Courage the Cowardly Dog

Courage the Cowardly Dog is an American animated television series about the adventures of a dog named Courage and his owners Muriel Bagge, a kindly old Scottish woman, and Eustace Bagge, a grumpy old farmer, living together in a farmhouse in the middle of the town of Nowhere, Kansas (often described as The Middle of Nowhere), encountering strange things, which originally ran for four seasons from 1999-2002.
Originally, Courage started out as a Canadian, one-episode cartoon, which was featured in the Cartoon Network special "The Fifty Greatest Cartoons of All Time." In the original cartoon, there was no dialogue, except for a line spoken by Courage (who was voiced by a different, authoritative voice in this short). An alien chicken was the villain in this short, and it would come back for its revenge in the American series. The Chicken From Outer Space was nominated for an Oscar.
Courage the Cowardly Dog was created by John R. Dilworth, who directed each episode, and was produced and aired by Cartoon Network. It premiered alongside Mike, Lu & Og on November 12th 1999, and aired its final episode on November 22nd 2002. The show featured a number of differences from its original pilot, most noticeably featuring voiced dialogue by all characters. As the series continued, the use of stock dialogue recordings grew in use rather than recording new dialogue; this lead to the open disparity of Eustace' original voice actor, Lionel Wilson, still being heard alongside his replacement, Arthur Anderson.
New York-based rock band They Might Be Giants created a tribute song, "Courage the Cowardly Dog", that was animated and aired as a music video on Cartoon Network in 2002. The song also appeared in 2006 on their Podcast 4A.
The series returned to Cartoon Network on Monday, August 31, 2015, airing Monday through Friday from 6-7 am.
In December 2021, one time return this show, because Christmas specials. 
On August 2023, the series, along with Dexter's Laboratory, Ed, Edd n Eddy and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy aired reruns on Adult Swim as part of their new "Checkered Past" throwback block due to the heavy depictions of violence.
== Plot ==
Courage the Cowardly Dog revolves around the exploits of Courage, a small pink dog who, despite his name, is afraid of the most mundane things. However, his fear is usually warranted: Eustace, Muriel, and Courage are constantly attacked by or run into various monsters, aliens, curses, natural disasters, and other forms of peril Courage must face.
Every opening of the show documents Courage's past: "Abandoned as a pup, he was found by Muriel, who lives in the middle of Nowhere (Kansas) with her husband Eustace Bagge. But creepy stuff happens in Nowhere, it's up to Courage to save his new home." In one later American episode, more about his past is revealed, that Courage's parents were unwillingly sent to the moon by a psychotic scientist in an experiment to make animals stronger. Courage also seems to have an odd ability to change his shape in a comic style, such as folding himself up to go through the letter slot or imitating a monster in a vain attempt to warn his owners of danger.
Eustace always resented Courage's presence in the home and continually attempts to scare the living daylights out of Courage by whipping out a giant green mask, or fake eyeballs, screaming "Ooga Booga Booga!" Afterwards, Eustace laughs at Courage's expense, until Muriel comically bludgeons Eustace over the head with a rolling pin to which he replies "What did I do?"
In the series, when Courage wants to save his family, he sometimes faces off the villain in a game (instead of typical feats of strength, the methods by which he tries to defeat villains is usually something mundane like dodge-ball or a staring contest, in which Courage always loses), convinces the villain to leave the life of crime, or tricks the villain.
== Characters ==
=== Courage ===
Courage (voiced by Howard Hoffman in the pilot, Marty Grabstein in the series) — A dog, the protagonist of the show. As stated in the opening credits, he was abandoned as a pup and left in an alley, where he was eventually found by Muriel Bagge. Though presented as a "cowardly dog," he acts as the reluctant hero whenever any supernatural forces threaten Muriel and Eustace.
Courage has the quality of never giving up. He has a compassionate side, often showing kindness and friendship to the creatures shunned by the rest of society. Courage speaks in average and standard English to the viewer, but when he wants to convey a message to the other characters of the series, he usually acts out the message while babbling in high-pitched incoherent gibberish. As the series progressed, instances of Courage speaking English grew less and less frequent.
The final episode of the series reveals Courage's origins. He lived with his parents as a pup until an evil veterinarian rocketed his parents to the moon as part of an experiment. Muriel found Courage soon after. This veterinarian later attempted to send Courage to the moon as well, but Courage thwarted him and sent the veterinarian instead. Courage's parents, along with other dogs that the veterinarian had sent to the moon, were shown at the end of the episode, ready to pummel the veterinarian.
Courage is recognizable for his scream of terror (often accompanied by exaggerated and grotesque visual images) and his catchphrases, "The things I do for love" and "... or my name's (something rather unusual). And it's not."
