The Upside Down Show

"The Upside Down Show" is a Logie Award winning live action daytime children's show featuring Shane Dundas and David Collins that airs on Noggin, Nick Jr. Australia and ABC. The duo gained fame as physical comedians The Umbilical Brothers, playing brothers who lived together in a strange house with a variety of unusual rooms. The show premiered on Nick Jr. Australia in August 2006 and Noggin in October 2006 with 13 episodes developed by the highly acclaimed Sesame Workshop.

On June 1, 2007, the Umbilical Brothers announced on their web site that Nickelodeon/Noggin USA were not interested in a second season of The Upside Down Show, despite its critical success.

Characters

*Shane — Shane Dundas plays "Shane", who is bald and wears cargo pants, hi-top sneakers, and a blue t-shirt featuring the symbol for "slow motion" as found on most electronic devices (although most people seem to think it's the "play" symbol).

*David — David Collins plays "David", who has unruly, dark, curly hair and wears either cargo shorts or capris, sneakers and a striped polo shirt. He has super-sensitive hearing (only functional when he makes a "do-do-do-do" sound effect at the same time).

*Mrs. Foil — The only other regularly appearing human character, Mrs. Foil is the boys' friendly neighbor. She is blonde and wears a bright pink ladies' business suit, ladybug pin, orange stockings and pink shoes. She has been known to play a mean tuba. Mrs. Foil is portrayed by actress Amanda Bishop (who also appears in various segments, not necessarily as Mrs. Foil but as a 'lady').

*Puppet — Puppet is a mottled brown hand puppet representing no specific kind of creature. He lives with the brothers and often assists them in their antics. Puppet is performed and voiced by puppeteer Mat McCoy.

*The Schmuzzies — The Schmuzzies are a friendly bunch of fuzzy, furry ball-shaped creatures who pop up in various places. They come in several different bright colors and speak a language called Schmuzzish ("Schmello, Schmuzzies!"). Shane seems to be apprehensive of the creatures, while David is friendly with them and is fluent in their language (which he says he studied for seven years, "part time").

*Fido, the Fly — Fido is Shane's pet fly who lives behind a tiny door in the boys' apartment. Fido communicates to Shane by buzzing (voiced by Shane Dundas.)

*Action Fingers — Occasionally Shane and David have need to call upon the resources of two rough-and-tumble figures, Knuckles and Pointy. These two digit adventurers are performed by Shane and David when they "let their fingers do the walking" over props and scenery.

*Bob the Blanket - Bob is a small white "blanket" (more like the size of a hand towel) belonging to David (who also does his voice). He has a gravelly voice and a sardonic wit with an American accent.

*The Voice — Every so often a mellifluous male voice speaks to Shane and David. The Voice usually reminds the pair to perform some task or courtesy. Most often he tells them "Don't forget to knock", followed by "Come in" when they do so. The Voice is in fact Adam Smillie.

Episode Structure

Each episode begins with a cold opening in which the brothers, or usually just Shane, are in the middle of some activity. After greeting the audience, David introduces "The Remote" by pretending to be holding a remote control. He explains how The Remote can control the action on-screen by pressing various buttons and proceeds to control Shane's actions. For example, "Fast Forward" causes Shane to move and speak quickly, "Pause" causes him to freeze. Invariably David "discovers" a heretofore unseen button; this "Wild-Card Button", such as "Humongous" (and its opposite, the "Minute" button) causes some strange and/or undesired effect. David then offers to give The Remote to the viewer and then "hands it over" by reaching off-screen downward. The brothers direct the viewer to press some buttons, to comic effect, and finally request, "Just press 'play'", at which point the opening credits begin.

The central objective of every episode is for Shane and David to find a certain room or place. They do this by adventuring through the several red doors in their apartment, as well as other places (under a table, behind a bookcase, inside their sofa). The brothers occasionally ask for help from the viewers by asking them to press buttons on their Remote. Their journey takes them to several "Wrong Turn" rooms, and they always encounter, in at least one of the rooms, a child who teaches them something and sets them on the correct path. Eventually they locate their destination and experience a place, such as a Barbershop or an Airport for the very first time.

