Crashbox
Encyclopedia
Crashbox is an educational children's television game show that airs on the HBO Family digital
cable
television channel
in the United States
. It aims to educate grade-school children in history, math, vocabulary, and other various subjects.
The show takes place in a game machine where green game cartridges (which are sculpted out of clay) are created and loaded by rusty robots. Each half-hour episode consists of at least seven 2-to-5-minute educational games. Near the end, the robots will do "Crashbox Rewind" where they review most of the games to the viewers in case they miss any.
, headed by Adam Shaheen
. Planet Grande Pictures gave Cuppa Coffee Studios a time frame to complete 13 hours of programming in 7 months time.
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
television channel
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It aims to educate grade-school children in history, math, vocabulary, and other various subjects.
The show takes place in a game machine where green game cartridges (which are sculpted out of clay) are created and loaded by rusty robots. Each half-hour episode consists of at least seven 2-to-5-minute educational games. Near the end, the robots will do "Crashbox Rewind" where they review most of the games to the viewers in case they miss any.
Creation Team
Crashbox is a HBO television series created by Planet Grande Pictures, and is animated by Cuppa Coffee StudioCuppa Coffee Studio
Cuppa Coffee Studio is a Canadian animation studio in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; it was founded by Adam Shaheen and Bruce Alcock in December 1990...
, headed by Adam Shaheen
Adam Shaheen
Adam Shaheen is a British animator, television producer and screenwriter. He is the founder and owner of Cuppa Coffee Studios where he develops and produces all original programming...
. Planet Grande Pictures gave Cuppa Coffee Studios a time frame to complete 13 hours of programming in 7 months time.
Games
- Captain Bones: The skeletonSkeletonThe skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
pirate, Captain Bones, uses his bones to make puzzles to save him "from going stark ravin' mad." Many puzzles consist of incorrect math problems that need to be solved (e.g. 1 + 1 = 3 changes to 1 + 1 = 2 by moving one bone on the 3) or puzzles that need to be arranged to make another image (e.g. 5 squares need to be changed to 4 squares). - Dirty Pictures: Similar to Haunted House Party, the viewer must figure out who the most well-known person is by watching parts of a picture in a museum dusted off by a maid and reading the museum keeper's cue cards.
- Distraction News: In this recurring game of staying focused, Dora Smarmy, the cardboard cutout anchorperson, tells the news of a particular topic while nonsensical distractions run amok onscreen. After talking about the topic, she asks the viewers five questions about the topic.
- Ear We Are: In this game, the viewers need to listen to sounds and figure out what thing or place two different disembodied human ears are thinking about. This game rarely appeared in the series.
- Eddie Bull: At the Walla-Walla Washington Zoo, a boy named Eddie Bull (a pun on 'edible'), is swallowed whole by an unseen animal and gives the viewers clues (trivial facts about an animal) to have them figure out what animal swallowed him alive. After he tells the viewer what the animal is, he manages to come out alive in the end, usually due to "going back the way (he) cameRegurgitationRegurgitation, Regurgiate or Regurgitate can refer to:* Regurgitation * Vomiting* Regurgitation * Regurgitate , a goregrind band...
". - Haunted House Party: At a haunted house party, a famous dead person is the special guest whose silhouette is seen through windows. The viewers have to listen to the person's historical facts and figure out who he/she is. Right before the person reveals who they are, the narrator stops him/her and recaps on the facts about that person.
- Lens McCracken: In order to figure out what happened in a crime scene, a bumbling, self-proclaimed "ace" photo snoop named Lens McCracken shows the viewers three different things that are zoomed in very closely and has them figure out what those things are. Sometimes they close the episode with this game.
- Mug Shots: Verity Pins, a New Yorkish detective, gets four suspects pinned down for lying and allows the viewers to spot which three are guilty by listening to their lies. The suspect who says something truthful and trivial is innocent.
- Paige and Sage: In one minute, the viewers must find ten differences between two panels. Both panels have the same background, but both BarbieBarbieBarbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
doll girls have the differences in their own panels. This game rarely appeared in the series, when it did, it would be the last game in the episode. - Poop or Scoop: A sideshow caller, whose arms and cane are only seen, shows four different animals and a fact that relates to each one. If one fact is true, viewers would choose "SCOOP." If false, they choose "POOP." This was the only game in the series that has rankings on how many questions the viewers answered correctly. If the viewers got only one answer right, the rank is "Party Pooper", if they got two right, the rank is "Pooper Scooper", if three, the rank is "Super Pooper Scooper", if all four questions are answered correctly, the rank is "Super Duper Pooper Scooper".
