''O'Grady'' (stylized as ''O*gRAdY'') is an American
animated television series created by
Tom Snyder
Thomas James Snyder (May 12, 1936 – July 29, 2007) was an American television personality, news anchor, and radio personality best known for his late night talk shows '' Tomorrow'', on the NBC television network in the 1970s and 1980s, and ' ...
, Carl W. Adams, and Holly Schlesinger for
Noggin
Noggin may refer to:
General
* Noggin or gill (volume), a unit of volume
* Noggin (cup), a small cup
* Noggin, slang for head
A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, an ...
's teen-oriented programming block,
The N
The N (standing for Noggin) was a nighttime programming block on the Noggin television channel, aimed at preteens and teenagers. It was launched on April 1, 2002, by Viacom and Sesame Workshop. Before the block's introduction, Noggin's daytim ...
. The show was animated at Snyder's
Soup2Nuts
Soup2Nuts (sometimes referred to as Soup2Nuts Studios, and formerly part of Tom Snyder Productions) was an American animation studio founded by Tom Snyder. The studio is known for its animated comedy series, its use of Squigglevision, a techni ...
studio. It features the voices of
H. Jon Benjamin,
Melissa Bardin Galsky
Melissa Bardin Galsky (born January 17, 1972) is an American voice actress, writer and producer for several animated sitcoms from the Soup2Nuts company. She was associate producer and talent coordinator for ''Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.'' ...
,
Patrice O'Neal
Patrice Lumumba Malcolm O'Neal (December 7, 1969 – November 29, 2011) was an American comedian and actor. He was known for his stand-up comedy career and his regular guest appearances on the talk show ''Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn'' and the ...
, and Holly Schlesinger playing a group of four 17-year-old teenagers living in the town of O'Grady. In each episode, the characters experience a different supernatural phenomenon while also facing ordinary high school challenges.
Plot
The series is set in the fictional town of O'Grady, which is periodically plagued by a force called "The Weirdness." The Weirdness affects its residents in strange ways, and its effects usually last for several days. For example, it causes people to project their private thoughts in bubbles over their heads, or produce clones of themselves every time they get angry. The focal characters of the show are four students of O'Grady High: Kevin, Abby, Harold, and Beth.
Characters
Main characters
* Kevin Harnisch (voiced by
H. Jon Benjamin) is a slacker, aspiring
bass player
A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboard bass or a low br ...
, and self-appointed "idea guy" who enjoys pulling pranks, heists, and schemes. He likes to find ways to use the Weirdness or other school events for his own gain, such as selling sugar in school as contraband during "Sugar Hill," asking road sign figures to spy on Abby during "Sign Language," or continuing his brothers'
robot babysitting company during "Robo-Babies." Kevin is the youngest of 8 brothers. Kevin and his best friend Harold started a garage band, titled
Brain Fart, but Kevin often gets distracted during rehearsals rather than practising. Brain Fart is occasionally joined by Iris, whom Kevin continuously pays to stay in the band during "O'Grady Idol." Different episodes heavily imply that Kevin has a crush on Abby, which he will not admit; nevertheless, his true feelings are sometimes revealed by the Weirdness.
* Abby Wilde (voiced by
Melissa Bardin Galsky
Melissa Bardin Galsky (born January 17, 1972) is an American voice actress, writer and producer for several animated sitcoms from the Soup2Nuts company. She was associate producer and talent coordinator for ''Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.'' ...
) is a fashion-oriented average teenager. She attempts to improve her life around her by trying to "help" Beth’s employer gain business by selling non-eco or vegan friendly items in a local health food store. Abby and Kevin have feelings for each other, as shown in many episodes. Abby's longtime love interest is Pete Klesko, but she never manages to make him feel the same way.
* Harold Oscar Jenkins (voiced by
Patrice O'Neal
Patrice Lumumba Malcolm O'Neal (December 7, 1969 – November 29, 2011) was an American comedian and actor. He was known for his stand-up comedy career and his regular guest appearances on the talk show ''Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn'' and the ...
) is Kevin's best friend, a mild-mannered goofball who works at Eets-A-Pizza. He can be a little nerdy and often is uncomfortable with Kevin's various schemes. He is genuinely kindhearted and good-spirited, and he likes hanging around with Kevin because he sees the good in him. Unlike Kevin, Harold does not have a fixed love interest and has expressed interest in multiple characters, including Stacey Monique during "Cop 'Stache" and, to a much lesser extent, Abby and Beth.
* Beth Briggs (voiced by Holly Schlesinger) is a blue-haired environmental activist and vegetarian. Her interests include thrifting vintage clothing at
flea markets
A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously-owned (second-hand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' ...
. She is a cashier and barista at local health cafe The Enchanted Soybean. Beth has been referred to as a "
hippie" by Abby. Beth's grand ideals have led to interpersonal conflicts, especially between her and Abby. Despite their differences, Abby is Beth's best friend. Beth can be considered a
foil
Foil may refer to:
Materials
* Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine
* Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal
* Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food
* Tin foil, metal foil ...
to Kevin; whereas he is impulsive and
anti-authoritarian
Anti-authoritarianism is opposition to authoritarianism, which is defined as "a form of social organisation characterised by submission to authority", "favoring complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom" an ...
, Beth is cautious and apprehensive about breaking rules. She has good intentions but can be overly trusting of other characters. In "Robo-Babies," she reveals that her family is
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
.
Supporting characters
* Phillip Bertrand Demorio (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) is one of the smartest students at O'Grady High. A member of the school
debate team
Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred in public meetings, a ...
