Time Squad/Characters

The Character sheet for Time Squad.

Buck Tuddrussel
"Voiced by: Rob Paulsen"

A Time Cop, who possesses all the physical requirements for his job and none the intellectual. Whenever there's someone who needs a beating up (and even when they don't), he's the best person to get assigned for such a task. Impulsiveness, aggressiveness and air-headedness are traits which define Tuddrussel quite nicely. Not much of his backstory is known, aside from his Southern heritage and a short-lived marriage to fellow Time Cop Sheila Sternwell. He and Larry have a typical Vitriolic Best Buds relationship (which can legitimately be read and proven as Belligerent Sexual Tension by some viewers), and he is much like an irresponsible father to Otto.


 * Amicably Divorced: With Sheila.
 * Big Eater: And what he doesn't eat, he uses as a projectile when rough-housing.
 * The Big Guy
 * Big Guy, Little Guy: The big to Otto's little.
 * Boisterous Bruiser
 * Catch Phrase: "It's GO TIME!"
 * Which Tuddrussel tried to change in the season two episode "Child's Play" after Larry pointed out that "It's go time!" and Buck's other catchphrase "Get some!" are not appropriate for a children's program.
 * Cowboy Cop
 * Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Tuddrussel can really do some damage, and when he gets over his cowardace or is simply performing his police duties instead of just being 'himself' he really gets into the action. In the pilot he wipes out an entire horde of flest eating robots by blowing them up!
 * Dumb Muscle
 * Embarrassing First Name: Tuddrussel's real first name is, according to the XJ5's computer scan of the castle where Tuddrussel is held prisoner in "Kubla Khan't."
 * Expressive Mask: Buck's goggles essentially serve as his face.
 * Fetish: Tuddrussel's guns are the subject of their fair share of visual innuendo.
 * Gluttony: See Big Eater above. According to his yearbook on the season one episode "Feud for Thought," he also once had a weight problem, though he insisted that it was a "glandular thing."
 * Greed: While not one of his defining sins (as opposed to Gluttony), this is the motivation for one of the very few times Tuddrussel intentionally commits a crime (see Mr. Vice Guy).
 * He-Man Woman Hater: Amazingly averted. In spite of his disdain for effeminate men (i.e., Larry), he treats actual women with respect (including his ex-wife, despite referring to her in "Ex Marks the Spot" as a "repressed workaholic who's incapable of having fun of any kind").
 * The Hero: At least he sees himself this way, if "A Thrilla at Attila's" is any indication.
 * Idiot Hero: Though definitely not an idolized example of the trope, since his stupidity is Played for Laughs.
 * Lantern Jaw of Justice
 * Leeroy Jenkins: Freud diagnoses Tuddrussel as having an "overactive superego," a hypothesis borne out numerous times.
 * Man Child: Even Larry mentioned it in the show more than once. His Man Child in Larry's eyes as heard in "Ex Marks the Spot."
 * Even his ex-wife, Sheila Sternwell makes it a point on "Ex Marks the Spot": "He's a man fully at the mercy of his fragile male ego who hasn't progressed mentally or emotionally since early childhood."
 * This also explains how he can bawl and cry over getting the most superficial splinters (as a child naturally would) and doesn't even come close to shedding a tear when taking in the most brutal physical hits, as seen in "Floral Patton," when he doesn't react to Patton punching him in the face (other than falling unconscious), yet whines and cries over a thorn in his finger.
 * The McCoy: He's by far the most impulsive and aggressive of the trio.
 * Mr. Vice Guy: Tuddrussel's violent and gluttonous tendencies are amply demonstrated. More specifically, when offered a million dollars to commit an evil deed in "Nobel Peace Surprise," he eagerly blows up the town sewer system. With a "life-threatening nuclear device."
 * Obfuscating Stupidity: He knew a considerable amount of information on Billy the Kid, which Larry and Otto were shocked to discover. And When Larry brings out Buck's academy year book, it turns out he was in chemistry club, of all things. Also, if Tuddrussell really was as stupid as he looked, how in the world did he succeed in obtaining any sort of a position in a law enforcement group that requires you to have the knowledge of all history.
 * Pride
 * Real Men Eat Meat: Every so often (particularly in the season one episode "A Sandwich By Any Other Name"), Tuddrussell resents Larry's attempts to get him to refine his palate and insists on "real food" such as burgers (which comes back to haunt him in "Larry Upgrade") and nachos instead.
 * Real Men Hate Affection: Zigzagged throughout the series. Sometimes Tuddrussel refuses displays of tenderness ("Forget the Alamo"); sometimes he welcomes them ("Hate and Let Hate").
 * Real Men Wear Pink: For all of his excessive machismo, "Ladies and Gentlemen...Monty Zuma" revealed that Tuddrussell sleeps with a nightlight and a teddy bear and "Hate and Let Hate" shows that he can cook and has no problem wearing one of Larry's pink aprons (nor decorating a multi-tiered wedding-style cake for Larry in pink frosting).
 * Screams Like a Little Girl: "Napoleon the Conquered" established this.
 * Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Manly Man to Larry's Sensitive Guy.
 * Testosterone Poisoning
 * Top-Heavy Guy: Tuddrussell's unrealistic proportions put Popeye's to shame.
 * Tsundere: Despite berating Larry for his effeminacy, he can be very kind to him when he wants and is generally a caring older brother/father figure to Otto.

