Red: "2 Stupid Dogs"

Little Red Riding Hood, or Red, in the cartoon “2 Stupid Dogs” was probably my favorite part of the show.  She was an obnoxious little girl with a loud voice, horrible eyesight, and a poorly functioning thought process – she was definitely stupider than the two stupid dogs.

Little Red Riding Hood in "2 Stupid Dogs" created and designed by Donovan Cook, produced by Hanna-Barbera.

Red voiced by Candi Milo.  Shown on Cartoon Network and Fox Kids.  Circa 1993.

While she was a modern rendition of the classic tale, her new features emphasized her character rather than changed it.  For me, at least, her stupidity and insufferable attitude answered some questions I had about the fairy tale itself.  For instance, she skips along in this clip absent-mindedly, slamming into trees and flailing off cliffs.  Of course she couldn’t help but stay off the trail when she acts like this!  It only seemed natural that she gets herself into trouble on the path.  Also, the cartoon gives her a sight problem, hence her enormous glasses.  Even small children can understand that glasses = poor sight, so she may very well mistake a hairy life-sized wolf for her grandmother just because she is practically blind to begin with.

This rendition of Red is the modern application of the tale to our current understanding.  In enhancing her character with modern features, we are able to excuse her otherwise confusing and nonsensical motives throughout the story.  It almost functions as the “light bulb” moment when you realize the reasons behind her actions (although this is just one adaptation to excuse her otherwise ridiculous behaviors).

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