Dinosaucers

The show follows the Dinosaucers and their battles against the evil Tyrannos. Each group is composed of intelligent anthropomorphic dinosaurs or other prehistoric saurian species. The Dinosaucers are also allied with four humans known as the Secret Scouts. The two groups originally come from a planet in a counter-Earth orbit known as Reptilon. Most of the characters are named after the type of prehistoric animal they are based on, or some pun of the name. Both groups have a central base of operations. The Dinosaucers' base is called Lava Dome and is located in a mountain area in a dormant volcano. The Tyrannos' base is located under a tar pit which is next to an abandoned amusement park. Each of the groups' members save for Teryx and Terrible Dactyl–who can themselves fly–have flying ships in which they can travel and do battle. Most ships actually resemble the personae of their respective owners. Along with their individual ships, both groups have a large mothership of sorts as well. Dinovolving All the Dinosaucers have a button on the front of their uniforms which instantly devolves them to their primitive ancestors dinosaur state, while retaining their intelligence and speech capacity. This special ability is called Dinovolving and initially appeared to be a significant element of the series, as both Allo and Bronto Thunder Dinovolved in the first episode. Despite the apparent technological advantage, most of the later episodes did not feature any Dinovolving. Teryx was the only Dinosaucer who would never Dinovolve throughout the series, while Allo, Tricero, Bonehead and Bronto Thunder would use the ability in more than one episode. The Tyrannos do not have the secret of Dinovolving, and a few episodes even revolve around their plans to steal the technology somehow. However, they do possess a special raygun called a devolver. Blasting a living creature with this weapon has the same "devolving" effect as Dinovolving, but reduces the victim's intelligence to that of the devolved form. For those from Reptilon, the form is that of a normal dinosaur while humans get reverted to primitive cavemen. In any case, the device often winds up being used against them, to much comedic effect, rather than on the Dinosaucers. In this fashion, Genghis Rex, Ankylo, Quackpot and Brachio were all changed into primitive dinosaurs at various times in the series. The Tyrannos also possess a weapon called a "fossilizer", which is capable of turning its target into stone, as well as reversing the condition. The Dinosaucers were also shown to have access to this particular type of weapon in one episode, though it may have been on loan from the Tyrannos, as both factions had united to battle a group of anthropomorphic sabertooth tigers, who also hailed from Reptilon. These creatures possessed fossilizers as well, and also had a device which could disrupt the equivalent weapons belonging to the Dinosaucers and Tyrannos while leaving their own in perfect working order. ==Characters==