Larry 3000
"Voiced by: Mark Hamill"

The resident Robot Buddy and the only one on board able to operate the computer. It's his job to make sure the squad ends up at the right time and place. Initially, he was programmed as a polyglotic robot for diplomatic purposes; when all of the nations rejoiced into one, huge country, his consular abilities were no longer needed. Larry is famous for his effeminate behaviour and interests, which are portrayed all but subtly. Unusually, he is extremely dramatic and open in showing his emotions whilst still being the snarkiest of the trio. He prides himself in having knowledge of proper etiquette and manners. The relationship he shares with Buck Tuddrussel provides what could be some of the most blatant examples of Ho Yay in Western Animation that's not intended for general adult audiences. For Otto, he has been repeatedly depicted as a maternal figure.

"Larry: Ugh! This is disgusting... yet oddly compelling!"
 * The Alcoholic: Doesn't drink (barring the motor oil and brake fluid daiquiri on "Ladies and Gentlemen, Monty Zuma"), but has acted drunk on "Eli Whitney's Flesh-Eating Mistake" and "Pasteur Packs O'Punch" (both times, he mentioned something about being okay to drive, even though he's not).
 * All Gays Love Theater: Subverted. Some of Larry's interests are sophisticated, but "Child's Play" implies that he isn't particularly fond of theater (especially if he finds it inappropriate for children).
 * Berserk Button: How to not set Larry off; 1) Try not to be Tuddrussel (cf. "Love at First Flight" when Otto wears a miniature version of Buck's Time Squad cop uniform and becomes as gross and crass as Buck). 2) Try not to steal Tuddrussel away from him. (He'll look to turn your dinner into a "Hate-Feast").
 * Bootstrapped Leitmotif: Larry's is Luigi Bocherini's "Minuet". The classical piece was originally played as Background Music during Larry's art exposé at the begining of "Ladies and Gentlemen... Monty Zuma!". The song became associated with him as he and another one of his clones hummed its tune in "Day of the Larrys". Later in the same episode, the song was further reinforced as Larry's leitmotif when it was used as the Background Music as Larry clones swarmed the Domisphere of the satellite. The music turned out to be coming from a mini orchestra made up of Larry clones playing cellos and violins under a garden gazebo.
 * British Stuffiness
 * Butt Monkey: Plays this role most often, but Otto gets his fair share too.
 * Camp Gay: Not so much in season one (he did come off as Ambiguously Gay in season one, believe it or not), but by season two, almost all of the ambiguity had disappeared. One could argue against this label by saying that Larry is just trying to be the sophisticated foil for the crude and ill-mannered Tuddrussell and that his over-the-top "sophistication" could be an excuse for getting away with all the "alleged" Ho Yay, but then you rewatch the show some time later and begin to notice that a lot of Larry's feminine mannerisms are just there and have nothing to do with being refined ("Blackbeard, Warm Heart" is a perfect episode to see the needlessly feminine/stereotypically gay male moments). Then, there are the signs of a possible relationship with Tuddrussell as seen in such episodes as "Larry Upgrade" and "Ex Marks the Shot."
 * The Chick: Right down to the hourglass figure.
 * Covert Pervert: He keeps a video of Tuddrussell singing in front of the sink while wearing nothing more than a towel ("The Prime Minister Has No Clothes"), is thrilled over Winston Churchill's plan to make his military nude (also in "The Prime Minister Has No Clothes"), and reads Jackie Collins books ("Child's Play") -- which contain a notoriously high amount of sleaze. And, proving that this aspect of his personality well-engrained enough to be exploited in advertisements, one of the bumpers for Cartoon Cartoon Fridays even had him gleefully fawning over a pec-flexing Johnny Bravo in this manner.