- Psycho Math: Prof. Rocket, the robotic host with a crazy persona, lets viewers solve equations by showing pictures that represent a particular number (e.g. Number of letters of the alphabet = 26, Number of days in a week = 7). Three pictures are placed in the first three boxes with a question mark in the fourth box (e.g. # x # - # = ?). Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division signs are used randomly. Order of operationsOrder of operationsIn mathematics and computer programming, the order of operations is a rule used to clarify unambiguously which procedures should be performed first in a given mathematical expression....
is not taken into consideration. - Radio Scramble: At KBOX, "Jumpin' Johnny Jumble", an anthropomorphAnthropomorphismAnthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
ic microphone and radio host, plays tunes to let the viewers figure out what words the jumbled letters really make. The music will always relate to the unscrambled word (for example, if the original, unscrambled word was "mouse", the tune might be about how a "soume" kept squeaking). The beginning and end always show off an example of mixing the word "jumble" (e.g. meljub). In occasions, he disguises himself as another person to broadcast either sports, weather, or traffic. - Revolting Slob: In every episode, an offscreen female narrator (on the episode when revolting slob gets sick, before the second question, she sneezes and revolting slob offers his germy tissue, that's when her hand is seen. Her skin is white, and she has red fingernails. Also, when revolting slob eats a lot of beans and the narrator want him to eat healthier and puts a box of full grain cereal, that is when her hand is seen again. Her skin is white and has non-colored fingernails.) teaches the viewers three new vocabulary words based on a revolting slob's (literally named the Revolting Slob) behaviors and actions. Multiple choices are given before the correct word is revealed. In the end, one word explained from the third multiple choice section has to do with the Revolting Slob exploding into nothingness, and the narrator closes the episode with "No slobs (and any other living thing) were harmed in the filming of this show."
- Riddle-Snake: After the Riddle-Snake plays a tune which brings up a riddle, viewers are given time to figure out the riddle before a man who never opens his eyes appears and gives the answer. When seen, usually it is the last game they play before the episode ends.
- Sketch Pad: On his sketch pad, an artist named Sketch draws pictures that tell a story and omits a picture so the viewers try to figure out what really happened before the final picture of the story is revealed. The story is usually in the form of a lateral thinking puzzle.
- Ten Seconds: A game where viewers must figure out the answers to a series of RebusRebusA rebus is an allusional device that uses pictures to represent words or parts of words. It was a favourite form of heraldic expression used in the Middle Ages to denote surnames, for example in its basic form 3 salmon fish to denote the name "Salmon"...
puzzles each within ten seconds. (2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd = Ten Seconds. Hence, the title). Sometimes they close the episode with this game. - Think Tank: Captain Bob, a Jamaican submarine driver, is stuck in a large fish tank. Before all the water in the tank goes down the drain and the sub reaches the ground, the viewers need to figure out what three given things have in common. Each episode consists of two rounds. This game was played in almost every episode in the series.
- Word Shake: In this game similar to Mad GabMAD GABMad Gab is a game created by Terry White in which there are at least two teams and 2-12 players. Each team has two minutes to sound out three puzzles. The puzzles, also known as mondegreens, contain small words that, when put together, make a word or phrase...
, a French chef takes two to three words together and forms them into another word that sounds like the two to three words (or letters) said together. This game rarely appeared in the series, when it did, they almost always close the episode with this game.
Differences between the two seasons
There is noticeably a few differences between the two seasons of Crashbox. For example, in Season 1, in the middle of an episode, the game systems would overload and all the power goes out. Then one robot fixes it in some way and everything goes back to normal. In Season 2, however, there is a funny scene either at the cafeteria or the maintenance. A major big difference between the two seasons is the games. "Ear we are", "Paige and Sage", "Lens MicCracken", and "Word Shake" never appeared on Season 2. The other differences in the games are listed below.- Captain Bones: Captain Bones' voice is different in the two seasons. And also the animation of the bones are different.
- Dirty Pictures: The mumbling voice of the museum keeper is different in the two seasons.
- Distraction News: The scenery is different and so are the distractions. And also in Season 2, the final answer of every question will go away like the wrong answers.
- Eddie Bull: The animation of the clues are different, and in Season 2,when Eddie goes back out, he makes the same noise("Oooooooooooooooooyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!").
- Haunted House Party: In Season 2, the narrator doesn't speak until the gargoyles open the gate. And also when the "mysterious mystery guest" finally is shown, the mouth movement is different from Season 1.
