Banda di Ovide, the 1987 animated series
The Bande à Ovide, Alias Ovid and the Gang, is an animated television program from the 80s produced by Mauricio de Sousa Produções in association with the Belgian Odec Kid Cartoons. It aired on Télévision de Radio Canada from October 17, 1987 to 1989 and is also called “Ovide Video” and “Ovide's Video Show”; the series gained popularity in the UK when it aired on the BBC children's service in 1988 and 1989 in a Friday afternoon slot before moving to Channel 4, while in the US it was currently airing on Disney XD.
The characters were created and designed by Bernard Godi in collaboration with Belgian cartoonist and animator Nic Broca, who previously designed the Snorks for SEPP. The show premiered in the UK on 17 January 1990.
History
The show is played by a blue platypus named Ovide who lives on an anonymous island in the South Seas, where he has adventures with his friends and counteracts Cy and Bobo, the villains of the show.
Characters
Ovid - The main character of the show. A duck-billed platypus, he is the unofficial leader of the group and is intelligent, responsible and kindhearted. Ovide is voiced by Thor Bishopric.
Saphron - Saphron is Ovid's cousin and also a platypus. He is a good cook and gardener. Saphron is voiced by Terrence Scammell.
Polo - A red lizard who always carries a broom. The keeper of the island and the "tough" of the group, and always tries without success to capture Woody, a destructive worm. Polo is voiced by Terrence Scammell.
Groaner - A white toucan and one of Ovide's friends. His name comes from the fact that he always tells weak jokes that make people moan. Groaner is voiced by Dean Hagopian.
Doe, Rae & Mi - The koalas protagonists, always on the twigs or on the sofa. Their names derive from the first three syllables of the solfeggio and visually represent the three wise monkeys: Doe wears headphones to listen to music (Hear no Evil), Rae wears sunglasses (See no Evil) and almost always covers her mouth and sometimes sobs (Don't say wickedness).
Matilda - A female kangaroo. She is not from the island, she mistook the others for cannibals and she hid from them, but then she warmed up with them. She is proficient with herbal remedies and with the boomerang. She is first seen in episode 18. Matilda is voiced by ...
Cy Sly - The main antagonist of the show. He is a vain, intriguing and megalomaniac python. He is jealous of Ovide and wishes to overthrow him and gain control of the island. Cy is voiced by AJ Henderson.
Bobo - Cy's clumsy keel-billed toucan servant and only friend. He refers to Cy as "Boss". Despite his association with Cy, he has a good heart and does not wish a grudge against Ovide and his friends. Bobo is also very cleared, unlike Cy who always suffers the consequences. Bobo is voiced by Terrence Scammell.
Woody - A spiteful woodworm that tunnels around the island. He is known to alter the state of bowling games and gnaw holes in the base of Ovid's house. He is in constant conflict with Polo.
Alvin - A three-toed blue sloth that lives in the island's forest. His role in the cartoon is (most of the time) a lot less and the only word he can pronounce is "Aye".
Newscaster Lady - A pink-haired platypus whose name has not been revealed. He is the face constantly present on television and the information he provides is useful to Ovide (and Cy too at times).
Television plays an important role in this series. In each episode, Ovide and his friends are watching a program; Ovide carries a brown suitcase containing a portable television; and there is a wandering TV on the island that approaches the characters at crucial moments and provides important information for the plot. Whenever Cy sees TV, he apparently he is mesmerized.
Episodes
1 “The case of the missing hens”, October 17, 1987
2 "Cy and the Lonely Sailor" October 24, 1987
3 "The ghost galleon", October 31, 1987
4 "The Prophet" November 7, 1987
5 “The Creature of the Cave” November 14, 1987
6 “The treasure of the Endzones”, November 21, 1987
7 “The island games” November 28, 1987
8 "Cy the sorcerer" December 5, 1987
9 “Enchanted” 12 December 1987
10 “The big cake of the slaves” 19 December 1987
11 "Hunter!" December 26, 1987
12 “Boom Boom Beefcake” January 2, 1988
13 “A Joking Genius Named Jack” January 9, 1988
14 "Run to save your life!" January 16, 1988
15 "Platypus Dam" January 23, 1988
16 “Hi-Tech Treasure” January 30, 1988
17 "Rex on the Rampage" February 6, 1988
18 "The Australian Amazon", February 13, 1988
19 “A joke in bad taste” February 20, 1988
20 "Cy, the prince of darkness", February 27, 1988
21 “The song of the siren” 5 March 1988
22 “Just to laugh”, March 12, 1988
23 “The Potion of Invincible Strength” March 19, 1988
24 "The great cold" March 26, 1988
25 “The Island Rally” April 2, 1988
26 “The Crimson Tide” April 9, 1988
27 “Kimmy Chameleon”, April 16, 1988
28 "Ole" April 23, 1988
29 “The secret of the crypt” April 30, 1988
30 "Unexpected guests" May 7, 1988
31 “All You Need Is Love” May 14, 1988
32 “The Long-Life Battery Blues” May 21, 1988
33 “When Friends Fall” May 28, 1988
34 “The great chef” 4 June 1988
35 "A crypt queue", 11 June 1988
36 “If only…” June 18, 1988
37 “Cy lays an egg” June 25, 1988
38 “Return to Victory” July 2, 1988
39 “A little problem” July 9, 1988
40 "Blocked, stranded and submerged" July 16, 1988
41 "Doctor Voodoo's Curse", July 23, 1988
42 "Oro Nero" July 30, 1988
43 "Spirit, are you there?" August 6, 1988
44 "Winner Take All" August 13, 1988
45 “The nectar of happiness” 20 August 1988
46 "A peculiar plague", 27 August 1988
47 “Bad Video” September 3, 1988
48 "His Worst Enemy", 10 September 1988
49 "Disappearance Act" September 17, 1988
50 "The Cold War", September 24, 1988
51 "Shark!" October 1, 1988
52 "Karate Chaos" October 8, 1988
53 "Buried treasure" October 15, 1988
54 “The Chicken Charmer”, 22 October 1988
55 “Bringing Up Baby” October 29, 1988
56 “Bouncing Bathtub” November 5, 1988
57 "Sergeant Bobo" November 12, 1988
58 "Friday 13" November 19, 1988
59 "The Zone Phone Company" November 26, 1988
60 “The Trying Time” December 3, 1988
61 “The Virus” 10 December 1988
62 "Second Childhood" December 17, 1988
63 "The Great Wall" December 24, 1988
64 “The island of the green rock”, December 31, 1988
65 “Sixty-fifth unnamed episode”, January 7, 1989
Technical data
Regia Raymond Burlet, Jean Sarault
Music Carlos Leresche
Country Canada, Belgium
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 65
The producers Jacques Pettigrew, Jacques Vercruyssen, Violette Vercruyssen
Duration 30 min.
Production company CinéGroupe
Original release 17 October 1987 - 7 January 1989
