Biker Mice from Mars (2006 TV series)

Biker Mice from Mars
U. S. Promotional Poster
Genre science fiction, action comedy drama
Created by Rick Ungar
Developed by Rick Ungar
Tom Tataranowicz
Starring Clancy Brown
Dorian Harewood
Jess Harnell
Rob Paulsen
Ian Ziering
Lisa Zane
Jim Ward
Dina Sherman
Theme music composer William Kevin Anderson
Country of origin United Kingdom
United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 28[1] (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s)
  • Criterion Licensing
  • Brentwood Television Funnies
  • Philippines Animation Studio[2]
Release
Original network
Original release August 26, 2006 (2006-08-26) – July 26, 2007 (2007-07-26)
Chronology
Preceded by Biker Mice from Mars

Biker Mice from Mars is an American animated series, a revival and semi-reboot of the show with the same name which aired from 1993–1996. The 2006 version of the show has previews of the show on YouTube.[4] Jim Ward won a 2009 voice-actor Daytime Emmy for his performance as Eyemore in the episode "Manchurian Charley" and as the Crusher in the episode "Here Come The Judge". The series aired on the 4KidsTV block on FOX in the fall of 2008.[5] In the UK, the series was picked up for a second window by CSC Media Group, who scheduled it to air on April 2, 2010 on the Kix channel.

Plot

The mice come to Earth (unlike the first series, not entirely by accident). In this series, the lead antagonists are the evil Catatonians, a cat-like race of creatures who desire the greatest prize on Mars, the Regenerator. In the process of obtaining it they destroy it, leaving the Biker Mice (including Stoker – see below) to flee to Earth to build a new one.

Characters

Returning characters

  • The Biker Mice (voiced by Dorian Harewood as Modo, Rob Paulsen as Throttle, Ian Ziering as Vinnie) - The Mice themselves are, character-wise, almost the same as before, except that now they have been properly formed into a special commando squad; as such, Throttle's leadership role has been formally recognized with the rank of Commander. There have also been minor changes in costume: Throttle has new sunglasses and a solitary green shoulder belt under a new, shorter vest and his one powered glove has been replaced with twin powered gloves that also act as laser blasters, Modo has new boots and a cutting torch in his mechanical arm, Vinnie carries powered shuriken and powered gloves identical to Throttle's, and all three have new helmets. But more controversially for fans of the original series, they have been drawn substantially slimmed-down and less muscular, noticeably less furry and more anthropomorphic than originally. All three also have new bikes: Vinnie has a red superbike similar to his old one, Modo has a purple-blue three-wheeled chopper he calls "Hard Case", and Throttle has a green cruiser or bobber in place of his old black chopper or Softail. All three bikes are augmented with new weapons, improved artificial intelligence, and flight, aquatic, and all-terrain capabilities.
  • Charlene "Charley" Davidson (voiced by Lisa Zane) - Essentially Charley is the same character-wise, but with a new, short haircut and a more contemporary outfit suited to motorcycling rather than mechanics. Although not present in every episode, she appears in the majority and plays a more prominent role than in the original series. Her relationship with Vinnie has been toned down for the new series, but (in true absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder fashion) Charley appears to reciprocate Vinnie's feelings towards her more readily than in the original series. She was previously voiced by Leeza Miller-McGee in the previous series.
  • Carbine (voiced by Dina Sherman) - Carbine, revealed to be Stoker's niece, has gained a slight costume change and plays a substantially more prominent role than originally, even appearing on Earth several times. Her (strained) relationship with Throttle still exists, emphasizing the strain of the War and their relative military responsibilities. She was previously voiced by Leah Remini in the previous series.
  • Stoker (voiced by Peter Strauss in 2006–2007, Jim Ward from 2007–present): Stoker is the classic series minor character who has had the most significant increase in importance, acting as the catalyst for much of the 2006 series' plot. The founder (and leader) of the Freedom Fighter movement, in the new series he has been missing in action for several years and is wrongly (but widely, except by Vinnie) held to have turned traitor. He is the inventor of the Regenerator, a matter-conversion device crucial to produce the water needed for the survival of the Martian population. Some years earlier, he had been forced to build a second Regenerator for Ronaldo Rump. When the Martian Regenerator was accidentally destroyed by the Catatonians the Biker Mice were dispatched to Earth to recover Rump's machine, the plot of the new series. His alter-ego is Nightshift, a black-clad masked biker. The disguise was originally adopted when he was still regarded as a traitor, but is now used to protect him from sunlight, which (because of overexposure to radioactive tetra-hydrocarbons, the power source of the Regenerator) causes him to temporarily mutate into a wererat.
  • Rimfire (voiced by Jess Harnell) Modo's nephew, briefly selected as Throttle's replacement when Throttle is promoted to one-star general and to be reassigned to Mars; Carbine decided to rescind Throttle's promotion after seeing that Rimfire still wasn't up to spec as a 'Biker Mice', even after a year's training for such a placement. He was previously voiced by Brian Austin Green in the previous series.
  • Lawrence Limburger (voiced by W. Morgan Sheppard) - Returns for revenge on the Biker Mice after years of being a (literal) bootlicker for the Pit Boss.
    • Dr. Karbunkle (voiced by Susan Silo) - A mad scientist that worked for Limburger and has also spent years of being a bootlicker for the Pit Boss. Also returning for revenge on the Biker Mice with Limburger.
  • Greasepit (voiced by Jess Harnell) - A grease-covered criminal that was one of Limburger's minions and had briefly became a henchman of Ronaldo Rump. He was previously voiced by Brad Garrett in the previous series.
  • Pit Boss (voiced by Jess Harnell) - The ruler of the Pits beneath the Rump Mini-Mart. Lawrence Limburger and Dr. Karbunkle became bootlickers for the Pit Boss since the Biker Mice defeated them. He was previously voiced by Stu Rosen in the previous series.
  • Harley (voiced by Jennifer Hale) - Harley is Vinnie's former sweetheart. Before the Biker Mice went to earth, Harley was kidnapped by a rat, got half her face blown off and then was shown mercy by other rats. Therefore, she turned on her own people and aided the rats in their fight. Since then she has come to hate the Biker Mice because she feels that they gave up on her, although this was not the case (Vinnie in particular had searched extensively). However, near-cataclysmic eruptions that threaten to doom Mars snap Harley back to reality, driving her to sacrifice herself to save Mars. She was previously voiced by Kath Soucie in the previous series.

