Oliver and Company: The Series

Oliver and Company: The Series (titled Oliver & Company in some territories) is an American animated comedy-drama television series, based on the 1988 Disney movie Oliver & Company, and picking up one year after the events of the film. It debuted on Toon Disney on August 7, 1998, three months prior to the film's tenth anniversary, and ended on March 10, 2000.

Plot
The series picks up one year after the events of the film, and revolves around Oliver and the gang and their adventures in New York City. The series also delves into the pasts of several members of the gang, particularly Dodger and Rita.

The series timeline has also been timeshifted, from the late 1980s to the late 1990s to early 2000s, and there are many references to the popular culture of the era.

Characters
Protagonists


 * Oliver (Jason Marsden)-A young ginger cat, and the title character. Adopted by the wealthy Foxworth family, he lives a life of luxury, but also enjoys spending time with the gang of dogs who took him in.


 * Dodger (Jeff Bennett, Elizabeth Daily young)-A worldly Jack Russell Terrier, and leader of the gang. He is smart-mouthed but also charismatic and caring. His early life and that of the gang is touched on in several episodes, including how he became separated from his parents at a young age. In the hour-long special episode "Family History" it is revealed he is a relative of Tramp from Lady and The Tramp.

Recurring characters Antagonists Minor characters
 * Rita (Cree Summer adult and young)-A sultry Afghan hound. She is joint leader of the gang alongside Dodger, and has a caring, maternal and cheeky side. On a number of occasions, it is implied that she and Dodger have feelings for each other, before later admitting their love for each other at the end of the episode "Dances With Poodles", and later taking in a stray puppy called Sam, who becomes their adopted son.
 * Francis (Kevin Michael Richardson, Tahj Mowry young)-A snobby, classy English Bulldog. He has a love of arts, particularly Shakespeare, and enjoys watching his plays on TV. It is revealed that he was once kept by an English businessman who abandoned him.
 * Einstein (Frank Welker, Andrew Lawrence young)-A dimwitted but kind Great Dane. He was the first dog that Fagin took in. It is revealed that he was owned by a man called David, who abandoned him when he became too large for his apartment.
 * Tito (Rob Paulsen, Tara Strong young)-A feisty, bubbly Chihuahua who speaks with a Chicano accent, and has a crush on Georgette, the Foxworth family poodle. He likes Latin music, and it was revealed he was born in Mexico, but was later abandoned by his owners, after they arrived in the USA.
 * Fagin (Dom DeLuise)-The gang's master. He is a goodhearted former thief and con artist, who is friends with the Foxworths. He now works as a janitor at a school in the Bronx.
 * Jenny Foxworth (Ashley Johnson)-A rich girl with a heart of gold who owns Oliver. Her parents are two rich businesspeople, and are often away.
 * Georgette (Kath Soucie, adult and young)-A spoilt, snobby poodle belonging to the Foxworths. She has a friendly rivalry with Oliver, and only tolerates the gang visiting because of her love for Tito. She has many ex-boyfriends.
 * Winston (Corey Burton)-Foxworth family butler. He looks after the house while Jenny' parents are away.
 * Mr. and Mrs. Foxworth (Jeff Bennett and Kath Soucie, respectively)-Jenny's wealthy parents. They make sporadic appearances throughout the series, and are usually away on business trips.
 * Tess (B.J. Ward)-Dodger's mother. She frequently appears in flashbacks to his childhood, before later making a full appearance in the episode "Mommy Dearest". Dodger was separated from her when he was very young, and when the two are initially reunited, they don't recognise each other until she tells him about her past. Dodger frequently visits her whenever he has problems.
 * Sam (Andrew Lawrence)-A young husky-cross puppy, who Dodger and Rita take in as an adoptive son, after he is separated from his mother.
 * Louie (Frank Welker)-A hot dog vendor who Dodger frequently robs from.
 * Old Murphy (Maurice LaMarche)-An elderly mixed-breed dog, who lives in an abandoned apartment block where several strays frequent. He frequently offers advice to other dogs.
 * Charlie (Rob Paulsen, Pamela Adlon young)-An Australian Shepherd who befriended Dodger after becoming separated from his parents as a puppy, and shares a similar experience, having lost his mother and father who tried to protect him from a gang of street dogs, before losing contact with him when he joined Fagin's gang of dogs. When Dodger meets him as an adult, it is revealed he has a mate and two pups, and is very protective of them, following the loss of his parents. In the series' finale, he becomes a member of the gang.
