Frisky Dingo

Frisky Dingo
Also known as Whiskey Tango
Whiskey Tango Six
Genre Action
Comedy
Created by Adam Reed
Matt Thompson
Written by Adam Reed
Matt Thompson
Directed by Adam Reed
Matt Thompson
Voices of
Composer(s) Casey Willis
Killer Mike
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 25 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Keith Crofford
Michael Lazzo
Adam Reed
Matt Thompson
Running time 11 minutes
Production company(s) 70/30 Productions
Williams Street
Distributor Adult Swim
Cartoon Network
Release
Original network Adult Swim
Picture format 4:3 SDTV
Original release October 16, 2006 (2006-10-16) – March 23, 2008 (2008-03-23)
Chronology
Followed by The Xtacles
Related shows Sealab 2021
Archer
External links
Website

Frisky Dingo is an American animated cartoon series created by Adam Reed and Matt Thompson for Adult Swim. The series revolved around the conflict between a supervillain named Killface and a superhero named Awesome X, alias billionaire Xander Crews, and much of the show's humor focuses on parodying superhero and action movie clichés. It debuted on October 16, 2006, and ended its first season on January 22, 2007; the second season premiered on August 26, 2007, and ended on March 23, 2008. A third season was in development, but in the absence of a renewal contract from Adult Swim, pre-production ceased. The production company itself, 70/30 Productions, subsequently went out of business in January 2009.

A spin-off show, The Xtacles, premiered on November 9, 2008, but only two episodes were aired prior to the production company's closure.

Origins

Frisky Dingo was created by 70/30 Productions, the same group of animators who worked on Sealab 2021. The show's name during development was Whiskey Tango. Because there was already a band using the name, it was changed to Whiskey Tango Six. This name was determined not to be sufficiently distinct to avoid infringement suits, so the creators jokingly said they would call the show Frisky Dingo, and the name remained. In episode 113, Killface can be seen entering "Frisky Dingo" into the Annihilatrix launch terminal; this is mentioned in episode 210, where the character Sinn/Hooper remarks that "Frisky Dingo" is the launch code for the Annihilatrix.

According to an article in Atlanta Magazine, Whiskey Tango Six was going to be the name of the six-member superhero group on which the show focused, headed by husband and wife Jack and Grace Taggart.[1] The team flew around in a spaceship called the Glennis. Killface was going to be the main villain, but not a major character.[1] During revisions of the show's scripts, Killface became the focus of the show. It is not known when Whiskey Tango Six was replaced with Xander Crews/Awesome X and the Xtacles.

Characters

The two main characters of the show are Killface, who is a naked, bone-white, red-eyed, earless, talon-toed, spur-heeled, 7-foot-tall (2.1 m) hairless, muscular humanoid supervillain focused on destroying Earth with his invention, the Annihilatrix;[2] and billionaire tycoon Xander Crews, who fights crime under the superhero alias Awesome X.[3] Both Killface and Xander are voiced by co-creator Adam Reed. The two have an ever-shifting relationship, changing from enemies to unwilling allies on many occasions.

Other major characters include Killface's son Simon voiced by Christian Danley an overweight, blond-haired, pale-skinned, sexually confused, teenage Hannah Montana fan who wears sweater vests and exhibits adolescent rebellion by muttering and breaking cereal bowls;[4] Reporter Grace Ryan, former girlfriend of Xander Crews turned into Antagone, a toxic, radioactive-ant-powered villainess; Sinn voiced by Kelly Jenrette later known as Hooper, originally Killface's sidekick and later his enemy;[5] and the Xtacles, Awesome X's team of easily distracted and remarkably inept rocket-booted troops.[6]

Setting

Frisky Dingo takes place primarily in and around a large city simply called "Town" or "the Town". Its actual name never being mentioned becomes a running joke throughout the series. Despite its lack of a specific name, maps of "Town" are featured throughout the series which closely resemble interstate roadmaps of the city of Atlanta, Georgia where 70/30 Studios, producers of Frisky Dingo, were based. Additional evidence for "Town" being Atlanta is the presence of buildings suspiciously resembling the Cotton Mill Lofts (a location that at one time housed production operations for 70/30) burning in the second episode, "Meet Awesome-X". Also, in the episode where Killface is pandering to the African American church congregation he is wearing what looks like Michael Vick's Atlanta Falcons football jersey.

