Fire Dogs
| "Fire Dogs" | |
|---|---|
| The Ren & Stimpy Show episode | |
 | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | John Kricfalusi |
| Story by | John Kricfalusi |
| Production code | RS-04B |
| Original air date | September 29, 1991 |
"Fire Dogs" is the eighth episode of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on September 29, 1991.
Plot
A homeless and starving
The duo apply for the job, only to be attacked violently by the Fire Chief, who had mistaken the duo for circus midgets. While applying for the job, Stimpy lets slip that he's a cat, but Ren saves him by noting his relative stupidity to the Fire Chief. The duo are hired as
Ren and Stimpy try to save Mrs. Buttloaves' increasingly absurd collection of animals, who are all of gigantic stature to the point Ren refuses to hold up the stretcher. When it is time to save Mrs. Buttloaves, Ren rides the ladder to her residence, only to be horrified by the height; Mrs. Buttloaves holds Ren in her mouth as she descends, causing a massive earthquake that destroyed buildings and a crater in place of the original apartment. Grateful for the rescue, she practices cardiopulmonary resuscitation on an unconscious Ren, who mistook it for a kiss and is horrified by her appearance. Stimpy puts out the fire with a massive pile of kitty litter. The duo are rewarded for their bravery with golden fire hydrant helmets, only for Mrs. Buttloaves and some dogs appear nearby, barely holding the urge to urinate.
An "Ask Dr. Stupid" segment airs midway in the episode, where Stimpy answers a boy's question about school in a nonsensical way.
Cast
- Ren – voice of John Kricfalusi
- Stimpy and News Reporter – voice of Billy West
- Fire Chief – voice of Harris Peet
- The Baby – voice of Cheryl Chase
- Mr. Horse – voice of John Kricfalusi
- Mrs. Buttloaves – voice of John Kricfalusi
Production
John Kricfalusi stated that "Fire Dogs" was "written in an afternoon" as to fill the quota of episodes ordered for the first season in October 1990.[1] Bob Camp called "Fire Dogs" "a regular cartoon, lots of mayhem and running around and physical humor. It's not the usual bizarre fare".[1] The episode was by all accounts rushed at the Spümcø studio with as little work as done as possible.[1] Instead of being drawn in and painted at the usual sub-contractors for the first season, namely Lacewood Productions in Ottawa or Carbunkle Cartoons in Vancouver, the task was sub-contracted out to Fil-Cartoons at Manila to save costs.[1] Despite the rush, "Fire Dogs" was still finished late.[2] Much of the footage intended for "Fire Dogs" was vandalized beyond repair at Fil-Cartoons, with Kricfalusi and Carbunkle founder Bob Jaques, who worked as animation director on the episode, voicing their displeasure towards their work.[3]
Reception
American journalist Thad Komorowski gave the episode four out of five stars.[1] American critic Andy Patrizio praised "Fire Dogs" as an "insane" episode that was his favorite of the first season.[4]
Sequel
An episode of
Books and articles
- Dobbs, G. Michael (2015). Escape – How Animation Broke into the Mainstream in the 1990s. Orlando: BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1593931100.
- Komorowski, Thad (2017). Sick Little Monkeys: The Unauthorized Ren & Stimpy Story. Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1629331836.
References
- ^ a b c d e Komorowski 2017, p. 107.
- ^ Komorowski 2017, p. 113.
- ^ Komorowski 2017, p. 123.
- ^ Patrizio, Andy (October 14, 2004). "The Ren & Stimpy Show Uncut - The First and Second Seasons". IGN. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
