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StuGo

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StuGo
Genre
Created byRyan Gillis
Voices of
Theme music composerBrad Breeck
ComposerBrad Breeck
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producers
  • Ryan Gillis
  • Sunil Hall
  • Chris Prynoski
  • Shannon Prynoski
  • Antonio Canobbio
  • Ben Kalina
EditorJohn Wall
Running time22 minutes (two 11-minute segments)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkDisney Channel
ReleaseJanuary 11, 2025 (2025-01-11) –
present

StuGo is an American animated television series created by Ryan Gillis. The series premiered on Disney Channel on January 11, 2025.[2]

Premise

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Six gifted middle schoolers that make up a student government (or StuGo for short, hence the name of the series) at their respective schools are invited to a mysterious island in the Caribbean to attend what they believe is a legitimate academic summer camp. However, they soon discover this is a ruse orchestrated by Dr. Lullah, a mad scientist who lives on the island. Unable to leave for three months, the kids must contend with the island's fantastical and dangerous mutant flora and fauna, much of which has been created by Dr. Lullah.[3][4]

Voice cast

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  • Tania Gunadi as Pliny,[5] a creative, resourceful, and inventive girl.
  • Zosia Mamet as Merian,[5] a cautious and anxious yet intelligent girl who is the daughter of two marine biologists.
  • Gabourey Sidibe as Francis,[5] a calm and collected oddball girl with a deep voice.
  • Charlyne Yi as Larry,[6] a fun, quirky, and upbeat boy who is fond of bugs and adventure.
  • Zach Reino as Chip Manhands,[6] a nerdy boy who proclaims to be masculine and overly confident. His real name is Drewnipper Hedgemaze and is shown to be good at cooking and robotics.
  • Deborah Baker Jr. as:
    • Sara,[6] a chubby, nerdy, and headstrong girl who isn't afraid to use force.
    • Sarah, Sara's twin sister who Sara snuck over to Dr. Lullah's island upon her arrival.
  • Lorraine Toussaint as Dr. Lullah,[5] an egotistical and intelligent Trinidadian-Tobagonian mad scientist who tricked the kids into coming to her island to do her work for her under the guise of running a "legitimate summer camp". She is also responsible for creating the mutants and other lifeforms that roam the island. Dr. Lullah lived on the island for years with Mr. Okay before the kids arrived. In the episode "The Bomb Swapper", Dr. Lullah is revealed to be considered a first-tier villain within the villain community.
  • Jake Green as:
    • Mr. Okay,[2] a mutant created by Dr. Lullah from a Scottish Terrier who is the assistant of Dr. Lullah. He got his name after Lullah took his acceptance of her as "an okay" from him.
    • Glen Chompers, a mutant created by Dr. Lullah from a great white shark.

Guest

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  • Ryan Gillis as Chicho, a mutant created by Dr. Lullah from an alligator who has a bird (wearing sneakers and pants) on his head called "Little Pickle."
  • Sunil Hall as Sunil, a cargo ship captain with connections with Dr. Lullah.
  • Johnny Pemberton as Peanut, a mutant created by Dr. Lullah from a betta.
  • Cyrina Fiallo as Mariana Trent, a fish counter who works for Dr. Lullah. As noted by Merian, her name is a pun on "Mariana Trench".

Episodes

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No.Title [1][7]Directed byWritten byStoryboarded byOriginal release date [1][7]Prod.
code [1]
1"Legitimate Summer Camp"Erica Jones & Steve WolfhardRyan GillisDerek Evanick, Madeleine Flores, Diana Lafyatis & Sonja von MarensdorffJanuary 11, 2025 (2025-1-11)102
"Dog Eat Dog"Ryan GillisNathan Bulmer, Ryan Gillis & Zach MarcusJanuary 1, 2025 (2025-1-1) (sneak peek)
January 11, 2025 (2025-1-11) (official)

The kids arrive at Dr. Lullah's mysterious summer camp and attempt to find a crystal so she can fix her laser.


The kids are forced to challenge the mutants, who stole their food in a "dog-eat-dog" style.
2"The Nannytee"Hannah AyoubiLiz HaraMadeleine Flores & Sonja von MarensdorffJanuary 11, 2025 (2025-1-11)103
"Noodle It (A Little Bit)"Jon MillsteinRose Feduk & Kaitlyn Graziano

Dr. Lullah creates a manatee-nanny hybrid to watch over the kids while having some alone time to work on her jet ski, but Francis is suspicious about it.