"Larry: They'll be so repulsed with the meal...(gasp)...THEY'LL HATE EACH OTHER!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
 * Crazy Jealous Guy: While it's nowhere near as dramatic as most examples of the trope, he gets extremely jealous when he (incorrectly) suspects Tuddrussel and Sheila of falling in love again in "Ex Marks the Spot."
 * Daytime Drama Queen: Introduces Otto and Tuddrussel to The Elegant and the Dangerous in "Old Timers' Squad."
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Distressed Dude: How Tuddrussel imagines Larry in "A Thrilla at Attila's."
 * Drunk on the Dark Side: Larry can be pretty hammy when he shows his dark side. Take the episode "Ex Marks The Spot"--he makes the most hysterically diabolical monologue on how he's going to ruin Tuddrussel and Shelia's dinner.

"Larry: Cleopatra! Your Highness! Your shoes are to die for! Let me guess: Italian leather?
 * Easily-Detachable Robot Parts: Has an entire room filled with spare parts (which he uses to make clones, as seen in "Day of the Larrys").
 * Embarrassing First Name: In "Kubla Khan't," it's revealed that his first name is . Subverted in that he actually introduced himself as such and wasn't trying to hide it.
 * Expy: Larry is a pessimistic, extremely fey protocol droid, not unlike a really sarcastic C-3PO, but he's voiced not by Anthony Daniels but Mark Hamill.
 * Who specifically and intentionally played him as even more Camp Gay than C-3PO.
 * Flanderization: Larry's effeminate hobbies and mannerisms were actually toned down a bit (but still noticeable) in season one. By season two, the writers took Larry's effeminacy and ran with it, to the point that branding him as Camp Gay wouldn't be out of place
 * Gay Best Friend: Averted overall in the series since he's one of the regulars, but tries to invoke this trope in "Shop Like an Egyptian" (and "Forget the Alamo," when he befriends Tuddrussel's party-planning ancestor, Jeremiah). Observe:

Cleopatra: Why, yes! They are! You do have quite an eye for fashion.

Larry: Well, I have been programmed in apparent composition and design.

Cleopatra: Ah, it's so rare to meet a man who has an eye for the finer things!"


