Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
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{{Infobox Television
| show_name = Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
| image = Image:FostersLogo2.PNG
| caption = The logo for Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.
| format = Animated television series
| runtime = 22 minutes approx.
| creator = Craig McCracken
| starring = Keith Ferguson
Sean Marquette
Candi Milo
Tom Kenny
Phil LaMarr
Grey DeLisle
Tom Kane
Tara Strong
| country = USA
| network = Cartoon Network
| first_aired = August 13, 2004
| last_aired = Present
| num_episodes = 65
| website = http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/fosters/
| imdb_id = 0419326
| tv_com_id = 28101
}}
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is an American animated television series created and produced by animator Craig McCracken, who also created The Powerpuff Girls. It first premiered on Cartoon Network on August 13, 2004, as a 90-minute television movie. It now shows as half-hour episodes (including commercials). Occasionally, there will be two separate stories in one episode, each story taking half of the episode. The series currently airs on Cartoon Network and its affiliates worldwide, except in Canada where it currently airs on Teletoon/Télétoon due to Canadian television regulations. The show was also on Kids WB from July 9 through August 13, 2005, but has since been taken off the schedule.
Mac and Bloo, the two main characters, will serve as the hosts of Cartoon Network's "Cartoon Summer" promotion starting on May 29, 2006 (Memorial Day in the United States).
Contents |
Overview
The world of Foster's
Image:Fostershomeoutside.jpg In this world, imaginary friends become real the instant a child imagines them. Unfortunately for the imaginary friends, the children outgrow them. When that happens, the friends are left to fend for themselves. Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends was founded by the elderly Madame Foster to provide a foster home (hence the title) for abandoned imaginary friends; their motto is "Where good ideas are not forgotten." There are (according to "Setting A President") over 1,300 imaginary friends at Foster's Home, and according to Mac in "Bloo's Brothers", the house is located at 1123 Wilson Way.
Animation technique
The show is produced in-house and overseas using computer vector graphics programs, including Macromedia Flash, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe After Effects. This all-digital animation method is relatively inexpensive.
Cultural references
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is known to attract older viewers with its quirky humor and odd plots. Hidden throughout the show are jokes, parodies, puns, and references aimed at older children and young adults, while the sarcastic, wise-cracking Bloo is an atypical character among standard children's fare. In addition, pop culture is also referenced with episode titles, parts of plots, and in-jokes, such as a stylized version of the Nintendo GameCube that the imaginary friends often play video games on, one of which is a parody of the 1979 arcade game, Galaxian. There are also some internet culture references, especially to the Clock Crew, a flash animation group.
Controversial content
Like Rocko's Modern Life, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Camp Lazlo, this show sometimes contains content which is controversial. There are many cases of sexual innuendo such as the numerous "bust" jokes in "Busted". Such lines by characters include "a bust this big needs ample support".
Other controversial content is in "Partying Is Such Sweet Soireé", where Mac's sugar addiction resembles a drug addiction. Frankie's cookie addiction in "Cookie Dough" and Mr. Herriman's carrot addiction in "Crime After Crime" also resemble drug addictions.
Main characters
Image:FostersFamilyPicture.jpg Template:Main
Humans
- Mac — Mac is a bright eight-year-old boy who lives with his mom and older brother Terrence. Mac almost always knows what to do when there is a problem and how to punish a person when they are bad.
- Madame Foster — Madame Foster is founder of the foster home. She is elderly, but she has a lot of spunk and loves to have naughty fun using trickery. Her imaginary friend is Mr. Herriman, who she imagined when she was a child and never gave up. Frankie is her granddaughter.
- Frances "Frankie" Foster — Frankie is Madame Foster's 22-year-old granddaughter. She is pressured by Mr. Herriman into doing chores around the house, but doesn't enjoy it, and thinks of herself as "punk rock."
- Terrence — Terrence is Mac's older brother. Exceptionally dense and lacking any sense of compassion, he constantly bullies Mac and Bloo. He imagined Red, who appeared in one episode, and a piece of pizza, which he ate.
