Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?

Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? is an American live action/animated television series based on the series of computer games. The show was produced by DIC Productions L.P. and originally aired from 1994 to 1999, on Saturday mornings during FOX's Fox Kids Network block. Reruns aired on the Qubo television network from June 9, 2012 (alongside Animal Atlas) to May 26, 2018.
The series won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program in 1995, and in the same year was spun-off into a Where in the World-styled video game entitled Carmen Sandiego Junior Detective. Its theme song uses the melody from the chorus "Singt dem großen Bassa Lieder" ("Sing Songs of the Great Pasha") from Mozart's opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio).
History
Production and broadcast (1994–1999)
The script for every Earth episode had to meet the approval of Broderbund, which created and, at the time, owned the Carmen franchise. Their cause for concern was the level of the violence on other FOX children's shows such as X-Men and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Broderbund did not require this of the creators of the World and Time game shows that aired on PBS, presumably since PBS, as the distributor of such shows as Sesame Street, had a long-standing reputation for non-violent educational children's programming. The lead characters of Earth were featured in Carmen Sandiego Junior Detective, released in 1995. The opening theme song for the show is "Singt dem großen Bassa Lieder" from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, with new lyrics, pop instrumentation, and a backbeat. The Rainbow Animation Group (later renamed Galaxy World, Inc., not to be confused with the Italian studio Rainbow S.p.A.), and Han Yang Productions contributed some animation for this series.
Home media releases
Fox Video originally released the series on VHS through their Fox Kids Video label, which contained two episodes each.
In November 2001, Lions Gate Home Entertainment and Trimark Home Video released two VHS tapes, Carmen's Revenge and Time Traveler, consisting of the show's three-part episodes ("Retribution" and "Labyrinth") in a feature-length format. Time Traveller was also released on DVD, and alongside the "Labyrinth" episode, also came with a demo of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Treasures of Knowledge. A video of the episode "Timing is Everything" was included with some versions of the mentioned game.
In September 2003, Sterling Entertainment released Into the Maelstrom and No Place like Home on VHS and DVD. Into the Maelstrom contained the three part "Retribution" episode, while No Place like Home contained the episode "The Remnants" and the two-part episode "Can You Ever Go Home Again?" The DVD versions contained "When it Rains..." and "Follow My Footprints" as bonus episodes, respectively. NCircle Entertainment reissued both DVDs in 2007.
In June 2006, Shout! Factory and Sony BMG Music Entertainment released the first season on DVD. Due to poor sales, no further seasons were released.
Mill Creek Entertainment released Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? – The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 on February 21, 2012. This four-disc set contains all forty episodes of the series. They also released a ten-episode best-of collection the same day. These releases have been discontinued and are now out of print. Mill Creek re-released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 in June 2017.
PIDAX, a German company, released the complete series on DVD for Region 2 in 3 Volumes in 2019 in English and German.
The whole series is available to stream on Paramount+.
Plot
Following the plot of the Carmen Sandiego franchise, Earth sees international thief Carmen Sandiego (voiced by Rita Moreno) lead the organization V.I.L.E. in stealing treasures from around the world and leaving clues behind for ACME agents Zack (voiced by Scott Menville) and Ivy (voiced by Jennifer Hale), under the guidance of the Chief (voiced by Rodger Bumpass), to find, in order to capture her. In this version, Carmen Sandiego is a former agent of ACME who left to seek a greater challenge, and has a strong code of ethics when stealing items. The Player is an unseen live-action character who bookends acts by communicating with Carmen; it is implied that the television series is a video game that they are playing from a computer.
While Carmen is originally presented as the show's antagonist, she becomes more like an anti-hero as the series progresses; she even helps Zack and Ivy against mutual enemies.
Characters
Main characters
Carmen Sandiego (voiced by Rita Moreno) – An international thief and the head of V.I.L.E. Despite the name of her organization, she has a strong code of morals and only steals for the challenge of it. She was a former agent of the ACME Detective Agency.
Chief (voiced by Rodger Bumpass) – The head of ACME. Short for Computerized Holographic Imaging Educational Facilitator, his role consisted of providing exposition, information, alerts of Carmen's recent crime, and comic relief. He had a very intimate professional and personal relationship with Carmen. He once also had a robotic body while working with Carmen back when she was still part of the ACME Detective Agency.
Ivy (voiced by Jennifer Hale) – A young woman who has short red hair and green eyes. She and Carmen seem to have a past history, although it is only hinted at in the series. Her skills include having multiple black belts in martial arts and being an expert pilot. She can get frustrated easily, such as hating it when Zack calls her "sis" or when Carmen is getting away.