Episodes

Season 1 (2006–07)

The first season of Frisky Dingo follows the adversarial relationship between the villainous Killface, who aspires to strike fear into humankind before he drives the Earth into the Sun with his Annihilatrix, and Awesome X, the secret superhero identity of multi-billionaire Xander Crews who dreads retiring after having defeated the last known supervillain.

No. Title Original air date Prod.
code
1"Meet Killface"October 16, 2006 (2006-10-16)101
Killface reveals his plan to drive the Earth into the Sun, and forces the marketing staff he kidnapped to help him market the plan.
2"Meet Awesome-X"October 23, 2006 (2006-10-23)102
Having dispatched the last supervillain, superhero Awesome X (Xander Crews) searches for ways to avoid retiring his hero persona and having to actually work at running his company.
3"Pimp My Revenue"October 30, 2006 (2006-10-30)103
Thrilled at the prospect of a new supervillain to exploit and market, Xander sets his plans for Killface in motion. Killface, whose direct marketing of his plan to destroy the world has been unexpectedly successful, finds himself with the opportunity to appear on a morning talk show.
4"XPO"November 6, 2006 (2006-11-06)104
Killface is in desperate need of some cash, so when a mysterious fax arrives announcing an inventor's expo with a $12 billion prize, he decides to enter the Annihilatrix. However, the expo is staged by Xander Crews, who hopes to trick Killface into signing over his action figure rights.
5"News of a Kidnapping"November 13, 2006 (2006-11-13)105
Killface, desperate for cash and revenge, enacts a plan to find and kidnap billionaire Xander Crews. Meanwhile, Crews, still after action figure rights, enacts a plan to find and bribe Killface.
6"Emergency Room"November 20, 2006 (2006-11-20)106
The entire Dingo gang, grievously injured in the collapse of the Annihilatrix's catwalk, have all ended up in the same emergency room.
7"Meet Antagone"November 27, 2006 (2006-11-27)107
As Killface searches for Xander Crews, radioactive ants begin to take over Grace Ryan's mind and she transforms into voluptuous, ant-controlling supervillain Antagone, who has a hatred for Xander Crews. Antagone fights Killface during a bank robbery, blinding him with formic acid. Meanwhile, Crews is kidnapped by the Xtacles.
8"Blind Faith"December 4, 2006 (2006-12-04)108
Xander Crews copes with being broke and Xtacle-less, while Killface struggles with being blind.
9"The Odd Couple"December 11, 2006 (2006-12-11)109
Xander Crews, using the name Barnaby Jones, moves in with Killface; Simon runs away with all the knives; and Stan, posing as Awesome X, orders the Xtacles to find and kill Xander Crews.
10"Flowers for Nearl"December 18, 2006 (2006-12-18)110
The Xtacles find a replacement hostage for Xander Crews his mentally retarded twin brother.
11"The Grate Escape"January 8, 2007 (2007-01-08)111
Killface and Crews attempt to sneak into the lair of criminal kingpin Torpedo Vegas in order to save Simon.
12"Penultimate Fighting"January 15, 2007 (2007-01-15)112
Killface and Crews are captured by Torpedo Vegas and forced to fight to the death, gladiator-style, in lieu of the regular rabbit fights.
13"Thrust Issues"January 22, 2007 (2007-01-22)113
Killface and Crews attempt to return to their lives amidst multiple betrayals, but have one last score to settle with each other.

Season 2 (2007–08)

At the beginning of the second season, Killface is taking credit for "curing" global warming due to the Annihilatrix having moved the Earth a total of three feet further from the sun before it malfunctioned, and has decided to run for President of the United States. Xander Crews follows suit, re-forming his company and launching his own Presidential campaign.

