Odd Job Jack

Odd Job Jack was created by Smiley Guy Studios in Toronto. The show was originally developed as a web-based cartoon and based on an early short the creators made called "The Seen",{{cite web|url=https://cfccreates.com/content-hub/the-seen-odd-job-jack/|title=The Seen (Odd Job Jack)|website=Canadian Film Centre|access-date=2024-06-10}}{{Cite web |title=ODD JOB JACK - About The Show |url=http://www.oddjobjack.com/abouttheshow.php?sec=5 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=www.oddjobjack.com}} which released in 1997, but quickly moved to cable television distribution.{{cite web|url=https://playbackonline.ca/1999/06/28/26079-19990628/|title=Guys plot revolution|date=1999-06-28|access-date=2024-06-15|website=Playback}} The producers of the show pay homage to their web roots by maintaining a web site that contains unique interactive content to support each episode, largely consisting of Flash games. They advertised this connection as being a "sit.com".{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/odd-job-jack-comes-full-circle/article20403035/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240611025747/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/odd-job-jack-comes-full-circle/article20403035/|title=Odd Job Jack comes full circle|first=Victoria|last=Ahearn|website=The Globe and Mail|archive-date=2024-06-11|date=2007-10-10|access-date=2024-06-10}} An advertising deal with Molson Canadian helped fund the move to television.{{cite web|url=https://playbackonline.ca/2003/02/17/branded-20030217/|title=Producers buy into branded content|date=2003-02-17|access-date=2024-06-12|website=Playback}}

On July 14, 2006 in an email to subscribers, Smiley Guy Studios announced [http://www.oddjobjack.com/freejack.php FreeJack], an initiative under which they have started releasing the master files of every character, prop, and background from every episode for the upcoming season under a non-commercial share-friendly license.{{Cite web |url=http://drawn.ca/2006/07/24/freejack-odd-job-jack-and-creative-commons/ |title=FreeJack: Odd Job Jack and Creative Commons |access-date=2007-07-14 |archive-date=2010-05-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521092949/http://drawn.ca/2006/07/24/freejack-odd-job-jack-and-creative-commons/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://creativecommons.org/2006/11/28/odd-job-jack/|title=Odd Job Jack|website=Creative Commons|first=Alex|last=Gakuru|date=2006-11-28|access-date=2024-06-10}}{{cite web|url=https://creativecommons.org/2006/07/26/oddjobjackfilesreleasedunderacclicense/|title=Odd Job Jack files released under a CC license|first=Eric|last=Steuer|website=Creative Commons|date=2006-07-26}}{{cite web|url=https://torrentfreak.com/odd-job-jack-for-free/|title=Odd Job Jack For Free|date=2006-08-04|first=Ernesto|last=Van der Sar|website=Torrent Freak}}{{cite web|url=https://nedbatchelder.com/blog/200607/freejack.html|title=FreeJack|date=2006-07-29|first=Ned|last=Batchelder|access-date=2024-06-10}} However, in 2007, after the fourth season the show definitely ended production.

Every episode is structured by the opening theme, the full episode and the closing credits. The series featured an experimental form of described video, wherein rather than a neutral narrator, the actors would describe visual sequences in-character.{{cite journal|url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10209-006-0025-0|first1=D. I.|last1=Fels|first2=J. P.|last2=Udo|first3=P.|last3=Ting|first4=J. E.|last4=Diamond|first5=J. I.|last5=Diamond|title=Odd Job Jack described: a universal design approach to described video|date=2006-04-20|access-date=2024-06-24|journal= Universal Access in the Information Society|volume=5 |pages=73–81 |doi=10.1007/s10209-006-0025-0 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite journal|url=https://cgscholar.com/bookstore/works/that-is-one-big-wiener|title="That is One Big Wiener!": Accessibility, Irony, and Odd Job Jack|first=Isabel|last=Pedersen|date=2009|journal=The International Journal of the Arts in Society}}{{cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249923110|title=Described Video Information and animation: a case study of Odd Job Jack|date=January 2008|access-date=2024-06-24|journal=International Journal of Social and Humanistic Computing |first1=Bertha M.|last1=Konstantinidis|first2=Emily|last2=Price|first3=Jonas|last3=Diamond|first4=Deborah|last4=I. Fels|volume=1 |page=108 |doi=10.1504/IJSHC.2008.020484 }}{{cite journal|url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0145482X0610000507?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.7|title=A Comparison of Alternative Narrative Approaches to Video Description for Animated Comedy|first1=Deborah I.|last1=Fels|first2=John Patrick|last2=Udo|first3=Jonas E.|last3=Diamond|first4=Jeremy I.|last4=Diamond|date=2006 |volume=100 |issue=5 |pages=295–305 |journal=Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness|doi=10.1177/0145482X0610000507 |url-access=subscription}}