Imaginary friends
- Blooregard Q. Kazoo — Blooregard, called Bloo for short, is Mac's imaginary friend. He's a small, wise-cracking, door-shaped, blue blob who gets into trouble because of his mischievous mind and attention-craving ego.
- Eduardo — Eduardo is an imaginary protector friend who alternates between English and Spanish, but always has a Spanish accent. With his huge horns, purple hair, skull buckle, and grey pants, he resembles a Wild Thing from Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. Unfortunately, Eduardo harbors a cowardly streak a mile long. In spite of his almost constant state of terror, however, he is incredibly strong and can be trusted to come to his friends' rescue.
- Wilt — Wilt is a tall, red, imaginary friend with a stubby left arm and a crooked eyestalk. Wilt enjoys basketball and is generally very easy-going. He will always aid a friend in small tasks, prides himself on rescuing abandoned friends, and sometimes helps Frankie around the house. His defining aspect is his sense of fair play and good sportsmanship, which he applies to every part of life he can. His name is an obvious homage to NBA star Wilt Chamberlain.
- Coco — Coco is a bird-plant-airplane imaginary friend who can only speak or write the word "coco" at various speeds and with different emphasis. The other characters understand her without any apparent difficulty. The characters often repeat what she says, or close to it, so the conversation is understood. Coco also loves to drink cocoa, which does sometimes create confusion. She can also lay plastic eggs that will have virtually any item inside them; however, she won't always lay an egg carrying something that the others need.
- Mr. Herriman — Mr. Herriman is a giant imaginary rabbit created by Madame Foster herself, when she was a child. He serves as the president of the home, and expects the inhabitants to follow his rules. He is very formal and well-mannered, which leaves his tolerance for Bloo lacking in most regards. Sometimes, Mr. H (as he is also called) does a little dance in front of his creator, which Bloo once recorded and posted on the Internet, hence his pet name from Madame Foster of "Funny Bunny."
- Her Royal Duchess Diamond Persnickity, The First, Last and Only — Duchess, which is commonly called, is a cross, selfish, ungrateful imaginary friend, resembling a figure from a Cubist painting or a work from Pablo Picasso (Duchess is, in fact, two-dimensional). Due to an oath, everyone must cater and care to her every need, although she complains repeatedly, and wishes to leave the foster home. She did leave once, but was returned from her adoptive family quickly by Mac and Bloo, due to her disturbing the neighbors with her horrible screaming and shouting.
Episode list
{{Infobox TV ratings | show_name = Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends | usa_tv = TV-Y7 | gb_tv = | can_tv = G | jp_tv = | dt-tv = | aus-tv = | nz=tv = }} Template:Main This is a complete known episode list for Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Each title links to a description for that episode, as well as trivia and other notes.
First season
The first season is comprised of the three-episode pilot ("House of Bloo's") and ten single episodes.
| Overall | Season | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 - 03 | 101 - 103 | "House of Bloo's" | August 13, 2004 |
| 04 | 104 | "Store Wars" | August 20, 2004 |
| 05 | 105 | "The Trouble With Scribbles" | August 27, 2004 |
| 06 | 106 | "Busted" | September 3, 2004 |
| 07 | 107 | "Dinner is Swerved" | September 10, 2004 |
| 08 | 108 | "World Wide Wabbit" | September 17, 2004 |
| 09 | 109 | "Berry Scary" | September 24, 2004 |
| 10 | 110 | "Seeing Red" / "Phone Home" | October 1, 2004 |
| 11 | 111 | "Who Let The Dogs In?" | October 8, 2004 |
| 12 | 112 | "Adoptcalypse Now" | October 15, 2004 |
| 13 | 113 | "Bloooooo!" | October 22, 2004 |
Second season
| Overall | Season | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 201 | "Partying Is Such Sweet Soireé" | January 21, 2005 |