No. Title Original air date Prod.
code
14"Behold a Dark Horse"August 26, 2007 (2007-08-26)201
The Annihilatrix malfunctions moments after being initiated, moving the Earth three feet away from the Sun and ending global warming. Instead of destroying the world, Killface decides to play the global warming card and run for the title of President of the United States.
15"The Opposition"September 2, 2007 (2007-09-02)202
Following the incident on the Annihilatrix, Xander Crews is found to be living in financial ruins behind an RV dealership. Running an 'outreach center' made from cardboard boxes, Xander offers services such as boiling used hypodermic needles and selling them back to the homeless. Upon hearing of Killface's candidacy for President, Xander decides to run against him after revealing that he had the check for his vast fortune in his possession the entire time.
16"The Issues"September 9, 2007 (2007-09-09)203
Xander proposes Fred Dryer as his running mate after gaining the Republican nomination for President. Aboard his new campaign jet (as opposed to Killface's campaign bus), Crews outlines his proposals to improve education and alleviate illegal immigration.
17"The Image Problem"September 16, 2007 (2007-09-16)204
Xander and Killface both try to improve their images by going duck hunting which Xander cannot distinguish from his annual panda hunt, but the two manage to re-connect when they get lost after an assassination ploy by Valerie.
18"The Miracle"September 23, 2007 (2007-09-23)205
After Valerie miraculously fails at another assassination attempt, Killface finds God and quickly ruins his campaign. Upon hearing that Simon is a homosexual, Killface renounces Christianity as a missile strikes him in the chest.
19"The Middle"September 30, 2007 (2007-09-30)206
Killface begins to recuperate after the rocket incident while Xander again attempts to recruit Fred Dryer as his running mate, only to find that Sinn has taken over the Xtacles.
20"The Debate, Part 1"October 7, 2007 (2007-10-07)207
Killface plans for the upcoming debate with Dottie, while Wendell looks into alternative campaign funds. Awesome X finds himself a prisoner along with Ronnie on board Xcalibur.
21"The Debate, Part 2"October 14, 2007 (2007-10-14)208
While Killface prepares for the Presidential debate, Xander makes a few stops with Ronnie before he arrives. Both Xander and Killface come to realize that neither of them are qualified or allowed to run for the Presidency due to Constitutional provisions they've both overlooked. Killface decides to follow up on his original plan to destroy the world.
22"A Take on 'Hooper'"March 2, 2008 (2008-03-02)209
Sinn and her 'Sisterhood of Chaos' (consisting of Valerie, Antagone, Watley and the Decepticles, formerly the Xtacles) claim the Annihilatrix as their own to hold the world hostage. President Taqu'il, Xander and Killface separately plan their own offensives to stop them.
23"Wendell Goes Undercover Again"March 9, 2008 (2008-03-09)210
Killface and Simon attempt to repair the burnt couplings on the Annihilatrix, while Stan and Taquil attempt an escape from their shot-down plane. Sinn and Valerie ask Watley to kill Antagone, while Wendell is sent by Xander to kill the giant ant baby. Both Wendell and Watley inadvertently fall in love with Antagone.
24"Cody Gains a Namesake"March 16, 2008 (2008-03-16)211
Valerie shoots Sinn and frames Wendell and Arthur. Xander learns he has an illegitimate daughter; when she comes to visit after her mother dies from cancer, Xander bribes her never to contact him again. Wendell decapitates Arthur when he tries to propose to Antagone. Antagone finally gives birth to her monster ant baby, which commits matricide by eating her head.
25"Differences are Put Slightly Aside"March 23, 2008 (2008-03-23)212
Wendell names the monster ant baby 'Cody 2' and rides it around town achieving orgasms on its back along the way. Everybody else races to the Annihilatrix while the Deceptacles make a stew out of Arthur's decapitated body in the motel swimming pool. After killing Cody 2, Killface's alien brethren (including his mother) arrive to inquire about how the Earth has not yet been annihilated and why he is not wearing any clothes.

Home releases

Title Release date No. of
episodes
Additional information
Season One March 25, 2008 13 Comes with a replica of Killface's 'Welcome to you're "doom!"' postcard.
Season Two January 6, 2009 12 Features a brand new short made to tie in with the spin-off series The Xtacles (as a result, the DVD box says 13 episodes). Also comes with a Frisky Dingo sticker.

Spin-off

Main article: The Xtacles

The Xtacles is a spin-off from Frisky Dingo in which the Xtacles, Xander Crews' private army, take a lead role. The series revolves around the Xtacles' lack of direction following the abduction of their leader by aliens at the end of Frisky Dingo. They take on random missions from President Stan, who returns from the previous series. The series premiered its only two episodes on November 9, 2008.

References

  1. 1 2 Heckert, Justin (2006). The Making of Frisky Dingo. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  2. Hagan, Merrill; Macke, Liz (2008-05-28). "Frisky Dingo - Killface". Adult Swim. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  3. Hagan, Merrill; Eason, Jonas (2008-05-29). "Frisky Dingo - Awesome X". Adult Swim. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  4. Hagan, Merrill (2008-05-13). "Frisky Dingo - Simon". Adult Swim. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  5. Hagan, Merrill (2008-05-13). "Frisky Dingo - Sinn". Adult Swim. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  6. Hagan, Merrill; Eason, Jonas (2008-05-13). "Frisky Dingo - Xtacles". Adult Swim. Retrieved 2008-12-04.

External links

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