 * Girly Run: Especially so in season 2, after Character Development-cum-Flanderization, though his other effeminate gestures were always present.
 * Half-Dressed Cartoon Robot: Even when Larry wears clothes, he almost never wears pants and a shirt at the same time (cf. the tuxedo top on "Houdini Whodunit" and "Day of the Larrys," the shirtless cowboy get-up on "Day of the Larrys," the matador costume on "Forget the Alamo").
 * The Hedonist
 * Hey, It's That Voice!: When did Luke Skywalker end up voicing a robot that acts like C-3PO (if he were more effeminate) and sounds like The Joker?
 * The Lancer
 * Lust: In both the sense of being pleasure-driven and (in a couple of rare cases near the end of the series' run) the literal sense.
 * Mars Needs Men: Barring the Lance Nine Trillion, he seems to find human men more attractive than other robots.
 * Me's a Crowd: He creates myriad clones of himself (accidentally, as it happened; he only intended to build the one) in "Day of the Larrys."
 * Mood Swinger: It's amazing how much emotion this particular robot is capable of showing. When he's happy, he's absolutely delighted. When he's upset, he puts on a drama. And yet, he's the Deadpan Snarker. Take notice of his closeted saucier side too, contrasting with his prissy, more sophisticated self (although the writers succeeded in making it rather nuanced).
 * Moral Guardian: Acted like one on "Child's Play," effectively making Shakespeare rethink doing children's plays, which is truly ironic as Larry is the kind of character that Real Life Moral Guardians would find too risque for kids (though most kids either wouldn't understand Larry's Camp Gay personality or brush it off as Rule of Funny) and the show itself has a rather loose, often Machiavellian moral code.
 * Mr. Vice Guy: He tries to hide this side of himself behind his moralistic facade (and did succeed in "Child's Play," when he basically acted like a Moral Guardian throughout the episode), but occasionally abandons official duties in pursuit of pleasure (as seen in "Forget the Alamo," "Father Figure of Our Country," "Shop Like an Egyptian," and "Out with the In Crowd").
 * Naked Apron: If his claim that he's a nudist (according to "The Prime Minister Has No Clothes") is true, then that's what that pink apron he always wears when he cooks is.
 * Pride
 * Robot Buddy
 * Robotic Spouse: Other characters (Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud, for example) sometimes comment on the nature of his relationship with Tuddrussell.
 * Second Law, My Ass: Larry only abides by the Second Law of Robotics when it suits his mood, much to Tuddrussell's frustration.
 * Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Sensitive Guy to Tuddrussell's Manly Man.
 * The Spock: His hedonistic tendencies notwithstanding, he fills the role of the group's "moral compass," primarily in the sense of being a nagging maternal type.
 * Stripperiffic: Some of his costume choices come across as deliberate attempts at this trope (particularly the Indian princess/PlayboyBunny get-up from "Tea Time for Time Squad" and the shirtless cowboy get-up from "Day of the Larrys"), especially when it's revealed that he usually considers himself a nudist (in "The Prime Minister Has No Clothes").
 * Team Chef
 * Took a Level In Badass: In "Hate and Let Hate," Larry handles some of Tuddrussel's guns and becomes phaser-crazy, shooting up the Domisphere.
 * Transparent Closet: Started in "Blackbeard, Warm Heart," and got more and more transparent, especially around season two when the censors seemed to have said, "Fuck it!" and let Wasson and company make Larry as Camp Gay as possible without explicitly stating it. Might not be the best example of this trope from an in-universe point of view as most of the characters see Larry's campy behavior as him being weird. In the viewers' eyes (or the eyes of a Yaoi Fangirl), it's another story.
 * Tsundere: Probably even moreso than Tuddrussel. His mood swings seem to be rather random, while Tuddrussel's low/high spirits are usually justified in some way.
 * Wholesome Crossdresser: Larry was shown wearing women's clothing a few times:
 * In "Tea-Time for Time Squad," he was dressed as an American Indian princess (with two feathers on his head positioned in almost the same way as the bunny ears on a Playboy Bunny would be).
 * In the season two opening, when one of the scenes flashes to feudal Japan, Larry can be seen dressed as a geisha.
 * Tuddrussel's side of the Atilla the Hun story on "A Thrilla At Atilla's" had Larry dressed in a tutu (with Larry unsure of whether or not he actually wore it).
 * One of the Larry clones in "Day of the Larrys" had on a tutu.
 * In "Ladies and Gentlemen, Monty Zuma," Tuddrussell mentions an unspecified time where Larry had on make-up.
 * Larry had had on make up a few other times too, in episodes "Tea-Time for Time Squad" and "Father Figure of Our Country". Both of which he was dressed in ridiculously pastel 18th century clothing, the latter being even more ridiculously pastel, including pink bows, scarf, and a pink powdered wig to match (but it wasn't as if wearing pink for Larry was anything rare for the series -- it was just too much packed into one scene).
 * As Tuddrussel read Larry's diary aloud in "Feud for Thought" it was mentioned that Larry had admitted that he thought he had looked stunning in the red dress that he wore to a costumed Halloween gala.
 * Larry often wears a ladies' sun hat while tending his garden, complete with pink ribbons from either side which he conveniently ties around his neck in a bow.
 * "A Thrilla at Atilla's" had Larry as a fitness instructor (in both Larry's and Otto's side of the story) wearing an aerobics get-up straight out of the 1980s, complete with pastel purple leotard, pink and fluffy leg warmers, a torn, purple half-shirt, and matching sweat band. Think Jane Fonda. He did.
 * Yiddish as a Second Language: Occasionally says "Oy vey!" when especially dismayed.

