Doug (TV series)

Creator Jim Jinkins based the series on his hometown of Richmond, Virginia.

Doug was created by animator Jim Jinkins.[9] He was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1953, and grew up fascinated by drawing. He went on to animation and filmmaking at Ohio State University, and upon graduation, got a job working at PBS in their children's programming unit. Jinkins first sketched the character of Doug while doodling without thought, not aiming to create a character based on himself.[7] In the 1980s, he began working on an autobiographical character named "Brian", which he later changed to "Doug", as it was a very general, common name. He began to view the character as his "alter-ego", drawing him in variously cynical and silly scenarios in his sketchbook.[5]

In 1984, Jinkins's career took a turn for the worse, as well as his personal life: he had a rough breakup and suffered injuries in a biking accident.[10] During this time, he gained a new outlook on life.[8] Desiring to "create a place where there was no overdue rent and no delinquent phone bills," he began doodling and formed the basis for Bluffington, the central location in Doug. The character's early designs were solidified alongside friend David Campbell at a small Mexican restaurant in New York. He later credited the character's odd coloring choices from being in a "margarita stupor".[8] Campbell suggested he make Doug into a children's book, titled Doug Got a New Pair of Shoes, which was rejected by all of the city's publishing houses.[10] Simon & Schuster was interested, but management changed before it purchased the pitch.[6] The character made its first animated appearance in a 1988 Florida Grapefruit Growers commercial,[7] and it was also used for a 1989 promotional bumper for the USA Network.[5]

Meanwhile, cable network Nickelodeon, aiming to expand its content and find creative auteurs, began a search for animators to develop their first original animated series. This was very unusual for the time period, which often consisted of pre-licensed characters, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Where's Waldo?. Jinkins had actually worked at the network before it was renamed Nickelodeon; he was employed in the late 1970s, on their first show Pinwheel.[7] Jinkins set up a meeting with executive Vanessa Coffey to show her the book prototype.[10] Coffey ran out of the room ("which is, you know, disturbing," Jinkins would recall), but only to inform her boss that "This [Jinkins] guy is the real deal, and we're taking him to pilot."[6] Employing voice artists and writers from New York, Jinkins created a pilot for Doug, titled Doug Can't Dance.[6] It was one of three six-minute pilots chosen out of eight to premiere as Nickelodeon's debut animated series, or Nicktoons.[3] It also tested the highest out of eight that were shown to test audiences, scoring the highest of eight points.[11] The long contract development took nearly a year to complete. Jinkins made sure that his contract allowed him to take the series to another network if Nickelodeon did not complete the show's order.[12]

In another unusual move, Nickelodeon allowed their purchased pilots to be animated at independent studios. Jinkins founded Jumbo Pictures to produce Doug. He would later recall the oddity of the deal, remarking, "that was a moment in time where we were able to be an independent production company and deliver those shows."[7] Coffey was the main executive in charge of the series' production, and Jinkins would later give her credit in bringing the show to air.[7]

Jinkins characterized the series as not entirely autobiographical, but emotionally accurate to his childhood experiences.[10] The show was designed and based on his experiences growing up in Virginia, designing it as such to give the viewers "a roller coaster of emotions."[2] Each character in the series was based on people from Jinkins' life, with some exaggerations. Prior to the show's premiere, Jinkins sent messages to each subject of inspiration, notifying them of their inclusion.[7] Jinkins' religious upbringing also made its way into the series, albeit without direct reference.[12] For example, if an episode is set on Sunday, Doug's family is dressed in their church clothes. Jinkins felt it was important to not insert overly religious themes into the series, but he viewed it essential that each episode contain a moral.[12] The series was also inspired by Peanuts.[7]

