Once the problem of the episode has been explained, Mickey invites the viewers to join him at the Mousekedoer, a giant Mickey-head-shaped computer whose main function is to distribute the day's Mouseketools, a collection of tools needed to solve the day's problem, to Mickey.
One of them is a "Mystery Mouseketool" represented by a Question Mark, in which, when the words "Mystery Mouseketool" are said, the question mark changes into the Mouseketool the viewer gets to use. Another one is a "Mouseke-Think-About-It Tool" represented by a silhouette of Mickey's head with rotating gears, in which characters must think of what to use before telling the Tool "Mouseke-Think-About-It-Tool, we pick the (object)". Once the tools have been shown to Mickey on the Mousekedoer screen, they are quickly downloaded to Toodles, a small, Mickey-head-shaped flying extension of the Mousekedoer. By calling "Oh, Toodles!" Mickey summons him to pop up from where he is hiding and fly up to the screen so the viewer can pick which tool Mickey needs for the current situation.[5][6] Rhymes are used throughout the show. For example, in "Mickey's Silly Problem", when the "Silly switch" turned on, Mickey for some reason, spoke in rhymes for half of the episode.
The show features two original songs performed by American alternative rock band They Might Be Giants, including the opening theme song, in which a variant of a Mickey Mouse Club chant ("Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse!") is used to summon the Clubhouse. They Might Be Giants also perform the song used at the end of every episode, "Hot Dog!", which echoes Mickey's first spoken words in the 1929 short The Karnival Kid.[7]
Mickey Mouse (voiced by Wayne Allwine in Seasons 1–3 and Bret Iwan in Season 4[8]) is the optimistic and easygoing leader of The Sensational Six. He is very patient and caring, especially towards his pet dog Pluto. He's self-aware and somewhat puts on a Bugs Bunny-esque disposition. He is Minnie's boyfriend.
Minnie Mouse (voiced by Russi Taylor[9]) is Mickey Mouse's girlfriend. She is often prone to being put in over-the-top experiences.
Goofy (voiced by Bill Farmer[10]) is Mickey's innocent but well-meaning best friend. He is often prone to most of the slapstick presented in this series.
Pluto (vocal effects provided by Bill Farmer[11]) is Mickey's best pet dog. His arch-nemesis is Butch the Bulldog, whose owner is revealed to be Pete.
Donald Duck (voiced by Tony Anselmo[12]) is Mickey's short-tempered but good-natured best friend and Daisy's boyfriend. He is often shown to display a short temper that is easily provoked.
Daisy Duck (voiced by Tress MacNeille[13]) is Donald's girlfriend who is prone to getting angered by his numerous antics.
Toodles (voiced by Rob Paulsen[14]) is a tool-distributing robot that Mickey calls to present the items for every episode. Following the episode "Happy Birthday, Toodles", he gains a face, a personality, and a voice, and even acquires himself a love interest in the episode "Space Adventure.
Cuckoo the Cuckoo Bird (vocal effects provided by Dee Bradley Baker)
Goofles (voiced by Bill Farmer)
Production
Mickey Mouse was originally voiced by Wayne Allwine with Bret Iwan taking over the role following Allwine's death in 2009 (however, the final episode to feature Allwine as Mickey premiered posthumously on September 28, 2012). Bill Farmer, the voice actor for Goofy and Pluto, said in February 2014 that the recording of dialogue for new episodes has ceased, but that "it would be quite a while before the show runs out of new episodes for TV. We have been on the air consistently since 2006 and we started recording in 2004. So there is always a long lead-in time between recording and seeing it on TV. So don't worry more is still to come, we just are not making any more."[15]
Release
Broadcast
Since Mickey Mouse Clubhouse has ended its run, reruns still air on Disney Junior. The series is also available to stream on Disney+.[16][17]
Episode 01 ("Daisy Bo-Peep"), 42 ("Mickey's Round-Up"), 67 ("Mickey's Big Surprise"), 70 ("Super Goof's Super Puzzle"), and 87 ("Mickey's Show and Tell")
Minnie's Masquerade
1–3
5
February 8, 2011
Episode 02 ("A Surprise For Minnie"),Episode 47 ("Secret Spy Daisy"), 55 ("The Friendship Team"), 81 ("Minnie's Mouseke-Calendar") and 84 ("Minnie's Masquerade")
Mickey's Great Outdoors
1–3
5
May 24, 2011
14, "Daisy in the Sky"), 38 ("Mickey and Minnie's Jungle Safari"), 39 ("Mickey's Camp Out"), 78 ("Daisy's Grasshopper") and 88 ("Mickey's Fishy Story")
Space Adventure
1-3
5
November 8, 2011
89 ("Space Adventure"), and 94 ("Goofy's Thinking Cap")
I Heart Minnie
1–3
5
February 7, 2012