Otto Osworth
"Voiced by: Pamela Segall Adlon"

An orphan illegaly travelling along with Tuddrussel and Larry, taken on board due to their incompetence and his impressive historical knowledge (and for Otto to escape his brutal life at the orphanage). Despite being a bookworm, his demeanor is far from boring; he is just as childlike and jocular as any regular 8-year-old. Even though he is the youngest, he is also the most responsible out of the squad, being the only one pure enough to not let himself get swayed by temptations. Depending on who he's siding with, he can either become loud, obnoxious and destructive (when Tuddrussel has him company) or composed and calm (when it's Larry he agrees with).


 * Adorkable: Has tendencies to squeal over his favorite historical figures, and he plays with American history based action figures. Has glasses that are way too big for his face and has freckles. He's a sweet kid that's now finally getting the chance to be himself, and he's loving every minute of it.
 * Big Guy, Little Guy: The little to Tuddrussel's big.
 * Blind Without'Em: Has had his glasses broken and stolen several times throughout the show's short run.
 * Bookworm
 * Born in the Wrong Century
 * Celibate Hero: The only time he even acknowledges awareness of girls occurs in "Child's Play," when Shakespeare's agent describes him as "an attractive boy lead" for "girls six to nine." He cares for books first and foremost, in any case.
 * Conveniently an Orphan
 * Cross-Dressing Voices: Otto is voiced by Pamela Segall-Adlon, who often voices little boys (i.e. Bobby Hill, Milo Oblong) or, in the case of Recess and Pepper Ann, girls who look or act like boys (Spinelli and Margaret Rose "Moose" Pearson).
 * Cute but Cacophonic: Pamela Segall made Otto's voice a little too shrill for her own good.
 * Embarrassing Nickname: "Orphan Substitute" revealed that he was called when he lived in the orphanage.
 * Expy: Of Sherman from the "Mr. Peabody's Improbable History" shorts on Rocky and Bullwinkle.
 * Fiery Redhead: He's normally the one that's the most level headed of the group, but has a tendency to get upset rather quickly whenever Tuddrussel or the people he's trying to help are being mean to him or being incredibly stupid. Usually this comes down to arguing or the like as any child would, but sometimes this anger can follow up to something more spiteful and come up with a plan that not only solves a mission, but effectively teach someone a lesson.
 * Has Two Daddies: Wasn't made apparent in the show until Freud mentioned it...in the third episode. It gets all the more obvious in the second season, when it's Otto's birthday and he's opening presents Tuddrussel and Larry are looking at him from a short distance in a very loving, parental way that you'd expect to see in any sitcom.
 * Hilariously Abusive Childhood and Social Services Does Not Exist: Established in the first episode "Eli Whitney's Flesh-Eating Mistake" that Otto was often punished for reading history books by doing chores, though the extent of the abuse (which goes straight into Dude, Not Funny territory when it's discovered that ) wasn't made clear until the last episode, "Orphan Substitute."
 * Insufferable Genius: Larry's side of the story in "A Thrilla at Attila's" portrays Otto this way.
 * Keet
 * The Kirk: He acts as the mediator between Tuddrussel and Larry's excesses.
 * Kid Hero
 * Little Professor Dialog: Otto's speech patterns are actually quite typical of an elementary school-aged child, except for some of his lengthier expositions.
 * Mr. Exposition: He fills in the details about the historical figures before each mission.
 * Only Sane Man: As the only child in a kids' program otherwise filled with adult characters, this is a given. Furthermore, he's the sole member of his team who stays focused on the missions at all times, rather than falling prey to a vice.
 * Shorter Means Smarter: Otto may be little but he is definitely the smartest.
 * The Short Guy with Glasses
 * The Smart Guy
 * Straight Man
 * Wise Beyond Their Years: But at the same time, he's just a normal kid in abnormal circumstances.