The eponymous character, Jack Ryder, graduates from university with a degree in sociology and becomes a temporary employee at an agency called Odd Jobs which specializes in filling difficult and unusual positions. Each episode ends with Jack adding a chapter to a book which he is writing about his experiences on his laptop.{{cite web|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240612234136/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/another-easy-way-to-easy-street/article18141132/|website=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/another-easy-way-to-easy-street/article18141132/|title=Another easy way to easy street|first=Andrew|last=Ryan|date=2007-07-20|archive-date=2024-06-12|access-date=2024-06-12}}

When not working, Jack often hangs with his eccentric friends, Leopold "Leo" Trench, an agoraphobic computer hacker who, like one of the characters in McKellar's earlier comedy series, Twitch City, is unable to leave his apartment but nonetheless leads a complex and bizarre life, and Bobby Lee, an Asian kid who works in the family store by day, and is a club disc-jockey and masked hero by night.

Jack also spends some time at the beginning and end of each episode at the agency where he attempts to develop a rapport with Betty Styles, the female assignment "associate" while under electronic surveillance from the gruff, imperious, and decidedly unpleasant, manager/owner (Mr. Fister) who is often involved in some way in the bizarre conspiracies, sordid sexual escapades, and crimes which lurk behind the workaday appearances of Jack's assignments.

At the conclusion of season three, Betty, after stealing the company jet to rescue Jack from African kidnappers, is fired from Odd Jobs and runs away to a distant country. Jack is greeted in each season four episode with a new assignment associate, each with a personality defect. The first season also featured Jacques, a French Canadian doppelgänger to Jack who serves as an office nemesis.

• Don McKellar as Jack Ryder, a 25 year old sociologist who works at Odd Jobs. In each episode, he has a new job, while trying to flirt with his career counsellor, Betty Styles, often being met with rejection. He can be seen in every episode writing a journal about his experiences as a temp.
• Teress Morton as Betty Styles, Jack’s career counsellor in seasons 1-3. After being fired from Odd Jobs and running away at the end of the season 3 finale, she is replaced by a variety of new career counsellors in season 4.
• Matthew Ferguson as Bobby Lee, a naive boy and one of Jack’s friends who works at Big Fat Store, a convenience store owned by his family. In season 1, he has a crime-fighting alter ego known as DJ Sherpa.
• Enoch Savage (episodes 1-6), Jeremy Diamond (episode 7-onward) as Leopold Trench, an agoraphobic computer hacker and one of Jack’s friends, he is often seen in his home (known as The Trench).
• Rick Miller as Mr. Fister, Jack and Betty’s boss and the manager of Odd Jobs, who oversees them from his office to intervene in their meetings about each episode’s job. He is never shown from the front. He does not appear in season 3, but made one final appearance in season 4.
• Jeff Lumby as Jacques, a French-Canadian rival for Jack at Odd Jobs. For unknown reasons, he stopped appearing after season 1.
• Mairon Bennett as Spoons Ryder, Jack’s sister. She is an activist who will jump at every opportunity to chew out her own brother.
• Julia Donovan as Barbara "Babs" Ryder, Jack’s mother. She works as an executive at an advertising company. Her husband, Ron Ryder, left her behind when Jack was young, leaving her to raise both Jack and Spoons on her own.
• Maria Vacratsis as Maxine "Max" Ryder, Jack’s grandmother. Old and retired, she often spends her spare time sitting on the couch, smoking marijuana.

The show features voice work by a number of often Canadian celebrities, especially after the first season: celebrities appear occasionally on the second season,{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208025357/http://www.channelcanada.com/Article1572.html|url=http://www.channelcanada.com/Article1572.html|title=Sandra Oh Scrubs In For Odd Job Jack Season Finale|date=2006-09-27|website=Channel Canada|access-date=2024-06-12|archive-date=2010-02-08}} and the third season has a special celebrity guest star for each episode, who either play themselves or voice one of the show's eccentric, if not mad, characters. Celebrities in the first season were Dave Foley, Troy Hurtubise, Gary Farmer, the Barenaked Ladies, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, John O'Hurley, Megan Follows, Christopher Plummer, Rick Mercer, Kenny Hotz, Catherine O'Hara and Don Knotts. The second season sees Tom Arnold, Scott Thompson, James Woods, Tom Green, Leslie Nielsen, Will Arnett, Samantha Bee, and John Goodman accompany Jack on his adventures in the weird world of work.{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/don-mckellar-s-animated-role-no-odd-job-1.251145|title=Don McKellar's animated role no 'Odd Job'|first=Tyrone|last=Warner|website=CTV.ca|date=2007-08-02|access-date=2024-06-10}}

