The Upside Down Show facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Upside Down Show |
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| Genre | |
| Created by |
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| Directed by |
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| Starring |
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| Voices of |
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| Composer(s) | David Chapman |
| Country of origin |
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| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Wendy Gray |
| Cinematography | Ian Jones |
| Editor(s) | Simon Martin |
| Camera setup | Both single-camera and multi-camera |
| Running time | 24 minutes |
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| Distributor | Viacom International Inc. |
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| Picture format | NTSC 480i |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| First shown in | April 2005 (pilot screening) |
| Original release | October 16 – November 13, 2006 |
The Upside Down Show is a fun TV series for kids. It was made by Sesame Workshop, Noggin LLC, and Nickelodeon. The show takes place in a very strange apartment building. In this building, doors and windows lead to all sorts of unusual rooms.
The main characters are two brothers, Shane and David, played by The Umbilical Brothers. They live in the apartment with their friend Puppet, their neighbor Mrs. Foil, and some fuzzy creatures called the Schmuzzies. In each episode, David gives viewers an imaginary remote control. This remote can change what the characters and their surroundings do.
The idea for the show came from the Umbilical Brothers' comedy act called SpeedMouse. That act also used the idea of an imaginary remote. Producers from Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop saw SpeedMouse and liked it. They asked for a pilot episode, which became The Upside Down Show. The pilot was a success, and in 2005, Nickelodeon ordered 13 episodes.
The show was written and produced in New York, USA. It was filmed in Sydney, Australia. The people who worked on the show were from both Australia and America. The writers wanted to include jokes for both kids and adults. Shane Dundas said they were making "an adult show for kids." In 2010, the Umbilical Brothers said they had written a script for a special movie called The Upside Down Movie.
Contents
Meet the Characters
You'll see David, Shane, the Schmuzzies, Mrs. Foil, and Puppet in every episode. Other characters, like the Action Fingers, Fido, Spot, and Bob, are imaginary friends or objects that David and Shane bring to life.
- David – He is the older brother. He wears a striped polo shirt and tan shorts. David has super-sensitive hearing and smell. He is usually calm but can get easily distracted. He loves the Schmuzzies and helps them as a friend and translator. He was played by David Collins.
- Shane – He is David's younger brother. He wears brown pants and a blue T-shirt with a fast-forward symbol. Shane is more energetic and hyper. He is also a quick thinker and comes up with many ideas. He often gets annoyed by the Remote because it interrupts his plans. He was played by Shane Dundas.
- Mrs. Foil – She is the brothers' friendly and quirky neighbor. She lives in a different apartment. Mrs. Foil has blonde hair and plays the tuba. She even brings her tuba when swimming or camping! She often appears in strange places and costumes. She was played by Amanda Bishop.
- Puppet – He is the brothers' sidekick, roommate, and best friend. Puppet dreams of being an actor and film director. He often practices acting or writes movie scripts. He likes Shakespeare and enjoys playing unusual roles. Puppet is usually more sensible than Shane and David, but he can be just as silly. Puppet was performed and voiced by Mat McCoy.
- The Schmuzzies – These are small, fuzzy, dustball-like creatures. They live all over the apartment. They come in many bright colors and speak their own language called Schmuzzish. This language uses rhyming sounds and changed English words, like "Schmello, Schmuzzies!" Shane is scared of them, but David is good friends with them and understands their language. The Schmuzzies were performed and voiced by Emma de Vries, Virginia Goodfellow, and Alice Osborne.
- The Voice – This is a bossy male voice that sometimes talks to Shane and David. He usually reminds them to knock before entering a room. He might even ask for a special kind of knock. He was voiced by Adam Smillie.
- Action Fingers – These are Shane and David's superhero alter-egos. They are played by their hands, with two fingers used as legs. Their names are Knuckles (on Shane's left hand) and Pointy (on David's right hand). The Action Fingers show up to solve small problems. Their actions have dramatic theme music.
- Fido the Fly – Fido is Shane's imaginary pet fly. He lives behind a tiny door in the apartment. Fido loves playing tennis, techno dance music, and the trumpet. He talks by buzzing, and only Shane can understand him.