New characters

  • Hannibal T. Hairball (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - Assistant Supreme Commander of the Catatonian Army. Very short, speaks with a stereotypical Russian accent, and is a dunce.
    • Cataclysm (voiced by Clancy Brown) - While officially the second-in-command to his younger brother Hairball, it is Cataclysm who really calls the shots in the Catatonian quest for the Regenerator.
    • Ronaldo Rump (voiced by Jess Harnell) - A parody of Donald Trump and Ricky Ricardo, with an oversized behind and a pencil mustache. He uses his Regenerator to make himself more wealthy, but it is running out of power and he is trying to force Stoker to build a new one.
    • Dr. Phineas P. Catorkian (voiced by Jess Harnell) - A mad scientist who is the force behind most of the inventions against the Biker Mice. Very tall and thin, and speaks with a posh British accent.

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"The Adventure Begins (Part 1)"TBATBA
Mars is running out of water, and soon the Martian mice will perish. Their only hope is the Regenerator, a machine capable of converting dirt into any substance required (including water). But the evil Catatonians, led by Supreme Commander Hairball, have launched an attack in hope of capturing the Regenerator for their own purposes. Will the Biker Mice from Mars be able to hold out against the Catatonian assault?
2"The Adventure Begins (Part 2)"TBATBA
With the only Regenerator destroyed, things are looking bad for Mars. The Biker Mice must take General Stoker (creator of the Regenerator) to Planet Earth where he can find the necessary tetra-hydrocarbons required to build another machine. But there is a surprise in store for the Biker Mice on their return to Chicago in the form of developer Ronaldo Rump, who has joined forces with the Catatonians to obtain a Regenerator (the ultimate land-development tool).
3"The British Invasion"TBATBA
Things heat up for the Biker Mice when the infamous Sir Richard Brand-Something arrives with hopes of winning a Regenerator for his own purposes. Joining forces with Supreme Commander Hairball, Sir Richard puts his plans (and his evil robots Bangers and Mash) into action – giving the Biker Mice a ride for their money. In the meantime, General Stoker is finding that the Earth's tetra-hydrocarbons are producing some unexpected (and unwanted) side effects.
4"Changes"TBATBA
General Stoker's exposure to tetra-hydrocarbons has worsened his condition, turning him into the mad "Stoker Rat". He is loose in New York City, where Rump has captured him ito force Stoker to build another Regenerator for Rump so he can become richer. Will Stoker turn traitor? Can the Biker Mice rescue him from the clutches of Ronaldo Rump and get him back to work in the effort to save Mars?
5"The Tender Mouse Trap"TBATBA
The Biker Mice turn their motorcycles into radical Swamp Cycles when they discover a mouse damsel-in-distress stuck in the mud. Is this attractive mouse really what she appears to be – or could she be the Catatonian shape-shifter, Catalina Catacall, on a secret mission to trick the Biker Mice into revealing Stoker's secret lab where he is building a new Regenerator for Mars?
6"Between Rump and a Hard Race"TBATBA
Ronaldo Rump launches his Regenerator into orbit over the Arctic Nature Preserve, planning to turn acres of natural wilderness into Rump Amusement Park! It is up to the Biker Mice to foil Rump's evil plot and preserve this important animal habitat, while taking on the world's top motocross racer on a track designed to keep the best bikers in the world struggling to stay aboard!
7"Biker Mice Down Under"TBATBA
Rump hires the felonious Flare to create a landslide inside Stoker's cave-bound laboratory, leaving General Stoker trapped inside and his research vulnerable to discovery. It is up to the Biker Mice to don spelunking gear and rev up their cave-cycles to save the General and his work before Rump and the Catatonians can get their paws on him.
8"Driver's Ed"TBATBA
The Biker Mice are reduced to the minivan mice from Mars when their motorcycles are stolen by Ronaldo Rump and his evil minions. Just one problem – while they may be the universe's best bikers, nobody ever taught them how to drive a car!
9"New Cats in Town"TBATBA
The high commander of the Catatonians has had enough of Hairball and Cataclysm's failure to acquire a Regenerator on Planet Earth, and sends them to the bench. In their place three wily, female Catatonian shape-shifters are sent to give the Biker Mice a race for the prize!
10"A Hairy A-Bomb"TBATBA
The Biker Mice discover they are not the only ones searching for tetra-hydrocarbons when they encounter an educated, soft-spoken Abominable Snowman-type creature named "A-Bomb". But will there be enough to save A-Bomb's family and give the Mice what they need to finish the Regenerator?
