Top Secret Mission
"Suspect MAD behind attempt to kidnap Fang the Wonder Dog. Fang would be worth millions in ransom. Protect Fang & thwart MAD plot."
Synopsis
Penny is upset to hear news of a kidnapping attempt on canine movie star Fang the Wonder Dog on TV , but her uncle Inspector Gadget is much less concerned--he's never even heard of the dog. Things change when he is soon assigned to protect him. Gadget arrives at the movie studio where Fang's pictures are made and watches Miles Millions, Fang's flamboyant director, film a scene--when the dog is stolen right from under their noses! Gadget sets off across the studio in search of the dog, but it's Penny who finds him being held captive in a ghost town set. She's unable to rescue him, though: two MAD agents stand guard over the dog. One of them soon leaves, however--Claw has ordered him to take care of Gadget. But his numerous efforts--in and around various sets around the studio--are in vain: as usual, a combination of Gadget's own dumb luck and Brain's timely interventions not only keeps him free from harm, it also keeps him completely oblivious to the dangers around him. Meanwhile, the remaining MAD agent brings the unconscious pooch to a burning building set, where he hopes to collect ransom money in exchange for the animal. Having recovered from the effects of knock-out gas, Fang awakes and chases the agent off. He soon returns wielding a flame thrower to intimidate the dog. The plan backfires and he flees the building again, but not before accidentally setting the building on fire. Claw orders both of the men back in the building to get the dog, but it's too late--Fang's jumped off the building into the safety of a water tank below; and cornered by Gadget, the MAD agents see no other alternative but to follow suit and jump, too--right into police custody.
Quotable Quote
"This whole movie business is so exciting!" --Inspector Gadget, obviously enamored with the magic of film-making.
Notes
A pretty standard episode. Not a real dog, but certainly no prize winner, either. One bit of trivia interesting to note: The name of the movie star dog in this episode is a probably a nod to a character Don Adams worked with some years prior: In a handful of the early episodes of his 60s spy spoof Get Smart, Agent 86 worked with a canine agent also named Fang.
Be On The Look-Out For...
...booze? One scene has the two MAD agents holed up in an inactive set, killing time by sitting at a table and playing cards. There's a glass bottle of something on the table, and it doesn't look like soda pop.
...a name! The regulars among Dr. Claw's rotating crew of henchman are rarely identified specifically, but at the beginning of this episode, we learn that the big, dumb, goofy MAD agent is "Lenny."
MAD Agent Count
Two: Big, oafish Lenny and a rugged, muscle-bound agent who appears infrequently among Claw's henchman on the show.
Unanswered, Nit-Picky Questions
Why is it that it's Brain who can run around on two feet, don disguises at a moment's notice, communicate efficiently with Penny, and save Gadget's life time and time again--and yet Fang is dubbed "The Wonder Dog"?
Ridiculous Safety Tip
It's important to take care of your dog's health.
"Fang the Wonder Dog"