Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman
Genre	Children's game show Reality television Comedy
Created by	Kate Taylor
Developed by	WGBH Boston
Written by	Glen Berger Jim Conroy
Directed by	Clifford Saito Adam Dalley Joe Truesdell Peter Lyons Wayne Simpson Dean Raymond Robert V. Lange Chris Whitbeck
Presented by	Jim Conroy
Starring	List of contestants
Voices of	Jim Conroy
Narrated by	Jim Conroy
Theme music composer	Terry Tompkins, Rocco Gagliese, Steve D'Angelo for Eggplant LLC
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	100 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Kate Taylor
Producer(s)	Paul Serafini Marcy Gunther Eric Handler Alan Catello Grazioso
Production location(s)	Boston, Massachusetts, and other parts of the USA
Editor(s)	Jessica Rueter Andrews Lisa Wolf Kathryn Farrelly Jennifer Lorenz Joe Headrick Arnie Harchik John Warren Mark Geffen Maureen Barillaro Karen Silverstein Cherry Enoki James Rutenback
Camera setup	Mark C. Helton Dan Lang Stephen McCarthy Ken Willinger Multi-camera (For Studio Segments)
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	WGBH-TV
Distributor	WGBH-TV
Release
Original network	PBS Kids
Picture format	480i (4:3 SDTV) (2006–2008) 1080i ( HDTV) (2009–2010)
First shown in	United States
Original release	May 29, 2006 (2006-05-29) – November 4, 2010 (2010-11-04)
Chronology
Followed by	The Ruff Ruffman Show

Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman (sometimes shortened as Fetch!) is an American live-action/animated television series that was on PBS Kids Go!. It is a reality-game show that is hosted by an animated anthropomorphic dog named Ruff Ruffman who dispenses challenges to the show's real-life contestants. The series ran for five seasons and 100 episodes from May 29, 2006, to November 4, 2010, on PBS, with 30 contestants in that time. Although a sixth season was planned, with auditions taking place in January 2010, WGBH announced on June 14, 2010, that the series would end due to lack of funding. In June 2008, the series received its first Emmy for Best Original Song for its theme. It previously aired reruns on the 24-hour PBS Kids Channel from 2017 to 2018.

Studio G set

Studio G is the studio for Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman. Three segments of the show take place in the studio – the intro, halftime quiz show, and "Triumph Tally". In season 1, the contestants recognized that Studio G looked like a garage and asked Ruff why, which in the episode, really annoyed Ruff and told them it was not a garage and that it was "Studio G". Over the course of the show's five seasons, the studio changed. For season 1 and 2, the studio was relatively unaltered, but sizable changes were made to the studio for season 3. The television through which the contestants communicate with Ruff was changed to a more current flat screen TV, and Ruff's owner parked her car, a dusty Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, in the studio. A flamingo and trees as well as a "Studio G" sign and a "wall of fame" displaying past Fetch! contestant season winners were added to the studio in season 2. In season 4, a new remote control mailbox was placed on the TV Screen, which popped out when a challenge was in the mailbox. Season 5's major renovation occurred during the season finale – it became the Go Get It! studio (Studio P), and was a remodeled version of the Studio G set with new carpeting and pink chairs.

Characters

Synopsis

Fetch! is a reality-based game show where young contestants (ages 10–14) take on various challenges to gain points. During these challenges, the contestants must complete a variety of tasks assigned to them ahead of time (and on the fly) by Ruff and surrogates, depending on the situation. There is also an educational component, as contestants often must learn something (i.e. Astronomy, Carpentry, Engineering, Food Science, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, etc.) in order to complete the task.

Not all contestants leave the studio each episode to complete tasks. "As determined by the Fetch 3000" (according to Ruff), the contestants who remain behind in the studio participate in the "Half-Time Quiz Show", in which Ruff asks them up to ten questions with the limited time based on the activities of the contestants out on challenges. Out on challenges, contestants will have the potential to earn up to 100 points. The contestants in the studio will have a chance to win a maximum of 50 in the "Half-Time Quiz Show". The show has a Fetch Fairness Guarantee; that every contestant will "compete for the same number of points" through thirteen challenges and six "Half-time Quiz Shows" before the final episode. Additionally, Ruff assigns "Bone-us" points (usually 5 or 10, but sometimes 15 or 20) to the stand-out contestants. On rare occasions, there is the possibility to earn more than 100 points (outside of any bonuses). The record for most points earned in one episode was 125, by Brian, Noah, and Khalil in episode 5, season 1. In Season 4, contestants are able to have 1/2 points (i.e. 5151⁄2 points). At the end of the season, a final point tally is conducted, with the winner of the tally being declared winner of that season to win the "Grand Prize" and will get a poster and put it on the Fetch Wall of Fame.

