''Puppets Who Kill'' is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

television comedy Television comedy is a category of broadcasting that has been present since the early days of entertainment media. While there are several genres of comedy, some of the first ones aired were variety shows. One of the first Television in the United ...

programme produced by PWK Productions and originally broadcast on

The Comedy Network CTV Comedy Channel (often shortened to CTV Comedy and formerly known as The Comedy Network) is a Canadian English-language specialty channel owned by Bell Media which focuses primarily on comedy programming. The channel first launched on Octo ...

. It premiered in Canada in 2002, and in Australia on

The Comedy Channel The Comedy Channel (promoted on air as comedy) is a defunct Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, and Optus Television. The channel ceased broadcasting on 1 September 2020. History A joint venture between Artist Serv ...

in 2004. It has also been broadcast in India, South Korea and Germany. The series was on the digital network

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and is currently on CON TV and

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in the United States. ''PWK'' began as a one-man live theatre show written and performed by

comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...

puppeteer A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object, called a puppet, to create the illusion that the puppet is alive. The puppet is often shaped like a human, animal, or legendary creature. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from ...

John Pattison at the

Toronto Fringe Festival The Toronto Fringe Festival is an annual theatre festival, featuring un-juried plays by unknown or well-known artists, taking place in the theatres of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Several productions originally mounted at the Fringe have later been ...

in 1995. It later morphed into the series, using the same dark topics and featuring some of the same puppet characters. In 1999, a pilot for Puppets Who Kill was produced for the Comedy Network and broadcast in January, 2000. The network ordered the first season of 13 episodes which was produced in the fall of 2001, and held back by the network for one year - finally being broadcast in the fall of 2002. For the next 3 years a new season of the series was produced every fall. In ''Puppets Who Kill'', Rocko the Dog, Cuddles the Comfort Doll, Buttons the Bear, and Bill the Ventriloquist Dummy are four

puppet A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or Legendary creature, mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. The puppeteer uses movements of their hands, arms, or control devices such as rods ...

s with

anthropomorphic Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...

qualities including individual histories of

delinquency Delinquent or delinquents may refer to: * A person who commits a felony * A juvenile delinquent, often shortened as delinquent is a young person (under 18) who fails to do that which is required by law; see juvenile delinquency * A person who fa ...

and

recidivism Recidivism (; from ''recidive'' and ''ism'', from Latin ''recidīvus'' "recurring", from ''re-'' "back" and ''cadō'' "I fall") is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have experienced negative consequences of th ...

. Canadian courts sent each of them to a

halfway house A halfway house is an institute for people with criminal backgrounds or substance use disorder problems to learn (or relearn) the necessary skills to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. As well as serving as a ...

for puppets, operated by a hapless and somewhat incompetent

social worker Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

named Dan Barlow, played by

Dan Redican Dan Redican (born 1956 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian comedy writer and performer and puppeteer, best known for his work with the comedy troupe, '' The Frantics.'' As a founding member of the troupe he has worked since 1979 on numerous stage ...

Characters

Rocko the Dog

Rocko (puppeteer Bruce Hunter), is a foul-mouthed,

chain-smoking Chain smoking is the practice of smoking several cigarettes in succession, sometimes using the ember of a finished cigarette to light the next. The term chain smoker often also refers to a person who smokes relatively constantly, though not ne ...

misanthrope Misanthropy is the general hatred, dislike, distrust or contempt of the human species, human behavior or human nature. A misanthrope or misanthropist is someone who holds such views or feelings. The word's origin is from the Greek words μῖσ ...

who formerly worked on a

children's television Children's television series (or children's television shows) are television show, television programs designed for children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run during ...

programme. The job required him to control his language and behaviour, but eventually a berserk outburst on set ended his career. He takes medication to temper his violent

mood swings A mood swing is an extreme or sudden change of Mood (psychology), mood. Such changes can play a positive part in promoting problem solving and in producing flexible forward planning, or be disruptive. When mood swings are severe, they may be ...

Cuddles the Comfort Doll

Cuddles (puppeteer Bob Martin) is a

comfort doll A comfort object, more formally a transitional object or attachment object, is an item used to provide psychological comfort, especially in unusual or unique situations, or at bedtime for children. Among toddlers, a comfort object often takes ...

designed to help people cope with their problems. However, as the introductory voice-over to each episode informs the viewer, it is Cuddles who is now the problem. The chronic subordination of his own needs to those of others caused him to explode one day, grab a rifle, and start shooting. Despite this eruption, Cuddles is generally the best behaved of the group, although his

naivete Naivety (also spelled naïvety), naiveness, or naïveté is the state of being naive. It refers to an apparent or actual lack of experience and sophistication, often describing a neglect of pragmatism in favor of moral idealism. A ''naïve'' may b ...

often gets him and his fellow residents at the halfway house into trouble. He cannot handle pressure well, lacks self-assertiveness, and shows signs of a passive-aggressive personality disorder.

