Dora the Explorer

Dora the Explorer is an American educational animated TV series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh, and Eric Weiner. Dora the Explorer became a regular series in 2000. The show is carried on the Nickelodeon cable television network, including the associated Nick Jr. channel. It aired on CBS until September 2006. A Spanish-dubbed version first aired as part of a Nick en español block on NBC Universal-owned Telemundo through September 2006; since April 2008, this version of the program has been carried on Univision as part of the Planeta U block.

Plot
The series centers around a Latina girl named Dora Marquez with a love of embarking on quests related to an activity in which she would like to partake or someplace that she wants to go, accompanied by her talking purple backpack and anthropomorphic monkey companion named Boots (named for his beloved pair of red boots). Each episode is based around a series of ritualistic events that occur along the way during Dora's travels, along with obstacles that she and Boots are forced to overcome or puzzles that they have to solve (with "assistance" from the viewing audience) relating to riddles, the Spanish language, or counting. Common rituals may involve Dora's encounters with Swiper, a bipedal, anthropomorphic masked thieving fox whose attempts at stealing the possessions of others must be prevented through fourth wall-breaking interaction with the viewer. However, on occasions where Swiper succeeds in snatching the belongings of other people, the viewer is presented with the challenge of helping Boots and Dora locate the lost items. Another obstacle involves encounters with another one of the program's antagonists; the "Grumpy Old Troll" dwelling beneath a bridge that Dora and Boots must cross, who challenges them with a riddle before permitting them the past that needs to be solved with the viewer's help. Known for the constant breaking of the fourth-wall depicted in every episode, the audience is usually presented to two primary landmarks that must be passed before Dora can reach her destination, normally being challenged with games or puzzles along the way. The episode always ends with Dora successfully reaching the locale, singing the "We Did It!" song with Boots in triumph.

On numerous occasions, television specials have been aired for the series in which the usual events of regular episodes are altered, threatened, or replaced. Usually said specials will present Dora with a bigger, more whimsical adventure than usual or with a magical task that must be fulfilled, or perhaps even offer a series of different adventures for Boots and Dora to travel through. They might be presented with an unusual, difficult task (such as assisting Swiper in his attempts to be erased from Santa Claus's Naughty List) that normally is not featured in average episodes, or challenge Dora with a goal that must be achieved (such as the emancipation of a trapped mermaid). Sometimes, the specials have involved the debut of new characters, such as the birth of Dora's superpowered twin baby siblings and the introduction of the enchanted anthropomorphic stars that accompany Dora on many of her quests.

Voices
* Dora the Explorer: Kathleen Herles (2000-2004), Caitlin Sanchez (2007–2010), Fatima Ptacek (2011-present)
* Boots: Harrison Chade (2000-2004), Regan Mizrahi (2007 on)
* Backpack: Sasha Toro (2000-2004), Alexandria Suarez (2007–2010)
* Swiper: Marc Weiner (2000-present)
* Map: Marc Weiner (2000–present)
* Isa the Iguana: Ashley Fleming (2000-2004), Lenique Vincent (2007–2010)
* Tico the Squirrel: Jose Zelaya (2002-2004), Jean Carlos Celi (2007–2010)
* Benny The Bull: Jake Burbage (2000-2004) Matt Gumley (2007–2010)
* Big Red Chicken: Chris Gifford (2000-2004)
* Explorer Stars: Christiana Anbri, Henry Gifford, Katie Gifford, Aisha Shickler, Muhammed Cunningham, Jose Zeleya
* Diego: Felipe Dieppa (2002-2004), Jake T. Austin (2007-2010), Brandon Zambrano (2011–2012), Jacob Medrano (2012-present)[1]
* Andres Dieppa
* Elaine Del Valle
* Eileen Galindo
* Chris Gifford
* K.J. Sanchez
* Adam Sietz
* Leslie Valdes
* Marc Weiner

Guest voices
* John Leguizamo
* Cheech Marin
* Ricardo Montalbán
* Esai Morales
* Amy Principe
* Irwin Reese
* Chita Rivera (Dora's Fairytale Adventure, 2004)
* Antonia Rey
* Paul Rodriguez

Foreign adaptations
Dora the Explorer has been produced in other languages worldwide. It facilitates the learning of important foreign language phrases through its simplicity and use of repetition.