Dinosaucers • Allo (voiced by Len Carlson): An Allosaurus and the leader of the Dinosaucers. He has a wife, named Vera, a daughter, named Alloetta and, a maid, named Gatormaid (a play on Gatorade). He is the nephew of the Dinosorceror and Dinosorceress, rulers of Reptilon. He can dinovolve into a 40-foot form. • Dimetro (voiced by Chris Wiggins): A Dimetrodon who is a member of the Dinosaucers and Allo's assistant. Dimetro is the scientist and mechanic of the group. • Bronto Thunder (voiced by Marvin Goldhar): A Brontosaurus. Bronto Thunder has a girlfriend, named Apatty Saurus and was a "rep" for a ceramic tile shop, before he became a Dinosaucer. Physically considered the strongest of the Dinosaucers. He can Dinovolve into an 80-foot form. • Stego (voiced by Ray Kahnert): A Stegosaurus and a quite dim-witted recruit, when compared to the rest of the team. He tries to be brave, but is prone to panic attacks and general cowardice. Stego is a very powerful hand-to-hand combatant, who does not realize his own strength. He can dinovolve, into a 30-foot form. • Tricero (voiced by Rob Cowan): A Triceratops. He had a history for doing investigative work back on Reptilon, serving in the Tricerocops. Tricero has a vibrational super power that, emanates from his 2 brow horns. He can Dinovolve into a 30-foot form. • Bonehead (voiced by Marvin Goldhar): A Pachycephalosaurus who is the nephew of Allo. He is good natured and innocent, though unintelligent. Bonehead can dinovolve into a 25-foot form. • Ichy (voiced by Thick Wilson): An Ichthyosaurus with the ability to communicate with sea creatures. Throughout the series, initially oblivious of her mutuality, he forms a couple with Teryx. He can Dinovolve into a 30-foot form. • Teryx (voiced by Louise Vallance): An evolved Archaeopteryx with the ability to communicate with birds. Teryx has a crush on Ichy, but fears it will not work out, because she is a flying creature, well Ichy is aquatic, although she comes around it and gains confidence in herself as the series progresses, even forming a pair with Ichy, since the episode "For the Love of Teryx". Secret Scouts The Secret Scouts are four teenage humans who help the Dinosaucers as allies. According to the opening credits, they met them when they first arrived and gained powers through magic rings they were given. They are some of the closest friends the Dinosaucers have while they are on Earth. • Ryan Spencer (voiced by Simon Reynolds): A blond haired boy, who is apparently the most intelligent and athletic of the group. He does not seem to get into as much trouble as his three friends do. • Sara Spencer (voiced by Barbara Lynn Redpath): A blond-haired girl and the younger sister of Ryan. She is quite athletic and informative, often teaching the Dinosaucers Earth-related notions. Sara's ring gives her increased speed and agility. • Paul (voiced by Richard Yearwood): An intelligent bespectacled African-American boy. He seems to find the Dinosaucers thrilling and fun. He also has a pet dog, named Charlie, who sometimes causes a lot of trouble for the Dinosaucers in multiple episodes. His Scout ring lets him run at enhanced speed over long distances. • David (voiced by Leslie Toth): A black-haired boy and the wild one of the Scouts. He often gets, into trouble and, makes matters worse, by getting the Dinosaucers involved in his "act-first and think-second" tactics. He is strong and athletic, and although he does not quite have the sharp intellect of Paul and Ryan, he is creative and a quick thinker. David's ring increases his strength, allowing him to lift several hundred pounds at once. Tyrannos The Tyrannos are the forces of "evil" in the series and, like the Dinosaucers, have a total of 8 members in their group. During the course of the series, Plesio, Terrible Dactyl and Quackpot would all betray Genghis Rex at least once over matters of conscience. Despite this, they would eventually return to Rex's side out of loyalty to his cause. • Genghis Rex (voiced by Dan Hennessey): A Tyrannosaurus who is the leader of the Tyrannos, as well as the evil counterpart of Allo. Living up to his species' reputation, he is brutal and tyrannical, and has a violent temper. Genghis Rex has deep feelings for Teryx and, even attempted to kidnap and marry her, but she resisted, since she was in love, with Ichy and objected to his ways. • Dei (voiced by Louise Vallance): A Deinonychus who is the older sister of Rex and the only female Tyranno. Almost as strong as her younger brother, but more intelligent and agile, she demonstrates considerable skill in battle. She also constantly scolds her brother, when things go wrong, something no other Tyranno has the courage to do. • Ankylo (voiced by John Stocker): An Ankylosaurus who is the assistant of Rex. Ankylo bears a resemblance to a warthog and exhibits pig-like characteristics, often snorting, when he speaks. He wears grey armor, has red skin and has a special weapon called the Anklebuster, which creates a chain made out of energy. • Quackpot (voiced by Len Carlson): A Anatosaurus who is the practical joker of the group, much to the ire of the other Tyrannos. In episode 63, Quackpot was the star of a children's television show back on Reptilon called ''Duckbill's Playhouse'' under the name T.B. Duckbill. Therefore, he objects to harming children and, even sometimes protects and cares for them. • Brachio (voiced by Don McManus): A Brachiosaurus who is the archetypal thug of the gang. Physically the strongest among the Tyrannos, despite this, Brachio follows Rex's orders to the letter and is not very bright although not at the same degree of stupidity as Bonehead. • Styraco (voiced by Gordon Masten): A Styracosaurus and former dentist. He is intelligent and sometimes works, with machines though not as often as Plesio. Like Ankylo, he is extremely loyal towards Rex. He is sensitive to mental pressure and can behave in a deranged way, when pushed to the brink of his sanity. • Plesio (voiced by Dan Hennessey): An evolved Plesiosaurus and former attorney with the ability to communicate with sea creatures. He serves as the scientist and inventor of the group. • Terrible Dactyl (voiced by John Stocker): A Pterodactylus who sports a crest akin to a Pteranodon and a long rhamphorhynchoid-style tail. He has a soft spot for baby pterosaurs and, even had once helped the Dinosaucers protect some Pteranodon eggs in the episode Eggs Marks the Spot, showing that, there is some good on this mostly evil-willed being after all. Also, he is of a more sporting nature than the other Tyrannos and will sometimes leave a conflict voluntarily, if his side has an unfair advantage in numbers. Minor characters • The Dinosorcerer and Dinosorceress: The leaders of Reptilon. Dinosorcerer is a Megalosaurus and Dinosorceress is a Plateosaurus. They prefer to rule at arm's length, staying out of the squabbles of the Dinosaucers and Tyrannos as parents would their children. • Apatty Saurus: An Apatosaurus who was Bronto Thunder's girlfriend on Reptilon. She is an expert swamp boater and became a partner at the Color Rep-Tiles tile shop, where Bronto Thunder once worked, sometime after Bronto left for Earth. • Major Clifton: An U.S. Air Force officer who is trying to discover the truth about the Dinosaucers at the expense of his reputation. • The Furballs: Ugh (voiced by John Stocker) and Grunt, are furry creatures who are equivalent to quite-intelligent pets on Reptilon. They get into trouble more often than not in each episode in which they appear, but end up saving the day for the Dinosaucers since Tyrannos are allergic to them. • '''Captain Sabretooth and Smilin'Don:' A pair of Smilodon'' space pirates with advance weapons that rivals Reptilon's, like a device that neutralizes the Dinosaucers' and Tyrannos' Fossilizers. They are part of a group called the 'Sabretooths' where it is said that were invaders of Reptilon, according to the Dinosaucers. Though both Captain Sabretooth and Smilin' Don seem to state that Reptilon was their home. Either way, it took all of Reptilon to get and keep the Sabretooths off the planet. They can be fended off with cat nip, a little gift Sara gives to the Dinosaucers and Tyrannos in order to keep them away afterwards. • Nessie: An Elasmosaurus who served as inspiration for the Loch Ness Monster. Upon meeting Plesio, she falls in love with him and though Genghis Rex plans to turn her a member of the Tyrannos, Plesio loves her to the point of denying Rex's command and even defossilize the Dinosaucers to help free her. Even though she is offered to become a Dinosaucer, she declines. • Dinosaur Dundy: Joseph Dunderback is an Australian scientist obsessed with studying biology. He once studied the lifeforms on a swamp, but changed his focus and started to study dinosaurs. • Turtleback and Shellhead: Two mutated Earthling turtles which are some of Dinosaur Dundy's closest friends. They have cheerful personalities and good will. Dundy refers to them as "two of the slipperies characters he has ever met". • Crockpot: A mutated Earthling crocodile whom Dinosaur Dundy has cared since it was a hatchling. • Marty and Snake Eyes: Two mutated Earth snakes which are friends to Dinosaur Dundy. ==Media==

