Information AboutRoad Rovers |
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The show follows the adventures of the Road Rovers, a team of five super-powered crime fighting Anthropomorphic Dog s, known as "cano-sapiens". The leader of the rovers is Hunter, a golden retriever mix from the United States . The Rovers' boss is a scientist known as "The Master" who oversees their operations and supplies them with equipment from their subterranean headquarter. PLOT One year prior to the formation of the Road Rovers, Professor Shepherd is attacked by a man named General Parvo , who demands the professor's experimental transdogmafier (a play on the term Transmogrifier ) technology in exchange for his pet dog. Shepherd gives in but is tricked by Parvo, who gives him a bomb that destroys his laboratory. The next year, as normal dogs begin to mutate into monsters, Shepard realizes it is Parvo who is behind it and decides to stop him. Shepherd selects five dogs from around the world to combat this new threat. Once they arrive at his new, secret underground lab, he uses his new transdogmifier on the five, turning them into cano-sapiens. Cano-sapiens look like normal clothed humans except that they have retained all the trademark aspects of the dogs they came from, such as a tail, fur, distinctive ears, etc. Their personality before the transformation also remains intact. They can also speak English and possess super abilities that normal Humans do not. Professor Shepherd (or "The Master" as the new Road Rovers would call him) briefs them on their situation, and agrees to turn them back into their normal forms if they succeed in their mission. After hearing of the dangers inherent in their first mission, the Road Rovers are hesitant to help Shepherd, but he reassures them and gains their trust by offering them meals and weekly baths. Their first assignment is to stop General Parvo from obtaining a Molecular Stabilizer that will allow him to make the effects of his cano-mutator permanent. The rovers nearly succeed in their task but are forced to hand over the stabilizer to Parvo in exchange for one of their own. As Parvo delights in his victory he realizes the stabilizer has been exchanged for a bomb. The bomb destroys Parvo's ship but he vows to continue fighting. Back at Road Rover headquarters, the Master keeps his end of the bargain. He returns the five back to their normal canine forms and places them in the homes of the leaders of their country of origin; Hunter goes to the President Of The United States , Colleen to the Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom , Blitz to the Chancellor Of Germany , Exile to the President Of Russia , and Shag to the President Of The Swiss Confederation . But Shepherd knows the Road Rovers will be called on again. It is later discovered that many of the events in the past were caused by Parvo's Time Machine . These include Parvo's appearance in the past (as a cat named Boots), Parvo's failed attempt at construcing a transdogrifier causing Scout to become Muzzle, Boots becoming Parvo with Groomer's help, Muzzle meeting Hunter, and Shag saving Shepherd's life by informing him of the bomb that will blow up his lab. This is, perhaps, a jab at the Back To The Future movies, or other shows where timetravel has proven to cause the events of the present. Either way, the Paradoxes have become part of the storyline. RUSSIAN NAME SONG CONTROVERSY Regardless of its short run on television, Road Rovers did have one notable controversial incident. During the episode ''“A Day in the Life”'', Exile reveals his full Russian name. This launches the rovers into a song explaining how Russian names work. The source of the controversy doesn’t appear until the last three lines in which they demonstrate middle names and their paternal source. Using the name “Sonov” as an example, they add “-ovich”, creating “Sonovovich”. And when interpreted, it is clearly a Homonymic Pun on the phrase “ Son Of A Bitch ”. The Russian Name Song only appeared in its initial airing and was subsequently removed following the outcries of concerned parents. The fan reaction is somewhat mixed, however the common defense is that if you didn’t actually know the word in question you wouldn’t have picked up on its meaning or the joke. It is unlikely this event had anything to do with the cancellation of the show since the new fall schedule had already been annouced. If the studio felt this song was offensive why didn't they edit it out before hand? It was never made clear why the show was canceled at all. The studio claimed that it was the ratings but inside sources say that they were equal to and sometimes greater than that of Superman which was picked up for additional seasons. CHARACTERS
EPISODES #''Let's Hit The Road'' ( 7 September , 1996 ) - The Road Rovers meet for the first time. #''Storm From The Pacific'' ( 14 September , 1996) - Disgraced Captain Zachary Storm seeks revenge on the United States for no reason. #''A Hair Of The Dog That Bit You'' ( 21 September , 1996) - Packs of werewolves take over London , and they think Exile got bitten (or scratched), which puts him under watch. #''Where Rovers Dare'' ( 12 October , 1996) - Eisneria and Katzenstok are preparing to go to war over an ancient scepter. #''Let Sleeping Dogs Lie'' ( 26 October , 1996) - The Road Rovers must protect ancient artifacts from unknown ninjas, which, of course, are Parvo's. #''Hunter's Heroes'' ( 2 November , 1996) - Parvo and his cano-mutants are at it again. But this time, it's a high-tech, heavliy-armed base. #''The Dog That Knew Too Much'' ( 9 November , 1996) - One dog has the answers to a rash of human and canine kidnappings. #''Dawn Of The Groomer'' ( 16 November , 1996) - The Groomer gets delusions of grandeur involving taking over the world with Cats , otherwise known as Felo-Mutants. #''Still A Few Bugs In The System'' ( 23 November , 1996) - Some humungous bugs have plans for a Nuclear Winter . #''Reigning Cats and Dogs'' ( 1 February , 1997 ) - General Parvo builds a successful time machine so that he could stop Prof. Shepherd. #''Gold and Retrievers'' ( 8 February , 1997) - Gold begins to flood the world's markets at an alarming rate. #''Take Me To Your Leader'' ( 15 February , 1997) - Zachary Storm is back again and some aliens are intent on making trouble. #''A Day In The Life'' ( 22 February , 1997) - A pretty ordinary day for the Road Rovers (doesn't look like it, though). TRIVIA
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