The show ends with the boys back in their apartment. During the last few minutes of the show, they give the viewer an imaginary item.

There are a couple of running gags in the show. The first one relates to pineapples, as Shane or Dave, albeit rarely, have a fake pineapple in at least 3 episodes.

The second one is the Upside-Down button. When this button is pressed, The viewpoint shifts, with a silly sound effect to an upside-down shot of whoever is in the scene. Everyone throws their hands up in the air, and one of the Umbilical Bros. begs the viewer to press the "Right Side Up" button, and the viewpoint rights itself.

Opening theme

Action Fingers help turn the words "Upside Down" the right way up and walk until they reach a door. Opening credits read "The Upside Down Show (before Action Fingers turn the 3D title right side up one of the Fingers calls Down-Upside) starring David Collins, Shane Dundas Created by Belinda Ward and David Collins & Shane Dundas"

Episode Guide

101--Movie TheaterShane and David make a movie (directed by Puppet), then search for the movie theatre to watch it.
*Wrong Turns: Laundry Room, Dance Studios, Chair Room
*Main Buttons: Light/Dark, Stumble
*Instant Replay: To see the little girl do her Routine again
*Vocabulary: Stupendous
*Puppets: The Puppet shouts "Action", Shane and David pretend to be space,then pretend to be pirates, and finally pretend to be cowboys. Puppet shouts "Cut Cut Cut Cut".
*Action Fingers: In the Laundry Room they rescue Barbara, a sock caught in a lint trap, and return her to her socky partner Lefty. They also refold Mrs. Foil's laundry after crashing into it. This segment is unusual, in that the Action Fingers are clearly shown to be David and Shane's hands (Mrs. Foil is about to get angry at them for wrecking her laundry, until they use the Instant Replay button to prove the Action Fingers did it). In most other Action Fingers segments, David and Shane simply watch the Action Fingers take off, often not standing anywhere near the action.

102--BarbershopAfter visiting The Very Hairy room, Shane is apprehensive about getting a hair cut. David and his blanket Bob help Shane get to the barbershop.
*Wrong Turns: The Very, "Very" Hairy Room, The Hairbrush Room, The Concert Room (featuring The Talking Airheads)
*Main Buttons: Up/Down, Ditty
*Vocabulary: Apprehensive, Stalling
*Puppets: First: Puppet is on Shane's hair during the Figaro Song. Second: Puppet appears on the star sticker on your Puppet skin.
*Schmuzzies: They move into Shane's long, bedraggled hair, thinking it's the Very Hairy Room.
*Instant Replay: Replaying the episode's Co-Starring girl brushing hair

103--Art MuseumAfter finding no place to hang his newly created masterpiece; Shane, along with David, search for the art museum to hang it.
*Wrong Turns: Sticky Room, Fog Room, Museum of Finger Painting
*Main Buttons: Humongous/Minute
*Vocabulary: Elephant, Porcupine, Moat
*Action Fingers: Painted two tubs of fingerpaint, painted spotted orange, Action Fingers ran and more paints, painted blobs.
*Instant Replay: To see the boy dip his finger in the finger paint and mix red, blue, and gold to make a color called gurple.
*Fly-doe the Fly: Fly-doe on the hand Fly-doe the fly and push shelf.
*Schmuzzies: They are part of the tour group at the Art Museum. When Shane despairs over not being able to hang his picture, he makes a reference to the Schmuzzy Art Museum, even though it never appears in the episode.
*Puppets: First: Opened the door and Puppet said Ta-da. Second: Shane & David behind pop the box Puppet said Ta-da. Shane tells find Burmese-Kumquat-Lavender, Puppet to talk dyeing my hair, Shane & David is laughing are hit the Pause button.
*Mrs. Foil Funny Expression: "See you later, Alligators."

