ТВ Колоссо: История Бразильского Шоу Собак

TV Colosso (also known as The Hot Dog Channel) was a Brazilian children's television series produced by Rede Globo, that began on April 19, 1993, and finished on January 3, 1997. The show utilized puppets, body puppets, remote controlled animatronics and bluescreen puppets. It stars a group of working dogs in a TV station that struggle to put her TV shows on air. The show presented the fictional programs "Jornal Colossal"; "Clip Cão"; "Pedigree", a parody of Rede Globo's soap operas; "As Aventuras do Super Cão"; "Olimpíadas de Cachorro"; "Acredite Se Puder" (Believe it if you can) satirizing Ripley's Believe It or Not! ; "ColosShow"; "Asfalto Quente"; "Aprendendo Prá Cachorro"; "CapaShow"; and others. The show was created by Luiz Ferré, a graphic artist, who also created its characters; and directed by J. B. de Oliveira (Boninho), famous for Rede Globo's hits No Limite (Brazilian version of Survivor) and Big Brother Brasil. The puppets were all made by Roberto Dornelles from Ferré's own puppet company Criadores e Criaturas (100 Modos). It was a big hit on Brazil and worldwide, but was cancelled due to intense production costs. The show was also broadcast in Japan by NHK. In 2009, the show's return in April of the same year was discussed by the producer, but not happened. Also in that year, it was reported that a DVD box set featuring the show's most important episodes and a Broadway inspired musical are in works. On October 12, 2016, the show resumed production as a webseries for Playkids.

After the ending of Xou da Xuxa in 1993, TV Globo wanted a new children's show for filling the timeslot. Director Boninho got in touch with the artist Luiz Ferré to create a concept for the program.

Priscila, a charming female sheepdog, main and only producer and also an artist. Gilmar (Manny) and his 20.000 Gilmar workers, the group of working dogs. JF, the pessimistic TV Colosso CEO and mentor, probably a reference to J. R. Ewing. Capachildo Capachão, JF's servile assistant. His name is a reference to capacho (Portuguese for to doormat). Borges, the bulldog picture director. Bullborg, Borges' dog bot. Walter Gate, the Jornal Colossal host, an homage to Walter Cronkite and to Jornal Nacional host William Bonner, and a reference to Watergate. Waltinho, Walter Gate's son. Peggy Sunshine, the female weather newsdog. Paulo Paulada, the security dog. Jaca Paladium, the host of "Acredite Se Puder", an homage to Jack Palance in Ripley's Believe It or Not!. Vira Lata de Aço, the show's antagonist. Camera Ney, the cameraman dog. Roberval, the chocolate thief. Castilho, Priscila's annoying boyfriend. Bob Dog, Priscila's rock 'n' roll star. Daniel, a keyboarding dog. Malabi, the magician dog. Thunderdog, the musician dog and Luiz Thunderbird's parody. Professor Haftas Arden, the scientist dog. His name is a reference to burning Aphthous ulcer in Portuguese. Ajudante, Professor's assistant. Dr. Frankenstof, Professor's brother. Dr. Kobalski, Frankenstof's assistant, probably a reference to one character in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (Kowalski)
Godoy, the elderly dog. Bóris, the not so haunted house dweller. Astor, Bóris' assistant. Nestor, the repairing dog. Jaca Palladium's childish fans. Peteleco, the dog that was kidnapped in Rede Globo's telenovela A Lua Me Disse. Parmessão & Provolone, the comic pair. Supercão, the show's super hero and Gilmar's alter ego. the fleas that enjoy causing havoc on TV Colosso Studios. Professor Gagá, the rock 'n' roll singer and professor rooster. Capachete Capachona, Capachão's professional friend. Laerte Canini, TV Colosso's scriptwriter and a reference to the show's scriptwriter and cartoonist Laerte Coutinho. Detetive Farofinha, the Sherlock Holmes dog counterpart. the winning Viking girl dogs of Capachão's Capashow. the fairy dogparents who lose the Capashow to her rival Viking girl dogs. Plínio Bragança Cardoso, son of the Bragança Cardoso family and the protagonist of TV Colosso's telenovela "Inimigos Para Sempre". He has a relationship with Marina Couto Pereira despite its parents' hostility towards the Bragança Cardoso family. Marina Couto Pereira, daughter of the Couto Pereira family and the female protagonist from "Inimigos Para Sempre". She has a crush towards Plínio Bragança Cardoso while its parents seen to have heartlessness towards the Couto Pereira clan. Pelados, the rebel boys from the high school who appreciate milkshakes, sports, heavy metal songs and scamming and tormenting the Peludos. Peludos, the kind hearted and sensitive boys from the same school as Pelados who, in contrast to them, appreciate classical music, romantic poetry and studying a lot to fulfill their destiny. Shirley, the popular girl from the high school who loves both the Pelados and the Peludos and despises their cruelty, violence and heartlessness towards each other. Delicatessen, the princess protagonist from "A Princesa Pirata" who desires to be a pirate in order to ease their boringness.