 * Shadow (Kath Soucie)-A black tabby cat, who was adopted by the Foxworths sometime after the events of the film, and who is introduced in the first season's third episode. She was born in New Jersey, and has a snarky but caring attitude. It is implied she and Oliver have feelings for each other, but each deny it.
 * Sancho (Rob Paulsen)-A parrot who the Foxworths also adopted after the events of the film. He has a sarcastic, witty personality, and speaks with an affected Latino accent. He reveals on a number of occasions that he was born in the Brazilian Amazon.
 * Duke (Joe Alaskey)-Dodger's father. He frequently appears in flashbacks to his childhood, and it appears he was a warm, caring father to Dodger, often playing with him and his siblings, but his and Tess's happiness was completely shattered when Dodger was separated from them when two strays attacked, and he never got over the loss, dying of a broken heart.
 * Rex (Jeff Bennett)-A snooty German Shepherd and one of Georgette's suitors. He makes four appearances in the series.
 * Sykes-A vicious lone shark who terrorised Fagin and the gang. Although he doesn't make a physical appearance in the series, he is mentioned on a number of occasions.
 * Roscoe and DeSoto (Kevin Michael Richardson and Carl Weathers, respectively)-Sykes's vicious Dobermans, who frequently terrorised the gang. They often appear in flashbacks, and their sons make a number of appearances in the series.
 * Caesar and Nero (Phil LaMarr and Diedrich Bader)-Roscoe and DeSoto's sons. They appear in a number of episodes, in which they terrorise the gang, for their fathers' deaths. Nero is easily recognisable by a nicked ear and a spiked collar, and Caesar sports an eyepatch and a blood-red bandana, similar to Dodger's. In the two-hour long series finale, "The Big Apple Battle", they are defeated by Dodger and the gang, along with the other street dog gangs, and banished from the city forever.
 * Pacini (Maurice LaMarche)-A member of the Italian mafia, who had dealings with Sykes. When Fagin ends up loaning money from them, they plague him to make him pay up, in revenge for Sykes' death, before eventually being arrested.
 * Rossi and Casella-Pacini's two mute lackeys.
 * Rocco (Clancy Brown)-A vicious German Shepherd, and leader of a gang of junkyard dogs, having achieved that position by overthrowing and killing the previous leader, and using his two thugs to punish members who step out of line. Prior to the events of the series, he banished a member of the gang called Lila, who eventually winds up with Dodger and his friends, and develops feelings for him. When she returns, she urges the other members to stand up to Rocco, who fights them, as well as Dodger and Rita, before he ends up being banished, and Lila takes over the gang.
 * Kirby and Rusty (Rob Paulsen and Kevin Schon, respectively)-Two mixed breed dogs, and Rocco's lackeys, who he uses to discipline gang members who step out of line. After Rocco is defeated, they are banished alongside him.
 * Stella (Jodi Benson)-Sam's biological mother, and a Siberian husky. After becoming separated from her son, she searches New York for him, before eventually finding him living with Dodger and the gang. When Dodger promises to look after Sam, she parts ways, promising to stay in contact with him always.
 * Lila (Kath Soucie)-A Samoyed-mix who develops feeling for Dodger after he saves her from being attacked. She is a member of a gang of junkyard dogs, and was banished after the German shepherd Rocco usurped the original leader. She later stands up to Rocco and has him banished.
 * James Swift-Wolf (Michael Horse)-A Native American man who travels to New York City with his family, and they have dinner with the Foxworths. He is proud of his culture, and tells the story of Thanksgiving to talk about the importance of coming together.
 * Sarah Swift-Wolf (Tia Carrere)-James's wife.
 * Sophie Swift-Wolf (Mae Whitman)-James and Sarah's daughter.
 * David (Rob Paulsen)-Eisntein's former owner. He bought Einstein as a puppy, before having to get rid of him when his wife became pregnant. He is reunited with Einstein when he steals his wallet, and the latter is initially happy to be reunited with him, until it is revealed that David is moving to San Francisco. Einstein returns to the gang and David bids him farewell.
 * Dominic (Jason Marsden)-A young Jack Russell terrier who bears a striking resemblance to Dodger, with the exception of sporting a bandana patterned like a Canadian flag, who hails from Toronto, Canada. The two decide to swap places to experience what life is like in each other's shoes. Eventually, the two realise that home is where the heart is and part way as friends.
 * Claudette (Tress MacNeille)-Georgette's overbearing mother, a former show poodle who speaks with an exaggerated French accent.