104--Pet ShopYearning for a relationship like that between Fido and Shane, David decides he needs a pet and looks for the pet shop.
*Wrong Turns: Puppy Room, Parrot Room, Moon Room
*Puppets: First: The pet Puppets saying ruff. Like a dog. The puppets saying meow. Like a cat. The puppets saying "gargling". Like a giant squid. Second: Puppets spelled word -oon, Schmuzzies spelled word -oon. Third: The astronaut Puppet an appear. Astronaut Puppets sing The Dark Side of the Moon in a Moon Room. Fourth: Press the don't Rewind button. That's is Rotate button. Umbilical Brother on a moon (Rotate). Astronaut Puppet go away.
*Main Buttons: Rotate, Ditty
*Instant Replay: To see the dog rotate (roll over).
*Fly-doe the Fly: First: Shane & Fido playing a ping pong tennis, Fly-doe smash hit a ball lose in 12, 10. Second: Fly-doe on the hand play dead, flying away. Third: Sit the chair they're Shane dust wipe and gone, Fly-doe is flying away.
*Mrs. Foil Funny Expression: When holding her cat, she says, "His name is Elizabeth."
*Schmuzzies: They sing backup for David when the Ditty Button is pressed.105--CampingAfter their bedrooms disappear, the boys search for another place to sleep.
*Wrong Turns: Snoring Room, "Wake Up!" Room, Shapes Room
*Main Buttons: Vertical/Horizontal
*Instant Replay: To see the girl on the wheelchair count the number of sides on the shape.
*Vocabulary: Enormous
*Fly-doe the Fly: First: Shane two brush, David open the Fly-doe's room and door slam. Second: Fly-doe the Fly is alarm in the Fly-doe's room. Third: Fly-doe is zipped sleeping bag.
*Puppet: First: Puppet put imaginary kazoo tuner on your mouth. Second: Puppet is sleep in the imaginary sleeping bag.
*Action Fingers: First: Get the behind the door, Action Figures stepping a stairs. Open door and Action Fingers sleeping. Second: Action Fingers are jumping off stairs, Wrong Yellow & Green lemon, He's flying airplane, I've airplane off. Third: Walking on a shoulder and cheek, and Action Fingers sleeping.
*Schmuzzies: Shane and David a Rock music and singing with Schmuzzies at night.106--PicnicShane and David take Fido the Fly on his first-ever picnic.
*Wrong Turns: Sandwich Room (not a wrong turn because that room is where Shane and David get the picnic food), No-Room Room, Windy Room
*Instant Replay: The boy puts on turkey, tomato, green lettuce on pat down.
*Vocabulary: Scrumptious
*Main Buttons: Inside/Outside
*Puppets: Delivery Puppet bring picnic basket, potato sack, blanket, plate, cup , and kite.
*Fly-doe the Fly: First: Fly-doe he feel sad on the hand. Second: Fly-doe on the Shane's hand and talking open his sound. Third: Fly-doe on the hand buzzing 4 times and Put the Fly-doe the fly in the pocket. Fourth: Put the Fly-doe on his picnic. Fifth: Fly-doe on the hand lets open Buzzing Room visit all these flies afraid the Shane & David. Sixth: Pinic with Fly-doe the Fly. Seventh: Fly-doe eat tiny sandwiches on his hand.
*Schmuzzies: They dances beside Puppet, Song by "Happy Fly Ditty". Song is freeze. Song is play is the end.107--AirportShane and David volunteer to pick up Puppet's cousin (Mary Annette) at the airport, but have to find it first.
*Wrong Turns: Bird Room, Paper Airplane Room, Word Room
*Main Buttons: Shake, Vibration
*Vocabulary: Helicopter
*Instant Replay: Action Fingers ask to see a girl use sign language to sign the word "plane" again
*Mrs. Foil Funny Expression: "Jumbo Jets, Donkeys and Tigers."
*Action Fingers: Two instances. First: Action Fingers crash-land on a paper airplane, search for Mary Annette inside, then refold it for its owner (Mrs. Foil). Second: They help to translate for a girl using sign language in the Word Room.
*Puppets: Puppet sing "Welcome to Mary Annette" Mary Annette swinging around before the Puppet, Mary Annette fall in the Puppet's stage.
*Schmuzzies: They first relay the message that Mary Annette is at the airport and needs to be picked up right away. Later, they attempt to sing backup for Puppet, but start out being too far in front, and then too far in the back of the puppet stage.

