Dennis the Menace and Gnasher (2009 TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dennis the Menace and Gnasher |
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Season 1 logo.
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| Genre | Animation Comedy Children |
| Created by | David Law |
| Written by | Thomas Duncan-Watt Bruce Griffiths Andrew Jones Ciaran Murtagh Richelle Wilder Cleon Prineas Dan Berlinka |
| Directed by | Glenn Kirkpatrick |
| Starring | Sophie Aldred (Dennis, Athena, additional voices) Teresa Gallagher (Mum, Bea, Curly, additional voices) Jo Wyatt (Walter, Pie-Face, Mrs Creecher, Gran, additional voices) Rob Rackstraw (Gnasher, Dad, Colonel, additional voices) Bob Golding (Sergeant Slipper, Mr. Har Har, additional voices) Jane Ubrien (Dennis, additional voices) Sarah Aubrey (Mum, Mrs Creecher, additional voices) Keith Scott (Gnasher, Dad, Colonel, Sergeant Slipper, Mr. Har Har, additional voices) Chris Johnson (Dennis, Gnasher, Dad, Walter, Pie Face's Dad, Postman, Mr. Cheddar, Harley, additional voices) Natif Ahmed (additional voices) Morwenna Banks (Mum, Bea, Pie-Face, Mrs Creecher, Gran, Athena, Angel Face, additional voices) Rasmus Hardiker (additional voices) |
| Theme music composer | Iain Cook |
| Opening theme | "Unstoppable" |
| Ending theme | "Unstoppable" (instrumental) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom Australia |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 104 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Donna Andrews Ken Anderson Tim Brooke-Hunt Ben Gray< Jo Rooney |
| Producer(s) | Donna Andrews Jane Schneider Sueann Smith Stu Connolly |
| Running time | 11 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Beano Productions Red Kite Animation Sticky Pictures |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBBC (UK) Nine Network (Australia) |
| Original release | 7 September 2009 – 20 December 2013 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows |
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Dennis the Menace and Gnasher is a fun animated TV show. It was first called Dennis and Gnasher in its first season. This show aired on the CBBC Channel in the UK. It's based on the famous comic strips from The Beano magazine.
The series follows the exciting adventures of a mischievous schoolboy named Dennis the Menace. His loyal and equally mischievous dog, Gnasher, is always by his side. The show is perfect for kids aged 6 to 12. It first started on 7 September 2009 and finished its first run on 26 February 2010. That first run had 52 episodes.
A second season of the show began on 8 July 2013, also on the CBBC Channel. This version of the show came after an earlier series called Dennis and Gnasher, which aired in 1996 and 1998.
Contents
How the Show Was Made
This new series brought back many favorite characters. These included 10-year-old Dennis, Gnasher, Mum, Dad, Curly, and Pie-Face. It also introduced Dennis's younger sister, Bea. Plus, new characters like Athena joined the fun.
The show's creators also updated Dennis's treehouse. They gave it a more "menacing" look. You could even find pictures and an episode on the website of one of the companies that made the show, Red Kite Animation.
Pictures of the characters and how the show was made were shared in The Beano magazine. This was part of their 70-year anniversary celebration.
Dennis the Menace and Gnasher was a team effort. It was made by Red Kite Animation in Scotland and Sticky Pictures in Australia. The show had 52 episodes, each lasting 11 minutes. Glenn Kirkpatrick directed the animation. Donna Andrews and Ken Anderson were the executive producers. Jane Schneider and Sueann Smith were the producers. Voice actors like Jane Ubrien, Sarah Aubrey, and Keith Scott helped bring the characters to life.
Changes and Updates
Over time, some things in the show were changed from the original comics and older TV series. The show was updated to feel more modern. For example, Dennis didn't use his catapult or peashooter anymore. He also didn't try to cause trouble on purpose.
Walter, who is Dennis's main rival, was also changed. He was made to seem more boyish. Some of his earlier traits, like pink pajamas or a small poodle, were removed. However, the people who made the show promised that "Dennis will not lose his sense of fun."
Some people in the media said the show was made "too soft." They claimed Dennis wouldn't use his catapult and Gnasher wouldn't bite anymore. But cartoonist Lew Stringer said these claims were not entirely true. He showed videos proving that the show was still full of mischief.
Even with these changes, many people liked the show. It was popular with audiences and even some TV critics. When it first launched, it was a big hit on the CBBC Channel.
For the second season, more changes were made. The full title "Dennis the Menace and Gnasher" returned. Dennis's personality also became more like the classic comic version.
Dennis's parents' designs were updated to match the weekly Beano comic. The way the show was animated also looked a bit different. The voice actors for Pie Face and Walter were changed too. And guess what? Dennis even got his catapult and peashooter back!
Main Characters
- Dennis: A mischievous 10-year-old boy. He loves playing pranks on people.
- Bea: Dennis’s youngest sister.
- Sandra: Dennis and Bea’s mother. She often tells Dennis off when he's being naughty.
- Dennis Sr.: Dennis and Bea's father. He is very strict.
- Walter: Dennis’s next-door neighbor. He often becomes the target of Dennis's pranks and jokes.
Episodes
Where to Watch and DVDs
The show also aired in the U.S. on a channel called The Hub. It started on 10 October 2010 and stopped airing there on 7 October 2013.
In Australia, you could watch the show on Channel Nine and later on ABC3. It also aired in India on Disney XD and Nickelodeon Sonic. In Asia, it started on Disney Channel Asia on 14 May 2011.
Five DVDs of the show have been released. All of season 2 was available to stream on Netflix until 2017.
DVD Releases
| DVD title | Series(s) | Aspect ratio | Episode count | Total running time | Release date(s) |
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| Dennis and Gnasher - Volume 1: Double Trouble | 1 | 16:9 | 6 | 60 minutes | 8 March 2010 |
| Dennis and Gnasher - Volume 2: School Rules? Highly Over-rated! | 1 | 16:9 | 6 | 60 minutes | 16 August 2010 |
| Dennis and Gnasher - Volume 3: Fangs For the Memories | 1 | 16:9 | 8 | 80 minutes | 4 October 2010 |
| Dennis and Gnasher - Volume 4: Masters of Mayhem | 1 | 16:9 | 6 | 66 minutes | 28 February 2011 |
| Dennis the Menace and Gnasher - Volume 1: Come Menace With Me | 2 | 16:9 | 6 | 60 minutes | 10 February 2014 |
Books About Dennis
On 6 February 2014, a book called The Diary of Dennis the Menace came out. This was to celebrate The Beano's 75th anniversary. A second book, Beanotown Battle, was released on 1 May 2014. The third book, Rollercoaster Riot, came out on 7 August 2014. Steven Butler wrote all these books. He also made audiobooks for the first three titles. The fourth book, Bash Street Bandit, was released on 5 February 2015. The fifth book, Canine Carnage, came out on 2 July 2015. The sixth book, The Great Escape, was released on 4 February 2016.
