Inspector Gadget

For many children of the 1980s, Inspector Gadget was a Saturday morning staple; an action-packed, madcap animated series that blended spy caper antics with slapstick comedy and a healthy dose of nostalgia for adults in the know.

The premise was wonderfully bizarre yet instantly engaging. Much like The Six Million Dollar Man, our titular hero was an ordinary policeman until an accident transformed him into a walking Swiss Army knife of crime-fighting gadgets. Outfitted with extendable limbs, pop-out tools and an apparently limitless supply of high-tech wizardry, Gadget was promoted from a lowly rookie to full-fledged Inspector, tasked with bringing down the nefarious Doctor Claw and his shadowy organisation, MAD.

The character of Gadget was clearly inspired by Maxwell Smart from the 1960s spy spoof Get Smart, and this wasn’t just a nod in tone, he was actually voiced by Don Adams, the same actor who portrayed Agent 86. Much like his predecessor, Inspector Gadget is hilariously inept, managing to bungle even the simplest of tasks. He invariably solves each case through a mix of blind luck and unwitting blunders, all the while oblivious to the real work being done behind the scenes by his whip-smart niece Penny and her equally resourceful dog, Brain (often misheard as “Brian” thanks to Adams’s distinctive delivery). The pair are the true heroes of the series, saving the day episode after episode while ensuring Gadget remains blissfully unaware of his own shortcomings.

Visually, the animation was vibrant and engaging for its time, with a catchy, unforgettable theme tune that many still hum to this day. The show cleverly walked the line between parody and children’s entertainment, offering something for viewers of all ages, though it leaned heavily on formula and repetition, a hallmark of the era’s animated output.

Unfortunately, not all iterations of the franchise have hit the mark. A live-action film adaptation starring Matthew Broderick in the lead role attempted to bring Gadget to the big screen, but the result was largely forgettable. Lacking the charm, wit and animated chaos of its source material, the film failed to capture what made the original so beloved.

All in all, Inspector Gadget remains a charming relic of ‘80s animation — part spy spoof, part superhero send-up, and all nostalgia. It may not have been the most sophisticated show on air, but thanks to its bumbling protagonist, loyal sidekicks and classic cartoon villainy, it certainly left a lasting impression. Go-Go-Gadget cult classic!