Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? (partially lost unreleased original voice audio and unfinished/unknown Cartoon Network animated series episodes; 2002-2003): Difference between revisions

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{| style="margin: auto;"
{{InfoboxLost
|[[File:Lmwtan cleanup.png|frameless|300px|link=LMW-tan]]
|title=<center>Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? (Rare/Unreleased Original Voice Audio and Unfinished/Unknown Episodes)</center>
|This article has been tagged as <span style="color:blue">'''Needing work'''</span> due to its lack of organization.
|image=RobotJonesTitle.png
|}{{#ev:dailymotion|http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsq1cy_robot-jones-pu-to-p-e-original-voice_fun|320x240|right|The only original Macintosh dub of the ''Robot Jones'' episodes to be found online.|frame}}
|imagecaption=Opening title card to Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones?
'''''Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones?''''' is one of the most short-lived Cartoon Cartoons, running for only a year in two seasons (12 episodes and a pilot with 27 segments) from 2002-2003. And while it's by no means the most coveted Cartoon Network show (all of its episodes are available online through Vimeo), what's most notably missing are the original dubs for the show's pilot and episodes, and some unfinished and unknown episodes. The show originally had synthetic robot audio for the voice of its titular character (as well as for other characters and parts of the show), and contrary to popular belief, it wasn't Macintosh Macintalk's Junior speech (and not a lawsuit from Apple to cause its removal from the show), but actually the Junior speech for Word 98's text to speech function, as the creator Greg Miller revealed, among other things, in a [https://www.facebook.com/OperationRobotJones/posts/555286887825999 Facebook interview]. He wanted a true synthetic robot voice and did a ton of reasearch into such programs when starting the show, even talking to the people at Bell Laboratories about different speech synthesizers and going with the Word program because of its specialized controls like speed, pitch emphasis and so on. He even did all of Robot Jones audio himself, importing it from the scripts, spelling them phonetically to get them right and tweaking pitch and other post-processing to get the "acting" right. But after the first couple of episodes, the executives were freaked out by how 'weird' the voice was, and requested a voice that was more 'Hollywood', so Robot Jones' automated voice was replaced by an actual child voice actor (Bobby Block) in Season 2. And not only that, but the pilot and the older episodes were redubbed with the newer voice actor as well. They even had audio for the Season 2 episodes recorded, but because the change happened during the production of those episodes, the audio was never mixed into the final prints.
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
}}


In addition, one of the later-redubbed episodes ("Growth Spurts") had a new minor edit covering over a minor mention of "Kick Ass" to just "Kick", obviously because of minor cussing in a children's TV show.
'''''Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones?''''' is a 'Cartoon Cartoon' that ran for two seasons from 2002 to 2003 on Cartoon Network. The series consisted of 13 shows with two episodes per show and filled a 30 minute time slot. The cartoon was notable for its style, mimicking cartoons produced in the early 80s in addition to many references and plots devices based on fads of the era. For example: an episode based on the Rubik's Cube series of puzzle boxes. Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? was produced using tradition cel animation when most productions had moved on to computerized animation, furthering the style that was desired. The series was released to praise from critics for its unique animation style.
 
=Plot=
Robot Jones is a young robot tasked by his parents to attend a middle school for humans so that he may study them. Initally, Jones is hesitant to do so as he find humans 'inefficient'. After 'dad-unit' has his say, Jones begins life as a typical middle school student with a light bulb for a head. He quickly finds fitting in to be very difficult as most of the school finds him strange, including the students, teachers, and especially a technophobic principal. Shortly after blowing a fuse in front the entire school, Jones loses all will to study humans, until he falls for a mess of a girl in an overly exaggerated set of braces with a metal leg and instantly changes his attitude on the matter. Humans are now interesting creatures that desire 'further study'. As the series progresses Jones confronts typical middle school issues such as love, fads, bullies, and Physical Education.
 
=The Voice=
For the first season of Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? the titular character had a computer-generated voice that stood out amongst the other characters' voices (with the exception of Jones' parents, also using computer-generated voices). Series creator Greg Miller has stated that he wanted a true synthetic robot voice and researched a lot of speech programs when starting the show, even discussing the topic with Bell Laboratories. Contrary to popular belief, Jones' voice was not produced with Macintosh Macintalk's Junior Speech, but was actually produced using Microsoft Word 98's Junior Speech text-to-speech function. Miller confirms this in a facebook interview. He chose Word because of its controls in speed and pitch. Miller created the Jones audio himself, even spelling each word phonetically for it to be pronounced correctly and adjusting the pitch to get the "acting" right. The executives at the Cartoon Network found the voice unusual and requested a more 'hollywood' voice for Jones. This led to Jones's being voiced by an actual voice actor (Bobby Block) at the start of Season 2. In addition, the Pilot and older episodes were re-dubbed using Block's voice for re-runs of the series. Episodes containing the original computer-generated voice are currently being sought after by fans of the series. The voice change was made early in production of Season 2, but Miller claims to possess a few VHS work prints of Season 2 episodes using the computer-generated voice.
 
