Olive, the Other Reindeer

Olive, the Other Reindeer is a 1999 American computer-animated Christmas television special written by Steve Young, based on the children's book by Vivian Walsh, and directed by Oscar Moore. The feature was produced by Matt Groening's The Curiosity Company and animated by DNA Productions. It first aired on December 17, 1999 on Fox, ten years to the premiere date of Groening’s television series The Simpsons. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Flower Films, the special uses the animation of illustrator J Otto Seibold. Sometimes, traditional animation is used.

After airing again the following year, the special made its first cable TV premiere on Nickelodeon in 2001; it would then premiere the following year on Cartoon Network on December 11, 2002 and aired during each holiday season until it was last seen as late as December 24, 2012. The special would also air on other local syndicated networks, such as The WB, MyNetworkTV , The CW and WGN-TV.

The story was based on the 1997 children's book by Vivian Walsh and illustrated by J. Otto Seibold. In the song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the lyric "All of the other reindeer" can be misheard in dialects with the cot–caught merger as the mondegreen "Olive, the other reindeer".

Drew Barrymore voices the title character, and she is credited as an executive producer on the special.

The special was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program.

Plot
The story follows an anthropomorphic Jack Russell Terrier named Olive, who does not act like a normal dog. While in town, she meets Martini, a con artist penguin, from whom she buys a counterfeit Rolex watch. When she returns home she finds her owner, Tim, sad that there "won't be any Christmas". Olive discovers that Blitzen, one of Santa's reindeer, is injured and unable to fly. Santa expresses in a radio interview that Christmas isn't cancelled if his sleigh can be pulled by "all of the other reindeer". Olive's pet flea, Fido, mishears this as "Olive the other reindeer", and Olive becomes convinced that it is she Santa is referring to, prompting her to travel to the North Pole to help pull the sleigh.

On the way to the bus station, Olive runs into a disgruntled Postman who is frustrated by having to deliver mail during the Christmas period, and expresses that he is glad Christmas might be cancelled. He learns Olive is trying to save Santa's flight, and is determined to stop Olive from saving Christmas. Olive goes to the bus station to buy a ticket to Arctic Junction. Martini shows up and Olive buys him a bus ticket, but before they can leave the station, Olive is captured by the Postman, who abducts her, claiming she is wanted for mail fraud. After pleading to Martini to help her, Martini trips the Postman, allowing Martini and Olive to catch the bus.

On the bus, Olive and Martini talk to an Inuit couple and bus driver Richard. They believe Olive misheard Santa, but wish her luck. The Postman pulls up next to the bus in his mail truck, but Martini makes a paper airplane and throws it at the Postman, knocking him off the road. When they arrive at Arctic Junction, they must wait for the next bus, so they go to a restaurant. The Postman, disguised as their waitress, lures Olive outside by stating that Santa is waiting for her. The Postman throws Olive in his truck, and while he is driving away, Olive finds a package addressed to her from "Deus Ex Machina" containing a metal file that Olive uses to escape.

Olive returns to the Junction, and Martini and Richard, having discovered the Postman's actions, ask her how she got away. Olive and Martini, having missed the bus, go inside a nearby bar and are initially harassed by the bar's patrons, including bar owner Round John Virgin. Olive stands up to them, giving a speech about the meaning of Christmas. The patrons apologize for their behavior and Round John Virgin offers Martini and Olive a ride to the North Pole. At the North Pole, Olive is denied entry, but Martini distracts the guard, allowing Olive to get inside and look for Santa. Aside from Blitzen's injury, Santa is unsure about going out for Christmas, due to having received mean-spirited letters addressed from children. Olive convinces Santa that the letters are from the Postman, and persuades Santa not to give up on Christmas; Santa thanks Olive, and she joins the other reindeer in order to fly the sleigh.

Before they leave, the Postman switches the bag of toys with a bag of junk mail and kidnaps Martini. Later, Santa discovers what happened, and Olive follows the Postman's scent to track him down. Olive struggles with the Postman, and Martini scares the Postman with a jack-in-the-box, and he hits his head and is knocked unconscious. They retrieve the presents, rescue Martini, and then deliver the presents to the world. Santa gets lost in fog, and Olive guides the sleigh back to the North Pole by following the scent of cookies baked by Mrs. Claus. Comet gives Olive a ride home and she makes amends with Tim, who is happy to see her. The Postman is bound with packing tape and fitted with cardboard wings, and put in the penguin exhibit in the zoo in place of Martini, with Martini instead in charge of the mail.

Music
Music by Christopher Tyng, lyrics by Steve Young


 * "The Days Still Remaining 'Til Christmas" performed by Drew Barrymore
 * "Christmas (Bah, Bug and Hum!)" performed by Dan Castellaneta
 * "We're Not So Bad" performed by Michael Stipe of R.E.M.
 * "Merry Christmas After All" performed by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with Drew Barrymore
 * "The Days Still Remaining 'Til Christmas (reprise)" performed by Drew Barrymore

Cut scenes
Originally seen on FOX, some scenes in the special were shortened for time when it was released on DVD and was aired on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Said missing scenes can be found on the VHS prints. More information can be found on the Lost Media page and the scenes can be viewed on YouTube.


 * While Olive is going through different channels on her radio, there is a brief mention of political issues with President Robert Gates.
 * During the scene where Olive discusses about how reindeer might be able to fly, the syndicated version cuts to Martini claiming that it is years of practice (plus jet-packs). The VHS version includes the Inuit couple behind Olive and Martini giving out their theories about how reindeer can fly. The scene also includes the husband giving Olive backup options to help Santa in case she is not able to help out with pulling the sleigh.
 * While the DVD version crossfades to the following scene after Fido wonders how Olive is doing on her journey to the North Pole, the VHS version continues the scene with Fido deciding to turn the radio on to hear updates from the North Pole; it abruptly goes to a message about "Grandma's Old Fashioned Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil" as Fido sighs wearily.
 * While Fido flips through news channels on TV where Martini gives answers about Olive assisting Santa with his flight, he says that Olive is "...our last, best hope".