Life's a Zoo

Life's a Zoo

Life's a Zoo.tv Logo
Created by Andrew Horne
Written by Andrew Horne
Brandon Firla
Kurt Firla
Ron Sparks
Teresa Pavlinek
Ralph Chapman
Sarah Glinski
Graham Wagner
Starring Kurt Firla
Stephanie Jung
Stephen Kishewitsch
Joseph Motiki
Bridget Ogundipe
Mike Rowland
Francisco Trujillo
Michael Lamport
Stacey DePass
Country of origin Canada
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 20
Production
Executive producer(s) Adam Shaheen
Producer(s) Morghan Fortier
Running time 20 minutes
Release
Original network Teletoon
Original release September 1, 2008 (2008-09-01)[1] – November 8, 2009 (2009-11-08)[2]
External links
Website

Life's a Zoo is a Canadian stop motion sitcom created by Adam Shaheen and Andrew Horne. It is directed by Alexander Gorelick. A co-production of Cuppa Coffee Studios and Teletoon, "Life's a Zoo.tv" was named Best Animated Program or Series at the 24th Annual Gemini Awards.[3] It premiered on September 1, 2008 on Teletoon's late night programming block, "Teletoon at Night".[1] It premiered on Smosh's Cartoon YouTube channel, Shut Up! Cartoons on June 23, 2013.

Premise

The show is a parody of the reality TV series Big Brother, with a similar plot. The seven very different contestants share a mansion "Somewhere in Saskatchewan..." where they compete in challenges to avoid being "extincted" (the show's version of elimination), supervised by the show's host, Claude the vulture in the first season, and later Bobbie the seal in the second. In the first season, despite being eliminated, characters always come back, as Life's a Zoo doesn't use continuity. However, starting in season two, characters are permanently eliminated. Additionally, each episode features a specially edited music video from a different artist. The show won Best Animated Series at the Canadian Gemini Awards in 2009.[3]

