Radio Free Roscoe
Radio Free Roscoe | |
---|---|
Genre | Teen comedy, Teen drama |
Created by |
Will McRobb Douglas McRobb |
Starring |
Nathan Carter Ali Mukaddam Nathan Stephenson Kate Todd |
Theme music composer | Jono Grant |
Opening theme | "Radio Free Roscoe Theme" |
Ending theme |
"Radio Free Roscoe Theme" (Instrumental) (some episodes) |
Country of origin | Canada |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 4 |
No. of episodes | 52 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
Steven DeNure Neil Court Beth Stevenson |
Producer(s) |
John A. Delmage Brent Piaskoski |
Running time | 20–22 minutes |
Production company(s) | Decode Entertainment |
Release | |
Original network |
Family (Canada) The N (U.S.) |
Original release | 1 August 2003 – 27 May 2005 |
Website |
Radio Free Roscoe is a Canadian television series filmed in Toronto, Ontario. The show was produced by Decode Entertainment, and it first aired on 1 August 2003 on Family, in Canada. It has also been dubbed in French (as required for Canadian federally funded TV shows) in the province of Quebec and aired on Vrak. The show was later aired on The N in the United States, where the show received funding for a second season. The series ended on 27 May 2005 because The N decided to stop funding the show, and Family, along with Decode Entertainment, could not fill the gap in the production budget. The show was shown on Family until 2007, when it was replaced. In early 2008, The N began rebroadcasting reruns.
The pilot was first filmed in New Jersey, with an entirely different cast. At that time, the show was going to be based in Nutley, New Jersey and was titled Radio Free Nutley. The show was never picked up until Decode Entertainment decided to move production to Toronto and change the cast and title of the show. However, the show was still set in suburban New Jersey.
Premise
Four teens in the suburban New Jersey town of Roscoe start attending Henry Roscoe High School. There, they are fed up with their school's radio station, "Cougar Radio", dictating unto the masses how to live, plus the rather overbearing Principal Waller, who seems to favor the popular students, so they create their own pirate radio station called Radio Free Roscoe. Lily Randall, Ray Brennan and Robbie McGrath are old friends, and find a friend in Travis Strong when they form the radio station. Each of them make a radio name to conceal their identity.
In their time at Roscoe High, the four friends confront challenges, such as when Ray ("Pronto") has a crush on Lily ("Shady Lane"), when Lily and Travis ("Smog") date briefly, and during other love interests between the members of RFR and their schoolmates, such as Lily and River Pierce, Travis and Parker Haynes, and Ray and Grace. Cougar Radio and life at Roscoe High gets more complicated when Robbie ("Question Mark") falls for the Cougar Radio DJ, Kim Carlisle.
Cast and characters
Main cast
Note: each member of Radio Free Roscoe uses a pseudonym that is only used when broadcasting their radio show, so they can remain anonymous (this is represented in quotation marks).
- Ray "Pronto" Brennan – Ali Mukaddam
- Robbie "Question Mark" McGrath – Nathan Stephenson
- Lily "Shady Lane" Randall – Kate Todd
- Travis "Smog" Strong / Miss Communication – Nathan Carter
Supporting cast
- Kim Carlisle – Genelle Williams
- Principal Daniel Waller – Hamish McEwan
- Mickey Stone – Kenny Robinson
- Audrey Quinlan – Ashley Newbrough
- Ted – David Rendall
- Ed – Garen Boyajian
- Parker Haynes – Victoria Nestorowicz (Season 2)
- Megan – Hillary Kourkoutis (Season 2)
- Bridget – Lara Amersey (Season 2)
- River Pierce – Steve Belford (Season 2)
- Grace Sutter- Julia Alexander (Season 2)
The final two episodes of the series ("Dance Around the Truth" and "The Last Dance") included all of the main and supporting cast, excluding Bridget (although she is mentioned) and Audrey.
All members of RFR have been, at some point, part of Cougar Radio. Travis considered joining in Episode One. Ray joined Cougar Radio because he didn't like concealing himself behind his persona "Pronto". Kim Carlisle convinced Robbie to join. Lily joined River Pierce to get air time for her band. Regardless of the rational basis, none of the RFR members departs permanently.
Guest stars
- Tracey Hoyt – Miss Emily Mitchell
- Ray Mukaddam – Tim Brennan
- Lauren Collins – Blaire
- Skye Sweetnam – Sydney DeLuca
- Jake Epstein – Jackson Torrence
- Aubrey Graham – RFR caller
- The Meligrove Band – Themselves
- The Trews – Themselves
- The Pettit Project – Themselves
- The Rocket Summer – Himself (Voice)
- Dan Koch – Himself (Voice)
- Mukundan Jr - Himself
Episodes
There are a total of 52 episodes. On Family, the episodes aired as two seasons, and on The N the episodes aired as four seasons, although both channels have aired all 52 episodes.
Media releases
There are two official Radio Free Roscoe products.
- Radio Free Roscoe: Season One - Greatest Hits – DVD compilation, VSC Corporation (Video Services Corp.)
- Radio Free Roscoe, Volume 1 – CD compilation
Awards and nominations
Awards
- 2004 New York Festivals:
- World Medal (Silver) for Television Programming & Promotion – Teen Programs (Ages 13–17).
- 2005 Gemini Awards:
- Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series: Radio Free Roscoe (p. Steven Denure, Neil Court, John Delmage, Douglas McRobb, Will McRobb, Brent Piaskoski, Beth Stevenson. Decode Entertainment Inc.)
Nominations
- 2004 Young Artists Awards
- Nominated David Rendall (Radio Free Roscoe) for Best Performance in a Television Series, Recurring Young Actor.
- 2004 Parents' Foundation Parents' Choice Awards:
- Recommended Television Series Winner: Radio Free Roscoe.
- 2004 Gemini Awards Nominations:
- Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series: Radio Free Roscoe (p. Steven Denure, Neil Court, John Delmage, Douglas McRobb, Will McRobb, Brent Piaskoski, Beth Stevenson. Decode Entertainment Inc.)
- Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series: Ali Mukaddam (for "The Awful Truth").
- Best Sound in a Dramatic Series: Radio Free Roscoe – Justin Drury and Ric Jurgens (for "There Will Be No Encore Tonight")
International syndication
RFR is currently in syndication on these stations:
Country/Region | Channel |
---|---|
Australia | ABC (now moved to ABC2) |
Latin America | Boomerang |
United States | The N |
Poland | TVP2 |
Russia | Teen TV |
Italy | Rai Gulp and Rai 2 |
Canada | |
Portugal | Panda Biggs |
RFR was formerly syndicated on these stations:
Country/Region | Channel | Language |
---|---|---|
Canada | VRAK.TV | French |
Brazil | Boomerang | Brazilian Portuguese |
Poland | ZigZap | Polish |
United Kingdom | Nickelodeon UK | English |
France | France 2 and Canal J | French |
Finland | YLE TV2 | English (with Finnish subtitles) |
Israel | Arutz HaYeladim | English (with Hebrew subtitles) |
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Radio Free Roscoe |
- Radio Free Roscoe official website
- Active Fan Forum
- RFR at The-n.com
- Radio Free Roscoe at Family.ca
- Radio Free Roscoe at Decode.tv
- Radio Free Roscoe at epguides.com
- Radio Free Roscoe at the Internet Movie Database
- Radio Free Roscoe at TV.com
- PopGurls interviews with Nathan Carter, and Kate Todd