| 15 | 202 | "The Big Lablooski" | January 28, 2005 |
| 16 | 203 | "When There's a Wilt, There's a Way" / "Everyone Knows It's Bendy" | February 4, 2005 |
| 17 | 204 | "Sight for Sore Eyes" / "Bloo's Brothers" | March 4, 2005 |
| 18 | 205 | "Cookie Dough" | March 11, 2005 |
| 19 | 206 | "Frankie My Dear" | March 18, 2005 |
| 20 | 207 | "Mac Daddy" | May 6, 2005 |
| 21 | 208 | "Squeakerboxxx" | May 13, 2005 |
| 22 | 209 | "Beat With A Schtick" | May 20, 2005 |
| 23 | 210 | "Sweet Stench of Success" | May 27, 2005 |
| 24 | 211 | "Bye Bye Nerdy" | July 1, 2005 |
| 25 | 212 | "Bloo Done It" | July 8, 2005 |
| 26 | 213 | "My So-Called Wife" | July 15, 2005 |
Third season
| Overall | Season | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 301 | "Eddie Monster" | July 22, 2005 |
| 28 | 302 | "Hiccy Burp" | September 5, 2005 |
| 29 | 303 | "Camp Keep a Good Mac Down" | September 9, 2005 |
| 30 | 304 | "Imposter's Home For Um…Make 'Em Up Pals" | September 16, 2005 |
| 31 | 305 | "Duchess of Wails" | September 23, 2005 |
| 32 | 306 | "Fosters Goes To Europe" | November 4, 2005 |
| 33 | 307 | "Go Goo Go" | November 11, 2005 |
| 34 | 308 | "Crime After Crime" | November 18, 2005 |
| 35 | 309 | "Land of the Flea" | November 25, 2005 |
| 37 | 311 | "One False Movie" | February 10, 2006 |
| 38 | 312 | "Setting A President" | February 17, 2006 |
| 39 | 313 | "Room With A Feud" | March 17, 2006 |
| 40 | 314 | "Cuckoo for Coco Cards" | March 24, 2006 |
Fourth season
| Overall | Season | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 401 | "Challenge of the SuperFriends" | April 28, 2006 |
| 42 | 402 | "The Big Picture" | May 5, 2006 |
| 43 | 403 | "Squeeze The Day" | May 12, 2006 |
| 44 | 404 | "Neighbor Pains" | May 19, 2006 |
Other episodes
Other episodes that have been announced and planned for the fourth season include "I Only Have Surprise For You", "Infernal Slumber", "Bus The Two of Us", "Bloo's The Boss", "Emancipation Complication", "Make Believe-It-or-Not", featuring the return of Goo, and "The Big Cheese", which will feature the return of Cheese.
Fifth season
A one-hour episode, entitled "Good Wilt Hunting", has been planned for the late fall to serve as the season premiere. It will introduce Eduardo's creator and the scientists who studied Coco. Meanwhile, Wilt goes on a search for his creator who failed to show up at the annual imaginary friends reunion picnic.
Holiday episodes
| Overall | Season | Holiday | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 310 | Christmas | "A Lost Claus" | December 1, 2005 |
Parodies
The series has been parodied several times in other shows.
- In The Buzz on Maggie in the episode "Le Termite", which is the seventh episode of the first season, Maggie gets a job at a termite restaurant where there is a dish that has the exact appearance of Foster's Home.
- Twice in The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy:
- In the episode "Billy Idlot" which is the eighth episode of the fifth season, Mrs. Perriwinkle's Ballet School looks like Foster's Home.
- In the episode "Reap Walking", which is the twelfth episode of the fifth season, Grim watches a TV show titled Fister's House for Crazy Weirdo Made-Up People with the same logo style. Inside, parodies of all the humans and imaginary friends bounce around aimlessly for a few seconds and then the house blows up.
- In Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, in the episodes "Super Zero" and "Secret Origin", the star on Atchan's face is a resemblance of KISS guitarist Paul Stanley and he looks like Mac.
- In "Hannah Montana", there is a character named Jackie Khones, a reference to the imaginary friend of the same name.
Movie references
During the series, references to many of the most popular movies in pop-culture are used.
The Big Lebowski
- In "House of Bloo's", Bloo spoofs The Dude's meeting with vandals in his house by saying "Right, right or Blooey, Bloo the Blue Dude, El Blooderino, or hey, how about just plain Bloo?" after Terrence calls him bloofus in the first two minutes.
