The Brothers Flub
Encyclopedia
The Brothers Flub is an animated television series produced by Sunbow Productions
and co-produced by Ravensburger
. It aired in the United States of America on the television network Nickelodeon
. The show's titular characters are a pair of alien brothers named Guapo and Fraz, both of whom work as courier
s, who travel throughout their universe to deliver packages to a different planet in each episode of the series. The Brothers Flub lasted for twenty-six episodes, airing on Sundays from January 1999 until its cancellation in January 2000.
. The show's title refers to its two central characters: a pair of blue-furred alien
brothers named Guapo and Fraz Flub. Guapo is shorter and fatter than his brother, and is a darker shade of blue. Both wear bodysuits, shoes and caps.
In the series, they work for a company called RetroGrade Interdimensional Couriers, of which a green-colored female alien named Tarara Boomdeyay is the boss. Other characters at their job include a female alien named Valerina and an older orange, male alien named Squish. The brothers, who are courier
s, through their universe in their spacecraft (called Hoog) to deliver packages to various planets. Each episode features a different planet with a different characteristic, such as "The Land of Oversized Games", which comprises life-sized game pieces such as a pinball machine, or "Hip City", a planet inhabited by beatnik
aliens.
said that "although still an untested property, optimism is high for the Brothers Flub" because of Sunbow's record and staff members.
, Florida
-based company, allowing for Animatics to create the storyline and the storyboard for the series. Laura Sullivan, the senior director of marketing of Sony Wonder
, said in a 1999 Promo article that the series attracted equal numbers of male and female children and that it was "very Nickelodeon-looking."
announced that it would use the characters in a kids' meal, while Carl's Jr.
and Hardee's
branded tray liners and bags with The Brothers Flub images. GNC
planned to include The Brothers Flub yo-yos in its children's vitamins, while department store chain Macy's
used the characters in their back-to-school advertising flyers. Skechers
started a sweepstakes that distributed Skechers and The Brothers Flub-branded items.
and little of the cockeyed charm." The Hollywood Reporter called it "a somewhat vacuous effort that lacks the charm and substance of much of Nick's other programming" but added "now and again [the creators] hit on some clever high jinks." Writing for the Lakeland Ledger, Evan Levine thought that the show had a promising premise, but thought that its humor was mean-spirited.
Sunbow Productions
Sunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...
and co-produced by Ravensburger
Ravensburger
Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract...
. It aired in the United States of America on the television network Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
. The show's titular characters are a pair of alien brothers named Guapo and Fraz, both of whom work as courier
Courier
A courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for...
s, who travel throughout their universe to deliver packages to a different planet in each episode of the series. The Brothers Flub lasted for twenty-six episodes, airing on Sundays from January 1999 until its cancellation in January 2000.
Summary
The Brothers Flub takes place in a fictionalized version of outer spaceOuter space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
. The show's title refers to its two central characters: a pair of blue-furred alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
brothers named Guapo and Fraz Flub. Guapo is shorter and fatter than his brother, and is a darker shade of blue. Both wear bodysuits, shoes and caps.
In the series, they work for a company called RetroGrade Interdimensional Couriers, of which a green-colored female alien named Tarara Boomdeyay is the boss. Other characters at their job include a female alien named Valerina and an older orange, male alien named Squish. The brothers, who are courier
Courier
A courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for...
s, through their universe in their spacecraft (called Hoog) to deliver packages to various planets. Each episode features a different planet with a different characteristic, such as "The Land of Oversized Games", which comprises life-sized game pieces such as a pinball machine, or "Hip City", a planet inhabited by beatnik
Beatnik
Beatnik was a media stereotype of the 1950s and early 1960s that displayed the more superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement of the 1950s and violent film images, along with a cartoonish depiction of the real-life people and the spiritual quest in Jack Kerouac's autobiographical...
aliens.
History
Cindy Barth of the Orlando Business JournalOrlando Business Journal
Orlando Business Journal is a newspaper in Orlando, Florida, United States covering general business news, major events in Florida and around the world, with sections on global news and local news, business news and political news, Florida cultural life and newspaper classified ads...
said that "although still an untested property, optimism is high for the Brothers Flub" because of Sunbow's record and staff members.
Production
The creators marketed the series for children ages six through eleven. Sunbow contracted with Animatics, an OrlandoOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
-based company, allowing for Animatics to create the storyline and the storyboard for the series. Laura Sullivan, the senior director of marketing of Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder is a children and family's music and home video arm of Sony Music Entertainment, founded in 1991. The division once distributed material from Sesame Workshop and Classic Media...
, said in a 1999 Promo article that the series attracted equal numbers of male and female children and that it was "very Nickelodeon-looking."
Merchandising
The Brothers Flub was used in several promotional deals for various brands. Fast food chain KFCKFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
announced that it would use the characters in a kids' meal, while Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. is an American fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the Western and Southwestern United States. The first store has opened in Canada in Kelowna, BC. They are in the process of expanding to Mexico, Malaysia, Denmark, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam,...
and Hardee's
Hardee's
Hardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southeast and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since its establishment in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain, Carl's...
branded tray liners and bags with The Brothers Flub images. GNC
General Nutrition Centers
General Nutrition Centers is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based American commercial enterprise focused on the retail sale of health and nutrition related products, including vitamins, supplements, minerals, herbs, sports nutrition, diet & energy products.-History:In 1935, David Shakarian opened a...
planned to include The Brothers Flub yo-yos in its children's vitamins, while department store chain Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
used the characters in their back-to-school advertising flyers. Skechers
Skechers
Skechers is an American shoe company headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, founded by CEO Robert Greenberg. Greenberg started Skechers in 1992 after he left LA Gear which he also founded. Skechers was started with his son as a distributor for Doc Martens; they launched their own shoe line...
started a sweepstakes that distributed Skechers and The Brothers Flub-branded items.
VHS release
Sony Wonder released two videocassettes of the show in 1999. These were entitled Plan C: Panic! and Doom Wears Funny Tights!. Each one featured four episodes of the series.Reception
Critical reception for the show was largely negative. Joanne Weintraub of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel described the show as "a rare clinker with all the noisy hyperactivity of Aaahh!!! Real MonstersAAAHH!!! Real Monsters
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters is an American animated television series about adolescent monsters in training, developed by Klasky Csupo for Nickelodeon...
and little of the cockeyed charm." The Hollywood Reporter called it "a somewhat vacuous effort that lacks the charm and substance of much of Nick's other programming" but added "now and again [the creators] hit on some clever high jinks." Writing for the Lakeland Ledger, Evan Levine thought that the show had a promising premise, but thought that its humor was mean-spirited.