=Other Lost Aspects=
In addition to the original Jones voice, several small aspects of Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? are now lost as well. The Season One episode "Growth Spurts" was edited in later airing to remove a poster in the background containing the phrase 'Kick Ass', changing the phrase to simply 'Kick'. Three episodes are believed to have been put into production before the series was cancelled. The first would have been about the history of robotics, possibly explaining a little more about this robot-assimilated society the series revolves around. The second, called the 'Talk Show' episode, would have had Robot Jones appear on a parody of the Oprah Winfrey show (called the 'Soapy Winfall' show in-universe). Storyboards for this episode have been made available from series writer Chuck Klein's blogspot. Content of the third episode is unknown as of now. Miller claims "it was so long ago, I forget...". All episodes were storyboarded but never actually animated. Two episodes are also rumored to have existed as the fourteenth show of the series: "Risk" and "Robot Grafitti", potentially banned by the executives at the Cartoon Network for excessive violence, harsh language, and sexual and/or scatological jokes.


And on top of that, there were actually several episodes left unfinished, due to the show's cancellation. Three episodes, one being the history of robotics, one about Robot Jones going on the "Soapy Winfall" talk show and an unknown episode (as he cites "<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'lucidagrande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif;line-height:17px;">it was so long ago I forget..."</span>), were storyboarded but never animated. It can be assumed that the first episode could have revealed more of Robot Jones' family.
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
File:Obsession2.jpg|One of the storyboards of the alleged talk show episode (#1).
File:Obsession2.jpg|One of the storyboards of the alleged talk show episode (#1).
File:Obession3.jpg|One of the storyboards of the alleged talk show episode (#2).
File:Obession3.jpg|One of the storyboards of the alleged talk show episode (#2).
File:RARE_ROBOT_JONES_LUNCH_BOX.png|I found this one on Tumbler by pan-pizza thought it be cool to share :)
File:Robot_Jones_on_CCW_Summerfest.png|Robot Jones on CCW Summerfest
</gallery>
</gallery>


And finally, there are two episodes that are uncomfirmed to have existed: "Risk" and "Robot Grafitti". They were rumoured to have been banned by Cartoon Network to air in Season 2 as the fourteenth episode because of excessive violence, harsh language and sexual and/or scatological jokes.
So while it's just barely possible to find all of the episodes in varying degrees of quality, it's even more difficult to find all of the original cuts of the episodes. As for the never released audio and episodes, Miller claims to be in possession of VHS copies of work prints of the Season 2 (and maybe pre-Season 2) episodes with the original voice floating around somewhere, and while it apparently may be difficult to get any storyboards or concept art of the show from Miller, storyboards from the aforementioned talk show episode have been made available online from Chuck Klein's blogspot.
'''UPDATE (2/27/14):'''
3 episodes using the original audio were uploaded to YouTube, Making the total of episodes recovered up to 4; the uploader, CartoonArchive has stated that he may own more episodes using the original voice, but it is unknown. Additionally, on the exact same day, YouTube user '1mjusth3r3' uploaded some commercials from the show in its early days that also use the original voice.
'''UPDATE (7/20/16):'''


3 more episodes with the original voice were uploaded to Vimeo by user 'NickDanielsen'; although, they are filmed with a camera. They are [https://vimeo.com/174720752 Parents], [https://vimeo.com/173810197 Electric Bigaloo], and [https://vimeo.com/173806783 the pilot].
=Episode Availability=
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="vertical-align:top;horizontal-align:center;"
|<span style="font-size:80%">Episode</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Name</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Original Voice</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Bobby Block</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Episode</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Name</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Original Voice</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Bobby Block</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%"></span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Pilot</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/173806783 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129942747 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%"></span>
|<span style="font-size:80%"></span>
|<span style="font-size:80%"></span>
|<span style="font-size:80%"></span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E1A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Electric Boogaloo</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/173810197 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129767228 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E1B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">The Groovesicle</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/47405569 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E2A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Politics</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/180206626 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129942748 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E2B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Growth Spurts</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/175716351 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129805185 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E3A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">P.U. to P.E.</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/131549494 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/130481731 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E3B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Vacuum Friend</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/179482142 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/130481731 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E4A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Parents</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/174720752 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129942746 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E4B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Embarrassment</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/176639952 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129767229 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E5A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Cube Wars</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/131570056 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129767224 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E5B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Sickness</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129979552 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129979552 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E6A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Jealousy</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/178625582 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/130483928 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S1E6B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Scantron Love</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/177577007 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/130483928 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E1A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Gender</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129942739 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E1B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Math Challenge</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129942739 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E2A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Family Vacation</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129767230 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E2B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Hair</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129767230 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E3A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Garage Band</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129767231 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E3B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Work</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129767231 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E4A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">The Yogmans Strike Back</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/130481730 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E4B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Hookie 101</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/130481730 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E5A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">House Party</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129942745 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E5B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">School Newspaper</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129942745 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E6A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Safety Patrol</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/130481729 Found]</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E6B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Popularity</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">[https://vimeo.com/129948369 Found]</span>
|-
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E7A</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Risk</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Unconfirmed</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">S2E7B</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Robot Grafitti</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">x</span>
|<span style="font-size:80%">Unconfirmed</span>


<br/>
|}


=Video Gallery=
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|- style="vertical-align:top;"

Revision as of 17:37, 28 August 2016

RobotJonesTitle.png

Opening title card to Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones?