, he is nerdy, wealthy, and is almost always seen wearing a tie. He speaks in an aristocratic British accent. He is often bullied by other students, including Kevin. Phillip professeses an interest in Abby during "Sign Language," but breaks up with her later in the episode, despite her disinterest. Phillip is shown to be arrogant and enjoys ballroom and disco dancing.
* Iris (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) is a neurotic German exchange student and a devoted fan of techno music. She is part of Kevin and Harold's band. She speaks with an accent, is obsessed with chocolate, and often misunderstands what others are saying to her. She sometimes speaks entire sentences in German.
* Pete Klesko (voiced by
Larry Murphy) is the most popular student in school. He plays on the lacrosse team, and Abby has had a crush on him for a long time, despite him not being able to remember her name. He has a very dull personality but is still nice.
* Donald Alan Lipschitz (voiced by Larry Murphy) is a monotone-speaking substitute teacher. He says "Oh, Lord" frequently whenever something bad happens. He also seems to suffer a reverse effect to every Weirdness. He has to teach classes whenever the staff become victims to the Weirdness and is often teaching every class the main characters attend.
* Dr. Myers (voiced by
Bill Braudis Bill Braudis is a writer, voice actor and script writing instructor from Boston, Massachusetts who has also done stand-up comedy.
Career
He started in stand-up in 1981, doing open mics at The Comedy Connection, in Boston and the Ding Ho, in Camb ...
) is the school
principal. He has braces and is balding. He is not very intelligent or skilled at running the school. He and Mr. Lipschitz have a somewhat unnatural friendship, with both being a little annoyed of the other.
Additional voices
*
Alonzo Bodden
Alonzo Bodden (; born June 13, 1962) is an American comedian and actor known for winning the grand prize in the third season of the reality-television series ''Last Comic Standing''. He had been the runner-up in the previous season.
In 2007, h ...
*
Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler (; born September 16, 1971) is an American comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. After studying improv at Chicago's Second City and ImprovOlympic in the early 1990s, Poehler co-founded the improvisational-comedy tro ...
*
Conan O'Brien
*
Dannah Phirman
Dannah Phirman (born Dannah Feinglass) is an American actress, comedian, and writer best known for co-starring as Narge Hemingway in the Adult Swim series ''Newsreaders''. She is also the co-creator and co-star of the Hulu reality TV parody series ...
*
David Cross
David Cross (born April 4, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, director, and writer known for his stand-up performances, the HBO sketch comedy series '' Mr. Show'' (1995–1998), and his role as Tobias Fünke in the Fox/Netflix si ...
*
Dina Pearlman
*
Jon Glaser
Jonathan Daniel Glaser (born June 20, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for his work as a writer and sketch performer for many years on '' Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', creating and starring in the Adult Swim ...
*
Mark Rivers
*
Matt Walsh
*
Paula Plum
*
Rachel Dratch
Rachel Susan Dratch (born February 22, 1966) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. After she graduated from Dartmouth College she moved to Chicago to study improvisational theatre at The Second City and ImprovOlympic.
Her breakthrough r ...
*
Rob Corddry
Robert William Corddry (born February 4, 1971) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his work as a correspondent on ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'' (2002–2006) and for his starring role in the film ''Hot Tub Time Machine''. He ...
*
Sam Seder
*
Sirena Irwin
Sirena Irwin is an American voice director, casting director, and actress. Her career in animation casting and directing began in 2017 after a career as an actress in animation and a two-year mentorship with animation director, Andrea Romano. He ...
*
Todd Barry
Todd or Todds may refer to:
Places
;Australia:
* Todd River, an ephemeral river
;United States:
* Todd Valley, California, also known as Todd, an unincorporated community
* Todd, Missouri, a ghost town
* Todd, North Carolina, an unincorporat ...
*
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for voicing the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media. Kenny has voiced many other characters, including Heffer Wolfe in '' ...
*
Will Arnett
William Emerson Arnett (; born May 4, 1970) is a Canadian actor, comedian and producer. He is best known for his roles as Gob Bluth in the Fox/Netflix series '' Arrested Development'' (2003–2006, 2013, 2018–2019) and as the titular char ...
Series overview
Episodes
Season 1 (2004–05)
Season 2 (2006)
Critical reception
The series received positive reviews from critics and was nominated for an
Annie Award for "Best Writing in an Animated Television Production". Brian Zoromski of ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' claims it as "A wonderful half-hour of absurdity, ''O'Grady'' combines the comedy of the "weirdness" with realistic teenage banter, squabbles, and friendships."
Broadcast
The series originally aired on
Noggin
Noggin may refer to:
General
* Noggin or gill (volume), a unit of volume
* Noggin (cup), a small cup
* Noggin, slang for head
A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, an ...
in the US as part of the channel's nighttime programming block for teenagers,
The N
The N (standing for Noggin) was a nighttime programming block on the Noggin television channel, aimed at preteens and teenagers. It was launched on April 1, 2002, by Viacom and Sesame Workshop. Before the block's introduction, Noggin's daytim ...
. It aired on
MTV in Latin America,
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
in the United Kingdom,
Family Channel in Canada, and
2×2 in Russia.
Home releases
Although ''O'Grady'' has never been released on DVD, some episodes are available through iTunes. It was available on Amazon Video. In 2013, TeenNick aired reruns of the show. In 2014, Nickelodeon released "Best of O'Grady" on iTunes.
References
External links
*
{{Noggin shows
2000s American animated comedy television series
2000s American high school television series
2000s American teen sitcoms
2004 American television series debuts
2006 American television series endings
American animated sitcoms
American flash animated television series
English-language television shows
The N original programming
Squigglevision
Teen animated television series
Television series by Soup2Nuts
Television series created by Tom Snyder
Animated television series about teenagers