11"Manchurian Charley"TBATBA
The Biker Mice are challenged to a motocross race, where they encounter some serious foul play. As usual Charley uses her mechanical skills to keep the bikes on track, but strange things keep happening. Could it be that Charley is the mechanic behind the mayhem?
12"It's the Pits"TBATBA
The Biker Mice are lured into a secret underground world carefully hidden beneath a Rump Mini-mart where they encounter not only one of the nastiest baddies of all time (the Pit Boss), but an unexpected group of enemies they have not seen for a long time: the Plutarkians!
13"Bringing Up Vinnie"TBATBA
Things turn a little wacky for the Biker Mice when Vinnie is accidentally turned into a baby mouse by Dr. Catorkian. If you thought keeping Vinnie under control was a problem before, watch as the Biker Mice attempt to battle the Catatonians and Ronald Rump while struggling to keep Vinnie in clean diapers!
14"Carbine's Conundrum"TBATBA
The Catatonian shape-shifter, Catalina Catacall, infiltrates Freedom Fighter Headquarters on Mars and captures Carbine. Catalina's objective? To download Biker Mice computer files and get her claws on Carbine's new secret weapon: the Surgerator, a device boosting the Regenerator's power ten thousandfold. However, Carbine is not so easily fooled or defeated and it becomes a showdown between these two enemies with the future of Mars at stake!
15"Rumpity-Dumpster"TBATBA
Due to a freak accident Ronaldo Rump is wandering the streets of Chicago without memory (or hairpiece), holding onto the Regenerator. Of course this news makes its way to both the Catatonians and the Biker Mice, who are both chasing Ronaldo.
16"Surfer Cats of Saturn"TBATBA
The Biker Mice get their hands on Rump's Regenerator in time to be accidentally transported to Saturn, thanks to Hairball's clumsy control of a transporter machine. With no way off the ringed planet, the mice turn to a race of local hip cats. However, they discover that these wave-riding kitties are descendants of the Catatonians (sworn enemies of the Mice). Will the slick, surfing cats of Saturn turn out to be friend or foe?
17"Vigilante Vengeance"TBATBA
Ronaldo Rump starts a TV show where ordinary citizens can hunt people and bring them in for a reward. This leads to a million-dollar bounty on the Biker Mice's heads, and they have all Chicago after their tails.
18"Cyber Mice From Mars"TBATBA
When Stoker discovers Rump has planted a super-virus into his secret computer data banks which contain the secrets of the Regenerator he transports himself into the World Wide Web, intent on killing the virus. But time is running out for Stoker; it is up to the Biker Mice to take out the cyber-threat before they are deleted permanently!
19"Break Up"TBATBA
Throttle is promoted, and must return to Mars with Carbine; his replacement, Rimfire (Modo's nephew), does not fill his shoes very well, forcing Carbine to rescind Throttle's promotion.
20"Here Come the Judge"TBATBA
The Biker Mice are arrested and tried before...Judge Ronaldo Rump, which leads to their bikes being impounded.
21"Swimming With Sharks"TBATBA
Vinnie's crazy pirate Aunt Mago comes to Earth intending to steal its water to sell on Mars.
22"Desperado"TBATBA
Throttle is a victim of mistaken identity; an injury leaves him thinking he is a character out of a famous Christmas movie, which leads him to be captured by Doctor Catorkian.
23"First Mice on The Moon"TBATBA
The Mice discover a race of small rabbits living on the moon, and realize they have new allies who despise the Catatonians as much as they do.
24"Cat and Mouse"TBATBA
Hairball hypnotizes Throttle to reveal all the secrets about Stoker and the Regenerator. Fortunately Throttle isn't as easily hypnotizable as Hairball thought he would be.
25"Once Upon A Time on Earth (Part 1)"TBATBA
Stoker finishes his new Regenerator and the Biker Mice are ready to take it back to Mars. Unfortunately Stoker himself has other plans for it.
26"Once Upon A Time on Earth (Part 2)"TBATBA
The Biker Mice are trapped in Detroit. Their old archenemies Limburger and Napoleon Brie are planning to conquer Chicago with the Regenerator. In addition, our heroes have other things to worry about: Has Stoker switched sides? Meanwhile Charley and Carbine are searching for the Biker Mice, but they meet an unknown mouse from Stoker's past.
27"Once Upon A Time on Earth (Part 3)"TBATBA
The Biker Mice have big problems: Stoker has been kidnapped by Rump and the Catatonians. Rump himself wants to conquer Earth by replacing world leaders with his own minions. Can the Biker Mice save Stoker and the Earth before it's too late?
28"Turf Wars"TBATBA
The Mice finally find Harley, only to realize she hates them because she wrongly assumed they gave up on her. The entire episode is done in the style of a rock opera.