Sheila Sternwell
"Voiced by: Mari Weiss"

A lieutenant within Time Squad ranks, Sheila Sternwell is a no-nonsense woman that takes her job seriously. The ex-wife of Buck Tuddrussel, it's made clear that while she regrets making the mistake of marrying in the first place, and can be slightly bitter towards him, she doesn't actually resent him and still does her job and helps out Tuddrussel and his unit when needed. She even seems to go far in not ratting out Tuddrussel and Larry over Otto, and other screw ups that she should be reporting.


 * Action Girl / Affirmative Action Girl: She was most likely created to balance out the sexes, sense there are rarely any female characters that the guys came into contact with period. But she stands out on her own as being a incredibly skilled fighter and having a keen intellect,and props for being a good example of how awesome Time Squad could be.
 * Emotionless Girl: With the exception of her laughing fit in "Ex Marks the Spot," she scarcely expresses her feelings.
 * Hartman Hips
 * Married to the Job: Tuddrussell accurately describes her as "a completely repressed workaholic who's incapable of having fun of any kind."

XJ5
"Voiced by: Darran Norris"

A advanced robot that is more qualified for the job of a time cop than Larry, and he loves to rub it in. Working with Officer Sternwell, he provides actual help and guidance on missions.

"XJ5: (after showing off his thermal sensor) Nice, isn't it?
 * Do-Anything Robot: His equipment is more useful on missions than Larry's. Played for a Double Entendre in "Nobel Peace Surprise":

Larry: It's not the size of the equipment. It's how you use it."


 * Fifth Ranger
 * Known Only By His Model Number
 * Robot Buddy

J.T. Laser
"Voiced by: Jim Wise"

Professional and competent, he's the best of the best of what Time Squad has to offer; but he's also a arrogant jerk that gladly makes trouble for Tuddrussel and Larry.


 * The Ace: He "graduated top of [his] class" at the Academy and has a perfect success rate with missions.
 * Even the Guys Want Him: Tuddrussel has difficulty controlling himself in his presence.
 * Jerkass
 * Pride
 * Showy Invincible Hero
 * Top-Heavy Guy: Oddly, his physique is less exaggerated than Tuddrussel's, though Laser is supposed to be even manlier.

Lance Nine Trillion
"Voiced by: Kevin Michael Richardson"

The best officer in Time Squad needs to have the robot with the most advanced technology right? Lance is the perfect partner for J.T.


 * The Ace: He's J.T. Laser's partner, so this trope is a natural.
 * Do-Anything Robot: A more literal example than XJ5. He can even turn into a flying vehicle.
 * Dude Magnet: Larry can't resist fawning over Lance when they meet in "Out with the In Crowd." Reinforced by a visual pun in which Lance attaches a magnet to him.
 * Jerkass
 * Pride
 * Robot Buddy

Sister Thornley
"Voiced by: Dee Dee Rescher"

Otto's former caretaker before getting taken by Larry and Tuddrussel. Otto had good reason to fear her, as did the other kids that she kept. Obviously not afraid of the police or anyone coming after her, Sister Thornley freely abuses the kids that are put into her care, while at the home and even more disturbingly in public. Her motives are despairingly questionable, such making the children work under horrific conditions in order to make a quick buck. Or why she had a problem with Otto reading books. (Or any child reading, for that matter. She apparently had an entire policy against it.) Quick to punish, she makes it clear that one does not want to cross her path.


 * Child-Hater
 * Nun-Too-Holy