Odd Job Jack was nominated for the Gemini Awards in 2006 for best "Best Cross Platform Project"{{cite web|url=https://www.tv-eh.com/2007/10/10/in-the-news-gemini-nominated-odd-job-jack/|title=In the news: Gemini nominated Odd Job Jack|website=TV, eh?|first=Diane|last=Wild|date=2007-10-10|access-date=2024-06-12}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240613000002/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/little-mosques-omission-a-joke-thats-not-so-funny/article1081172/|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/little-mosques-omission-a-joke-thats-not-so-funny/article1081172/|title=Little Mosque's omission: A joke that's not so funny|first=John|last=Doyle|date=2007-08-29|website=The Globe and Mail|archive-date=2024-06-13}} and the Canadian Comedy Awards in 2007 in the "Writing Series" category,{{cite web |last=Riedemann |first=Dominic |title=Odd Job Jack Nominated |publisher=suite101 |date=2007-07-31 }} while winning the CFTPA Indie Awards in 2008 for "Best Convergent New Media",{{cite web|url=https://playbackonline.ca/2008/03/03/indie-20080303/|title=Moose TV is funniest at Indie Awards|date=2008-03-03|website=Playback|access-date=2024-06-12}}{{cite web|url=https://www.tv-eh.com/2008/01/21/in-the-news-canadian-indie-award-nominees/|title=In the news: Canadian indie award nominees|website=TV, eh?|date=2008-01-21|access-date=2024-06-12|first=Diane|last=Wild}}and the Banff World Television Award for "Interactive Program Enhancements".{{cite web|url=https://www.tv-eh.com/2008/06/10/banff-world-television-awards-focus-on-shows-instead-of-stars/|title=Banff World Television Awards Focus On Shows Instead of Stars|date=2008-06-10|first=Diane|last=Wild|website=TV, eh?|access-date=2024-06-12}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240613002823/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/canadian-shows-scoop-awards-at-banff-festival/article674414/|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/canadian-shows-scoop-awards-at-banff-festival/article674414/|title=Canadian shows scoop awards at Banff festival|first=Andrew|last=Ryan|date=2008-06-11|website=The Globe and Mail|archive-date=2024-06-13|access-date=2024-06-12}} The series achieved over three million views within its first year on Hulu.{{cite web|url=https://playbackonline.ca/2013/12/13/hulu-picks-up-duopolys-puppets-who-kill/|title=Duopoly's Puppets Who Kill heads to Hulu|first=Melita|last=Kuburas|date=2013-12-13|website=Playback|access-date=2024-06-12}} Writing for TheGATE.ca critic W. Andrew Powell wrote that "“Odd Job Jack” is also pretty damn funny. It’s charm is that it’s extremely funny, without half of the insanity or depravity of shows like “South Park“. Sure, people get chopped up & eaten, dead people get up and dance, and famous people get made fun of, but it’s surprisingly fresh without being utterly offensive."{{cite web|url=https://www.thegate.ca/television/021528/review-odd-job-jack/|title=Review: 'Odd Job Jack' starring Don McKellar|first=W. Andrew|last=Powell|date=2003-03-20|access-date=2024-06-10|website=TheGATE.ca}} Andrew Ryan for The Globe and Mail noted of the season three premiere that "Odd Job Jack is still sharply written and crudely animated, which is part of its appeal. Be grateful some things remain resistant to change."{{cite web|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240612234136/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/another-easy-way-to-easy-street/article18141132/|website=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/another-easy-way-to-easy-street/article18141132/|title=Another easy way to easy street|first=Andrew|last=Ryan|date=2007-07-20|archive-date=2024-06-12|access-date=2024-06-12}}

{{Portal|Television|Canada}}

• List of Odd Job Jack episodes
• Kevin Spencer
• Chilly Beach
• Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.oddjobjack.com Odd Job Jack Homepage]
• [http://oddjobjack.livejournal.com/ Odd Job Blog]
• [http://smileyguy.com Smiley Guy Studios Homepage]
• [http://www.oddjobjack.com/freejack.php FreeJack]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927045355/http://kapitalmag.ca/k/?p=23 "Free Jack City"] -kapiTal magazine, December 2006
• {{IMDb title|0373584|Odd Job Jack}}

Category:2000s Canadian adult animated television series

Category:2000s Canadian animated comedy television series

Category:2000s Canadian sitcoms

Category:2000s Canadian workplace comedy television series

Category:2003 Canadian television series debuts

Category:2007 Canadian television series endings

Category:Canadian adult animated comedy television series

Category:Canadian animated sitcoms

Category:Canadian English-language television shows

Category:Canadian flash animated television series

Category:CTV Comedy Channel original programming

Category:Television shows filmed in Toronto

Category:Television shows set in Toronto