Production
The series was produced by Alan Zaslove, Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley-who also worked on the TV series of Aladdin and Hercules-and the music was composed by Adam Berry and Mark Watters. It was animated at Toon City in Manila and Walt Disney Television Animation Australia in Sydney.

Reception
The series received a mixed-to-positive response from critics, who praised the animation, music, humour and for touching on the gang's pasts. However, some episodes received criticism, particularly "Dances With Poodles", for forcing a relationship between Dodger and Georgette.

Despite its positive reception, the series received tepid viewing figures.

Broadcast
The series was broadcast on Toon Disney from August 7, 1998 to March 10, 2000. It was also broadcast in many countries around the world.

International broadcast

USA Canada Mexico Brazil Colombia Peru
 * Toon Disney (August 7, 1998-March 10, 2000)
 * Disney Channel (March 8, 2002-May 7, 2004)
 * Netflix (February 3, 2012-March 13, 2015)
 * Disney+ (January 17, 2020-)
 * Family Channel (July 6, 2001-September 15, 2006)
 * Netflix (June 3, 2011-July 19, 2013)
 * Family Chrgd (April 6, 2012-October 24, 2014)
 * Disney+ (February 7, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (March 19, 2001-July 7, 2006)
 * Azteca 7 (July 10, 2003-January 5, 2007)
 * Disney XD (August 12, 2011-January 18, 2013)
 * Disney+ (November 27, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (July 5, 2002-October 7, 2005)
 * Netflix (September 10, 2011-March 22, 2013)
 * Disney+ (November 27, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (May 5, 2006-January 2, 2009)
 * Disney Channel (August 11, 2006-April 18, 2008)
 * Disney+ (November 27, 2020-)

El Salvador


 * Disney Channel (July 6, 2001-May 6, 2005)

Argentina
 * Disney Channel (July 14, 2006-June 12, 2009)
 * Disney XD (April 2, 2010-August 9, 2013)
 * Disney+ (December 4, 2020-)

UK France Ireland Italy
 * Disney Channel (April 4, 2003-February 3, 2006)
 * Disney Cinemagic (October 6, 2006-March 1, 2013)
 * Netflix (February 1, 2013-April 3, 2015)
 * Disney+ (March 27, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (March 5, 2001-January 13, 2006)
 * Disney Cinemagic (April 3, 2009-March 2, 2012)
 * Disney+ (April 24, 2020-)
 * RTE 2 (July 7, 2000-January 11, 2002)
 * Disney Channel (May 2, 2003-January 19, 2007)
 * Disney Cinemagic (September 8, 2006-March 20, 2009)

