| As Told by Ginger | |
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| Genre | Comedy Teen drama |
| Format | Animated series |
| Created by | Hugh Hefner |
| Directed by | Mark Risley |
| Starring | Melissa Disney Kenny Blank Jeannie Elias Liz Georges Jackie Harris Aspen Miller Tress MacNeille Cree Summer Laraine Newman Kath Soucie Adam Wylie Sandy Fox |
| Opening theme | "I'm in Between" performed by Macy Gray Written by Jared Faber and Emily Kapnek |
| Composer(s) | Jared Faber |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 60 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 24 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Klasky-Csupo |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Nickelodeon Nicktoons Network The N[1] |
| Original run | October 25, 2000 – November 21, 2009 |
As Told by Ginger is an American teen drama animated series that was produced by Klasky-Csupo and aired on Nickelodeon from 2000 to 2009. The series focuses on a middle schooler (and later high schooler) Ginger Foutley who, with her friends, tries to become more than a social geek.[2] There are many subplots that focus on Carl Foutley, Ginger's brother and Ginger's mother, Lois. The series was noted for its storylines, character development and the fact that the characters change outfits each time a new day comes.
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The show focuses mainly on the life of junior high school student Ginger Foutley. She, along with her friends, Darren Patterson, Dodie Bishop and Macie Lightfoot, all try to rise from the position of school geeks as they solve many conflicts that come their way. Luckily for Ginger, the most popular girl in school, Courtney Gripling, has taken a liking to her and often includes her in her social plans. She is intrigued by her 'gingerisms', as Courtney calls them. However, Miranda Killgallen, Courtney's right-hand woman, makes sure that she is not bumped down from her position thanks to Ginger. At home, Ginger records her lively adventures in her diary. Her little brother, Carl, is often scheming with Robert-Joseph ("Hoodsey") Bishop in his own side plots, and her mother, Lois, is always there for advice to which Ginger is always open to listen. The series takes place in the fictional town of Sheltered Shrubs, located in Connecticut. It is very rare for a children's program, especially an animated one, to be set in a specific area of the country. Sheltered Shrubs is actually based on the real town of Larchmont, New York. Other towns noted in the series are Protected Pines, a gated community in which Courtney lives, Brittle Branches, where Ginger's father resides, and Heathered Hills, the town of Ginger's summer camp crush, Sasha.
As Told by Ginger has been recognized by fans and Nickelodeon alike for its character development, most of which is unusual for a cartoon.
In the first season, Ginger's age group is hinted as being in seventh grade. By the second season, they move up to eight grade rather than remaining the same age. They graduate Jr. high in the third season and move on to becoming freshmen in high school. Carl's age group works in a similar way, as they become Jr. high students by the third season. As the episode with the Jr. high graduation aired in 2004, even the show was aired in 2000, Ginger is most likely part of the class of 2006. Also in the second season, Darren had his unwieldy orthodontia that he had been wearing for the entire first season removed, which resulted in rising popularity. Also, many episodes (mostly seasons two-three, although season one did this too) have references to previous episodes, giving the episodes a definite order.
One of the more noticeable developments is the fact that the characters change clothes each time a new day comes. Many cartoons have their characters remain in the same outfits to save time and money. The girls in Ginger's age group (Dodie, Courtney, Macie, Miranda, and Ginger herself) and some of the adults were the only ones to do this at first. But after Darren got his orthodontia removed, he changed clothes as well. Carl's age group only changes clothes so often, most of the time with little changes. Hoodsey's coat rack has identical purple hooded-sweatshirts, mocking cartoons that always remain in the same outfits. Also, unlike live-action shows whose characters only wear an outfit once, As Told By Ginger characters wear their outfits in rotation, and new outfits are added every few episodes.
The show also deals with several deeper themes. In "Wicked Game", Ginger's two best friends betray her after feeling jealousy toward her new boyfriend, Darren. In "And She Was Gone", the staff and students at school think Ginger is depressed after she writes a disturbing poem. In the episode "No Hope for Courtney", Carl's pranks cause his teacher to retire. After she agrees to come back, Mrs. Gordon passes on. In actuality, the voice actress, Kathleen Freeman died and the episode was dedicated to her. "A Lesson in Tightropes" has Ginger going through an emotional break-up with Darren while, at the same time, having to get surgery for acute appendicitis. Furthermore, the episode "Stuff'll Kill Ya" shows Ginger dealing with what could be conceived as a caffeine addiction.
Sixty episodes plus one pilot episode were produced for the show.
The pilot for the show was completed in September 1999. The show premiered the following October on Nickelodeon. The show was greatly popular at first, even making its way into the teenager-aimed block TEENick. After the second season, the show's popularity began to decline, partially due to constant scheduling changes. Nickelodeon then took the show off the air after airing less than half the episodes of the third and final season. The show was a part of the Nicktoons channel since its inception in 2002, and started airing the remaining third season episodes in November 2004, when "Ten Chairs" premiered. The "high school" episodes were slated to premiere during November 2006, but only one, "Stuff'll Kill Ya" aired. The remaining episodes eventually premiered on Nicktoons during 2008-2009, but the series is no longer aired on the channel.
| Network | Time | In effect |
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| Nickelodeon | Wednesdays at 8 pm | October 2000-January 2001 |
| Nickelodeon | Sundays 7:30 pm | January 2001-June 2003 |
| Nick on CBS | Saturday mornings | September 2002-January 2003 |
| Nickelodeon | Selected Weekday Mornings | November 2005 |
| Nicktoons | Weekday mornings | November 2006-May 2007 |
| Nicktoons | Sunday and Monday mornings | May 2007-July 2007 |
| Nickelodeon | Monday mornings | August 2007 |
| Nicktoons | Monday - Saturday mornings | October 2007- March 2008 |
| Nickelodeon | 6am Tuesdays | March 2008 |
| Nicktoons | 4:00am Monday - Friday mornings | March 2008 - January or February 2009 |
| Four (New Zealand TV Channel) | Every Morning 7.30am and later Sunday - Friday Mornings 7.30am | 7 February 2011 - 13 April 2011 |
| Indus Vision | Daily 5.30pm | August 2003-November 2004 |
Originally, Melissa Disney, who voices Ginger, sang the theme song. Before the show's first airing, the theme song was switched to a version sung by Cree Summer, the voice of Miranda. The first half of the first season used this theme song version. After that, all episodes used a new version sung by R&B artist Macy Gray. Although the Melissa Disney version has never been used in American airings, all three versions are featured regularly in other English-speaking countries.
The closing credits are generally designed backgrounds with the show's signature font. These backgrounds include the ice cream cones from Ginger's bedroom walls, ladybugs from Dodie's bedroom walls, pencils, lizards and more. The ending theme is most often an instrumental version of the theme, although there have been exceptions.The episode "Never Can Say Goodbye" ended with a song called "Wrong", sung by voice actor Kenny Blank as Darren Patterson and "And She Was Gone" ended with a musical version of Ginger's poem during the credits. The episode "Come Back Little Seal Girl" featured the songs "Courtney's World" and "The Little Seal Girl" blended together. In "About Face", a song called "Diamonds Are Expensive", presumably sung by the engaged Lois and Dr. Dave is played over the credits. "Next Question" ended with "The Teen Seal Girl" song. Finally, the episode "No Hope For Courtney", had no music during the credits, being dedicated to the memory of Kathleen Freeman.
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