=== Muriel Bagge ===
Muriel Bagge (voiced by Howard Hoffman in the pilot, Thea White in the series) — Courage's owner; a kind, trusting, hospitable grandmotherly figure with a Scottish accent. She loves to cook, clean, sit in her old-fashioned rocking chair, and playing the sitar. She dearly loves her dog, Courage, and looks to him for protection.
In a typical episode, Muriel is captured or threatened in some way, and Courage is usually the one to rescue her. Muriel's cooking, no matter the actual dish, often features vinegar as a special ingredient; this appears as a gag in several episodes of the show.
In her youth, Murial had red hair, which would later turn white in her old age. She is unable to see without her glasses, and frequently assumes she is not in danger when she is without them.
=== Eustace Bagge ===
Eustace Bagge (voiced by Howard Hoffman in the pilot, Lionel Wilson in the series, later Arthur Anderson in the series, and by Wallace Shawn in "Fog of Courage") — Muriel's husband; a cruel, selfish, greedy, anti-social, bad-tempered farmer. Eustace dislikes Courage (whom he refers to as a "stupid dog") and often pulls cruel jokes on him. A recurring gag in the series involves Eustace putting on a Swahili-like mask and yelling "Ooga Booga Booga!" to frighten Courage. His name may be a play on the phrase "Useless Bag".
Eustace is given a generally negative characterization. He will do just about anything for money — except, it seems, grow anything on his farm. He spends a lot of time sitting in his red recliner watching his dated television and reading his newspaper. He is unwilling to give up the recliner to anyone. His relationship with his elderly mother ("Ma") is strained, though this is largely in part due to his Mother's attitude and negligence on his upbringing. One noticeable exception to foul character is that he is shown to genuinly care for Muriel, though even this can bend to his greed and foul demeanour.
Eustace is bald and wears a maroon hat to hide it. He is very insecure about his baldness and will go to absurd lengths to retreive his hat should it be lost. His greed and need for affluence also knows no limits, leading to such things as selling out his own family for money or subjecting himself to horrific experiments for compensation.
== Prototype ==
There is an obscure Dilworth animated short, Smart Talk with Raisin - Pulling a Malade out of a Hat, that appeared on MTV's Liquid Television in Season 3, episode 1. It features a proto-Courage character named Hamilton as well as what can be considered a proto-Muriel, the titular Raisin, and a proto-Eustace, named Malcolm (who in this case is Raisin's misanthropic brother).
The premise of the short is that a young girl named Raisin has her own primetime show the format of which is unspecified but the implication is that it is a variety show. In the short, Raisin is encouraging her dog Hamilton to perform a magic trick for the show that involves him pulling a Malade from a hat. It is not explained until the end that the term 'Malade' refers to a teacher from Raisin and Malcolm's school whose surname is Malade.
The majority of the short involves Malcolm verbally abusing Hamilton and Raisin. Several stylistic features are seen in this short that mark it as Dilworth's work, and several characteristics of Courage are seen in Hamilton. For example, Hamilton does not speak, and is timid and non-confrontational in the face of Malcolm's overt hostility. Their appearance is also similar although a key difference is that Hamilton's left eye is drawn elongated in a style similar to some secondary characters in the Courage series. This short does not appear on any official Liquid Television DVD, and is not listed in Dilworth's filmography on IMDB. However, it is currently viewable on Dilworth's Stretch Films site.
== Series Overview ==
series overview
Season: 	episodes: 	premiere: 	finale:
Pilot 	Pilot 	February 18th, 1996 	February 18th, 1996
1 	13 	November 12th, 1999 	July 14th, 2000
2 	13 	October 31st, 2000 	January 11th, 2002
3 	13 	November 16th, 2001 	August 9th, 2002
4 	13 	September 6th, 2002 	November 22nd, 2002
CGI TV special	CGI TV special	October 31st, 2014 (Asia)	October 31st, 2014 (Asia)
== Fog of Courage ==
On Halloween 2014, an 3D-animated special "Fog of Courage", directed by Dillworth, aired on Cartoon Network Southeast Asia. The special, initially created as a pilot for a potential new series, did not air outside of Asia, but is freely available on Youtube for other territories. Though Gibstein and White returned to voice Courage and Muriel, Wallace Shawn replaced Arthur Anderson as the voice of Eustace in the special, with no recordings of Wilson being used.
== Before Courage ==
On a comment of a Facebook post, John R. Dilworth said that a prequel revival series called Before Courage was planned to be on Boomerang. However, on May 2020, Dilworth was asked about the project on Twitter, he responded with "It somehow transformed into another thing...".