Pliny teaches Larry to noodle, but he soon makes a habit of it and develops a massive ego.
3"Diorama Drama"Erica JonesJon MillsteinRose Feduk & Kaitlyn GrazianoJanuary 19, 2025 (2025-1-19)101
"Goat Racket"Hannah AyoubiAmalia LevariNathan Bulmer & Ron Stanage

When the kids explore a vending machine, they fall into a room housing a diorama of Dr. Lullah's island, but the figurines come to life whenever they are put in the diorama and cause havoc on the actual island.


The kids encounter multicolored beans that attract Sara. After coming across numerous grey ones, she plays a trick that causes Larry to give all his beans to her. She begins feeling guilty about it, so she orchestrates another scam to give Larry his beans back, but it turns the tables on Larry when he gets attacked by goats.
4"Breakfast at Chippany's"Erica JonesJon MillsteinNathan Bulmer & Ron StanageJanuary 19, 2025 (2025-1-19)104
"Birdyguard"Steve WolfhardJanice Chun & Sunil HallDerek Evanick & Diana Lafyatis

Trying to make the best breakfast in the world, Chip searches for ingredients and befriends a warthog shopkeeper named Rianne, who traps him and his friends in a cave full of sentient mushrooms, including the one controlling Rianne.


Larry befriends a baby lizard, but must protect it from a night heron trying to eat it.
5"No Manhands Is an Island"Steve WolfhardBen CrouseThomas HerpichJanuary 26, 2025 (2025-1-26)105
"Sister Swim"Hannah AyoubiRose Feduk & Kaitlyn Graziano

Chip dedicates himself to survival after reading a Nils Vulfren comic, but he pushes his tactics too far.


When Merian's adoptive "sister" (a dolphin) named Tara visits the kids, Merian becomes extremely jealous.
6"Moon Moon"Hannah AyoubiJon MillsteinMadeleine Flores & Sonja von MarensdorffJanuary 26, 2025 (2025-1-26)106
"Mailbog"Erica JonesAmalia LevariDerek Evanick & Diana Lafyatis

Sara is sent to the moon by Dr. Lullah to stop a rover from drawing a rear on the moon ever since an incident where Dr. Lullah tried to draw her face on it, which was erased by NASA.


Francis and the kids deliver letters to an uncanny place.
7"Finders Kelpers"Hannah AyoubiAmalia Levari & Jessica CombsGina GressFebruary 2, 2025 (2025-2-2)108
"Truck Everlasting"Erica JonesBen CrouseRose Feduk & Kaitlyn Graziano

Dr. Lullah and Mr. Okay set up a game show called Finders Keepers. Pliny teams up with a tribe of sentient kelp to take back their stuff from Dr. Lullah.


After Dr. Lullah entrusts Sara with the title of "Mud Puppy", Mr. Okay worries that she will replace him.
8"Alpha Betta Chip"Steve WolfhardLiz HaraDerek Evanick & Diana LafyatisFebruary 9, 2025 (2025-2-9)107
"The Bomb Swapper"Hannah AyoubiGreg MillerNathan Bulmer & Ron Stanage

While working on a Tree Swapper device that would cause trees to swap branches, Chip comes to the defense of a mutant betta named Peanut, who is being picked on by the larger bettas. He decides to teach Peanut how to defend himself against the larger bettas.


After Dr. Lullah is annoyed with the potato-like communicator, Mr. Communitater, the kids assume that Dr. Lullah hates them and decide to use this idea to prank her into thinking that one of her fellow villains is planning to hold the kids for ransom. Unbeknownst to them, the prank ends up attracting a fifth-tier villain named Bomb Swapper to Dr. Lullah's island when the kids claim that he's the one who captured them.
9"The Wolf of Jealousy"Hannah AyoubiJon MillsteinRose Feduk & Kaitlyn GrazianoFebruary 16, 2025 (2025-2-16)109
"Stench Mensch"Steve WolfhardRyan Gillis & Amalia LevariNathan Bulmer & Ron Stanage

Larry attempts to show off his trick to the mutants with no avail as the others have found a way to turn the garbage into gold. When Francis is actually turned into gold, a flounder mutant declares Francis as the chosen one causing Larry to get jealous enough to manifest a green demonic wolf with emerald eyes.