Buttons the Bear

Buttons (puppeteer James Rankin) is a

teddy bear A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy bear, ...

with eyes consisting of two buttons. Unlike the others, Buttons is not so much a killer as a lover. In fact, he is a

womanizer Womanizer may refer to: * "Womanizer" (term), a promiscuous heterosexual man * "Womanizer" (song), a 2008 song by Britney Spears * "Womanizer", a 1977 song by Blood, Sweat & Tears from '' Brand New Day'' * ''Womanizer'', a 2004 album by Absolute ...

with no sense of sexual propriety who is remarkably successful in attracting eager human females. Buttons lives by the hedonistic motto "if it feels good, do it". He once had a lucrative corporate sponsorship deal with the Happy Elf Peanut Butter Company, but the sponsor exercised the " moral turpitude" clause in his contract once details of his promiscuous behaviour leaked to the press.

Bill the ventriloquist Dummy

Bill (puppeteer Gord Robertson) is a

ventriloquist's dummy Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is a performance act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) creates the illusion that their voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered prop known as a "dummy". The act of ventriloquism is ve ...

with a menacing smile and

psychopathic Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits. Different conceptions of psychopathy have been ...

tendencies. Fifty-eight of his partners have died in "accidents". Bill's nemesis is the

Rasputin Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin (; rus, links=no, Григорий Ефимович Распутин ; – ) was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man who befriended the family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, thus ga ...

-like Curious Bob ( John Hemphill), a former partner whom Bill has unsuccessfully attempted to murder on four occasions. In an episode featuring Bill's trial, his adoptive mother relates facts about his past that indicate the possible sources of his homicidal vengefulness; for example, that Bill had some bowel problems as a child and would defecate in his pants, thus earning him the nickname "poopy pants" from his peers. Bill also has a small penis and oddly shaped

gonads A gonad, sex gland, or reproductive gland is a mixed gland that produces the gametes and sex hormones of an organism. Female reproductive cells are egg cells, and male reproductive cells are sperm. The male gonad, the testicle, produces sperm ...

which his maker gave him in order to encourage humility but which instead produced only more humiliation for Bill, perhaps explaining his gruesome hobby of collecting the testicles of men who have somehow been mysteriously deprived of them. Bill was at some point castrated himself, and is now a

eunuch A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium ...

Dan Barlow

Dan Barlow is a

who runs the halfway house where the puppets live but who shows himself ill-suited to his particular vocation. He has difficulty with his own moral compass, finds himself easily swept up in events, and often makes poor decisions. Although he genuinely cares about his charges, Dan's primary concern is keeping the halfway house open thus preserving his job.

Production

The series was shot both in the studio and on location in and around

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

. It showcases Canadian talent, using several guest actors per episode, many of them well known in Canada, playing an array of idiosyncratic characters. Newsreader Bill Cameron regularly appeared as himself, often foreshadowing the show's plot by reporting on bizarre crimes that could only have been committed by Dan's charges. Among the many actors who have appeared in the series are

Gordon Pinsent Gordon Edward Pinsent (born July 12, 1930) is a Canadian actor, writer, director, and singer. He is known for his roles in numerous productions, including ''Away from Her'', ''The Rowdyman'', ''John and the Missus'', ''A Gift to Last'', '' Due So ...

Kristin Lehman Kristin Lehman (born May 3, 1972) is a Canadian actress and dancer known for her roles in the television series '' Poltergeist: The Legacy'', ''Judging Amy'', and '' The Killing''. From 2013 to 2016, she starred as Detective Angie Flynn in the ...

Emily Hampshire Emily Hampshire (born 1979) is a Canadian actress. Her best known roles include Angelina in the 1998 romantic comedy '' Boy Meets Girl'', Vivienne in the 2006 film '' Snow Cake'', Jennifer Goines in the Syfy drama series '' 12 Monkeys'' (2015� ...

Peter Outerbridge Peter Outerbridge (born June 30, 1966) is a Canadian actor, best known for his role as Ari Tasarov in the CW action series ''Nikita'', Dr. David Sandström in the TMN series ''ReGenesis'', Henrik "Hank" Johanssen in ''Orphan Black'', Bob Corbett ...

Anna Silk Anna Silk (born 31 January 1974) is a Canadian actress best known for her role as Bo Dennis, the protagonist of the Showcase television series ''Lost Girl'' (2010–2015). Personal life Silk was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Cana ...

and

Helene Joy Helene or Hélène may refer to: People *Helene (given name), a Greek feminine given name * Helen of Troy, the daughter of Zeus and Leda *Helene, a figure in Greek mythology who was a friend of Aphrodite and helped her seduce Adonis * Helene (A ...

. Most of the ''Puppets Who Kill'' episodes were written by founding creator/producer John Pattison, with Dan Redican also writing a number of episodes and providing story editing advice. More than half of the series episodes were directed by producer Shawn Alex Thompson. The series employed experienced people recruited from the film industry in some of the technical positions. The contributions of sound designer Daniel Pellerin, editor Caroline Christie, and composer Carlos Lopes, among others, enhanced the look and sound of the series. On June 22, 2006, the show completed its fourth and final season. The first and second seasons have been released on DVD in full. Season 3 and 4 appeared in a 'Best of' collection in 2010 with audio commentaries by key cast and crew, and contains some of the show's greatest hits including such popular episodes as "The Joyride" and "The Rival House".

