Cartoon review: "Cyberchase"
Today’s cartoon review is a look at the long-running PBS Kids animated series “Cyberchase.” The series debuted in 2002, and primarily teaches basic math skills, though newer episodes also teach about ecology. The first five seasons were produced by New York City’s WNET and Canadian animation studio Nelvana; later seasons have been produced by WNET and Pip Animation Services.
“Cyberchase” is still running today; it’s now the second-longest-running PBS Kids program still in production, after “Sesame Street.” All other in-production PBS Kids series launched in the 2010s or 2020s.
Summary
The series takes place in a digital universe dubbed “Cyberspace,” which is ruled over by its benevolent computer leader, Motherboard. She’s assisted by her chief technician, Dr. Marbles. Cyberspace is filled with various “cybersites,” planet-like worlds with different themes, all inhabited by cyborg/robot citizens. A few such sites include: “Sensible Flats” (an Old West-style site); “Castleblanca” (a “Halloweentown”-like site inhabited by friendly monsters); “Happily Ever Afterville” (a fairy tale themed site); and “Gollywood” (Cyberspace’s entertainment capital, complete with an analogue of the Hollywood sign).
The pilot episode sees the Hacker, Dr. Marbles’ former assistant (exiled after turning against Motherboard), launch a virus that infects and weakens Motherboard.
Needing assistance to fight Hacker, Motherboard recruits from Earth three grade-school children: Jackie, Matt, and Inez. Together, the “Cybersquad” stops the Hacker’s various schemes for (cyber-)world domination, using math and logic skills. The kids are accompanied by Digit, a robotic bird (or “cybird”) who once worked for Hacker, but reformed and now works for Motherboard.
Despite the series’ sci-fi nature and “Cyberspace” setting, its latter run has shifted mostly to lessons about ecology (and even nutrition).
PBS episodes end with live-action segments dubbed “Cyberchase For Real,” where several recurring characters solve a problem using the same math skills taught in the episode.
Cast
The “Cybersquad” includes:
Jackie, an African American girl voiced by Novie Edwards. Jackie has a strong preference for neatness and organization, which also extends to preferring to make plans to solve the problem of the day. She’s also prone to melodramatic outbursts during times of stress. A later episode set mostly on Earth delves into Jackie’s background: she lives with her parents and grandmother in a suburban neighborhood; her mother and grandmother are from Jamaica.
Matt, a Caucasian boy voiced by Jacqueline Pillon. Matt lives on a farm with his family. Sports are Matt’s main interest, which extends to some of his dialogue using sports terms (“time out,” etc.). Matt’s prone to impatience and acting rashly, which can backfire for the gang.
Inez, a Latino girl voiced by Annick Obonsawin. Inez is a few years younger than Jackie and Matt, but also the smartest one of the group, possessing a large vocabulary. On Earth, Inez lives with her family in an apartment building; as shown in a few later episodes, Inez is of Mexican and Colombian heritage. As a running gag, Inez hates being called “Nezzie” as a nickname (usually Matt calls her such).
Digit, a “cybird” originally voiced by Gilbert Gottfried until his death; he’s now voiced by Ron Pardo. Digit originally worked for the Hacker, but reformed and now works for Motherboard. He serves as someone to explain each episode’s basic math concepts to (and thus also as a stand-in for the audience). Digit's talents include being an excellent chef, to the point he’s written a cookbook; Digit’s cooking skills come into play in several episodes. Like Bender in “Futurama,” Digit has a chest hatch that can store nearly anything. Digit can also turn his beak into various tools as needed.
The villains include:
The Hacker, voiced by Christopher Lloyd. Hacker’s goal is to overthrow Motherboard and take over Cyberspace. Fitting as the villain in a children’s educational animated series, Hacker’s very hammy, egotistical, and hot-headed. As a recurring catchphrase/gag, he insists on being called “THE Hacker,” not just “Hacker.” His insults are often alliterative or robot/computer-themed; Hacker frequently calls Digit a “cyberturkey,” and once called his henchmen “dysfunctional duncebuckets.” He pilots a spaceship dubbed the “Grim Wreaker.”
