schmuzzies — The Schmuzzies are a friendly bunch of fuzzy, ball-shaped creatures who pop up in various places. They come in a wide range of bright colors and speak a language called Schmuzzish ("Schmello, Schmuzzies!"). Shane sometimes appears to be apprehensive of the creatures, while David maintains a good report with them and is fluent in their language (which he studied for seven years, "part time").
- Fido the Fly — Fido is Shane's (imaginary) pet fly who lives behind a tiny door in the boys' apartment. Fido communicates to Shane by buzzing (voiced by Shane). He is first mentioned in "Barbershop" and makes his first appearance in "Art Museum". He is an avid tennis player.
- Action Fingers — Occasionally Shane and David have need to call upon the resources of two rough-and-tumble figures, Knuckles (on Shane's left hand) and Pointy (on David's right hand). These two-digit adventurers are performed by Shane and David when they "let their fingers do the walking" over various props and scenery. They serve as the show's superheroes.
- Bob the Blanket - Bob is a small, white "blanket" (more the size of a hand towel) belonging to David (who also performs his voice). He speaks in a rough voice with an American accent and employs a sardonic wit. Bob only appears in "Barbershop" and very briefly in "Camping."
- The Voice — An authoritative male voice sometimes speaks to Shane and David, generally reminding the duo to knock before entering a room (i.e. "You forgot to knock," or, "Aren't you forgetting something?", followed by "Come in" when they do so). The Voice sometimes demands specific types of knocks before giving they boys consent to enter a room. Another voice narrates when the boys finally reach their intended destination "for the very first time".
- Spot the Chair - Spot is David's pet chair who plays a game called, "Fly on the Chair" with Fido, who he is good friends with. He only appears in "Pet Shop" and very briefly in "Picnic."
Executive producer(s) Steve Oedekerk
Steve Oedekerk
Stephen Brenton "Steve" Oedekerk is an American comedian, director, editor, producer, screenwriter and actor. Oedekerk is best known for his collaborations with actor Jim Carrey and director Tom Shadyac , his series of "Thumbmation" shorts and his film Kung Pow: Enter the Fist .-Life and...
Producer(s) Paul Marshal Nickelodeon Productions Omation Animation Studio
Episode structure
Intro:Each episode begins with a cold open
Cold open
A cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...
ing showing one or both brothers in the middle of some activity, typically involving something imaginary. After greeting the audience, David introduces "The Remote" by pretending to be holding a remote control. He explains that The Remote can control the action on-screen. He demonstrates by pressing various buttons, which control Shane's actions. For example, "Fast Forward" causes Shane to move and speak fast, "Pause" causes him to freeze. In many episodes, David discovers a previously unknown "Wild-card Button," such as "Humongous" (and its opposite, the "Minute" button). This button causes some strange and/or undesired effect. David then offers The Remote to the viewer and "hands it over" by reaching off-screen downward. The brothers direct the viewer to "press the Play button." At this point, a strange and/or undesired effect happens ("Uh-oh, I think someone pressed the _____ button"). The brothers encourage the viewer to fix the situation by pressing a button for opposite effect. When they ask the viewer to "press play" a second time, the joke is repeated, and the viewer must again press the button for the opposite effect. Finally, Shane and David ask the viewer to "Just press Play" a third time, and the opening credits begin.
Title Sequence:
The Action Fingers enter the frame and perch on the title, which is flipped upside down. Pointy reads the title as "Down Upside" due to its position. Realizing the mistake, they help turn the words "Upside Down" the right way up, and read the title correctly. They then walk along atop the credits until they reach a door. The credits list the stars as David Collins and Shane Dundas, and state that the show was created by Belinda Ward, Shane Dundas, and David Collins.
Plot Structure:
The central objective of every episode is for Shane and David to get to a certain location. However, they do not know how to get there. They spend the episode adventuring through the various red doors in their apartment, as well as searching other places (e.g., under a table, behind a bookcase, inside their sofa). The brothers occasionally request help from the viewers, asking them to press buttons on their remote. Their journey takes them to 3 "Wrong Turn" rooms. In at least one of the rooms, they encounter a child who teaches them something and sets them on the correct path. Eventually they locate their destination and experience something, such as a picnic, farm, or an airport, "for the very first time".
Ending:
The show ends with the brothers back in their apartment. During the last few minutes of the show, they give the viewer an imaginary souvenir to thank them for their help throughout the episode. As the credits begin, Shane and David begin to do things (e.g. in Cowbell, they play as a rockband with Shane yelling out as (Executive Producer Kurt Russel) begins, "One, two, three!" and in Kite, Shane and David are fighting over the string until at the point (Executive In Charge of Sesame Workshop Jodi Nubbasum) credit appears, Shane and David wave left and right their bodies until at the end of the credits, and in Art Museum, Puppet accidentally surprises Shane and David, until at the point where (Executive In Charge of Sesame Workshop Jodi Nubbasum) credit appears, Shane and David pause, and Puppet now freely says, (I think somebody pressed the Pause button.)) Then the episode ends with the Sesame Workshop logo.
Episode guide
There are a few running gags in the show. The main one is the "Upside-Down" button. When this button is pressed (and it is in every episode but one), the viewpoint shifts, with a silly sound effect, to an upside-down shot of whomever is in the scene. The actors' and puppets' hands are held up in the air to make it look as if they are hanging upside down. One of the boys begs the viewer to press the "Right Side Up" button, at which point the viewpoint rights itself. Another sequence seen in each episode is the use of the "Instant Replay" button. The brothers ask the viewer to press this button to see a child do something again. During the slow motion replay, Shane and David play the role of commentators, narrating the action and assessing the child's technique. A more subtle running gag is the fake pineapple that appears in at least three episodes.Season 1 2005-2006
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