Zack (voiced by Scott Menville) – Ivy's younger brother, who has blond hair and blue eyes. He takes cases less seriously than his sister Ivy. Zack's jacket has his name misspelled as Zak.
Player (portrayed by Jeffrey Tucker in season 1, Justin Shenkarow in season 2, Asi Lang and Joanie Pleasant in seasons 3–4) – The only live-action character on the program, always seen from behind as a computer user at the beginning and ending of the show. They are the ones who transport Zack and Ivy to their locations and summon ACME detectives to their aid.
ACME detectives
The following are ACME detectives who assist Zack and Ivy:
Aileen (voiced by Janice Kawaye) – A Hawaiian detective. Her older brother Max is a TV news reporter where they appear in "Curses, Foiled Again".
Amati – A Black detective and archaeologist who appears in "A Higher Calling" and "Follow My Footprints".
Armando Arguella – An Argentinian detective and gaucho who appears in "The Good Old Bad Old Days," "Scavenger Hunt," "Just Like Old Times," and "Can You Ever Go Home Again?" 2.
Billy Running Bird – A Native American detective who appears in "Shaman Spirits".
Chester – An young American detective and amateur ornithologist who appears in "Birds of a Feather".
Gro (voiced by Chadwick Pelletier) – A Norwegian detective and friend of Zack who appears in "Retribution" Pt. 2.
Jasmine – A Jamaican detective who appears in "Skull and Double-Crossbones".
Josha – An American detective and computer expert who appears in "Retribution" Pt. 3, "The Trial of Carmen Sandiego," "Cupid Sandiego," and "Can You Ever Go Home Again?" Pt. 1. He has a crush on, and later dates, Ivy.
Ketut – An Indonesian detective from Bali who enjoys hang-gliding. He appears in "Hot Ice".
Li – A detective from Macao who appears in "Skull and Double-Crossbones" and "Can You Ever Go Home Again?" Pt. 2.
Maria (voiced by Kath Soucie) – A Brazilian detective from ACME's Rio de Janeiro office who seems to have a crush on Zack. She appears in "Music to My Ears".
Marco – An Italian detective and friend of Ivy who appears in "Split Up".
Michelle – A young African American Space Camp Florida participant in "Moondreams" and later becomes an ACME detective in "Follow My Footprints".
Reggis and Barrow – A team of Black/White British detectives who appear in "Just Like Old Times".
Tatiana (voiced by Candi Milo) – A Russian ACME detective whom Zack has a crush on as seen in "Just Like Old Times," "Scavenger Hunt," and "Can You Ever Go Home Again?" Pt. 2.
Wahidullah – An Afghan detective ("Birds of a Feather").
V.I.L.E. agents
The following are agents who work for Carmen Sandiego's organization, V.I.L.E.:
Abe L. Body – A V.I.L.E. agent and an athlete who's a team player to V.I.L.E. who likes to steal items from the Olympics and any other sports. He was mentioned in "Follow My Footprints" to have been arrested by authorities for trying to steal some volcanic ashes as a possible answer to one the clues to a contest on who will succeed Carmen Sandiego following her apparent death. His name is a play on "able body".
Al Loy – A hotheaded American metallurgist who appears in "A Date with Carmen" 1 & 2, "All for One". His name is a play on "alloy."
Archie Ology – A white American archaeologist who appears in "Follow My Footprints" and "The Trial of Carmen Sandiego". His name is a play on "archaeology."
Auntie Bellum – A white American agent from the South who appears in "Timing Is Everything". Her name is a play on "Antebellum."
Buck N. Bronco – A white American agent from the West who appears in "The Good Old Bad Old Days". His name is a play on "bucking bronco."
Clair E. Net and Cora Net (both voiced by Kath Soucie) – White American twin sister musicians: Clair is a singer, while Cora is a pianist and electric guitarist. They were once "busted in a lip-synching scandal" as mentioned by the Chief when they appeared in "Music to My Ears". Their names are plays on "clarinet" and "cornet."
Clay Tandoori – An Indian agent who appears in "Dinosaur Delirium" and "Labyrinth" Pt. 1. His name is a reference to tandoors, traditionally made of clay.
Dara Riska – An equally hotheaded white American agent and rival of Al Loy who appears in "All for One". Her name is apparently a play on "dare a risk."
