Line #13 Characters/Wishbone


1	!!Main Characters:
2
3	!!!Wishbone
4	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wishbone.png]]
5	-->'''Portrayed by:''' Soccer (primary dog actor), Larry Brantley (voice)
6
7	Wishbone is a well-read Jack Russell Terrier whose thoughts are expressed to the audience through a running voice-over. Every episode is divided between the "real world," in which people perceive him as an ordinary dog, and Wishbone's imagination, in which he plays the role of a hero from a work of classic literature.
8
9	* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: For one thing, he apparently knows how to read.
10	* CharacterCatchphrase: Wishbone's are "Hellooo!" and "Whoocha!"
11	* DeadpanSnarker: Wishbone can be quite witty, but none of the humans can understand him. Kind of like ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}.
12	* DetectiveAnimal: Wishbone has played the role of Franchise/SherlockHolmes in ''Literature/TheHoundOfTheBaskervilles'' and "A Scandal in Bohemia", Literature/CAugusteDupin in "Literature/ThePurloinedLetter", and Franklin Blake in ''Literature/TheMoonstone''.
13	* HalfDressedCartoonAnimal: Not a cartoon, but Wishbone's costumes usually only cover his top half. In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrgf41r04q0 this behind-the-scenes interview]], it's mentioned that it was difficult to get Soccer to wear pants.
14	* HerCodeNameWasMarySue: Wishbone narrating the week's story tends to refer to the character he plays as "dashingly handsome" and such. It helps that he usually plays TheHero.
15	* HeroicDog: Wishbone has done some pretty cool feats. They include [[Recap/WishboneS1E05HomerSweetHomer stopping a bulldozer from taking down an ancient tree in the park]], [[Recap/WishboneS1E03TwistedTail infiltrating a thief's hideout to save Wanda's flamingo]], [[Recap/WishboneS1E08TheSlobberyHound leading the kids to a bloodhound framing him]], [[Recap/WishboneS1E28SaltyDog getting the adults for help when Joe, Sam, and David are trapped in a burning barn]], and showing Sam the sabotaged bleacher in ''The Wishbone Mysteries'' #15: ''Stage Invader''. He's a good boy.
16	* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Often in earlier episodes. And occasionally done deliberately, as Wishbone will drop whatever accent he's adopted for his character to make a snarky comment.
17	* PromotionToOpeningTitles: While the opening credits of both seasons credit Larry Brantley for voicing Wishbone, the second season adds a credit for the dog Soccer.
18	* VentriloquistAnimal: Wishbone doesn't move his mouth when talking.
19
20	!!!Joe Talbot
21	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/joe_0.png]]
22	-->'''Portrayed by:''' Jordan Wall
23
24	Joe is Wishbone's middle school-aged owner and the primary human protagonist of the series. He is a jock and especially fond of basketball. Joe lives with his widowed mother Ellen. His late father Steve was a basketball coach who died several years prior to the start of the series.
25
26	* BookDumb: Joe isn't stupid, but he seems to be the least academically inclined out of the show's central trio.
27	* DisappearedDad: Joe's father died of a rare blood disease when Joe himself was six.
28	* GenerationXerox: Joe is into basketball, the same sport that his late father coached.
29	* JerkassBall: Joe gets handed this in certain episodes, namely "[[Recap/WishboneS1E31ATerrifiedTerrier A Terrified Terrier]]" and "[[Recap/WishboneS1E36TheEntrepawneur The Entrepawneur]]," so that he can learn AnAesop.
30	* LovableJock: Joe is a basketball-loving jock and is generally a NiceGuy.
31	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Joe nearly ruins his friendship with David and Sam on two separate occasions, due to either his selfishness or unwillingness to speak up for his friends.
32	* TragicKeepsake:
33	** Joe has a basketball card from his dad. It gets stolen in "[[Recap/WishboneS1E03TwistedTail Twisted Tail]]."
34	** Wishbone himself serves as this for Joe as well, as revealed in the tie-in novels. When Joe was around six years old, he made a wish on a wishbone for a puppy. Shortly after, his dad gave him Wishbone as a pet.
35
36	!!!Samantha Kepler
37	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sam_13.png]]
38	-->'''Portrayed by:''' Christie Abbott
39
40	Samantha "Sam" Kepler is one of Joe's close friends. She is a sporty and adventurous tomboy. Her parents are divorced, and while we're told that she splits her time between both parents, we only ever see her when she's with her father Walter.
41
42	* AcademicAthlete: Sam participates in every sport her male friends do and [[Recap/WishboneS1E13SniffingTheGauntlet is picked for her class team captain spelling bee because she's always reading]].
43	* TheAce: Sam is a skilled athlete and a well-read student.