The show's design was labor-intensive, intended to convey a certain logic to the show's universe. In the show's pitch bible, which Jinkins described as "huge," contain floor plans for each main character's homes, as well as maps of each street.[12] In addition, Jinkins and the series' developers paid particular attention to more hidden elements within the series, such as the founding fathers of the show's central town.[12] In writing the series, the production schedule was built around spending several weeks writing the series' scripts. Jinkins asked each writer to place a central theme at the top of each script — what issue Doug is dealing with, and what he learns.[7] Jinkins often told staff that he wanted the show to remain relevant "in 30 years," aiming for a timeless effect. While developing the series, Jinkins wanted to change its name from Doug to The Funnies, but the network encouraged him to stick with the original name.[7] There was a "cross-pollination" among the network's writing staff. This involved story editors being assigned to the show, among them Mitchell Kriegman of Clarissa Explains It All and Will McRobb of The Adventures of Pete & Pete. "There was definitely camaraderie and a quirkiness about who they were hiring," Jinkins later said. "Sometimes it didn't work quite so well, but working with McRobb was awesome!"[12]

In translating the show into animation, the characters' designs were solidified. "Jim Jinkins is an illustrator and not an animator, so his initial drawings were a little bit more of a wiggly line," said Yvette Kaplan.[13] The designs were inspired by Jinkins' period working for R. O. Blechman at the Ink Tank, incorporating Blechman's nervous line quality.[13]

Jinkins was also very involved in the show's music. One of the show's most notable elements is its unique soundtrack, which consists of various mouth sounds by voice actor Fred Newman. "Fred showed me how you could take out a guitar and use a tuna can filled with water that you'd thump with your finger," said Jinkins.[5] In the series' Doug's favorite rock group is the Beets, a play on the Beatles. The band's members also visually resemble Ringo Starr of the Beatles and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, and their penchant for endless reunion tours owes to the Who. Jinkins viewed the series' music as an accent to the storytelling.[5]

Creating the music for the series was a deliberate attempt to deviate from the standard for animated cartoons, which traditionally followed the works of Carl Stalling.[13] The most complicated piece of music created for the series was for the opening sequence, which was recorded preceding animation, rather than the typical method of composing it afterward. Newman's scat singing plays over transitions in the series. The show also incorporated homemade sound effects.[13]

In the closing credits for the first season of Nickelodeon's Doug, two different pieces of music would play: the first piece would be taken from the second story in the episode, and during the last third, Porkchop would don headphones and listen to music from the first story, immediately drowning out the original background music angering Doug, sweats from his reaction, and runs off to the left with Doug following him. Subsequent seasons, however, use a single piece of music for their closing credits (despite using the same animation). Starting with the Disney series, the credits have used Doug chasing Porkchop to the left and right only for Porkchop to chase Doug to the left while the credits play.

The official title card of Disney's Doug.

The original deal required Jumbo to produce 65 episodes of Doug, which Nickelodeon would air in blocks of 13 per season.[10] After four seasons and 52 episodes of Doug, Nickelodeon declined to order the additional 13, citing the show's expensive budget during a budget freeze. The network had a two-year window in which it could reverse the decision. The duo received strong interest from several networks, among them ABC. Each time they received interest, they would notify Nickelodeon in order to speed up ordering the series' fifth season.[10] In 1996, The Walt Disney Company, having closed on its purchase of ABC earlier in the year, purchased Doug in a multimillion-dollar deal with Jinkins and Campbell. The deal involved buying Jumbo Pictures and "signing them to five-year contracts, with stock options, to be Disney executives." The company also purchased the Doug trademark and its rights to all future merchandising. Nickelodeon was allowed to retain the rights to the episodes produced from 1991 to 1994.[10]

Due to the length of time between the series' run on Nickelodeon and its beginning on ABC, there were several creative changes. Production of the series relocated from New York City to Los Angeles. This meant the voice actors recorded their lines remotely instead of together in the studio. Billy West was replaced by Tom McHugh as the voice of Doug, while the role of Roger was taken over by Chris Phillips. Disney could not afford West, as his fame had grown from voicing characters in Ren & Stimpy and other animated properties.[12] Jinkins argues that he worked hard to keep West on the series, claiming that the deal the company offered him was breaking their budget.[6] In 2013, despite not returning to the Disney version, West mentioned that he would be open to returning as the role/character.[14]