Toys, video games, DVD and broadcast history

Giochi Preziosi (GP) was selected as worldwide toy licensee. GP retained Pangea as developers of the toy line. Home entertainment, merchandise, publishing and promotions agency for the series was Sharpe Company.[2]

Pre-production was started in May 2005 with UK broadcaster GMTV signed on.[2] Biker Mice from Mars aired in the UK & Ireland and Finland in 2006. It aired in the US on Fox 4Kids TV block, beginning on August 9, 2008. Italia 1 began broadcasting the show in late 2008 with Mediaset making a big merchandising campaign to support the show.[3]

In 2006 Biker Mice From Mars was released, based on its 2006 revival in Finland, Australia and the United Kingdom, for the Nintendo DS and Sony PS2 consoles. While the game itself did not receive major positive ratings, though it sold successfully throughout Scandinavia, the reboot series performed exceptionally well, placing number 2 in Finland and in the top 10 in other Scandinavian, Northern European, and African territories. It has not yet been released in the United States.

As of 2011, four volumes of Biker Mice from Mars DVDs are available in the UK through Abbey Home Media.[6] Two volumes were released in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment.[7] Volume one was released in Bulgaria on October 17, 2008. Eight volumes (each with three episodes) have been released, but it does not appear that more DVDs will be released unless demand for the series increases.

References

  1. ↑ Episodes and trailers Archived 2007-05-04 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Biker Mice return to GMTV". C21 Media. May 22, 2005. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Biker Mice From Mars Roll Into FOX This Saturday". Animation Magazine. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  4. ↑ YouTube channel Retrieved 2011-05-26.
  5. ↑ http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/biker-mice-ride-again-with-4kidstv/
  6. ↑ DVD info Retrieved 2011-05-26.
  7. ↑ "Biker Mice from Mars (2006)".
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