== Fake 2019 reboot hoax ==
On June 2nd, 2018, there was a another rumor claiming that a rebooted version of Courage the Cowardly Dog is set to premiere in sometime in 2019, but the premiere date that was listed on the teaser image (which also featured a redesign for Courage) was February 30th of that same year. The month of February not being allowed to have a 30th day confirmed that the reboot is indeed false; much like the Ed, Edd n Eddy reboot, the original article of this hoax also came from the exact same FaceBook page not made by Cartoon Network (it is obviously another reason of how this reboot had a confirmation to be fake). The name of the Facebook page who posted these two articles is called The Old Cartoon Network, and it also reminded the viewers to double check the premiere date to see if it is real or not.
== Appearances in other media ==
Courage appeared in the MAD episode, Once Upon a Toon, as one of the Cartoon Network characters who lost their identy.
Muriel appeared in the Villainous special, The Lost Cases of Elmore.
Courage made a cameo in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode, Crossover Nexus. In the episode, he appeared as one of the Cartoon Network heroes that were summoned and defeated by Strike.
Muriel made a background appearance in the Adult Swim proof of concept video, Come and Learn with Pibby!
In the We Baby Bears episode, Doll's House, the Bagge farmhouse makes an appearance on Panda's phone.
The series was acknowledged in the Cartoon Network 30th Anniversary video in October 2022.
Courage made an appearance in the Teen Titans Go! crossover special, Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary.
=== Appearances in video game crossovers ===
Courage was a playable character in the video games, Cartoon Network: Speedway and Cartoon Network: Block Party, both released for the GameBoy Advance.
Courage, Muriel, and Eustace were playable racers in Cartoon Network Racing for Playstation 2 and Nintendo DS.
Courage was an NPC in the MMO online game, Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall.
Courage appeared as an NPC in the mobile game, Cartoon Network: Match Land. In a later update, he became an official playable character.
The Mask (from the episode of the same name) appeared as wardrobe in the mobile game, Kleptocats: Cartoon Network.
== Home media ==
DVD releases:
* Season 1 (July 20th, 2010)
* Season 2 (October 14th, 2014)
* Season 3 (March 22nd, 2016)
* Season 4 (September 27th, 2016)
* The Complete Series (October 2nd, 2018)
All 4 seasons are available on iTunes and Amazon Prime.
The series was released on the Boomerang streaming service in 2017.
Courage the Cowardly Dog was added to HBO Max on January 1st, 2021, along with Ed, Edd n Eddy, Codename: Kids Next Door, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, and Long Live the Royals.
The series was released on Max on May 23, 2023.
== Episodes ==
* Main article: Courage the Cowardly Dog/Episodes
== Broadcast History ==
=== USA ===
* Cartoon Network (original run: 1999-2002. re-runs: 2002-2005, 2006-2011, 2012-2013, 2015, 2021, 2022)
* Boomerang (reruns: 2009–2015, 2018-2019)
* Adult Swim (reruns: 2023-2024)
== Gallery ==
File:Courage Promotional VHS.jpeg|Promotional VHS
81go4kL9hgL. AC SL1500 .jpg|Season 1 DVD
S-l500.jpg|Season 2 DVD
File:CouragetheCowardlyDogSeason3DVD.jpeg|Season 3 DVD release
File:CouragetheCowardlyDogSeason4DVDcover.jpeg|Season 4 DVD release
File:Courage Complete Series DVD.jpeg|The Complete Series DVD
File:CourageSeason1iTunescover.jpg|Season 1 iTunes cover
File:CourageSeason2iTunescover.jpg|Season 2 iTunes cover
File:CourageSeason3iTunescover.jpg|Season 3 iTunes cover
File:CourageSeason4iTunescover.jpg|Season 4 iTunes cover
Courage the Cowardly Dog Volume 3 Apple TV.jpg|Volume 3 Apple TV cover
File:CouragetheCowardlyDogVolume4AppleTVcover.jpg|Volume 4 Apple TV cover
File:CouragetheCowardlyDogCN30thAnniversaryiTunesCover.jpg|The Complete Series Cartoon Network 30th Anniversary iTunes cover
Courage the Cowardly Dog HBO Max cover.jpg|HBO Max cover
File:CourageHorizontalHBOMaxcover.jpeg|Horizontal HBO Max cover
FFCourage.jpg|Courage's biography picture in FusionFall
Nano Courage.jpg|Courage's nano icon in FusionFall
File:CouragetheCowardlyDogFunkoPop.jpg|Courage Funko Pop
File:Courage in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary music video.jpeg|Courage in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary music video 
