Disney Channel is producing a new animated series titled Special Agent Oso to air during its preschool block, Playhouse Disney. The show will feature the voice of Academy Award-nominee Sean Astin from the Lord of the Rings trilogy as the voice of a teddy bear named Oso, a bumbling, lovable, special agent-in-training who enlists the help of viewers at home to complete his missions.
Special Agent Oso pays homage to the James Bond and Pink Panther films Oso does his best to serve U.N.I.Q.U.E. (United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events), an international organization of stuffed animals charged with helping kids accomplish everyday tasks such as mailing a letter, cleaning their rooms and learning how to use the library. Young viewers will learn to use their observational skills and cognitive abilities to organize and break down everyday tasks in three easy steps, just as Oso does on his assignments.
Each half-hour episode will consist of two 11-minute adventures featuring such Bond-like titles as ‘Gold Feather,’ ‘Live and Let Ride,’ ‘A View to a Book’ and ‘Carousel Royale.’ At the beginning of each story, the unseen Mister Dos provides Oso with an assignment and checklist. In addition to getting help form viewers at home, Oso relies on special vehicles, gadgets and his computerized sidekick, Paw Pilot, a paw-shaped communication device featuring the face and voice of a cheerful, bubbly girl.
Created and exec produced by Ford Riley (The Land Before Time, Higglytown Heroes), the Walt Disney Television Animation production blends digital cut-out, 3D, Photoshop and Flash animation. The show is directed and co-exec produced by Jamie Mitchell (The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Little Mermaid, Hey)
Astin, who made his feature film debut in Steven Spielberg’s The Goonies, is no stranger to animation. He lent his voice to Craig Bartlett’s 2004 Cartoon Network telepic Party Wagon, as well as the direct-to-video feature Balto lII: Wings of Change and the English-language version of M6 films’ 2006 French animated feature Asterix and the Vikings. He also voiced a role in the Disney video game Kingdom Hearts and previously worked with Riley on an episode of Higglytown Heroes. Joining him in the Oso cast is Phill Lewis (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) as Special Agent Wolfie, a senior agent and master of disguise who often assists Oso on his missions.