- An episode entitled "The Big Lablooski" is pun on the title of said film. Also in this episode, three characters that are looking strikingly similar to The Dude (played by Jeff Bridges), Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi) appear at the bowling alley's main counter.
Star Wars
- The first 30-minute episode is titled "Store Wars".
- In "Blooooo!", there are references to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope as Bloo is told by his reflection to "Run, Bloo, run!" and by Wilt as he is about to "capture" the cold-striken Blooregard who has turned as white as a ghost, telling him "We have you now!"
- Also in that episode, Wilt says that "We have to catch this phantom menace", making a reference to Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
- In "One False Movie", we see a wall of toys in Mac's room with the title "Robot Wars". Also, when they are filming the movie, a reference to Queen Ami-Coco is a tribute to Queen Amidala from Phantom Menace.
- In the pilot for the series, there is a toy ship similar to the one Darth Vader flew in the original Star Wars trilogy in Mac's room.
The Lord of the Rings
- In "Partying Is Sweet Sorieé", when Bloo and his friends befriend Mac — in an alley bare naked — showing the after-effects of a massive sugar rush. His skin is pale, and he exhibits the behavior and mannerisms of Gollum from the trilogy, going as far as to say "It burns usssss" when given sugar-free gum.
- There are two more refences in "Duchess of Wails". When Mac and Bloo arrive with the kidnapped Duchess, and Mac asks why Terrance is with the imagainary friends and Madame Foster, Bloo responds that "The mighty eye of Foster's sees all," a reference to the Eye of Sauron. The penultimate scene of this episode also is done as a homage to the attack on Helm's Deep in the second chapter of the trilogy, The Two Towers.
The Blues Brothers
- One part of a two part episode was titled "Bloo's Brothers".
- In "Bye Bye Nerdy", Bloo and Frankie pay homage to the self-titled 1980 movie when Bloo says "It's a hundred and six blocks to Mac, I've got a full bladder, half an idea where I'm going, it's Tuesday and I'm wearing sunglases." Frankie then opens a window and says "Hit it!" as Bloo jumps out the window.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- One part of a two-part episode, "Phone Home", was quoted by the title character in the movie.
- Mac and Blooregard pay homage to the famous flying bike scene in "One False Movie".
Walt Disney's "Cinderella"
- Bloo pays homage to the evil stepmother Lady Tremaine and her two daughters, Anastasia and Drizella in "Cookie Dough" by telling everyone to "pick up the pace" and "move a little faster."
- Another homage is shown in "Imposter's Home For Um…Make 'Em Up Pals" when we see mice gathering around Frankie as she is forced by Mr. Herriman to scrub throughout the house.
References to Craig McCracken works
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends often references other works by Craig McCracken; specifically, Dexter's Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls. The various references are listed below.
"House of Bloo's"
- Mac and Terrence's mother bears a visual resemblance to Ms. Sara Bellum, the Mayor of Townsville's assistant on The Powerpuff Girls as she was only seen without her face and usually from the neck down.
- In the ON DEMAND credits of the first part of this episode, Bloo flips through the TV channels and stops to watch an episode of The Powerpuff Girls.
- Mojo Jojo, one of the Powerpuff Girls' main antagonists in the series appears as an "unimaginary friend," meaning that he was copied from a TV series and not a child's imagination. He also shows up during the ON DEMAND credits of the second part of this episode after a repeat of a chase scene involving Bloo, the bratty little girl, and the other imaginary friends.
- The snooty father who wishes to adopt Duchess bears a striking resemblance to Dexter's father. His wife, the snooty mom, is a spoof of Powerpuff Girls' preschool teacher Ms. Keane. Finally, their bratty little daughter is likely a parody of Princess Morbucks, a rival of the Powerpuff Girls.
- Frankie's T-shirt has the Powerpuff Girls stylized on it.
"Phone Home"
- When Mac brings home a small, green fuzzy friend, it closely resembles Beebo, a small red animal from an episode of The Powerpuff Girls. More of these types (in different colors) have been seen throughout this series.
"Cookie Dough"
- As Bloo reads through a list of cities that have placed orders for cookies, Townsville, where the Powerpuff Girls live, is mentioned. Aron City, where Johnny Bravo lives, is also mentioned.