The 28 puppets were 25 dogs and 3 fleas. The body puppets needed dancers to control its movements. The puppets needed electronic puppeteers and voice actors. The puppet mechanisms were made by Inventiva Bonecos e Cenários, Ltda. who visited Los Angeles studios searching special effects technology. The animations were radio controlled, making more realism. The sets were created by Lia Renha, Maria Odile, Kátia Florêncio and Fernando Schmidt, and had different dimensions variating since miniature to the big ones. All props were built specially for TV Colosso.

This made for TV featurette film was aired on December 24, 1993, and retold traditional Christmas stories. The story tells TV Colosso's gang celebrating Christmas at JF's house and watching special scheduling at a high technology TV. Priscila, Capachildo Capachão, Thunder Dog and others watch "A Estrela de Belém, Cada Gilmar é um Rei" (loosely based on the "Three Wise Men" classic tale) and "O Avarento" (loosely based on "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens). The sets on this special were made by Lia Renha and Fernando Schmidt, the costumes were designed by Billy Accioly, and art was produced by Silvana Estrella.

Due to celebration of Children's Day in 1994, an episode of TV Colosso was specially produced to be shown on Terça Nobre (primetime block), mixing for the first time puppets with live actors. In this special, Priscila and the gang are producing and hosting the special show. The guest stars were the Rede Globo cast: Renato Aragão, Dedé Santana, Casseta & Planeta Team, Regina Casé, Tom Cavalcante, Xuxa, Sandy & Júnior, Claudio Heinrich, Ana Paula Tabalipa, André Marques and Carolina Dieckmann. The special was taped at the original sets of TV Colosso and at Teatro Fenix, on Rio de Janeiro, where Fernando Schmidt turned the theater at TV Colosso's auditorium.

The success of TV Colosso launched 2 records by Som Livre, a feature film, shows, a theatrical play, toys and games by Estrela and Sega, and comic books by Editora Abril.

Due to major success of TV Colosso, a feature film was produced by Paris Filmes, Criadores e Criaturas, Ltda. and Play Video Produções Para TV & Cinema. The film was released in 1994 and the biggest sadness about it were its R$2,000,000 budget and that to date his producers didn't pay incentive taxes.

Priscila, Alice, Gilmar, Capachildo Capachão, JF, Nestor, Castilho, Malabi, Walter Gate, Waltinho, Borges, Bullborg, Bóris, Jaca Paladium, Paulo Paulada, and all staff of TV Colosso want to throw a party to celebrate the Dog's Day. They organize a game contest, and Gilmar chooses the Thinker Dog Statue, by renowned sculptor Cacheau Rodin, as a trophy. But Afrânio Furtado, Dona Jóia Furtado and his children Rubi and Furtadinho manage to steal it, trying to cut the fun short.