The Healing Powers of Dude

{{short description|2020 American comedy streaming television series}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox television

| image = The Healing Powers of Dude Title Card.png

| image_size =

| caption =

| genre = Comedy

| creator = Erica Spates & Sam Littenberg-Weisberg

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| voices = Steve Zahn

| music = Michael Kramer

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 8

| list_episodes =

| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|

  • Erica Spates
  • Sam Littenberg-Weisberg
  • Dan Lubetkin
  • Richie Keen

}}

| producer = Chris Phillips

| location = Vancouver, British Columbia

| cinematography = Jay Hunter

| editor = {{Plainlist|

  • Justin Li
  • Jamie Alain
  • Sabrina Pitre

}}

| camera = Single-camera

| runtime = 23–28 minutes

| company = {{Plainlist|

  • Meekel Meekel
  • Blue Ant Studios

}}

| network = Netflix

| released = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

}}

The Healing Powers of Dude is an American comedy television series created by Erica Spates and Sam Littenberg-Weisberg that premiered on Netflix on January 13, 2020.

Premise

The Healing Powers of Dude follows Noah Ferris, "an 11-year-old boy with social anxiety disorder" who gets an emotional support dog to help him manage his disorder.

Cast and characters

=Main=

  • Jace Chapman as Noah Ferris,{{cite web|url=https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/80239306|title=The Healing Powers of Dude|work=Netflix Media Center|date=25 June 2019 |access-date=December 13, 2019}} an 11-year-old boy who struggles with social anxiety disorder, who is going to a public school for the first time with his emotional support dog, named Dude, after previously being homeschooled
  • Larisa Oleynik as Karen Ferris, Noah's mother, who works as a lawyer
  • Mauricio Lara as Simon, Noah's extroverted friend with an alter ego he calls "Turbo"
  • Sophie Kim as Amara, Noah's intelligent, physically disabled friend
  • Laurel Emory as Embry Ferris, Noah's younger sister who has a knack for fashion
  • Steve Zahn as the voice of Dude, Noah's emotional support dog
  • Tom Everett Scott as Marvin Ferris, Noah and Embry's father and Karen's husband, who was an artist before he began homeschooling Noah and is starting to pursue art again

=Recurring=

  • Peter Benson as Principal Myers, the principal of Roosevelt Middle School
  • Raylene Harewood as Ms. Fleckberg, Noah, Simon, and Amara's English teacher at Roosevelt Middle School
  • Gabrielle Quinn as Valerie, Noah's crush who shares his love of music
  • Ethan Farrell as Dale, one of Noah and Simon's two twin bullies
  • Vanessa Przada as Destiny, Noah and Simon's more aggressive bully
  • Katy Colloton as the voice of Ms. Grumpy Pants, a neighbor's poodle

Production

=Development=

On June 20, 2019, it was announced that Netflix had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of eight episodes. The Healing Powers of Dude was created by Erica Spates and Sam Littenberg-Weisberg who were also expected to executive produce alongside Richie Keen and Dan Lubetkin.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/06/netflix-orders-the-healing-powers-of-dude-family-live-action-comedy-series-dude-the-dog-social-anxiety-disorder-1202635351/|title=Netflix Orders 'The Healing Powers Of Dude' Family Live Action Comedy Series|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=June 20, 2019|access-date=June 20, 2019}} The series was released on January 13, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/tv-news-roundup-amazon-ilana-glazer-stand-up-special-1203433439/|title=TV News Roundup: Ilana Glazer's First Stand Up Special Gets Premiere Date at Amazon|work=Variety|first=Breanna|last=Bell|date=December 11, 2019|access-date=December 13, 2019}}

=Casting=

Alongside the initial series announcement, it was reported that Tom Everett Scott, Larisa Oleynik, Laurel Emory, Mauricio Lara, Sophie Jaewon Kim, Dude the Dog, Jace Chapman had been cast in starring roles.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/talking-dog-family-comedy-ordered-series-at-netflix-1220000|title=Talking-Dog Family Comedy Ordered to Series at Netflix|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Rick|last=Porter|date=June 20, 2019|access-date=June 20, 2019}}

=Filming=

Principal photography for the first season began on June 14, 2019, and ended on August 13, 2019, in Vancouver, British Columbia.{{cite news|url=https://www.dgc.ca/assets/Uploads/BritishColumbia/AvailsProductionLists/Documents/Production-List.pdf|title=DGC BC Production List|work=Directors Guild of Canada|date=August 2, 2019|access-date=August 3, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803075222/https://www.dgc.ca/assets/Uploads/BritishColumbia/AvailsProductionLists/Documents/Production-List.pdf|archive-date=August 3, 2019}}

Episodes

{{Episode table |background=#4D9FC0 |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| Title = Second Step: Homeroom

| DirectedBy = Richie Keen

| WrittenBy = Erica Spates & Sam Littenberg-Weisberg

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 4D9FC0

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| Title = Getting to Know You

| DirectedBy = Richie Keen

| WrittenBy = Erica Spates & Sam Littenberg-Weisberg

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 4D9FC0

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| Title = Game On

| DirectedBy = Yulin Kuang

| WrittenBy = Rick Singer

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 4D9FC0

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| Title = Lord of the Bus

| DirectedBy = Yulin Kuang

| WrittenBy = Angeli Millan

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 4D9FC0

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| Title = Middle School Musical

| DirectedBy = Steven Tsuchida

| WrittenBy = Joy Regullano

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 4D9FC0

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| Title = Buried Treasure

| DirectedBy = Richie Keen

| WrittenBy = Conor Hanney

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 4D9FC0

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| Title = House Party of Horrors

| DirectedBy = Richie Keen

| WrittenBy = Rick Singer

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 4D9FC0

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| Title = I'll Be Right Here

| DirectedBy = John Fortenberry

| WrittenBy = Erica Spates & Sam Littenberg-Weisberg

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|1|13}}

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 4D9FC0

}}

}}

Reception

In 2021, the series won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Principal Performance in a Children's Program and Outstanding Casting for a Live-Action Children's Program.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/daytime-emmys-winners-list-2021-childrens-animation-lifestyle-1234981821/|title=Daytime Emmys: Mark Hamill, Lupita Nyong'o Honored With Wins|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first1=Sharareh|last1=Drury|first2=Lexy|last2=Perez|first3=Kimberly|last3=Nordyke|date=July 17, 2021|access-date=July 18, 2021}}

References

{{Reflist}}