Inspector Gadget

> Don't worry, Chief, I'm always on duty.
>
> Gadget

**Inspector Gadget** is a science fiction comedy animated series co-created by Bruno Bianchi, Andy Heyward, DIC's founder Jean Chalopin, and syndicated by DIC Entertainment (originally when they were called DiC Audiovisuel). The series stars the voice of Don Adams as the titular character, and first premiered on September 12, 1983. It is the first cartoon show to be syndicated by DIC, who specifically created the series to help expand into the North American market, and the first animated series to be presented in stereo sound. The program originally ran from 1983 to 1986, broadcasting 86 episodes over two seasons, and remained in syndication into the late 1990s. The show revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, dim-witted detective named Inspector Gadget - a cyborg human with various bionic gadgets built into his body - who is sent on missions to thwart plans by his nemesis Dr. Claw, the leader of an evil organization known as "M.A.D.", unknowingly being assisted by his niece Penny and their dog Brain.

## Premise

Inspector Gadget, the titular character of the series, is a world-famous cyborg police inspector who works for a secret police organization that combats crime across the globe, with each of his missions focused on thwarting the criminal schemes of M.A.D. (which stands for **M**ean **A**nd **D**irty)- a criminal organization led by the nefarious Dr. Claw, and conducted by his agents. Missions that he undertakes often occur in a foreign locale, or within the fictional city of Metro City. Despite the fact that Inspector Gadget is equipped with numerous gadgets to help him, including a personal vehicle that can morph between a family minivan to a compact police car, he is ultimately incompetent and clueless on each mission, often uses a gadget that he did not call for, and is sometimes prone to causing trouble inadvertently for those around him - an example of this is a running gag, inspired by the "self-destruct" message, in which Inspector Gadget is given briefing messages from his boss Chief Quimby, who primarily hands them to him while in disguise, only to have them unintentionally returned to him before they detonate.

In reality, the investigations are often conducted by Inspector Gadget's niece Penny, who secretly operates behind the scenes to thwart M.A.D.'s plot and ensure that her uncle remains out of harm's way, as Dr. Claw frequently instructs his agents to get rid of Inspector Gadget before he can stop them. Even though Inspector Gadget is incompetent, he always escapes danger due to luck, either from a misfired gadget, or from the secret assistance of the family dog Brain, who usually shadows him in disguise; on most occasions, his disguise often causes Inspector Gadget to chase him on the mistaken belief that he is a M.A.D. agent. While Penny remains in contact with Brain during her investigation, she is often placed in danger and either escapes by recalling Brain to help or using her own technology. Despite the pair's involvement, both make certain that Inspector Gadget is seen to have completed the mission in Quimby's opinion; in some cases, Inspector Gadget actually completes a mission, though usually through his own luck. Dr. Claw always vows revenge on Inspector Gadget for thwarting his schemes and flees the scene on most occasions having been on-site to oversee his plans.

## Trivia

* Like many cartoons made in the 1980s, Inspector Gadget always ended almost every episode with a public service announcement advising how to handle a situation, such as the danger of dealing with strangers.
* The theme song was sampled in the song "The Show" by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick and "Rockin' to the P.M." by Raw Fusion on the album Live from the Styleetron. It was also sampled on "I'll Be Your Everything," performed by Youngstown, which served as the theme song for Disney's 1999 live-action film (co-produced by DIC themselves).
* His attire resembles that of Inspector Clouseau from the *Pink Panther* franchise. Also, In the pilot episode, Gadget had a mustache that is similar in appearance to Clouseau's. This was quickly soon removed to avoid a lawsuit by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
* The show has spawned a lot of sequel series and spin-offs, the most recent one being the reboot series of the same name that premiered in most countries in 2015, on Boomerang (non-US) and Netflix (US). Despite being a "Netflix Original", the reboot has aired on traditional linear TV on Universal Kids.