- Spot the Chair – Spot is David's pet chair. He likes to play a game called "Fly on the Chair" with Fido, who is his good friend. With the Remote's "rotate" button, Spot can roll over.
- Bob the Blanket – Bob is a talking white blanket that belongs to David. David also does his voice. Bob has a rough voice and makes sarcastic comments, especially to Shane.
How Each Episode Works
Every episode starts with a quick scene showing Shane or David in the middle of something. David then introduces "the Remote." He pretends to hold a remote control and explains that it can control what happens on screen. He shows how it works by pressing buttons that make Shane do funny things.
The Remote also has "wild card" buttons that cause strange or unexpected effects. The main one is the "Upside Down" button, which flips the camera view upside down. You need the "Right Side Up" button to fix it. After explaining, David offers the Remote to the viewer. He pretends to hand it off-screen. The brothers ask the viewer to "press the Play button" to start the episode. But the viewer always presses the wrong button by accident, which puts the brothers in a silly situation!
The brothers then ask the viewer to press a button to fix the problem. They often tell the viewers not to press the wrong button again. Of course, the same silly situation happens again! Finally, the boys ask the viewer to press play, and the show's theme song starts. The theme song shows the Action Fingers running and jumping over the show's title. It ends with them running to the apartment door, knocking, and opening it.
Each episode begins in Shane and David's living room. Puppet and the Schmuzzies, who live with the brothers, are always there. The main goal of each story is for Shane and David to find a certain place. They search for this place by going through different doors, windows, and other spots in their apartment. Sometimes, the brothers ask the viewers for help by pressing buttons on their imaginary remote.
Their journey takes them to three "Wrong Turn" rooms. Mrs. Foil, their neighbor, appears in these rooms in different costumes. She might help them or accidentally cause more trouble. At some point, the brothers always meet a child who teaches them something. This child helps them find the right path. Eventually, they find their destination "for the very first time" and visit it very quickly. The show ends with Shane and David back in their apartment. In the last few minutes, they give the viewer an imaginary souvenir to say thank you for their help.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
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| Pilot | "Pilot" | TBD | TBD | April 2005 (MIPTV screening)
Unaired (TV) |
None |
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Nickelodeon ordered a pilot episode in December 2004. It was shown at MIPTV in April 2005. In the pilot, David and Shane looked for the beach. Early versions of the Schmuzzies, Mrs. Foil, and Puppet (then called "Stretch") were in it. The story was later used for the "Beach" episode, but no footage from the pilot was used.
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| 1 | "Movie Theater" | Julie Money | Joseph Mazzarino | October 18, 2006 | 101 |
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Puppet directs a movie with David and Shane as spacemen, pirates, and cowboys. The brothers try to find the movie theater, but first find Mrs. Foil's laundry room and a dance studio. They eventually find a door that leads to the movie theater.
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| 2 | "Barbershop" | Julie Money | Judy Freudberg | October 20, 2006 | 102 |
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After visiting the Very Hairy Room, Shane's hair grows very long. David and Puppet try to help, but Shane needs a real haircut. They search for a barbershop, finding rooms with hairbrushes and even Schmuzzies living in Shane's hair. Mrs. Foil finally gives Shane a haircut at the barbershop.
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| 3 | "Art Museum" | Julie Money | Billy Aronson | October 16, 2006 | 103 |
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Shane makes a great piece of art and wants to hang it. He and David decide it belongs in an art museum. They search through rooms like the Sticky Room and the Fog Room. A boy in the Museum of Finger Painting teaches them how to finger paint. They finally find a real art museum where Mrs. Foil shows off Shane's artwork.
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| 4 | "Pet Shop" | Peter Cudlipp | Tony Geiss | October 23, 2006 | 104 |
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David wants a pet like Shane's fly, Fido. He and Shane search for a pet shop. They visit the Puppy Room and the Parrot Room. The Schmuzzies give rhyming hints that open a door to the Moon. In the end, David finds a pet shop run by Mrs. Foil and chooses her chair, Spot, as his new pet.
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| 5 | "Camping" | Peter Cudlipp | P. Kevin Strader | October 25, 2006 | 105 |
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David and Shane try to go to bed, but their bedrooms are gone. They search for somewhere else to sleep. They find the Snoring Room and the Wake Up Room. A girl in the Shape Room helps them understand shapes. They finally find Mrs. Foil's campsite and sleep in sleeping bags.
