Bounty Hamster

infobox Television
show_name= Bounty Hamster
producers = Peafur Productions, Silver Fox, Winchester Television
rating = TV-G
format = Animated sitcom
runtime = 11 minutes
creator = Dave Freedman, Alan Gilbey
starring=
country = UK
network = ITV1
first_aired = 1 January, 2003
last_aired = 1 June, 2004
num_episodes = 26
list_episodes = List of Bounty Hamster episodes
imdb_id= 1145491|

Bounty Hamster is an animated children's cartoon made in 2002 created by David Freedman [http://www.davidmaxfreedman.com] and Alan Gilbey. It follows the adventures of Cassie, a 13 year old girl, who is searching the universe for her father after he was kidnapped by space pirates. To help her, she enlists the aid of the only bounty hunter she can afford, who turns out to be a talking blue hamster named Marion. They have an odd-couple style relationship and search the universe together for Cassie's father.

Cassie wears a white shirt and green trousers with an oddly shaped waist that opens at the top and then becomes thinner to the belt. These have darker green patches on her knees and pockets on either side. She wears grey shoes with white rubber soles. She has yellow (blonde) hair and is the more rational, usually, of the pair. She is constantly searching for her father and complaining at Marion's foolishness.

Marion is a six inch high blue talking hamster. He wears an eyepatch on his right eye and can fit all manner of objects within his cheek cavities. He is often outraged by stronger characters calling him 'cute' and tries to defend his personality despite his femenine name and small structure. He is often seen as being clumsy or forgetful with the exception of comedic instances such as when he remembers to use a remote controlled locking device on his space ship.

The blue space ship the pair use is divided into two parts, a driving cockpit which can be detached in order to fly down to a planet in a similar manner to a jolly boat from a vessel and a larger booster component which is attached on top of the small driving compartment. Scenes involving driving often show large objects and rooms that appear within the ship.

Marion's catchphrase is "Don't call me CUTE!" which he says after misinterpreting or actually having received such a naming.

Running gags include Marion pulling many, or odd, objects from his cheeks as if they are large pockets. In one instance he pulls out a large assortment of objects to help him and Cassie when they are falling off a cliff and this includes a cruise ship. Also, one of the science fiction references is the gag in which C-3P0 from Star Wars appears in the ship and Cassie asks who he is.

Every episode starts with a brief explanation of the basic running plot and features a sequence showing Cassie's father being taken away. This is followed by a short sequence showing Marion being uncovered from a 'tough' armoured outfit and standing on stilts. The next sequence features the screen divided into four quarters, each showing several different scenes from episodes. The credits culminate in Marion uttering a fierce growl. The closing credits show an image of stars in space. The tune to the theme sounds like the words 'bounty hamster' but with notes to a 3-4 beat.

Despite airing in a children's timeslot, the show has quite a broad appeal, containing frequent science fiction references, in-jokes and puns, as well as nods to other movies and TV series. Marion's name and eyepatch is a parody of John Wayne and the character he played in True Grit.