# Inspector Gadget (1983)

> A clumsy cyborg detective with gadgets built into his body stumbles through cases while his niece and dog do the real investigating.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/3836

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 86
- Episode runtime: 22 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, comedy, family
- Created by: Jean Chalopin, Andy Heyward, Bruno Bianchi
- Network: CBS, Syndication
- Cast: Don Adams, Cree Summer, Maurice LaMarche, Dan Hennessey, Holly Berger, Frank Welker, Townsend Coleman, Don Knotts
- TMDB rating: 6.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085033/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: breezy, silly, cheerful, whimsical, slapstick

## What critics say

Audience reception is mixed, with early-season fans rating it highly while some viewers find its bumbling-detective humor repetitive and less charming over time.

## Synopsis

Inspector Gadget (1983-1985) is an American animated family comedy series created by Jean Chalopin, Andy Heyward and Bruno Bianchi, a co-production of DiC and Nelvana. Its protagonist, the clumsy, dim-witted human cyborg detective Inspector Gadget, is voiced by Don Adams, who gives the character a bumbling, self-assured delivery. Gadget has a bionic body loaded with extending limbs and gadgets that he activates with a stream of over-eager claims, but he rarely understands the cases he is handed. The real investigating falls to his clever niece Penny, voiced by Cree Summer, and his canny dog Brain, while Chief Quimby provides the exasperated authority figure. Each episode is a brisk, self-contained case-of-the-week built around the recurring villain Dr. Claw, leader of the evil organisation M.A.D., whose schemes Gadget unknowingly foils. The tone is breezy, silly and cheerful, with slapstick gags and easy catchphrase humor aimed at young viewers. The series is a family-friendly action comedy with a clear 1980s cartoon feel, in the vein of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! and Duck Tales, and it suits children and parents who enjoy lighthearted villain-of-the-week adventures.

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