Dee Tritus – A white American gemologist who appears in "Hot Ice". Her name is a play on "detritus."
Four Chin Hunter – An Asian American treasure hunter who appears in "A Higher Calling" and "A Date with Carmen" Pt. 1. His name is a play on "fortune hunter."
Frank M. Poster – A white British master of disguise who appears in "By a Whisker" and "Birds of a Feather". His name is a play on "frank impostor."
Hannah Lulu – A superstitious Hawaiian agent who appears in "Curses, Foiled Again". She was later mentioned in "Can You Ever Go Home Again?" Pt. 2. Her name is a play on "Honolulu."
Lars Vegas – A greedy, vain white American agent who appears in "Follow My Footprints," "Just Like Old Times," and "Cupid Sandiego". His name is a play on "Las Vegas."
Lee Galese – Carmen Sandiego's lawyer who acts as executor of her estate in "Follow My Footprints" and as her defense attorney in "The Trial of Carmen Sandiego." His name is a play on "legalese."
Moe Skeeter – A bumbling white American agent who always appears with Lars Vegas in "Follow My Footprints," "Just Like Old Times," and "Cupid Sandiego". His name is a play on "mosquito."
Paige Turner – A white American literature expert who appears in "Chapter and Verse". Her name is a play on "page-turner."
Pearl Diver – An American underwater diver who appears in "A Date with Carmen" Pts. 1 & 2.
Pop A. Wheelie and Iggy Nition – A team of white American agents and motorcyclists who appear in "The Remnants". Their names are plays on "pop a wheelie" and "ignition."
R.B. Traitor – Supposedly a judge turned criminal who hunts crooks down and sentences them to a secret jail while stealing their loot, he is in fact a V.I.L.E. agent assisting Carmen by using Zack and Ivy to lead her past security measures to her desired loot, an original copy of the Magna Carta as seen in "The Trial of Carmen Sandiego". His name is a play on "arbitrator."
Rip Shipoff – A white pirate who has a pet parrot who appears in "Skull and Double-Crossbones". His name seems to mean "rip off a ship."
Stu L. Pijin – A bird trainer who appears in "Birds of a Feather". His name is a play on "stool pigeon."
Touriste Classé – A French "international con man and master art thief" who appears in "The Stolen Smile" and "Labyrinth" Pt. 1. His name is a play on "tourist class."
An unnamed pair of agents, one man and one woman, presumably Chinese, whose hideout is a junk on the Yangtze River. Each has a tattoo of half of a yin and yang symbol, and the man has a pet cormorant. They only appear in "Moondreams".
A substantial number of unnamed henchmen who work for Carmen Sandiego and other V.I.L.E. agents. They wear head-to-toe blue outfits with goggles and boots and appear in most episodes.
Other villains
As Carmen Sandiego became less villainous and evolved into more of an antihero, other characters began to fill her original role as the show's antagonist. The following villains are:
Dr. Sara Bellum – Carmen Sandiego's former robotics and computer expert who appears in "Split Up" and "Chapter and Verse". She betrays V.I.L.E., impersonating Carmen in an attempt to become known as the world's greatest thief in "When It Rains", but later appears to be a V.I.L.E. member again in "Follow My Footprints" where she competes to become Carmen's successor following her apparent death. Her name is a play on "cerebellum."
Ira Gation (voiced by Michael Earl) – Sara's sole henchperson during her time away from V.I.L.E. who appears in "When It Rains". His name is a play on "irrigation."
Dr. Gunnar Maelstrom (voiced by Tim Curry) – A hostile and extremely violent criminal who considers Carmen Sandiego his archenemy and appears in the three part "Retribution" episodes. As an ACME detective, Carmen pursued him and eventually put him in prison following his attempt to steal the wreck of the Titanic. Years later, following his escape from prison and apparent death, Carmen had come to consider him a rolemodel, but his escape was in fact part of a plot for revenge on her. His last name is a reference to maelstroms, a term for powerful oceanic whirlpools.
Bilge – Maelstrom's lead henchman who appears in "Retribution" Pts. 1–3.
Mason Dixon – A V.I.L.E. agent and avowed Southerner who resents Carmen's success and appears in "Timing Is Everything". In 1989, the two were partners in an art theft in Amsterdam, but Mason was arrested and Carmen escaped when he turned the wrong way down a street and was captured by police. He uses her time machine to change the outcome of that incident, allowing him to take over V.I.L.E. and leaving Carmen exceedingly meek, and to attempt to overturn the outcome of the Civil War. His name is a reference to the Mason–Dixon line.
