History WesternAnimation / RexTheRunt

The show ran for two series shown between 1998 and 2001 on Creator/{{BBC}} Two, but had a shaky timeslot because of its often [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids irreverent nature]], as well as much ExecutiveMeddling and a slight shift in voice cast. It has, however, found a much wider audience on the Web since Atom Films showcased the series (as well as other Aardman shorts such as ''WesternAnimation/PibAndPog'' and ''WesternAnimation/AngryKid''), and is overall a great start for those willing to check out the studio's more offbeat productions. However, since the closure of Atom Films in 2012, the series can frequently be seen in repeats on BBC Two at 9:00pm every weekday.

* MissingEpisode: While the first two pilots are relatively easy to find online, the third, 1996's ''North By North Pole'', has yet to be found. This is likely due to it being adapted into the third episode of the TV series, "The Adventures On The Telly, Part II' later unlike the two earlier pilots. A screenshot of the title card exists, although nothing else of the episode does.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: The first two pilots, 1991's ''How Dinosaurs Became Extinct'' and ''Dreams'' have never been released in full on home media, although they are available online.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first two pilots are much shorter, have less smooth animation and are somehow ''even more surreal'' than the TV series. Wendy is also grey, unlike in the series where she's pink.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The titular Johnny Saveloy of "Johnny Saveloy's Undoing!" seems like a swipe at both Cliff Richard and [[FunnyAneurysmMoment (rather uncomfortably in hindsight) Jimmy Savile.]]
** Not to mention celebrity Scientologists such as John Travolta.

* ShoutOut: Various characters from other Aardman animations make cameos, including Wallace (of ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'') as a window cleaner, and WesternAnimation/PibAndPog in the audience of Stinky Basil's Search for a Star talent show.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The titular Johnny Saveloy of ''Johnny Saveloy's Undoing'' seems like a swipe at both Cliff Richard and [[FunnyAneurysmMoment (rather uncomfortably in hindsight) Jimmy Savile.]]

* NoCelebritiesAreHarmed: The titular Johnny Saveloy of ''Johnny Saveloy's Undoing'' seems like a swipe at both Cliff Richard and [[FunnyAneurysmMoment (rather uncomfortably in hindsight) Jimmy Savile.]]

* TheAlcoholic: Vince in the episode "Stinky's Search for a Star", as he becomes addicted to the soy sauce [[note]]In the Rex the Runt universe, soy sauce is treated like alcohol.[[/note]] that Rex buys at World of Food.
* TheScream: Rex does this in "Johnny Saveloy's Undoing" when his accountant reveals he's bankrupt.

* TheCameo: Wallace (of ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'') makes a brief appearance as a window cleaner in one episode (particularly appropriate, as that is his job in ''WesternAnimation/ACloseShave''). WesternAnimation/PibAndPog also appear in the audience of Stinky Basil's Search for a Star talent show.

* ShoutOut: Various characters from other Aardman animations make cameos, including Wallace (of ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'') as a window cleaner.

* OnlySaneMan: Rex, the straight [[strike:man]] dog of the group, is regularly driven to fuming exasperation by his oddball friends.

A very bizarre stopmotion animated series from Creator/AardmanAnimations (the makers of ''WallaceAndGromit'') chronicling the day-to-day lives of four plasticine dogs: the titular straight man Rex, trigger happy slob Bad Bob, sarcastic [[TheSmurfettePrinciple Token Female]] Wendy, and erm... Vince, a [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} somewhat batty dog]] who suffers from spontaneous bouts of Random Pavarotti Disease and has a strange fixation for Tuesdays, jam and hoovers. Much of the gang's shenanigans often dealt with them seeking ways to achieve fame & fortune (due to constantly being broke), going on adventures in order to please "the bloke who runs telly"... or [[MindScrew simply just screwing with the audience's heads]].

* ShoutOut: Various characters from other Aardman animations make cameos, including Wallace (of WallaceAndGromit) as a window cleaner.

* CurseCutShort: Inconsistently throughout the second season, the catchphrase "You're a big fat jelly wobbly fat bastard, Bob" gets cut short at "bast-".

* LetsMeetTheMeat: The talking mash-up of food from "Adventures on Telly: Part I", which promptly gets devoured by Vince. Also, Johnny Saveloy the talking sausage who appears in the episodes "Johnny Saveloy's Undoing", where he brainwashes Wendy into the Church of Chemicalology, and "The City Shrinkers", where he is the host of the National Lottery.

* XRaySparks: Happens to both Bad Bob and Johnny Saveloy when Bob tries to repair his eternal youth machine by shorting two electrical cables together. Bob is unharmed, but the results for Johnny Saveloy are rather more [[StrippedToTheBone permanent]].

* VerbalTic: Vince often has a habit of copying what others have said, which Bad Bob finds really annoying.

The show ran for two series shown between 1998 and 2001 on Creator/{{BBC}} Two, but had a shaky timeslot because of its often [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids irreverent nature]], as well as much ExecutiveMeddling and a slight shift in voice cast. It has, however, found a much wider audience on the Web since Atom Films showcased the series (as well as other Aardman shorts such as ''WesternAnimation/AngryKidPibAndPog'' and ''WesternAnimation/AngryKid''), and is overall a great start for those willing to check out the studio's more offbeat productions. However, since the closure of Atom Films in 2012, the series can frequently be seen in repeats on BBC Two at 9:00pm every weekday.

The show ran for two series shown between 1998 and 2001 on Creator/{{BBC}} Two, but had a shaky timeslot because of its often [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids irreverent nature]], as well as much ExecutiveMeddling and a slight shift in voice cast. It has, however, found a much wider audience on the Web since Atom Films showcased the series (as well as other Aardman shorts such as ''Pib & Pog'' and ''Angry Kid''), and is overall a great start for those willing to check out the studio's more offbeat productions. However, since the closure of Atom Films in 2012, the series can frequently be seen in repeats on BBC Two at 9:00pm every weekday.

--> '''Rex''': Vince! You can stop fanning me now, thank you! I'm not unconscious anymore. ''(Vince [[ExtremeOmnivore eats the towel he was fanning Rex with]])'' How are we gonna get rid of the damn thing [[note]]Rex is referring to the mouse.[[/note]]

--> '''Rex''': Vince! You can stop fanning me now, thank you! I'm not unconscious anymore. ''(Vince [[ExtremeOmnivore eats the towel he was fanning Rex with]])'' How are we gonna get rid of the damn thing?[[note]]Rex is referring to the mouse.[[/note]]

* TimeMachine: Bad Bob built a "gobackintimeatron" from a can of baked beans with a propeller on top in order to go back in time to before the gang's house from being stolen in the episode "Too Many Dogs" and to go forward in time to get the winning lottery numbers in the episode "The City Shrinkers". It was previously used as a space ship to rescue Rex from the aliens from the Planet Thribb in the episode "Easter Island".

--> '''Rex''': Vince! You can stop fanning me now, thank you! I'm not unconscious anymore. ''(Vince [[ExtremeOmnivore eats the towel he was fanning Rex with]]) How are we gonna get rid of the damn thing?[[note]]Rex is referring to the mouse.[[/note]]