108--BeachAfter losing the beach ball they were playing with, Shane and David search for the beach to find it.
*Wrong Turns: Underwater Room, Desert Room, South Pole
*Main Buttons: Upside Down/Right Side Up, Loud/Soft
*Vocabulary: Perplexed
*Fly-doe the Fly: Fly-doe on the hand rolling beach ball on the hedge land into couch.
*Puppets: First: To see the Puppet drink your beverage in the cup on his lemon they slurp the stawls. Second: Puppet breathing the bigger beach ball on his Shane & David and stop breath, Shane & David they beach ball getting fart, they on the couch.
*Action Fingers: They rebuild Mrs. Foil's sand castle after David and Shane destroy it.
*Schmuzzies: They see the beach ball rolling along the hedge outside the window, but David and Shane don't turn around in time. They yell "Schmeach schmall!" David finally translates using a tiny Schmuzzish-English dictionary.
*Mrs. Foil Funny Expression: "Every afternoon at three, bring your own milk. Which reminds me, did you check the teacup? Fiddle-dee-dee!"

109--Marching BandShane and David invent imaginary musical instruments and set out to join a marching band.
*Wrong Turns: Funny Music Room, Marching Room, Sky Room
*Vocabulary: Cym-banjo, Scruba
*Main Buttons: Accelerate/Decelerate
*Fly-doe the Fly: Fly-doe marching behind Schmuzzies.
*Puppets: Puppets jump up and down behind the couch, and toss me fell the floor toss again but stick in the ceiling or upside down, Press the Unstuck button, Umbilical Brothers upside down or Puppet right side up Shane's right side up button, still Puppet stick, Shane press the unstuck button, Puppet fall off ceiling, Shane hearing flute like melodic tone. Puppet tell flute like melodic tone, All singing Mi Mi Mi, Puppet man howl and wolf howl man howl again. Press the Stop button. Puppet take a breathe.
*Instant Replay: All child is marching feet (slow down).
*Schmuzzies: They march behind Puppet, who initially wants to be bandleader, but get distracted by a dustball. 110--Birthday PartyShane and David are invited to a surprise birthday party that turns out to be for them!
*Wrong Turns: No Fun Room, Surprise Room, Opera Room
*Main Button: Celebration
*Vocabulary: Surprise
*Schmuzzies: They attend the "Schmirthday Schmarty," to which they travel via Mrs. Foil's purse.
*Puppets: First: Puppet delivery the birthday card, Puppet in gruff voice says "Delivery for Shane and David and you." Second: Puppet move the couch, Puppet saying "No problem, there no pleasure."
*Fly-doe the Fly: Fly-doe bouncing on the trampoline.
*Mrs. Foil Funny Expression: "Toodle Pip!" 111--FarmShane and David's band, the Talking Airheads, faces a setback when David's cowbell (which just so happens to be attached to an imaginary cow) disappears.
*Wrong Turns: Great Big Bell Room, Boat out at Sea Room, Bicycle Room
*Main Button: Seesaw, Steady
*Puppets: First: The Puppet behind band. Clarabelle the Clinking Cowbell back to the farm. Cow gone. Second: The puppets dancing, Schmuzzies play marimba, The Umbilical Brother play drum and cowbell (end credit).
*Instant Replay: To see the little boy is ride the bicycle.
*Fly-doe the Fly: Is playing a trumpet.
*Schmuzzies: They play the marimba in Shane and David's band. This is one of the few episodes in which Shane does not appear to be apprehensive of them.