Prizes are not always desirable, and sometimes the prize holder winds up with a "booby prize"; for example, in "Good Dancing and Bad Breath", Anna and Brian had to dance a waltz in the studio. During the first season, the contestant had the choice of keeping the prize or giving it to a fellow contestant. During the remaining four seasons, there are two unknown prizes between which the winner chooses. The chosen prize may be "mailed" to the mailbox in Studio G, although occasionally large prizes are hidden elsewhere on the set. In one episode of Season 2, Rosario gave his prize to Nina. In a season 4 episode, Sterling returned his prize to the mailbox.

Ruff Ruffman: Humble Media Genius

Later, in May 2014, a new spin-off was announced, called Ruff Ruffman: Humble Media Genius. This spin-off debuted in Fall 2014 and features short animations of Ruff Ruffman, focusing on internet safety.

Episodes:

1. "Texting and You!" (November 2014)
2. "Photos and You!" (November 2014)
3. "Searching and You!" (November 2014)
4. "Technology and You!" (November 2014)
5. "Technology and You! Bonus Video: Chicken Island" (January 2015)
6. "Hang Up and Drive!" (July 2015)
7. "Hang Up and Drive! Bonus Video: Just Drive!" (July 2015)
8. "Privacy and You!" (January 2016)
9. "Privacy and You!: Deleted Scene" (January 2016)
10. "The Internet and Chet" (March 2016)
11. "Say! Cheese?" (May 2016)
12. "Getting the Most From the Internet" (June 2016)
13. "An Orange Dog Goes Green" (January 2017)

The Ruff Ruffman Show

On July 30, 2017, PBS Kids and WGBH announced that Ruff Ruffman along with his two assistants Blossom and Chet will be making a comeback in a new digital series called The Ruff Ruffman Show, where they answer questions from real kids, take on challenges and learns the value of perseverance—all while modeling science inquiry skills. The digital series premiered on September 28, 2017.

Team Hamster!

On December 15, 2020, a web series called Team Hamster! premiered. It is a spin-off focusing on Ruff Ruffman's hamsters - Sadie, Mateo, and Tasha. The series also ties-in with games on the PBS KIDS website.

Cancelled spinoff

Spyhounds

WGBH and Global Mechanic had announced plans to produce a spin-off of Fetch! based on the online game Spyhounds. It would feature Ruff, Blossom, and Chet having a new career as super-spies, and Ruff is in way over his head. Luckily, he has much help: five clever kids, a purple poodle named Trixie, and millions of kids online. The spinoff plans were announced but were later canceled.

Auditions

To audition for the program, potential contestants were required to be between the ages of 10 and 14 by the first day of shooting, and be able to live in the greater Boston area over the summer, during school vacations, and a few weekends during the school year. FETCHers needed to be filmed without missing school. Auditions were handled by Maura Tighe Casting.

Awards

Fetch! has received numerous awards over the years.

• APEX 2009: Grand Award for The Ruff Guide to Science
• U.S. International Film and Video Festival 2009: "Certificate for Creative Excellence" in the Children's Programming category
• 2009 Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Children's Series, Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series, Outstanding Achievement in Main Title and Graphic Design
• iParenting Media Award 2009: Winner – Television "2009 Best Products"
• Parents' Choice Awards 2009: Silver Honor Winner: TV show
• WorldFest Houston 2009: Gold Remi Award "TV Series – Family/Children"
• WorldFest Houston 2009: Platinum Remi Award "TV Series – Family/Children"
• MITX Award 2008: Winner – Best Kids, 'Tweens and Teens site
• 2008 Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Original Song – Children's And Animation – Fetch! Theme Song
• 2008 Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series, Outstanding Original Song – Children's And Animation – Fetch! Theme Song, Outstanding Achievement in Single Camera Editing
• U.S. International Film and Video Festival 2008: First Place "Gold Camera Award" in the Children's Programming category
• Clarion Award 2008 Competition: Winner – Television Special Audience Program
• Parents' Choice Awards 2008: Silver Honor Winner: Web site, Recommended Award Winner: TV show
• WorldFest Houston: Gold Remi Award for "TV Series – Family/Children"
• iParenting Media Award 2008: Winner – Television "2008 Best Products"
• PRIX JEUNESSE 2008 Festival: Runner-Up Fourth Place – Ages 7–11 Non-Fiction
• New York Festival International 2008: Bronze World Medal in Youth programs
• 2007 Daytime Emmy Nominations: Performer in an Animated Series, Original Song – Fetch! Theme Song
• U.S. International Film and Video Festival 2007: Second Place "Silver Screen Award" in the Children's Programming category
• Clarion Award 2007 Competition: Winner – Television Special Audience Program
• Parents' Choice Awards: 2007 Gold Award Winner
• WorldFest Houston: Bronze Remi Award for "TV Series – Family/Children"