44	* AllGirlsLikePonies: Sam loves horses. "[[Recap/WishboneS1E28SaltyDog Salty Dog]]" centers on her finding an alleged lucky horseshoe in an abandoned barn. She also has a treasured glass unicorn, as recounted in "[[Recap/WishboneS1E14TheHunchdogOfNotreDame The Hunchdog of Notre Dame]]."
45	* MissingMom: We only ever see Sam with her divorced father Walter. It's established in dialogue that her mother is still involved in her life, even that Sam splits her time between the homes of both parents, but the time that Sam spends with her mother apparently occurs exclusively offscreen.
46	* OneOfTheBoys: Sam is a tomboy who hangs out with two actual boys, Joe and David.
47	* PassionateSportsGirl: Sam participates in every sport her male friends do and would much rather be taking karate lessons than dance lessons.
48	* TomboyishName: Or nickname, rather -- Samantha Kepler goes by "Sam" for short.
49	* TragicKeepsake: Sam has a glass unicorn that was the last gift she received from her parents before their divorce. She's notably (though subduedly) sad talking about it and horrified at the prospect of it being broken.
50
51	!!!David Barnes
52	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/david_03.png]]
53	-->'''Portrayed by:''' Adam Springfield
54
55	David Barnes is one of Joe's close friends. He is a nerd enamored with math, science, and technology. David lives with his parents Nathan and Ruth as well as his mischievous little sister Emily.
56
57	* AcademicAthlete: Despite being primarily characterized by his nerdy interests, David participates in all the same sports as Joe and Sam.
58	* BlackAndNerdy: He is of African-American descent and is primarily interested in all things science.
59	* GadgeteerGenius: David builds several inventions over the course of the show.
60	* LovableNerd: He's a nerd and, like the other main characters, generally a NiceGuy.
61	* TheSmartGuy: He's the show's resident science genius.
62
63	!!!Ellen Talbot
64	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ellen_4.png]]
65	-->'''Portrayed by:''' Mary Chris Wall
66
67	Ellen Talbot is Joe's widowed mother and the reference librarian at the town library.
68
69	* GlamorousSingleMother: She can apparently balance single motherhood and her library career without any difficulty, at least none that we hear about.
70	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: She's a caring and approachable mother who is always willing to give Joe help when he asks for it.
71
72	!!!Wanda Gilmore
73	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wanda_9.png]]
74	-->'''Portrayed by:''' Angee Hughes
75
76	Wanda Gilmore is the Talbots' kooky neighbor who frequently complains about Wishbone digging up her yard. She has a very boho aesthetic, makes wacky art, and is involved in several community organizations.
77
78	* ADayInTheLimelight: Generally, Wanda plays a supporting role in the kids' stories, but she does get to be the focus of "[[Recap/WishboneS1E20MixedBreeds Mixed Breeds]]" and "[[Recap/WishboneS2E09PupFiction Pup Fiction]]."
79	* DropInCharacter: She often drops in to visit the Talbots.
80	* FriendlyEnemy: Wanda is this to Wishbone. As long as he isn't digging up her lawn, she is very amicable to him.
81	* SitcomArchNemesis: To Wishbone, who likes digging up her garden, which she doesn't like. However, Wanda is friendly with the rest of the main cast, and she gets friendlier to Wishbone in later episodes.
82
83	!!Recurring Characters:
84
85	!!!Damont Jones
86	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/damont.png]]
87	-->'''Portrayed by:''' Joe Duffield
88
89	Damont Jones is Joe's sports rival and the resident bully of Oakdale.
90
91	* JerkJock: In contrast to Joe, who is a LovableJock, Damont is an obnoxious, bullying jock who serves as Joe's rival in all things sports.
92	* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In the second season, Damont's actor, Joe Duffield, is added to the opening credits.
93	* TheRival: For Joe, particularly in basketball. "[[Recap/WishboneS1E27TheCountsAccount The Count's Account]]" indicates that Damont is also jealous of David for the attention he gets for his scientific accomplishments.
94
95	!!!Amanda Hollings
96	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/amanda_13.png]]
97	-->'''Portrayed by:''' Elena Hurst
98
99	Amanda Hollings is a classmate of Joe, Sam, and David.
100
101	* AcademicAlphaBitch: She's one of the top students at school with an ego to match.
102	* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Despite being a significant recurring character in the first season, Amanda is entirely absent from the abbreviated second season.
103	* TheRival: To Sam and David, though mostly Sam. In "Sniffin' The Gauntlet", she and Sam are the team captains for their class's spelling bee, and when Sam suddenly gets sick, she gloats about how victory seems all but assured.

Context Characters / Wishbone