Buzz and Delete, the Hacker’s two bumbling robot henchmen. Buzz was originally voiced by Len Carlson, and currently by Phillip Williams; Delete is voiced by Robert Tinkler. In the tradition of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”’s Bebop and Rocksteady (and similar minions), Buzz and Delete are often inept at carrying out their boss’s orders. As such, the Hacker commonly calls them “duncebuckets,” among other creative robot-/computer-themed insults. Buzz, the smarter of the two, is obsessed with donuts; meanwhile, Delete is ditzy and obsessed with rabbits. Recent episodes have seen some stories revolve around the duo's antics without the Hacker.
Secondary characters include:
Slider (voiced by Tim Hamaguchi), a skateboarder the same age as our heroes, who's occasionally assisted the Cybersquad. Slider lives in the skateboarding-themed site "Radopolis." Slider's father is Coop (guest voiced by famous skateboarder Tony Hawk).
The Wicked Witch (voiced by Linda Ballantyne), or "Wicked" for short. A stereotypical witch (presumably a mix of the Wicked Witch of the West from "The Wizard of Oz" and the witch from "Hansel and Gretel"), Wicked lives in Happily Ever Afterville, and has made a few of her own attempts to take over Cyberspace. Wicked's also been an occasional love interest for Hacker.
Judge Trudy and Sheriff Judy (both voiced by Carolyn Scott), a pair of strict law enforcers from Sensible Flats. Their names/personalities are likely references to "Judge Judy." The show does date from the early 2000s... speaking of which...
Shari Spotter (voiced by Julie Lemieux), a student at Frogsnort's, a school for sorcerers-in-training; its headmaster is "Professor Stumblesnore." One guess what turn-of-the-millennium book franchise is being parodied. Though unlike JK Rowling, the producers of "Cyberchase" are apparently more supportive of trans folk, going by the show's Facebook page.
Highlights
Nelvana was the original animation studio for the series. If you’ve seen their “Beetlejuice” adaptation or other Nelvana series, the influence shows in “Cyberchase”’s character and background designs. However, after its fifth season, the series shifted from traditional 2D animation to Flash animation, which I don't like as much as the former.
The show’s long run has ended up seeing real-life tech changes affect the show’s setting. For starters, the internet itself (“cyberspace”) has shifted from a novelty accessed mainly from desktop computers (in the early 2000s) to ubiquitous and everywhere thanks to smartphones/mobile devices (in the 2020s). On a similar note, websites certainly are still important, but unlike the early 2000s, social media is now a major force online. The 2000s episodes also show: CRT monitors and desktop computers; references to modems and CD-ROMs; and the heroes using “Skwak Pads” (souped-up Blackberries/Palm Pilots) as handheld devices. Recent episodes show the characters having switched to tablets and smartphones (with a fictional version of Google).
A scene in the episode "A World Without Zero," set in Gollywood, has the Hacker trying to sell a movie pitch on the phone to someone named "Leo": "A sequel would do boffo at the box office! Sure, people thinks you went down with the boat, but what if we say you were actually frozen alive... in an iceberg?"
The two-part episode "The Snelfu Snafu," revolving around the ongoing subplot of Dr. Marbles trying to cure Motherboard's virus. (A "snelfu" is the unit of currency used in Cyberspace; the denominations are in similar colors as that of Canadian currency.)
Several guest stars include Jasmine Guy as librarian “Ms. Fileshare” and Al Roker as TV news anchor “Sam Vander Rom.”
Despite “Cyberchase”’s setting (and being animated by a Canadian animation studio), measuring units in Cyberspace seem to be mainly based on US customary and imperial units: “cyber-miles” and “cyber-feet” are often mentioned. That said, “cybergrams” have also been referenced (a soup can is labeled in such). To me, it’d be nice to see an episode centering around teaching the metric system.
The show’s theme song is sung by Karen LeBlanc, a Black Canadian actor who’s guest starred in “Soul Food” and “Mutant X.”
Opening credits
Here’s the original opening credits.
And here’s the current version (with the current animation style), complete with lyrics.
Conclusion
“Cyberchase” is a well done educational show, and conveys its math lessons pretty well. It’s definitely managed to have a very long run, outlasting its fellow early aughts PBS shows. (Anyone remember the "Zoom" reboot or "Liberty's Kids?")
I wonder if at this point, a generation has grown up thinking of Christopher Lloyd mainly as the Hacker (versus Doc Brown from “Back to the Future” or Jim from “Taxi”). Meanwhile, Digit’s not the only cartoon bird Gilbert Gottfried has voiced; he was also the voice of Iago from Disney’s “Aladdin.”