Status: Partially Found


Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? is a 'Cartoon Cartoon' that ran for two seasons from 2002 to 2003 on Cartoon Network. The series consisted of 13 shows with two episodes per show and filled a 30 minute time slot. The cartoon was notable for its style, mimicking cartoons produced in the early 80s in addition to many references and plots devices based on fads of the era. For example: an episode based on the Rubik's Cube series of puzzle boxes. Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? was produced using tradition cel animation when most productions had moved on to computerized animation, furthering the style that was desired. The series was released to praise from critics for its unique animation style.

Plot

Robot Jones is a young robot tasked by his parents to attend a middle school for humans so that he may study them. Initally, Jones is hesitant to do so as he find humans 'inefficient'. After 'dad-unit' has his say, Jones begins life as a typical middle school student with a light bulb for a head. He quickly finds fitting in to be very difficult as most of the school finds him strange, including the students, teachers, and especially a technophobic principal. Shortly after blowing a fuse in front the entire school, Jones loses all will to study humans, until he falls for a mess of a girl in an overly exaggerated set of braces with a metal leg and instantly changes his attitude on the matter. Humans are now interesting creatures that desire 'further study'. As the series progresses Jones confronts typical middle school issues such as love, fads, bullies, and Physical Education.

The Voice

For the first season of Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? the titular character had a computer-generated voice that stood out amongst the other characters' voices (with the exception of Jones' parents, also using computer-generated voices). Series creator Greg Miller has stated that he wanted a true synthetic robot voice and researched a lot of speech programs when starting the show, even discussing the topic with Bell Laboratories. Contrary to popular belief, Jones' voice was not produced with Macintosh Macintalk's Junior Speech, but was actually produced using Microsoft Word 98's Junior Speech text-to-speech function. Miller confirms this in a facebook interview. He chose Word because of its controls in speed and pitch. Miller created the Jones audio himself, even spelling each word phonetically for it to be pronounced correctly and adjusting the pitch to get the "acting" right. The executives at the Cartoon Network found the voice unusual and requested a more 'hollywood' voice for Jones. This led to Jones's being voiced by an actual voice actor (Bobby Block) at the start of Season 2. In addition, the Pilot and older episodes were re-dubbed using Block's voice for re-runs of the series. Episodes containing the original computer-generated voice are currently being sought after by fans of the series. The voice change was made early in production of Season 2, but Miller claims to possess a few VHS work prints of Season 2 episodes using the computer-generated voice.

Other Lost Aspects

In addition to the original Jones voice, several small aspects of Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? are now lost as well. The Season One episode "Growth Spurts" was edited in later airing to remove a poster in the background containing the phrase 'Kick Ass', changing the phrase to simply 'Kick'. Three episodes are believed to have been put into production before the series was cancelled. The first would have been about the history of robotics, possibly explaining a little more about this robot-assimilated society the series revolves around. The second, called the 'Talk Show' episode, would have had Robot Jones appear on a parody of the Oprah Winfrey show (called the 'Soapy Winfall' show in-universe). Storyboards for this episode have been made available from series writer Chuck Klein's blogspot. Content of the third episode is unknown as of now. Miller claims "it was so long ago, I forget...". All episodes were storyboarded but never actually animated. Two episodes are also rumored to have existed as the fourteenth show of the series: "Risk" and "Robot Grafitti", potentially banned by the executives at the Cartoon Network for excessive violence, harsh language, and sexual and/or scatological jokes.

  • One of the storyboards of the alleged talk show episode (#1).

    One of the storyboards of the alleged talk show episode (#1).

  • One of the storyboards of the alleged talk show episode (#2).

    One of the storyboards of the alleged talk show episode (#2).


Episode Availability

Episode Name Original Voice Bobby Block Episode Name Original Voice Bobby Block
Pilot Found Found
S1E1A Electric Boogaloo Found Found S1E1B The Groovesicle Found x
S1E2A Politics Found Found S1E2B Growth Spurts Found Found
S1E3A P.U. to P.E. Found Found S1E3B Vacuum Friend Found Found
S1E4A Parents Found Found S1E4B Embarrassment Found Found
S1E5A Cube Wars Found Found S1E5B Sickness Found Found
S1E6A Jealousy Found Found S1E6B Scantron Love Found Found
S2E1A Gender x Found S2E1B Math Challenge x Found
S2E2A Family Vacation x Found S2E2B Hair x Found
S2E3A Garage Band x Found S2E3B Work x Found
S2E4A The Yogmans Strike Back x Found S2E4B Hookie 101 x Found
S2E5A House Party x Found S2E5B School Newspaper x Found
S2E6A Safety Patrol x Found S2E6B Popularity x Found
S2E7A Risk x Unconfirmed S2E7B Robot Grafitti x Unconfirmed

Video Gallery

The newly discovered episodes.
Some old commercials for the show that use the older voice.

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