"Sweet Stench of Success"
- Sara Bellum from The Powerpuff Girls makes a cameo appearence.
"Eddie Monster"
- The owner of the defending Extremeasaurus Fighting champion who talks to a stylized version of Ed, Edd, and Eddy is a Dexter look-a-like.
- One of the friends Edwardo fights is a Great Mazinger look-a-like.
"Imposter's Home for Um…Make 'Em Up Pals"
- A parody of the Ralphs supermarket chain called "Malph's" that are mentioned in The Powerpuff Girls is shown here. The Malph's spoof has also been used in on-air billboards and bumpers for Cartoon Network.
"Land of the Flea"
- The mayor of the city of fleas that lives in Eduardo's fur looks and sounds like Townsville's mayor.
"One False Movie"
- A 3-D, computer animated version of Eduardo protects a city that looks like Townsville.
"Room With a Feud"
- An imaginary friend named Peanut Butter is drawn and sounds similar to the villan Fuzzy Lumpkins from The Powerpuff Girls.
Awards
Annie Awards
The show was nominated for four Annie Awards in 2004, and five more in 2005, winning two awards that year for Best Original Music in an Television Series (James L. Venable and Jennifer Kes Remington for Duchess of Wails) and Production Design in an Animated TV Series (McCracken with Mike Moon, David Dunnet and Martin Ansolabhere for the Christmas episode A Lost Claus).
Emmy Awards
The show has won a total of three Emmy Awards. The episode "House of Bloo's" won two Emmy Awards for art direction (Mike Moon) and character design (Craig McCracken). "World Wide Wabbit" won an Emmy for best storyboard (Ed Baker). The show's theme song (described by McCracken as "psychedelic ragtime" and written by Venable) was nominated for Best TV Show Theme in 2005, but lost to Danny Elfman's theme to Desperate Housewives.
Pulcinella Awards
The series was honored with two Pulcinella Awards at the 2005 Cartoons on the Bay Festival in Positano, Italy. Blooregard Q. Kazoo was the winner in the Best Character category. The series was also named the winner of the Best Cartoon Series for All Audiences.
Other countries
Image:Mainimg.jpg Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends is now seen in almost every language on various channels worldwide. While most of these are Cartoon Network affiliates, a few are not. In France, it airs on the "France Truc" block in France 3. In the Philippines, it airs on RPN. In Spain, it airs on Cuatro. It will air in Germany on SuperRTL in the Summer of 2006.
Because of translation, the title for the show is not always the same in each language. The titles for the show vary from country to country and are sorted by language below.
- Taiwanese: 親親麻吉 (qìn qìn má jí)
- Danish: Fosters hjem for fantasivenner
- French: Foster, la Maison des Amis Imaginaires (this is also the title used in French-speaking Canada)
- Hebrew: בית פוסטר לחברים דמיוניים (Beit Foster Le-Chaverim Dimyoni'im)
- Hungarian: Fosterék háza képzeletbeli barátoknak
- Italian: Gli amici immaginari di Casa Foster
- Japanese: フォスターズ・ホーム (fosutāzu hōmu) (Foster's home)
- Norweigan: Fosters hjem for fantasivenner
- Polish: Dom dla zmyślonych przyjaciół pani Foster
- Brazilian: A Mansão Foster para Amigos Imaginários
- Spanish: Foster, La Casa de los Amigos Imaginarios
- Latin American: Mansión Foster para Amigos Imaginarios
- Swedish: Fosters hem för påhittade vänner
Some of the characters have slightly different names to fit their particular language. For a full list of their names in various languages, see List of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends characters.
External links
- The Very Unofficial Guide to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, a fan site with an interview with McCracken and show information hosted by Toon Zone.
- Screenshots of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Episodes, A directory of screenshots maintained by C. "Sparky" Read.
- The full theme song for Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.
Template:Cartoon Cartoonsde:Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends fr:Foster, la Maison des Amis Imaginaires ja:フォスターズ・ホーム pl:Dom dla zmyślonych przyjaciół pani Foster