Main characters

Episodes

Title Original air date Synopsis
Welcome to the Jungle September 1, 2008 (Teletoon)
June 23, 2013 (YouTube)
The cast is introduced to their new home and get to know one another for the next thirteen weeks. Jake is immediately alienated by the group when he's locked out of the house and he attempts to break back in. This episode's featured music video was "Made of Stone" by Spiral Beach.
You Snooze, You Lose It September 5, 2008 (Teletoon)
July 14, 2013 (YouTube)
After succeeding in an event to stay awake longer than his house mates, Jake is awarded a papaya as a prize. As a result of sleep deprivation, Jake perceives the papaya as a trophy and locks himself in his room, leaving only to assert dominance over his opponents by playing pranks on them. Ray tricks Jake into thinking the papaya is alive by providing a voice for it and his obsession with it escalates to infatuation as a result, while the others hunt down Jake in retaliation. This episode's featured music video was "Young Leaves" by Attack in Black.
Rayland September 8, 2008 (Teletoon)
July 21, 2013 (YouTube)
Rico has been granted king of the mansion for the day and begins to go mad with power. Fed up with the social hierarchy of the house, Ray stages a coup and asserts himself as a dictatorial leader which leads to a revolution. This episode's featured music video was "Spinning in My Grave" by The Beautiful Unknown.
It's Not Easy Being Chi September 19, 2008 (Teletoon)
July 28, 2013 (YouTube)
Chi-Chi becomes a flash in the pan celebrity after winning immunity. Her house mates attempt to leech off of her fame. She and Ray make a pornographic film, Rico becomes her business manager, Dr. D becomes her bodyguard, Minou becomes her wardrobe advisor, and Jake sells items she has touched online. However the fame begins to go to her head and she soon spirals out of control. The episode's featured music video was "Mr. Therapy Man" by Justin Nozuka.
Live and Let Diet September 26, 2008 (Teletoon)
July 7, 2013 (YouTube)
Following a week of binge eating, the cast is forced into a weight loss competition. Minou develops a binge eating disorder and Jake becomes hideously disfigured after having Ray and Morreski perform lipo suction on him. He wins the competition as a consequence, and Minou is extincted for actually gaining weight. This episode's featured music video was "The Skinny" by The Tin Bangs.
Dr D Plays House October 3, 2008 (Teletoon)
August 7, 2013 (YouTube)
The cast engages in a musical competition. Dr. D thinks he has it locked up and turns down a lucrative offer from a record label outside the mansion, only to be smacked down in a rap battle by Chi-Chi. This episode's featured music video "Won More Time" by God Made Me Funky.
Teddy Bear's Picnic October 10, 2008 (Teletoon)
August 11, 2013 (YouTube)
After Morreski earns a coupon for a free picnic, the cast's refrigerator becomes mysteriously sealed, forcing them to fight for Morreski's prize. The rightful owner of the coupon is finally decided with a To Tell the Truth style game show; "Morreski or No Morreski". This episode's featured music video was "Show Me" by Ripped.
Big Brother, Where Art Thou October 17, 2008 (Teletoon)
August 18, 2013 (YouTube)
After being discreetly drugged, the cast members wake to find themselves isolated in a large, white maze. As they attempt to find an exit, Chi-Chi, who has been left in the mansion, assumes that her competitors have been extincted and insinuates herself as the victor. This episode's featured music video was "Midnight Love" by Jason Kent.
Scared Shirtless October 24, 2008 (Teletoon)
June 30, 2013 (YouTube)
The cast members struggle to stay alive while being pursued by a psychopathic killer, as well as find his fortune somewhere in the house. This episode's featured music video was "First Date" by Danko Jones.
Self Helpless October 31, 2008 (Teletoon)
August 25, 2013 (YouTube)
The cast is abruptly deprived of their various addictive vices and forced to cope without, at the risk of being extincted. Ray, deprived of video games, watches TV instead and converts to Christianity after obsessively watching a televangelist. Jake assumes ownership of his housemates' addicting items (while still abstaining from his own) and eventually hospitalizes himself (momentarily causing the other contestants to believe he was dead), as a result of overindulgence. This episode's featured music video was "How Did You Get This Way?" by Trophy Band.
Acts of Random Niceness November 7, 2008 (Teletoon)
September 1, 2013 (YouTube)
The entire cast attempts to refrain from directing anger at one another, with the winner being promised their weight in gold. Rico fattens himself up to warrant a larger prize (causing Morreski to come onto him, thinking that he is a woman after he starts to wear a mumu dress) and Jake takes advantage of the terms of the challenge by making repeated romantic passes on Minou, without the fear of any legitimate consequences. This episode's featured music video was "Roller Coaster" by Major Maker.
2D or not 2D November 14, 2008 (Teletoon)
September 8, 2013 (YouTube)
Claude spends most of the show's budget on a flashy ad campaign, resulting in the show having to cut budgets, including redesigning it to a cheaper 2D format. Ray enjoys how he can hurt himself all he wants, Minou erases some of her torso to slim down, and Chi Chi gorges herself on living food. This episode's featured music video was "Sinners of St. Avenue" by SLAVE to the SQUAREwave.
Ray Against the Machine November 21, 2008 (Teletoon)
September 15, 2013 (YouTube)
During the season one finale, after discovering a secret surveillance room in the mansion, Ray uncovers a collection of scripts and storyboards, suggesting that the show is, in fact, scripted. The cast then plans an elaborate retaliation plot, only to fight over how each of them want to end the show. This is the only episode without a featured music video.
Unplugged And Rewired September 23, 2013 After discovering the show has been faked all along, the former cast take control and try to create their own show! This episode's featured music video was "Blue Flame" by Run With Kittens.
The Breakfree Club September 29, 2013 In the season two debut, the seven contestants are aboard on the same plane they were on in first episode along with a new host, a seal named Bobbie, who is determined to turn the show around. Fed up, Minou quits and jumps out of the plane; only to discover too late that it was real. Bobbie returns the six to the mansion, where she hypnotizes all but Ray into being perfect reality show contestants. After Ray finds Minou in a wheelchair and body cast, he frees everyone, only for Minou be the first eliminated when she rolls out through the front door. This episode's featured music video was "Don't Let Go" by Crowned King.
Truth Or Consequences October 6, 2013 Bobbie forces the contestants to reveal their darkest secrets. Everyone finds out Rico's accent was exaggerated for the show, and Jake got on after he wandered into the casting trailer thinking it was a sperm bank. Dr. D uncovers some secrets about Bobbie and tries to expose her, however he is eliminated after it is revealed he is really a poser named Dewey Dewson. This episode's featured music video was "Chasing Satellites" by Hello Operator.
Chi's Having A Baby October 13, 2013 The contestants' parenting skills are put to the test when they are tasked to take care of an egg for one day. However, things quickly take a turn when Chi-Chi discovers she may actually be pregnant! Morreski is eliminated for not only breaking his egg, but multiple eggs he got from a chicken. This episode's featured music video was "Fashionable People" by Joel Plaskett.
Holy Matrimony October 20, 2013 After being handcuffed to each other all morning, the final four must face their toughest challenge yet: deciding which two of them will get married! As Jake and Ray try to get Chi-Chi to take their hand, Rico tries to convince them to take his instead. Rico is eliminated, leaving Jake, Ray and Chi-Chi as the final three. This episode's featured music video was "From Me To You" by Vanderpark.
Chubby Chasers October 27, 2013 Jake and Ray form an alliance to go to the finale two. However Chi-Chi wins immunity, leading the two to fight for her affection so she will choose them to go to the finale, which culminates in accidentally drugging her. This episode's featured music video was "Goin' Down" by The Illuminati.
The Finale Finale November 3, 2013 After waking up Chi-Chi, Jake and Ray discover that she has amnesia and cannot remember anything. Bobbie sends her to her room to marathon the entire first season of the show. Jake beats Ray in a rock-paper-scissors tiebreaker, eliminating Ray and placing Jake in the final two. Meanwhile, Bobbie brings back the eliminated players to vote for the winner. Chi-Chi wins by a unanimous vote, but she rejects the prize after seeing how horrible the show has made her and leaves to find herself. A distraught Jake rigs the house to explode, but is unable to stop the fuse after he is declared the winner, and the mansion is destroyed. Since Ray bet on Jake to win, he becomes rich, rebuilds the house, and hires Jake as his servant. This episode's featured music video was "Leave a Light" by Krista Muir.

Shut Up! Cartoons

The rights to the series were bought by Smosh to be aired on their Shut Up! Cartoons YouTube channel. Most of the show remains the same with the exception of the inclusion of Shut Up! Cartoons intros and outros and notably more censorship of profanity, drug references, and sexual content.

Planned spin-off

There are plans for a child-friendly spin off called Pen Pals.[4] It will feature Jake and Ray as the main characters.

References

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