While observing some grubs, Pliny finds a tape where Dr. Lullah had humiliated herself at a weight-lifting contest as Dr. Lullah wants her to sign an NDA. She then tends to a grub named Pudding as it starts to grow. Pliny won't help Dr. Lullah with getting Pudding to the toads when she expects her to sign the NDA regarding the tape.
10"Francis Wants to Be Alone"Erica JonesJamie LoftusMadeleine Flores & Sonja von MarensdorffFebruary 23, 2025 (2025-2-23)110
"The Sash"Ben Crouse & Amalia LevariDerek Evanick & Diana Lafyatis

As Merian throws a party for her and her friends, she hears from Francis that she needs to be alone for awhile. Merian rallies her friends to find out why Francis wants to be alone. Merian recalls a similar situation that she once had a with a girl named Samantha who became distant with her.


While wearing a presidential sash, Merian has her friends clean up the beach on Dr. Lullah's island. When it comes to becoming the empress of the island, a vote is cast. Due to a need for a deciding vote, the kids turn to Dr. Lullah who suggests that Merian should have the title. Soon, Merian and her friends end up encountering a mutant named Big Mitchell and a giant worm mutant.
11"Deep Trent"Steve WolfhardColleen Evanson & Sunil HallMadeleine Flores & Katie AldworthMarch 1, 2025 (2025-3-1)111
"Disaster Play"Hannah AyoubiLiz HaraNathan Bulmer & Ron Stanage

As the kids place stuff into a tube while cleaning Dr. Lullah's submarine, Merian and Pliny take it beneath the water and trace the tube to an underwater lab where a woman named Mariana Trent works as Dr. Lullah's fish counter as there is a claim that there are others "employed" on Dr. Lullah's island.. Noting that all the potentials will be wasted, Merian tries to get Dr. Lullah to not let all the potential go to waste causing Dr. Lullah to fire Mariana and have Merian take her place. Of course Mariana comes in handy when the island is threatened by some merpeople.


While trying to get honey for her tea from a large beehive, Dr. Lullah accidentally launches it from the tree its on where it lands on top of the island's volcano. Because of a lesser incident last time, the mutants won't listen to her as Dr. Lullah has the kids work on warning the mutants in the mutant market of the upcoming hot honey and bee attacks. The kids plan to put on a play that will help warn the mutants as Merian becomes the understudy to Sara's "self-understudy". When the mutants see the player after a fight between a flamingo mutant and a mouse mutant ends, Merian becomes Sara's "self-understudy" when using the climax to warn the mutants only to end up doing something that angers a chimpanzee mutant.
12"Shapesister"Erica JonesJon MillsteinRose Feduk & Kaitlyn GrazianoMarch 8, 2025 (2025-3-8)112
"Lullah's Game"Steve WolfhardLiz HaraDerek Evanick & Diana Lafyatis
13"Night Mutants"TBATBATBAMarch 15, 2025 (2025-3-15)113
"Chunk Beastknuckles"
14"The Leg Farm"TBATBATBAMarch 22, 2025 (2025-3-22)114
"Unquenchable Thurst"
15"Plantcis"TBATBATBAMarch 29, 2025 (2025-3-29)115
"Big Ol' Heads Egg Salad Venture"
16"PANTelevision"TBATBATBAApril 5, 2025 (2025-4-5)116
"Infinity Braid"
17"Primate Fear"TBATBATBAApril 12, 2025 (2025-4-12)TBA
"Francis' Last Straw"
18"Phishin' Chip"TBATBATBAApril 19, 2025 (2025-4-19)TBA
"Shell-Shock!"
19"Elephant Triumvirate Book 6: Trunkumvirate Triumphaphant"TBATBATBAApril 26, 2025 (2025-4-26)TBA
"Z.O.R.B.Z. (Zorbular Orb Rorb Borb Zorbs)"

Production

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Development

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In 2019, Ryan Gillis pitched to Disney Television Animation a series inspired by the time he took a study-abroad course during college, in which they were free to do as they wanted outside of class. The series was greenlit in 2022, with production starting in 2023.[8] Gillis settled on the title StuGo after finding it on Google and feeling it fit with the show's themes.[9]

StuGo was announced on June 13, 2023.[6] The series is produced by Titmouse, Inc.[5] and directed by Hannah Ayoubi, Erica Jones, and Steve Wolfhard.[3] Gillis serves as the executive producer along with Hall, while Craig Lewis is story editor.[10]