112--Ice Cream TruckShane and David seek to discover the delicious, delectable, and DEEE-LIIIGHT-FUUUUL joys of the frozen treat known as ICE CREAM. They also need to get three imaginary pets out of their way: Evan the Pig, Helen the Baby Hippo, and Giorgio the Caterpillar.
*Wrong Turns: Frozen Room, This Way Room, Ice Cream Game Show
*Vocabulary: Delicious, Delectable
*Main Buttons: Heavy/Light
*Puppets: Visit the Ice Cream Truck door here Puppet licks the ice cream.
*Fly-doe the Fly: Is drinking a chocolate milkshake.
*Instant Replay: To see the little girl is scoopage the ice cream.
*Mrs. Foil Funny Expression: "Cheerio!" (Instead Whoo-hoo!)
*Schmuzzies: They eat two tubs of ice cream and engage in wild conversation with Shane, in which it is revealed that his uncle "is" a giraffe, but "only on Saturdays."

113--Mini GolfShane and David are baffled when a mysterious orange thingy appears in their living room. They use deductive reasoning to narrow down what it actually is like, and where it belongs.
*Wrong Thoughts: Planet, orange, basketball
*Main Buttons: Irish Dancing, Blast-Off
*Vocabulary: Baffled
*Fly-doe the Fly: First: Shane flies around non-planet-thingy on the hand, Non-planet-thingy is falling. Fly-doe wants tickles on his finger, Fly-doe things have tennis key or a calculator and your found the non-planet-thingy, Fly-doe is flying away. Second: Fly-doe the Fly stay Shane & David take you swingman, Fly-doe on the hand Shane tells intructions, Fly-doe is flying away.
*Puppets: Puppet's wearing a red king costume, Grab a ball name Yorick.
*Action Fingers: They use their Action Noses to locate the Orange Room.
*Schmuzzies: Two of them play with the thingy, until David coaches Shane to say "Schmease" and "Schmank you." David then explains he studied Schmuzzish for seven years, "part time."

Trivia

*In Episode 102--Barbershop, There is a girl featured in all three wrong turn rooms, as well as in the barbershop itself. Her name, as shown in the closing credits, is Jade Barber.
*In Episode 104--Petshop, David and Shane sing after Puppet says he was on The Dark Side of the Moon.
*In Episode 109--Marching Band, the bird in the Sky Room sounds like one of the Beatles, possibly Paul McCartney. His parting words are like, "I'll fly solo. See you for the reunion tour!"
*In Episode 110--Birthday, many of the children featured in other episodes attend the party, including the boy from the Finger Painting Museum in Art Museum, the dancing girl from the dance studio in Movies, the boy with the jacket at the South Pole in Beach, one of the girls from the Marching Room in Marching Band.
*In Episode 113---Mini Golf, while in the Basketball Room, David yells at the mini golf ball, "That is your home! You too good for your home?", a direct allusion to the Adam Sandler film "Happy Gilmore", in which the title character yells, "Why you don't you just go home? That's your HOME! Are you too good for your home?" Also, during the closing credits, Shane and David present a barrage of mini items to the viewer, including a mini golf club, various mini balls, Minnie Mouse, Minnie Driver, a miniskirt, [http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/minnie+minor Minnie Minor] , Mini Major, Minnie the Moocher, Mini Mini, and Mini Ha-Ha (a reference to Minnehaha).
* The Sesame Workshop logo used on this show can only be seen on Noggin (television).

External links

* [http://www.nickjr.com.au/shows.php?sh=8 The Upside Down Show on Nick Jr. Australia]
* [http://www.noggin.com/shows/upsidedown.php The Upside Down Show on Noggin]
* [http://www.nickjr.com/shows/upsi/upsi_about_show/upsi_episodes.jhtml Episode Guide]
*