* Arabic - The Arabic language version is broadcast on the "Nickelodeon on MBC3" block of MBC3, and is presented in Arabic-English.
* Cantonese - The Cantonese version (Chinese: 愛探險的朵拉; Cantonese Yale: Oi taam hím dīk Dó Lā; literally "Explore-loving Dora") is sold in Hong Kong. It is presented in Cantonese-English.
* Danish - The Danish language version Dora is similar to the Swedish Dora- utforskaren. There are commands and expressions in English. It is broadcast on Nick Jr. in the subscription of Canal Digital and Viasat.
* Dutch - The Dutch language version broadcasts on Nickelodeon and Nick .Jr, It is presented in Dutch-English. The voice actors are Lottie Hellingman as Dora and Dieter Jansen as Boots.
* French - The French language version, Dora l'exploratrice, broadcasts on TF1 in France and Télé-Québec in Canada. It is presented in French-English, with Dora and Boots (called Babouche) speaking French and other protagonists speaking and answering in English.
* Filipino - The Filipino language version broadcasts on ABS-CBN and has the same English title "Dora, the Explorer". The characters speak Filipino and some English, Dora teaches English in this version.
* German - The German language version broadcasts on the German branch of Nickelodeon. The bilingualism is German-English.
* Greek - The Greek version is called "Ντόρα η μικρή εξερευνήτρια" (or Dora the Little Explorer). It broadcasts on Nickelodeon and Star Channel. The bilingualism is Greek-English. Dora and Boots (called Botas) speak Greek and other protagonists speak and answer in English.
* Hebrew - The Hebrew version broadcasts on HOP channel. The bilingualism is Hebrew-English. The series is called מגלים עם דורה (or Megalim Im Dora--English: Discovering with Dora).
* Hindi - In the Hindi language version, Dora and the other characters speak Hindi. It broadcasts on Nickelodeon. Dora teaches the viewers English words and numbers.
* Indonesian - The Indonesian language version broadcasts on Global TV. The bilingualism is Indonesian-English.
* Irish - The Irish language version broadcasts on the Irish station TG4. The bilingualism is Irish-Spanish with Dora and Boots speaking in Irish and some other characters speaking Spanish as in the original.
* Italian - The Italian language version broadcasts on Italia 1 and on Nickelodeon. The bilingualism is Italian-English. The series is called Dora l'esploratrice ("Dora the Explorer"). Most characters speak Italian, but some characters and especially Dora's parents and backpack speak English along with Italian.
* Japanese - The Japanese language version broadcasts on Nick Japan. The bilingualism is Anglo-Japanese, with Dora and Boots speaking Japanese and other protagonists speaking and answering in English. The version is called ドーラといっしょに大冒険 (Dōra to issho ni dai bōken/Adventures with Dora).
* Korean - The Korean language version broadcasts on Nick Jr in Korea. The title is "Hi Dora" and is introduced by a real person whose name is Dami - she introduces key English vocabulary for each episode. The episode is primarily in Korean with some English.
* Macedonian - The Macedonian language version broadcasts on MRT 1 in Macedonia. The title is "Дора истражува" (or Dora the Explorer). The bilingualism is Macedonian-English.
* Malay - The Malay language version broadcasts on TV9. The bilingualism is Malay-English. Dora speaks primarily in Malay, and the secondary language is English. The original English-Spanish version, however, is also available on Nickelodeon South East Asia via the Nick Jr. programming slot to subscribers of the ASTRO satellite TV service.
* Malayalam - The Malayalam version is called Dorayude Prayanam (ഡോറയുടെ പ്രയാണം) and broadcasts on a local kids programming channel Kochu TV, which is the malayalam dubbed version of Chutti TV.
* Mandarin - In the Mandarin Chinese version Dora the characters speak mainly Mandarin with limited English. It broadcasts on Yo-yo TV in Taiwan (Channel 25).
* Norwegian - In the Norwegian language version the bilingualism is Norwegian-English.
* Polish. - The Polish language version broadcasts on Nickelodeon in Poland. The bilingualism is Polish-English. The series is called Dora poznaje świat ("Dora explores the world").
* Portuguese - In the Portuguese language versions, Dora a Exploradora, broadcasts on RTP2 and Nickelodeon Portugal. On Nickelodeon Brazil, Dora and Boots (called Boots in the Portuguese version and Botas in the Brazilian version) speak Portuguese and the other protagonists speak and answer in English. Some Portuguese episodes are available on DVD.
* Russian - The Russian language version broadcasts on TNT and Nickelodeon. The bilingualism is Russian-English. The series is called Dasha-sledopyt ("Dasha the Pathfinder"). Dasha is the children's name of Daria (Darya).
* Serbian - The Serbian language version broadcasts on B92. The bilingualism is Serbian-Spanish. The series is called Dora istražuje (Dora is exploring).
* Spanish - There are different Spanish language versions for Latin America, Mexico, and Spain. Dora la Exploradora broadcasts on Nickelodeon in Latin America (and up to September 2006 on Telemundo in the USA; from April 2008 on Univisión). Dora and Boots (called Botas) speak Spanish and the other protagonists speak and answer in English. Some Spanish episodes are available to US viewers on VHS, and some DVDs have a Spanish track (including Dora's Egg Hunt). This version is entirely the reverse of the original English version; Tico and Señor Tucan (called Mr. Toucan) only speak English. Additionally, Univision has added on-screen captions of the Spanish words spoken in English. In Spain, Dora la exploradora is aired on TVE 1, Clan TVE and Nickelodeon. It is another reverse of the original English version (the characters speak mainly Spanish but there are commands and expressions in English).
* Swedish - In the Swedish language version Dora- utforskaren the characters speak mainly Swedish but there are commands and expressions in English. It broadcasts on Nickelodeon and TV4.
* Tamil - In the Tamil language version Dora The Explorer, the characters all speak Tamil, with some English interspersed. It broadcasts on a local kids programming channel Chutti TV.
* Turkish - In the Turkish language version Dora the characters speak mainly Turkish, Spanish and English but there are commands and expressions in Turkish. It broadcasts on Nickelodeon and CNBC-e.

As shown by the list above, the usual second language is English, but Spanish is used in the original version in English (broadcasted also for the Malay speakers), in the Irish version, the Serbian version and the trilingual Turkish version.