Writing

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The series focuses primarily on episodic storytelling, with the writers wanting each episode to "stand on its own" as a way to provide further access to audiences, while also incorporating continuity and world building across the episodes.[9] Gillis wanted the humor to focus primarily on knowing more about the characters,[9] with a lot of the humor centering on the friction between the cast as they deal with their current situation.[11]

Casting

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During the series' announcement, it was reported that Tania Gunadi, Zosia Mamet, Gabourey Sidibe, Charlyne Yi, Zach Reino, Deborah Baker Jr., and Lorraine Toussaint would compose its main cast,[5] with Jake Green announced as part of the cast in December 2024.[2] The series occasionally features guest characters who were written with a particular actor in mind as an "archetype" for the character.[9] Kristi Reed is also served as a voice director on the show.[12]

Animation

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Animation services for the series were provided by Titmouse and Snipple Animation Studios, while Sam Bosma served as art director.[8] The visual style for the show was inspired by the Caribbean and South Florida, with Gillis wanting to avoid depicting a romanticized depiction of tropical life by depicting the buildings as degraded due to the environment. He also wanted Dr. Lullah's technology to be distinctive from other shows with mad scientists by incorporating "plaster, Spanish tile and art deco flourishes".[8] Inspirations for the series' Mutants include adventure serials such as Jonny Quest and the works of Ray Harryhausen as well as Gillis' life in Florida.[9]

Release

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The series premiered on January 11, 2025,[2][13] and is scheduled for release on Disney+ in the spring of 2025.[14][15] The series was originally scheduled to premiere on October 17, 2024.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "StuGo Episode Listings". The Futon Critic.
  2. ^ a b c d e O'Rourke, Ryan (December 4, 2024). "Prepare for Unrestricted Summer Camp Adventure in StuGo Trailer [Exclusive]". Collider. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024. Collider can exclusively reveal the official trailer for the new sci-fi series and share that it will debut on January 11, following a preview on January 1 through the channel's "Sneako Peako" programming stunt.
  3. ^ a b "StuGo – Titmouse". Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  4. ^ Malone, Michael (June 14, 2023). "4 Disney Shows Get Renewals". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Balaga, Marta (June 13, 2023). "Disney Unveils Animated Series at Annecy, Teases 'Magicampers' and 'The Sunnyridge 3' (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on October 10, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Milligan, Mercedes (June 13, 2023). "Disney Branded TV & Disney EMEA Kick Off Next 100 Years of Toons at Annecy". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on October 19, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "StuGo Episode Guide". Zap2it.
  8. ^ a b c Zahed, Ramin (January 2, 2025). "'StuGo' Creator Ryan Gillis Introduces Us to His Animated Lab Rats". Animation Magazine. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e Dar, Taimur (January 6, 2025). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  10. ^ Milligan, Mercedes. "Annecy: Disney TV Announces New 'Prep & Landing,' 'Moon Girl' Shorts, 'Kindergarten: The Musical,' 'Big City Greens' S5 & Much More". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on October 19, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  11. ^ critic, Jackson MurphyJackson Murphy is a movie; Lights-Camera-Jackson.com, entertainment columnist He is the creator of the website; Television, Has Made Numerous Appearances on; radio. (January 6, 2025). "INTERVIEW: Gear Up For "StuGo"". Animation Scoop. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  12. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  13. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (December 4, 2024). "Trailer: 'StuGo' Brings Sci-Fi Summer Camp Adventure to Disney Channel in January". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024. StuGo premieres on Disney Channel on Saturday, January 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT with two episodes, followed by new episodes weekly on Sundays at 9 a.m. ET/PT
  14. ^ "StuGo". Explore Disney+. The Walt Disney Company. Archived from the original on October 19, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Lang, Jamie (June 11, 2024). "Disney Unveils 'Moon Girl' Musical Shorts Series, 'Big City Greens' Season 5 Order and First-Look Clip for 'Disney Junior's Ariel' (EXCLUSIVE)". Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024. The show is produced by Titmouse in association with Disney Channel and will premiere this fall on Disney Channel and Disney+.
  16. ^ "EIDR Record: Stugo [2024] (2024-10-17, Season)". ui.eidr.org. doi:10.5240/7806-d889-51a6-5fc2-06b1-f. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
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