Greece Switzerland Belgium Denmark Norway Poland Czech Republic Finland Sweden Austria Spain
 * Rai 2 (February 15, 2002-August 22, 2003)
 * Disney Channel  (June 13, 2003-May 4, 2007)
 * Disney XD  (February 11, 2011-May 2, 2014)
 * Disney+(April 10, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (January 1, 2010-May 11, 2012)
 * Disney Channel (August 2, 2002-January 13, 2006)
 * Disney XD (March 5, 2010-February 1, 2013)
 * Disney+ (May 15, 2020-)
 * Ketnet (June 2, 2000-July 5, 2002)
 * Disney Channel (May 14, 2004-February 15, 2008)
 * Disney+ (October 2, 2020-)
 * NRK Super (March 14, 2008-July 15, 2011)
 * Disney Channel (April 6, 2007-July 17, 2009)
 * TV Nova (February 2, 2001-November 3, 2006)
 * Nelonen (February 16, 2001-January 12, 2007)
 * Disney Channel (May 13, 2005-September 25, 2009)
 * Disney Channel (March 15, 2001-January 2, 2005)
 * Disney+ (April 3, 2020-)

Netherlands Portugal Russia Germany
 * TVE 1 (January 16, 2004-May 12, 2006)
 * Disney Channel (May 13, 2005-August 14, 2009)
 * Disney+ (June 12, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (February 19, 2010-November 18, 2011)
 * Disney XD (May 13, 2011-March 9, 2012)
 * Disney Channel (July 16, 2004-April 7, 2006)
 * SIC Kids (March 7, 2008-April 15, 2011)
 * Disney+ (September 18, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (February 10, 2012-January 3, 2014)
 * Disney Channel (September 13, 2002-February 23, 2007)
 * Disney Cinemagic (January 8, 2010-May 11, 2012)
 * Disney+ (April 17, 2020-)

Turkey Egypt
 * TRT Çocuk (July 4, 2003-April 27, 2007)
 * Disney Channel (June 22, 2007-March 19, 2010)

South Africa Kenya Ghana Israel Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates
 * Disney XD (May 14, 2010-April 20, 2012)
 * Disney Channel (August 8, 2003-January 6, 2006)
 * SABC 2 (June 11, 2004-February 6, 2009)
 * KBC (June 7, 2002-January 14, 2005)
 * TV3 (April 7, 2000-June 6, 2003)
 * Disney Channel (November 13, 2009-May 27, 2011)
 * JCC (June 14, 2013-April 24, 2015)
 * MBC 3 (October 7, 2005-February 20, 2009)
 * Dubai TV (June 11, 2004-May 11, 2007)

Philippines India Japan China Australia New Zealand Malaysia South Korea Thailand Indonesia Vietnam
 * ABS-CBN (May 5, 2000-July 4, 2003)
 * Disney Channel (March 24, 2006-April 18, 2008)
 * Disney Channel (January 7, 2005-October 5, 2007)
 * Hungama TV (October 21, 2005-April 24, 2009)
 * Disney XD (March 12, 2010-January 25, 2013)
 * Disney+ (April 10, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (May 21, 2004-March 17, 2006)
 * Disney+ (June 19, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (May 4, 2001-January 2, 2004)
 * Disney Channel (May 23, 2003-November 3, 2006)
 * 7two (January 7, 2011-February 22, 2013)
 * Disney XD (June 13, 2014-February 12, 2016)
 * Disney+ (January 10, 2020-)
 * Disney XD (June 13, 2014-April 24, 2015)
 * Disney+ (March 20, 2020-)
 * TV3 (January 4, 2002-October 13, 2006)
 * Disney Channel (August 12, 2011-July 19, 2013)
 * Disney Channel (August 16, 2002-February 11, 2005)
 * Disney XD (November 1, 2013-January 16, 2015)
 * Disney Channel (June 13, 2003-May 22, 2007)
 * Disney+ (September 25, 2020-)
 * Disney Channel (May 11, 2001-February 6, 2004)

Merchandise
Despite the series' warm reception, it was not heavily marketed, in comparison to other Disney series. Only 14 episodes were available on VHS, and promotional toys were sold at select McDonald's restaurants in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, the Philippines and some Latin American countries.

The series also had a tie-in comic published by Disney Adventures, but it was discontinued after 16 issues, because of low sales.

Episodes
Main article: List of Oliver & Company episodes

Transcripts
Main article: List of Oliver & Company transcripts