"Let's Hit the Road" is the pilot episode of Road Rovers. It was written by Tom Ruegger and Mark Seidenberg, with Herb Moore providing direction. The episode premiered on September 7, 1996, and served as an introduction to the series and its characters.
Summary[]
One year after an explosion destroys Professor William F. Shepard's laboratory, he calls upon five dogs to become Road Rovers, and they proceed to go on their first mission.
Plot[]
The series begins with a truck heading towards the Shepherd Research Laboratory. Upon entering, General Parvo exits alongside his two assistants (one of which is named Groomer) as the sound of a whimpering dog emanates from a cage Parvo is holding. Shepherd then states the dog's name, Scout, revealing it is his.
Parvo greets Shepherd, but the latter has no interest in pleasantries and insists Parvo give Scout back. The former agrees, on the condition Shepherd give Parvo blueprints and a prototype for an unidentified object. After Shepherd gives him these, Parvo throws the key to the cage at him as Parvo and his assistants leave.
However, once Shepherd opens the cage, he discovers Scout is missing and the dog whimpering was actually from a tape. Realizing he has been tricked, Shepherd is further shocked to see dynamite inside the cage. He attempts to escape the lab, but as Parvo locked the door upon leaving, Shepherd is stuck. Consequently, the laboratory is destroyed by the explosion, causing it to cave in and forming a hole.
The following year, an elderly woman allows her dog named Fluffy to play outside. Fluffy sees a bright light in the forest, and decides to follow it. Upon Fluffy returning, the old woman is nonplussed by Fluffy's transformation, now a muscular dog taller than the front door. Shepherd, who miraculously survived the explosion, solemnly says "It has begun."
In Russia, several Siberian huskies are asleep. One, by the name of Exile, is woken from his slumber by Shepherd. Shepherd tells Exile he has chosen him to be the first Road Rover. Exile proceeds to let out a long howl. Next, a stray Border Collie in London, England enjoys eating a bone until two dogs growl at her. She handily defeats the two, who run away whimpering. The dog's name is revealed to be Colleen as Shepherd chooses her to be part of the Rovers.
Then, in Switzerland, a sheepdog named Shag sleeps until Shepherd picks him. Shag slowly walks towards Shepherd's homebase, but Shepherd tells him to run faster. Following this, a German attack dog employed by Schultz and Sohn Auto Reparieren ably apprehends a carjacker. His name, Blitz, is revealed by Shepherd upon picking him as the next Road Rover, and Blitz heads for the train station.
At the Los Angeles Animal Control Center, two employees discuss euthanizing Muzzle, a dog in a straitjacket, and Hunter, a Golden Retriever, because they have been there for six weeks with no adoptions. The workers lead the two dogs to a gas chamber. Hunter, aware of his fate, tries to remove his leash, and Muzzle attempts to remove his straitjacket. After a power struggle between the animal control workers, Hunter breaks free from his leash. He is then selected by Shepherd to be the fifth and last member of the Road Rovers.
Shepherd instructs Hunter to escape while he can and leave Muzzle to his fate. However, Hunter refuses and rescues Muzzle from the animal control's clutches, trapping the workers inside the gas chamber. Hunter uses his teeth to push Muzzle's cart as they both head for Shepherd's lab, which is now underground due to the explosion.
With the team now complete, Shepherd uses the transdogmafier, his own invention, to transform the canines into "Cano-sapiens." In doing so, the Road Rovers gain human-like bodies and the ability to speak. However, Shag's transformation was not successful, resulting in him only having a few human traits.
Shepherd welcomes the Rovers, and explains all of them have a super power: Hunter has super speed, Blitz's jaw can pack quite a bite, Colleen is very agile and well versed in martial arts, and Exile can lift very heavy objects. Shepherd states Shag was meant to have bravery, but the transdogmafier instead left him cowardly.
The Rovers learn their first mission will take place in Camden, Maine. Fluffy and another monster dog (a dalmatian) are shown terrorizing the city, all while holding a gene splicer called the molecular stabilizer in their possession. Shepherd asks the Road Rovers if they understand what the mission entails, and they all say yes. However, after Shepherd states they may die, the dogs all attempt to escape the lab.
Shepherd tries to calm the Rovers down. After Blitz asks what's in it for them, Shepherd replies all the dogs will receive meals, regular baths and a couch to sleep on. The Rovers negotiate, and once Shepherd says he will give them all homes if the Rovers succeed at their mission, they all agree and prepare to face the monster dogs.
Hunter shows off his leadership skills instantly, telling Blitz, Exile and Shag to use the Sky Rover (an airplane) while he and Colleen will drive the Street Rover, a type of car. The inexperience of the Rovers is clear, as Exile and Blitz both admit to not knowing how to fly planes. Colleen tells Hunter he has to turn the ignition first before driving.
The Rovers learn on the job, with Exile getting a hang of flying and Colleen testing out the Street Rover's buttons. Exile and Blitz discover the two monster dogs boarding a train. Fluffy notices them, and shoots the Sky Rover with a blaster, destroying one of its wings.
With the plane taken down, Hunter jumps on the train while Colleen operates the Street Rover. Hunter successfully grabs the gene splicer from the monster dogs, who growl in anger. Colleen crashes but safely lands on the train. The monster dogs follow Hunter.
Shepherd believes General Parvo is behind the mutated dogs, and his suspicions are proven correct as Parvo and Groomer are shown transforming a poodle into a monster dog. However, the dog reverts to normal after hiccuping, to Parvo's disapproval. Parvo proceeds to discuss his plans with Groomer, hoping to have an army of mutated dogs to do his bidding.
Parvo is pleased the train is approaching his secret hideout. However, he is in disbelief upon seeing Hunter, and states the only person with the same technology he has is Shepherd, whom Parvo believes is dead. Back to the Rovers, Hunter hides behind the Street Rover, cowering from the monster dogs. Colleen then arrives, using her martial art skills to apprehend Fluffy.
Blitz attempts to bite the dalmatian dog, who kicks him off the train. However, Blitz discovers a new power: sharp claws, using these to hang on to the train. Hunter consults with Shepherd, who states they found the gene splicer but that the monster dogs are refusing to give it up. Shepherd then gives Hunter instructions, which are not heard by the audience.
Exile freezes the monster dogs with his eyes. Colleen states she did not know Exile could do that, with Exile stating he had no idea either, meaning he discovered a new superpower. The ice proves to be temporary, as the dogs break free and are about to throw Blitz off the train. Hunter decides to give the gene splicer back to the monster dogs, who flee.
Colleen laments the failure of their mission, but Hunter reveals they have the real gene splicer in Shag's fur. The monster dogs give Parvo the decoy splicer, which turns out to be a detonated bomb. An angered Parvo realizes Shepherd got his revenge before his ship explodes.
The Road Rovers celebrate their first victory as the monster dogs return to normal. Shepherd congratulates the dogs, telling them they're "good, good dogs." As promised, Shepherd found the dogs new homes, all with world leaders in their homelands. As for Muzzle's living arrangements, Shepherd offers he live with him, and Muzzle accepts.
Trivia[]
- Hunter says the episode title right before they exit the lab: "Let's hit the road, Rovers!"
- It is revealed at the very end Muzzle is Scout, as Shepherd tells him "Welcome home, Scout."
- Camden, Maine is a real town, with a population of a little over 5,000 as of the 2020 census. It is known for being a town popular among tourists and those who flock to Maine during the summer.
Gag credit[]
Every episode of the series contains gag credits, often but not always a quotation. This episode contains the following:
- Today's Quote: "Let Hercules do what he may. The cat will meow and dog will have his day." - William Shakespeare, From "Hamlet"