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| 6 | "Picnic" | Peter Cudlipp | Luis Santeiro | October 27, 2006 | 106 |
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Puppet and the brothers take Fido on his first picnic. They look for a picnic spot, finding the Sandwich Room, the cramped No-Room Room, and the windy Wind Room. Fido's family arrives and leads them to a perfect picnic spot outside. They play games with Mrs. Foil.
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| 7 | "Airport" | Julie Money | Joseph Mazzarino | October 30, 2006 | 107 |
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Puppet's cousin, Mary Annette, is at the airport. David and Shane offer to pick her up. They search for the airport, ending up in the Bird Room and the Paper Airplane Room. A girl in a room full of words teaches them "plane" in sign language. They finally find the airport by climbing the ceiling.
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| 8 | "Beach" | Julie Money | Judy Freudberg | November 1, 2006 | 108 |
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David and Shane lose their beach ball and look for it at the beach. They find rooms with water but no sand, or sand but no water, or rooms that are too cold. The Schmuzzies try to help. They eventually find a door leading to the beach, play in the sand, and give their beach ball to Mrs. Foil.
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| 9 | "Marching Band" | Julie Money | Billy Aronson | November 6, 2006 | 109 |
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David and Shane invent imaginary instruments and want to join a marching band. Puppet wants to be the bandleader's baton. They find rooms with funny music and kids who show them how to march. They follow the sound of an orchestra and find the marching band, where Puppet is the baton and Mrs. Foil plays her tuba.
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| 10 | "Birthday Party" | Julie Money | P. Kevin Strader | November 8, 2006 | 110 |
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The Schmuzzies are having a "Schmirthday Schmarty." David and Shane try to find where the party is. They search in the No-Fun Room, the Surprise Room, and the Opera Room. They return to their apartment and discover the party is for them!
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| 11 | "Farm" | Peter Cudlipp | Joseph Mazzarino | October 16, 2006 | 111 |
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The apartment residents have a band called the Talking Airheads. David's cowbell disappears. David and Shane look for it in the Great Big Bell Room and by fishing at sea. Puppet plays farm songs. They find the cowbell at Mrs. Foil's farm and bring it back for their performance.
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| 12 | "Ice Cream Truck" | Peter Cudlipp | Billy Aronson | November 10, 2006 | 112 |
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Puppet teaches David and Shane about ice cream, and they decide they must try some. They search for the ice cream truck. They find the Frozen Room and an ice cream game show hosted by Mrs. Foil. The Schmuzzies show them where Mrs. Foil's ice cream truck is, and the brothers finally get some ice cream.
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| 13 | "Mini Golf" | Peter Cudlipp | Joseph Mazzarino and Josh Weidman | November 13, 2006 (Noggin)
February 2, 2007 (Nick Australia) |
113 |
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A mysterious orange ball appears in the living room. David and Shane first think it's a planet, then an orange fruit, then a basketball. Puppet tells them it's a mini golf ball. They then visit the mini golf course and play golf with Mrs. Foil.
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Where to Watch the Show
Even though there were only 13 episodes, The Upside Down Show has been released on DVD many times. In 2012, all 13 episodes were put on DVD as an exclusive for Amazon. In Australia, the episodes were released on six different DVD sets. Each DVD disc looked like one of the Schmuzzies!
In 2009, the Umbilical Brothers sold a special "Complete Series" DVD set on their website. This set had all six Australian volumes on two discs. It was a limited edition, meaning only a few were made.
Since 2018, the Umbilical Brothers have put all the episodes on their YouTube channel. This means you can watch every episode for free! The show was also added to Paramount+ in January 2021.
Awards the Show Won
The Upside Down Show won three awards in 2007. Since the show was made in America and filmed in Australia, it could win awards in both countries.
- The show's opening theme won a Creative Craft Daytime Emmy Award for Main Title Design.
- The series also received a Parents' Choice Award Silver Honor for Television.
- Nick Jr. Australia won a Logie Award for The Upside Down Show. This was for the Most Outstanding Children's Program.