Several original staff members of Doug have openly regarded the Disney run as inferior to the Nickelodeon run. Jinkins was less hands-on regarding the production of the show's Disney episodes due to other responsibilities. "I mostly agree with Doug fans who think the original 104 eleven-minute Doug stories made for Nick were the best", Jinkins later said. David Campbell felt the Nickelodeon episodes were "quirkier" and better, while Constance Shulman, Patti Mayonnaise's voice actress, felt voice recording sessions were not the same in the show's newer incarnation: "I missed all the gang crammed in the studio, waiting for their turn for the big group scene. Someone just dimmed the magic a bit."[13]

Another factor in Doug going to Disney might have been Nickelodeon's high expectations for the series not being met, something that has been acknowledged by Jinkins as well as Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi.[10] Among Nickelodeon's three original Nicktoons, executives were banking on Doug to be the network's breakout hit. While Doug proved to be popular, it was by far Nickelodeon's least popular original Nicktoon, as Ren & Stimpy would (alongside The Simpsons and Beavis and Butt-Head) help revive the adult animation genre that had been largely dormant since The Flintstones ended in 1966. Meanwhile, Nickelodeon's other original Nicktoon, Rugrats, would instead be the network's breakout hit and would remain in production until 2004, long after the other two series ended production.[10]

Since the acquisition, Disney has owned the rights to produce any future material in the Doug franchise. In 2016, Jinkins stated that Disney had "no interest" in revamping the show.[15]

Doug and Porkchop appear on a billboard in the Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie, released on Disney+ in May 2022.[16]

In 2023, Jinkins revealed concept art he had drawn for a potential revival titled Doug Kids that would focus on the children of Doug and his friends. While no movement has been made, he has stated that he hopes to pitch it to Disney in the future.[17]

Currently, all of the original run episodes, including the two that are missing from the season 4 DVD, are available from video on demand services such as iTunes Store, PlayStation Network, Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+, while the Disney run episodes and Doug's First Movie are on Disney+.[21]

Reruns of the Nickelodeon series aired on Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop’s educational channel, Noggin until 2002. The Disney series aired reruns on UPN’s Disney's One Too until 2000. Reruns were also shown on Disney Channel until 2002, and on Toon Disney until 2004.

The new Nicktoons block on Nickelodeon raised the network's ratings instantly. Doug constantly achieved over 2.0 in the network's most desirable demographics.[13]

When the show moved to ABC in 1997, Doug became the most popular program on ABC's Saturday morning lineup, attracting the highest ratings of any cartoon on the network. Its high-rated second season on the network contributed to its position as the number one network in Saturday morning ratings.[10]

The Disney episodes later reran in broadcast syndication and on the Disney's One Too block on UPN.[10]

Doug received numerous domestic and international awards and nominations. It won two Parents' Choice Awards, two Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, and was nominated for three CableACE Awards and four Daytime Emmy Awards.[23] It was also nominated for the Prix Jeunesse International Award.[23]

On March 15, 1999, Disney premiered a new musical stage show, Doug Live!, at Disney's Hollywood Studios (at the time known as Disney-MGM Studios) at the Walt Disney World Resort.[30] The show ran until May 12, 2001.

A theatrical feature-length film, Doug's 1st Movie, was released on March 26, 1999, before production on the television show ceased.[31] During this time, meet-and-greet costumed versions of Doug and Patti were seen in Walt Disney World.

A video game for Game Boy Color was released in 2000, titled Doug's Big Game.[32][33]

While Doug had never received his own self-titled print media outside of books that retold events of the TV series' episodes, comics that entailed original stories were published in the magazine Disney Adventures, from Volume 7 #5 in February 1997[34], to Volume 12 #1 in February 2002[35]. To date, the one-page comic "Neckerchief Grief" is the last official material that features Doug in any major capacity.