Lee Jordan (voiced by David Coburn) – The first ACME agent to have captured Carmen Sandiego, he was among ACME's most accomplished employees, making him arrogant and womanizing. Embittered by his fame and the lack of challenge in fighting crime, he left ACME and helped Carmen Sandiego escape in order to train to be a V.I.L.E. agent. However, his impulsive and violent nature clashed greatly with Carmen's more refined, pacifistic approach, leading her to fire him. One plot had him getting close to Ivy in "Boyhood's End" Pts. 1 & 2 so that he can have his revenge on Carmen Sandiego. In "Can You Ever Go Home Again?" Pt. 1 and 2, Lee sought his latest revenge on her, eventually kidnapping Malcolm Avalon, a businessman she believed to be her birth father, in order to blackmail her into stealing for him.
Cruiser – Lee Jordan's lead henchman ("Can You Ever Go Home Again?" Pts. 1&2).
Episodes
Cast
Rita Moreno as Carmen Sandiego
Jennifer Hale as Ivy
Scott Menville as Zack
Rodger Bumpass as the Chief
Justin Shenkarow as the Player (season 1)
Jeffrey Tucker as the Player (season 2)
Asi Lang as Player #1 (seasons 3–4)
Joanie Pleasant as Player #2 (seasons 3–4)
Additional voices
James Avery
Yoshio Be
Jim Belushi – Paul Revere ("A Date with Carmen" 1&2)
Susan Blu
Bettina Bush
Rocky Carroll
Kevin Castro
David Coburn – Lee Jordan ("Boyhood's End" Pts. 1 & 2, "Can You Ever Go Home Again?" Pts. 1 & 2)
Jesse Corti
Tim Curry – Dr. Gunnar Maelstrom ("Retribution" Pts. 1–3)
Shelly DeSai
Grisha Dimant
Feisha Dimetros
Michael Earl – Ira Gation ("When it Rains")
Jeannie Elias
Dave Fennoy
Efrain Figueroa
John Garry
Brian George
Dan Gilvezan
Fernanda Gordon
Kevin Guillaume
Alaina Reed Hall
Clayton Halsey
Jamie Hanes
Dorian Harewood
Jess Harnell
Karen Hartman
Phil Hayes
Hector Herrera
Amy Hill
Vien Hong
Michael Horse
Patricia Van Ingen
Robert Ito
Marabina Jaimes
Nick Jameson
Marcia Jeffries
Jamie Kaplan
Janice Kawaye – Aileen ("Curses, Foiled Again")
Gene Kidwell
Clyde Kusatsu
Alexander Kusnetzsrv
Maurice LaMarche
Joe Lala
Frederick Lopez
Danny Mann
Dawn McMillan
Sidney Miller
Candi Milo – Tatiana ("Rules of the Game")
Pat Musick
Humberto Ortiz
Laurel Page
Samantha Paris
Chadwick Pelletier – Gro ("Retribution" Pt. 2)
Stan Phillips
Matt Plendl
Phil Proctor
Lisa Raggio
Don Reed
Frank Renzulli
Kevin Michael Richardson
Robbie Rist
Brogan Roche
Eugene Roche
Sean Roche
Roger Rose
John Rubinow
Marco Sanchez
Brandon Scott
Alan Shearman
Stacy Sibley
Susan Silo
Jane Singer
Kath Soucie – Maria, Claire E. Net, Cora Net ("Music To My Ears")
David H. Sterry
Michael Su
Russi Taylor
Dierk Torsek
Frank Welker
Ian Whitcomb
Reuven Bar Yotam
Critical reception
The show was given a rating of 4 stars out of 5 by Common Sense Media, noting that the format of the show – which includes trivia sessions between acts, vocabulary definitions, and the use of foreign languages – is "designed to pique kids' interest in these subjects". DVD Talk noted that the show exceeded the obligatory action of comedy of a cartoon, by respecting its audience with an intelligent sensibility rarely seen in children's television.
References
External links
Earth
1990s American animated television series
Television series by DIC Entertainment
1994 American television series debuts
1999 American television series endings
Fox Broadcasting Company original programming
American children's animated action television series
American children's animated adventure television series
American children's animated education television series
American children's animated mystery television series
American children's animated comic science fiction television series
English-language television shows
Fox Kids
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program winners
American animated television spin-offs
Animated series based on video games
Television shows set in San Francisco
American detective television series
American television series with live action and animation
Works set in computers