Awards

''Puppets Who Kill'' won many awards in its four-year run. In Canada, it won 3 Gemini Awards, including Best Writing in a Comedy for founding creator/writer/producer John Pattison and Best Directing in a Comedy for producer/director Shawn Alex Thompson. ''PWK'' went on to receive a total of 15 Gemini nominations in various categories, from writing, directing, and acting to sound design and photography. The series also won the prestigious Bronze Rose for Comedy at the Montreux Television Festival in Switzerland in 2003, coming in second to ''The Office''.

Legacy

As confirmed by the ''PWK'' website, a ''Puppets Who Kill'' movie is in the works.

(known as Dan Barlow on the show) has toured

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

with the comedy troupe The Frantics. John Pattison has occasionally performed his live puppet show ''Beyond Puppets Who Kill'' in various cities in Canada.

List of Episodes

Season one

# "Pilot" (first broadcast January 30, 2000) Dan meets with four puppet clients and finds that each of them has deeply rooted psychological problems. Rocko decides to help a children's show host get a kidney for a large amount of money but is frustrated at how difficult it is to achieve his goal. Buttons, at Dan's behest, seduces a woman who could make or break the halfway house. # "Buttons, The City Councillor And The City Councillor's Wife" (October 11, 2002) # "Cuddles Goes To Jail" (October 18, 2002) # "Buttons Goes To Court" (October 25, 2002) # "Bill's Brain" (October 31, 2002) # "The Island Of Skip-Along Pete" (November 8, 2002) # "Rocko's Telethon" (November 15, 2002) # "Cuddles The Safety Mascot" (November 22, 2002) # "Dan's Crush" (November 29, 2002) # "Dash The Greeter" (December 6, 2002) # "Cuddles Gets Laid" (December 13, 2002) # "Dan's Umbrella" (December 20, 2002) # "Mr. Quigley, The Asshole Next Door" (December 27, 2002) # "The Payback" (January 3, 2003)

Season two

# "Bill Sues" (January 30, 2004) # "Portrait Of Buttons" (February 6, 2004) # "Prostitutes For Jesus" (February 13, 2004) # "Cuddles The Demon" (February 20, 2004) # "Buttons And The Geriatric" (February 27, 2004) # "Dead Ted" (March 5, 2004) # "Cuddles The Religious Icon" (March 12, 2004) # "Bill's Got The Blues" (March 19, 2004) # "Pizza Boys Are Missing" (March 26, 2004) # "Rocko Gets A Lung" (April 2, 2004) # "Dan And The Necrophiliac" (April 9, 2004) # "Rocko And The Twins" (April 16, 2004) # "The Twilight Place" (April 23, 2004)

Season three

# "Buttons On A Hot Tin Roof" (February 11, 2005) # "Cuddles The Manchurian Candidate" (February 18, 2005) # "Buttons The Dresser" (February 25, 2005) # "Gus The Arsonist" (March 4, 2005) # "Rocko's Politician" (March 11, 2005) # "Buttons And The Paternity Suit" (March 18, 2005) # "Dan And The Bird Flu" (March 25, 2005) # "The CBC Is Killing Again" (April 1, 2005) # "The Lovely Fred" (April 8, 2005) # "The Amazing Bill" (April 15, 2005) # "Button's Big Fat Greek Wedding" (April 22, 2005) # "Cuddles The Artist" (April 29, 2005) # "Dan And The New Neighbour" (May 6, 2005)

Season four

# "The Joyride" (March 2, 2006) # "Dan And The Garden Shears" (March 9, 2006) # "Mr. Big" (March 16, 2006) # "Dan Is Dead" (March 23, 2006) # "Bill And The Berkowitz's" (March 30, 2006) # "Oedipus Dan" (April 6, 2006) # "Buttons And The Dying Wish Foundation" (April 13, 2006) # "Bill's Wedding" (April 20, 2006) # "The Rival House" (April 27, 2006) # "The Hostage" (May 4, 2006) # "A Few Feuds" (May 11, 2006) # "Dan's Ideal Woman" (May 18, 2006) # "Buttons The Ghost" (June 22, 2006)

DVD

DVD releases include ''Puppets Who Kill: The Complete First Season'', ''Puppets Who Kill: The Complete Second Season'', and ''Puppets Who Kill: Best of Season 3 & 4''.

External links

puppetswhokill.com
official website
pwkproductions.com
website of the production company * {{IMDb title, 0313505
''Puppets Who Kill''
on

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pwk.wetpaint.com
a ''Puppets Who Kill''

fansite A fansite, fan site, fan blog or fan page is a website created and maintained by a fan or devotee about a celebrity, thing, or particular cultural phenomenon. Fansites may offer specialized information on the subject (e.g., episode listings, bi ...

2002 Canadian television series debuts 2006 Canadian television series endings Canadian television shows featuring puppetry CTV Comedy Channel original programming 2000s black comedy television series 2000s Canadian sitcoms