Home video releases U.S. releases • Dinosaucers: Dinosaur Valley and Carnivore in Rio • Released in 1994. It included the first and seventeenth episodes of the series. • Dinosaucers: Take Us Out to the Ball Game & Monday Night Clawball • Released in 1994. It included the second and thirty-second episodes of the series. • Dinosaucers: Hooray for Hollywood and Divide and Conquer • Released in 1994. It included the fourth and fifth episodes of the series. • Dinosaucers: The First Snow and Frozen Furballs • Released in 1994. It included the twelfth and eighteenth episodes of the series. There have been four tapes in total released on VHS cassette in NTSC format specifically for the United States and Canadian markets. None are still in print or available, making these four VHS tapes rare. Dinosaucers has not been released on DVD and there are no known plans to do so from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. UK releases • Dinosaucers: Volume 1 • Released March 14, 1994. The episodes included in this volume are Dinosaur Valley, Take Us Out To The Ball Game, Happy Egg Day To You, Hooray For Hollywood and Divide And Conquer. • Dinosaucers: Volume 2 • Released October 10, 1994. The episodes included in this volume are Burgers Up!, Be Prepared, That Shrinking Feeling, ''Rockin' Reptiles and Sleeping Booty''. There were two tapes in total released for the UK market in PAL format. Unlike the United States released tapes that had two episodes on each tape, the United Kingdom tapes had five episodes each on both tapes released. The first 21 episodes were previously purchased and downloaded online on Amazon.com as well as on iTunes until summer of 2013 with no current plans to return as of 2023. Toys There were originally plans by Galoob to release a Dinosaucers toy line, and prototype figures were produced. The toy line was to include the characters Stego, Bronto-Thunder, Allo, Bonehead, Plesio, Quackpot, Ankylo, and Genghis Rex. However, the line was scrapped when the show was canceled after airing its initial 65 episode. As a result, some markets began pulling the series from their cartoon line-ups instead of re-running the show's episodes for the remainder of the full 1987-1988 television season. In 1989, after Dinosaucers premiered in Brazil, a company named Glasslite contacted Galoob and purchased the molds. As such, Glasslite produced five of the eight unproduced Galoob molds of the 8" figures although they can be extremely hard to find. Comic reboot In 2018, Uslan joined with publisher Lion Forge Comics to revive Dinosaucers as a comic book. The 5-part mini-series however was left on a cliff hanger when the comic book was discontinued after a trade paperback was published in January 2019. ==Episodes==

Stephan Martinieri directed all episodes. ==Development==

According to Uslan in a 2019 interview with Syfy, the show was inspired by his son, David, who has an interest in dinosaurs and outerspace. He then started to brainstorm his ideas of Tyrannos and the Dinosaucers with his son listening to him explain it. The Secret Scouts were named after members of his family, including his own son. Uslan worked on a deal with Andy Hawyard at DiC Entertainment to air the show through syndication with Coca-Cola Telecommunications. ==See also==