Special Agent Oso
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 Sounds like a plan!
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Special Agent Oso is an American children's CGI-animated TV series. The series was created by Ford Riley. It premiered on April 4, 2009 with 2 episodes airing that day as part of Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney block, and aired two seasons of 60 episodes through May 17, 2012. After the original broadcast of the series finale on May 17, 2012, reruns continued to air through 2016.
Plot
Oso, a lovable teddy bear who is, however improbably, a special agent in training, turns to young viewers at home to complete his missions for the United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events (UNIQUE), an international consortium of stuffed animals charged with teaching kids how to complete everyday tasks such as mailing a letter, using a library or just cleaning their room. Oso's adventures carry titles inspired by James Bond films: "Gold Feather," "A View to a Book" and "Carousel Royale," among others.
Premise
Each episode begins with Special Agent Oso beginning a training exercise given by one of his three instructors, Wolfie, Dottie, or Bufo, which he usually fails on his first try, causing him to say "It's all part of the plan more or less." Invariably, during the exercise, at least one child is confronted with a simple task which they have trouble completing, an event which a Shutterbug drone notices, which in some way relates to Oso's assignment (primarily due to the lesson that both he and the child learn). Paw Pilot, Oso's computerized assistant, alerts him about a special assignment by alerting Oso by repeating "Special Alert" twice. Oso is always assigned to the case, and Paw Pilot, along with the voice over Mr. Dos, illustrates his client's plight and assigns him a mission to help the child complete the task. To do so, Paw Pilot provides Oso with "three special steps," a simplified step-by-step guide to completing the task, while Mr. Dos gives Oso a briefing as to the child's exact problem. Oso is transported to the child's location and attempts to follow the steps as the steps, in and of themselves, are usually too vague to complete the task properly. Paw Pilot also gives further elaborations, including at least one helpful trick, which reveals the mistake Oso has made during the training exercise. On the third and final step, Paw Pilot senses the time limit on the task between 3 and 19 seconds and begins counting down when the time limit is near. Oso and the child usually complete the task, just as the time runs out. The completion of all three steps often involves gadgets, such as a pen that can become a grappling device and a jetpack.
Returning from the assignment, the helpful trick given during the assignment always turns out to be the same trick Oso needed to complete the interrupted training exercise, which he likewise completes and passes, getting a "digi-medal," a digital award, for both the training exercise and the special assignment.
Why It's Oso Special
- The concept of a bear helping children may be skeptical on paper, however it's executed well enough here.
- Great CGI animation by Sunwoo Entertainment.
- Likable characters, such as titular character Oso, who is very funny.
- It sends good morals to children.
- The Manny With the Golden Bear, this show's crossover with Handy Manny was amazing.
- Catchy songs, especially the theme song.
- Talented voice acting.
- The side characters (Dotty, Wolfie and Buffo) are great as well.
- Lots of well-written episodes.
- It succeeds in painting spy missions in a positive and kid-friendly light.
- It has lots of really funny jokes.
- "Thundersmall" was an amazing and epic series finale (at least in production order) where Oso learns the importance of self-belief when he and his friends are shrunk by the Thundersmall machine.
- Amazing and epic music done by Mike Himelstein and Michael Turner.
- Overall, it's a great show to appeal to children.
- The second season ditches the fake interactivity, and has more focus on character development and storytelling. Oso is also more independent and less reliant on asking the audience for help.
"It's All Part of the Plan, More or Less" Qualities
- Like many Playhouse Disney shows from the mid-2000s through 2011, Oso's constant fourth wall breaking may be considered repetitive and annoying to older children and adults; however, this has been dialed back in the second season.
- The animation, although good, does have some problems, especially with the human's eyes and mouths.
- Sometimes, Oso will teach basic things like how to drink from a water fountain, which may seem redundant.
- The show has been treated poorly by many.
- While Oso is pretty likable, he can be portrayed as annoying and dimwitted at times.
- The song, Three Special Steps, can be very irritating.
- The storyline could be quite confusing at times when Oso gets an emergency alert when a child who isn't good at a certain task yet.
- Sometimes, the parents of the children Oso helps can seen as neglectful.
- Two episodes revolve around bathroom-related topics:
- One episode is Oso literally potty training a toddler. (Which goes back to the neglectful parents point because this is something the parents should be doing) While it’s good to show potty training, using the bathroom should not be in shows targeted towards preschool-aged children.
- Another episode’s conflict revolves around the child’s parents having a new baby so they can’t help him care for his pet. How was this depicted? They have to change the newborn’s soiled diaper. While having a newborn in the house can take up lots of attention, it can be executed correctly. (Other preschool shows depicted the plot much better) Given they can’t help the eldest child because of a diaper change is kind of nonsensical because it only takes a few minutes to change a diaper and newborns don’t constantly poop. (They were depicting it like the newborn poops constantly) Diaper changing should not be depicted in shows targeted towards preschool-aged children.
Reception
The show has a 5.2/10 on IMDb.