8 ("Minnie's Birthday"), Episode 11 ("Daisy's Dance"), 40 ("Daisy's Pet Project"), 53 ("Minnie's Rainbow") and 95 ("Minnie and Daisy's Flower Shower")
Mickey and Donald Have a Farm
1–4
5
December 11, 2012
23 ("Goofy's Petting Zoo"), 29 ("Goofy the Homemaker"), 52 ("Clarabelle's Clubhouse Mooo-sical"), 98 ("Donald Hatches an Egg") and 100 ("Mickey and Donald Have A Farm")
Minnie's the Wizard of Dizz
3, 4
4
August 13, 2013
91 ("Goofy's Gone"), 99 ("The Golden Boo Boo") and 104 ("Minnie's the Wizard of Dizz")
Quest for the Crystal Mickey
2–4
5
May 21, 2013
59 ("Goofy's Coconutty Monkey"), 71 ("Donald of the Desert"), 77 ("Donald the Genie"), 85 ("Goofy's Giant Adventure") and 101 ("Quest For the Crystal Mickey")
Super Adventure!
3, 4
4
December 3, 2013
79 ("Mickey's Mousekersize"), 80 ("Mickey's Little Parade"), 97 ("Aye, Aye, Captain Mickey") and 105 ("Super Adventure")
Minnie-Rella
2–4
4
February 11, 2014
40 ("Daisy's Pet Project"), 63 ("Mickey and the Enchanted Egg"), 93 ("Pluto's Tale"), and 108 ("Minnie-rella")
Disney Junior Holiday
1
1
October 23, 2018
20 ("Mickey Saves Santa")
Reception
Critical response
Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times compared the television series to Wonder Pets!, saying that "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is simpler, and sometimes less is more," writing, "For much of his television career, the mouse was more a master of ceremonies than a comic lead. Now he has been whittled down to a Mister Rogers role — kindly and didactic."[20] Larisa Wiseman of Common Sense Media rated the show a 4 out of 5 stars, complimented the educational value, saying the series teaches early mathematics skills, and praised the depiction of positive messages and role models, citing, teamwork, positive interactions, and encouragement of social interactions.[21]
Stuart Heritage of The Guardian included Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in their "Best Shows to Watch on Disney+" list, stating that preschoolers will respond enthusiastically and accept eagerly the show, compared to older children and adult who are likely to have less interest.[22] Charles Curtis of USA Today ranked the television series 9th in their "20 Best Shows For Kids Right Now" list, asserting, "Whether it's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Mickey and the Roadster Racers or Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures, they're all good."[23]
Matthew Huff of BuzzFeed ranked Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 28th in their "51 Of The Best TV Shows To Stream On Disney+ In August" list, calling the show "oddly enthralling."[24] Nathan Rabin of Fatherly ranked Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 60th in their "100 Best Kids TV Shows Of All Time" list, writing, "It's a brightly colored, tune-filled, and strangely meme-friendly romp for small children that uses music, repetition, computers, tools, and some of the most beloved characters in pop culture to educate and entertain plus its insanely infectious opening and closing songs are by They Might Be Giants."[25]
David Perlmutter in The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows says that the show "was yet another case of vintage cartoon characters embarrassing themselves for the enjoyment of preschoolers in a heavily dumbed-down format. While it demonstrated the wide appeal of the Disney brand, it also indicated that this brand could be compromised as any other could through association with an inferior product."[2]
Minnie's Bow-Toons is a spin-off series which premiered in November 2011.[37] It aired in the daytime Disney Junior programming block for younger audiences. It is based on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode "Minnie's Bow-tique" and depicts Minnie's continuing adventures in business as proprietor of her own store which makes and sells bows for apparel and interior decoration with her friend Daisy. She interacts with many of the characters seen in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series. The show has been revived with new episodes starting April 2021 renamed to Minnie's Bow-Toons: Party Palace Pals, with the animation style of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse's successor, Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures.[38]
^Known as Walt Disney Television Animation from 2006 to 2012. Animation outsourced to DQ Entertainment and Toon City.
References
^Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 192. ISBN9781476672939.
^ abPerlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 387–389. ISBN978-1538103739.
^"Voice Of Pluto – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources((cite web)): CS1 maint: postscript (link)