File:Courage in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary poster.jpeg|Courage in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary poster
File:One of the Duck Brother’s in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary poster.jpeg|One of the Duck Brother's in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary poster
File:Courage as stone in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode, Crossover Nexus.jpeg|Courage as stone in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode, Crossover Nexus
File:Bagge Farmhouse cameo in We Baby Bears.jpeg|The Bagge Farmhouse cameo in the We Baby Bears episode, Doll's House
File:Courage, Muriel, and Eustace in the 1996 Pilot.jpeg|Courage, Muriel, and Eustace's appearance in the 1996 pilot
File:Courage, Eustace, and Muriel in the Fog of Courage.png|Courage, Muriel, and Eustace's appearance in the 2014 CGI short, The Fog of Courage
File:CourageTitansVinylFigure.jpeg|3D render of Titans Vinyl Figure from 2017
File:CourageCompleteSeriesAppleTVcover.jpeg|The Complete Series Apple TV cover
File:CouragetheCowardlyDogKidsPakToyspromo.jpeg|Subway Kids Pak toy promo
File:CourageTitansVinylFigurereal.jpeg|Titans Vinyl Figure of Courage
File:CourageMatchLand.jpeg|Courage originally as a boardwalk customer in Cartoon Network: Match Land
File:CouragetheCowardlyDogBoomerangstreamingservicebanner.jpeg
File:CourageCompleteSeriesDVDbackcover.jpeg|The Complete Series DVD back cover
File:CourageSeason1DVDbackcover.jpeg|Season 1 DVD back cover
File:CouragehorizontalAmazonPrimecover.jpeg
File:CourageSeason2AustraliaDVD.jpeg|Season 2 DVD from Australia
File:CourageSeason2DVDbackcover.jpeg|Season 2 DVD back cover
File:CouragemessageboxiconFusionFall.jpeg|Courage's message box icon from FusionFall
File:CourageSeason3DVDbackcover.jpeg|Season 3 DVD back cover
File:CourageSeason4DVDbackcover.jpeg|Season 4 DVD back cover
File:Couragecollectiblepin.jpeg|Courage collectible pin
File:KingRamsescollectiblepin.jpeg|King Ramses collectible pin
File:NowhereFusionFall.jpeg|Nowhere as it appears in FusionFall
File:CourageCNartstylessocialmediaposts.jpeg|social media post featuring Courage in different Cartoon Network art styles
File:Courage the Cowardly Dog.png|Courage's Now/Then icon from the City era
File:CourageSeason1Disc1MainMenu.jpeg|Season 1 Disc 1 Main Menu
File:CourageSeason1Disc1Episodeselection.jpeg|Season 1 Disc 1 episode selection
File:CourageSeason1Disc1Setup.jpeg|Season 1 Disc 1 Setup
File:ScoobyDooandtheToonTourofMysteriesDisc3.jpeg|Disc 3 of Scooby Doo and the Toon Tour of Mysteries focusing on Courage the Cowardly Dog
File:CourageStyleGuide.jpeg|Style Guide
File:Screen Shot 2016-01-18 at 8.52.24 AM.png|Courage's icon from the Fall era
File:Courage Yes Icon.png|Courage's Now/Then icon from the Yes! era
File:CourageFusionFallmodel.jpeg|Model of Courage's appearance from FusionFall
File:CourageFusionFallnanomodel.jpeg|The Courage nano's model from FusionFall
== Trivia ==
*Courage the Cowardly Dog is the first children's cartoon to have a character being choked for longer than 5 seconds.
*Courage the Cowardly Dog was the last original Cartoon Network series to premiere in the 1990s.
*Courage's dialogue decreased after the first season. This is because the creators at Cartoon Network thought Courage "talked too much" and wanted his dialogue cut short.
*Courage the Cowardly Dog was one of the first two original Cartoon Network Shows to be added to the Cartoon Cartoon Fridays block line-up, the other one being Mike, Lu & Og (which aired right before Courage).
*While the show's CGI short, The Fog of Courage, only aired in Asia. It was officially mentioned by Cartoon Network USA on social media on October 2022.
*The crossover with Scooby Doo, Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby Doo meets Courage the Cowardly Dog, was originally pitched as an episode of Scooby Doo and Guess Who?
*On the Boomerang streaming service, each 11 minute segment of the series were separated into individual episodes, same thing happened with Codename: Kids Next Door, Camp Lazlo, and My Gym Partner's a Monkey.
*It is also the fifth Cartoon Network Original series that was never made by Cartoon Network Studios, the first three being Big Bag, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, Ed, Edd n Eddy, and Mike, Lu & Og.
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