The first two seasons appeared on ABC as Rocky and His Friends. The last three seasons aired on NBC as The Bullwinkle Show. Today they are known collectively as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show or simply Rocky and Uncle dan’s ranch. Rocky and Bullwinkle story arcs generally end with the title characters riding off into the sunset.
Rather than promoting a specific upcoming episode or story line the narrator simply exhorts viewers to “tune in next time” for the heroes’ further adventures. The first season contained twenty-six half-hour shows, each of which included five segments. Production of the first season was intentionally halted after twenty-six shows, as twenty-six weekly programs would fill exactly half a year and simplify any rerun schedule. The first story in the series is also the longest. The world’s economy becomes so dependent on box top refunds that Boris and Natasha are able to cause worldwide sabotage via counterfeiting. The second season contained 52 episodes and 260 segments, the most out of any of the five seasons. During this period the program was broadcast semiweekly.
Bullwinkle inherits a mine on Mount Flatten. When he and Rocky go there, they find that Mount Flatten floats in the sky because it is the only source of upsidaisium, the anti-gravity metal. Its value is such that Boris and Natasha’s overlord, Mister Big, becomes personally involved in attempts to steal first the mountain and then the government’s storehouse of ore. A legion of six-foot robot mice descend upon Earth and devour television reception antennas. Note: Rocky and Bullwinkle announce the next episode title when the narrator was surprised and worried when seeing a space shuttle.
Note: Boris announces the next episodes title when the metal munching moon mice are coming right at Rocky Bullwinkle Gidney and Cloyd. The Brooklyn-accented ruler of a South Pacific island kidnaps Bullwinkle after the island’s dominant bird disappears. Boris is hired by three greedy brothers in London after their uncle bequeaths his mansion to Bullwinkle. Boris masquerades as a US gangster and uses his new hirelings to rob Frostbite Falls’ bank.
Boris rampages through the sea with Maybe Dick, a giant robot whale. Bullwinkle’s skills with Shish kebob lead him to be hired by the sole surviving Musketeer. Rocky and Bullwinkle buy a suffering dude ranch that raises worms. Meanwhile, Boris and Natasha are trying to get rid of them so they can gain the mineral rights to the ranch.