The Obstacle Course Badge

2.26 The Obstacle Course Badge

As an episode, The Obstacle Course Badge is an event, made distinctive by its use of graphics to create an American style sports event programme.

Badge Design

A running track shape with three obstacles in the middle.

Episode Summary

Opening Squirrel

Betty experimenting with her chemistry set.

Start

The Squirrels are playing on the climbing frame. Happy is doing chin-ups. Norrie is climbing up the cargo net. Betty is climbing a climbing wall. Roly is hanging upside down. Tag is bouncing on a mushroom.

Set-Up

All of the animals arrive for the Annual Animal Obstacle Course Race. A Duggee ball demonstrates obstacle courses to the Squirrels. An obstacle course is something where you have to go over, under or through different obstacles in the shortest time to win a prize. The Squirrels want to join in and Duggee has his Obstacle Course Badge.

Story

The Squirrels dramatically put on their red tracksuits and stand in front of an explosion ready to enter as the red team. The teams all warm-up on the start line. The commentators are Chuck and Pam. They introduce the teams.

There are six terrifying obstacles. King Tiger declares the start of the race.

Obstacle 1: The Wall

Chicken (Y) and Naughty Monkey (G) hop over it easily. Roly (R) runs straight into it and struggles. Meanwhile, Hennie (B) steps over Roly and the wall. Roly shouts causing the wall to collapse. He runs through the wreckage and tags Happy.

Obstacle 2: The Watery Ditch of Dred

Ethel (Y), Mr Crab (G) and Giraffe (B) all arrive at the second obstacle together. Happy (R) runs in from behind and instead of using the vines he jumps straight in. The other animals join him and they play with a beach ball. Norrie is waiting to be tagged.

Obstacle 3: The Pendulums of Peril

Hyena (Y) goes first and is immediately hit by a pendulum. Mantis (B) is sent the other way while Penguin (G) is knocked for six. Norrie (R) simply dances through and tags Betty.

Obstacle 4: The Moving Maze

Betty (R) stops to study the maze while the other animals skip past. Katarina (Y) struggles on the bouncy mushrooms. Lod Fingal (G) is hit by moving bushes. Horse (B) is hit by punch bags. Betty follows her planned route and tags in Tag.

Obstacle 5: The Tunnels of Terror

Tag (R) charges in alongside Grumpy Bird (B), Chicken (Y) and Hedgeley (G). After some confusion, they all emerge and Tag tags Duggee.

Obstacle 6: The Quite Muddy Track

Duggee (R) runs into the mud first, followed by Crocodile (B) and Mouse (G). They all get stuck. Enid (Y) appears last but skips across on the heads of her fellow contestants to take the win.

King Tiger presents the Yellow Team with the winners’ cup and everyone celebrates. The Squirrels don’t mind, they already have cups. King Tiger serves up blueberry juice for everyone.

Close and Credits

Duggee runs back and forth through the obstacle course to retrieve the badges. Once the Squirrels have gone home all the animals gather around Enid in the winners’ cup.

Style Change

The Annual Animal Obstacle Course Race is presented as an American TV sports event with all the over the top hype that goes with that. Here are some of the stylistic choices used:

• A live-action explosion behind The Red Team.
• Sports TV-style bridge – A spinning world encircled by stars with the participants’ pictures.
• The commentators riff-off one another in an American style.

Supporting Cast

• Pam and Chuck
• King Tiger
• All of the Animal participants.

Outfits

Duggee and the Squirrels wear matching red tracksuits.

Get Your Obstacle Course Badge

Create your own obstacle course