- Mug Shots: In season 1, during the results, the game recaps exactly what most of the suspects said. In Season 2 however, only some were exactly recapped, the others just say the facts.
- Poop or Scoop: In Season 2, the viewers can here the audience say "Strait Scoop" or "Animal Poop" before the final answer, instantly giving the viewers the answers.
- Psycho Math: Prof. Rocket's voice differs in the two seasons, so does the animation of the pictures.
- Radio Scramble: The types of songs are different in either season.
- Revolting Slob: This game probably had the most changes. In Season 1, the game takes place in the Revolting Slob's living room. In Season 2, it takes place in the kitchen. The Revolting Slob's personalityPersonalityPersonality is the particular combination of emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral response patterns of an individual.-Psychology:* Personality development, the concept that personality is affected by various sources* Personality disorder...
is also different in the two seasons. In Season 1, he is grumpy and gluttonous. In Season 2, he is silly and exuberant. - Riddle-Snake: Riddle-Snake is pretty much the one game that doesn't have any changes.
- Sketch Pad: The animation and movement of the pictures are different. And also in the middle of the game in Season 1, Sketch says "Believe me, it makes sense." or "'Cause it all makes sense." In Season 2, he says "Remember, you can look, but you don't always see."
- Ten Seconds: In the last puzzle in Season 1, the narrator says "You got ten more seconds to get the next one." In Season 2, he says "Here's the last one. You got ten seconds."
- Think Tank: The animation of the clues is different, so is the way the clues go down the drain.
Voice cast
- Carlos AlazraquiCarlos AlazraquiCarlos Jaime Alazraqui is an American actor, comedian, impressionist and voice actor. He is best known for his role as Deputy James Garcia on the Comedy Central series Reno 911!. His voice-over work includes the role of Bobbi Fabulous on Phineas and Ferb, the Taco Bell chihuahua, Denzel Q...
- Assorted Haunted House Party Guests - Maggie Baird - Verity
- Dee Bradley BakerDee Bradley BakerDee Bradley Baker is an American voice actor. He is noted as his long-running-role as Klaus Heissler in American Dad! and other various characters including Squilliam Fancyson in the hit TV series SpongeBob SquarePants, Nightcrawler in X-Men: Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance...
- Assorted Haunted House Party Guests - Veena Bidasha - Riddlesnake Raj
- S. Scott BullockS. Scott BullockStuart Scott Bullock , best known as S. Scott Bullock, is an American actor Bullock is best known for his role as Eddy "Edgar" the Jersey Cow in Barnyard: The Original Party Animals and Back at the Barnyard, Mr...
- Captain Bones, Lens McCracken - Greg EaglesGreg EaglesGreg Eagles is an American voice actor whose talents have been used for numerous TV shows and video games...
- Captain Bob, Sketch Pad - Arif S. KinchenArif S. KinchenArif S. Kinchen , is an African-American film and television actor. Arif is best known for his portrayal of LaMarr Hicks on the UPN sitcom Sparks...
- Professor Rocket - Peter LuriePeter LuriePeter Hill Lurie is an American television personality, Sports anchor and voice actor who has worked in several television shows, movies, and dubbed anime, since the mid-1990s. He is well known as the voice of Vulcan Raven in the Metal Gear Solid video game series, and the Marvel Comics...
- Jumpin' Johnny Jumble - Dawn MaxeyDawn MaxeyDawn Maxey an American actress, known for her side starring roles in several 1990s movies.-Early life and beginning career:Maxey was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Ohio University...
- Valley Girl Voice in Paige and Sage - Edie McClurgEdie McClurgEdie McClurg is an American character actress. She is known for her perky North Central dialect , common to persons from Middle America.-Career:...
- Female Polite Voice in Revolting Slob - Michael McShane - The Revolting Slob
- Ritchie Montgomery - Eddie Bull
- Alan Schlaifer - Ten Seconds Announcer, Butler in Haunted House Party, Left Ear
- Jerry StillerJerry StillerGerald Isaac "Jerry" Stiller is an American comedian and actor.He spent many years in the comedy team Stiller and Meara with his wife Anne Meara...
- Host - John Watkin - Horrid One, Right Ear, Word Shake Chef
- Mari Weiss - Dora Smarmy
- Danny WellsDanny WellsDanny Wells is a Canadian movie and television actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for his occasional role as Charlie the bartender on The Jeffersons as well as playing the role of the video game character Luigi, brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, in the live-action segments of The...
- Poop or Scoop Announcer
External links
- Crashbox at HBO Family
- Crashbox at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
- Crashbox and Cuppa Coffee article in TAKE ONE