Ferb, I know what we’re gonna do today!
After nearly 16 years since its original TV release, “Phineas and Ferb” returns with 104 more days of summer vacation for a new generation of young viewers.
The Disney show follows a group of two brothers as they fill their summer vacation with physics-defying and seemingly impossible feats of engineering like backyard roller coasters, elaborate haunted houses, and time machines as their older sister, Candace (Ashley Tisdale), frequently tries and fails to expose her brother’s wild inventions. Meanwhile, the boys’ pet platypus, Agent P (Dee Bradley Baker), lives a double life as a spy fighting Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz’ efforts to take over the Tri-State area.
Along with Phineas (Vincent Martella) and Ferb (David Errigo Jr), many of the series’ original cast members return to their roles as Isabella Garcia Shapiro (Alyson Stoner), Bufford (Bobby Gaylor), and Major Monogram (Jeff “Swampy” Marsh) after years since the TV series ended. Despite years since its first release, the new season story will take place only a year after the original series.
“I’ve been playing Phineas for 18 years. I started playing him when I was 13,” Martella said. “So having a character that I love so much has been such a big part of my life for so long. It’s unbelievably special.”
The series, which first premiered on Disney Channel in 2007, remains an icon of animated TV for many Gen Z children who grew up watching Disney from the late 2000s to early 2010s. For many viewers, this new season is a nostalgic return to many of the aspects that made the show so popular — a never-ending summer vacation, little responsibilities, and a world where no creation was beyond the reach of the imagination.
“Phineas and Ferb, they’re kind of heroic to me because they’re both sort of self-starters,” said Baker at the series premiere in Hollywood. “I resonate with [having] this free space and making something of it. You don’t sit there, you don’t wait for it to come to you, and you certainly don’t sit around staring at a screen.”
Although the cast remains largely the same, creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh are exploring new character dynamics and plotlines while maintaining the signature quirks that make the series nostalgic.
In particular, the writers of this season were eager to explore the stories of other secondary characters like the small but fierce extraterrestrial security agent, Meap (John Stamos), along with Isabella and the Fireside Girls.
In addition to exploring the stories of secondary characters, the writers of this season hoped to humanize the characters in Phineas and Ferb by showcasing their struggles and vulnerabilities.
“It must be really hard. No one believes [Candace]. She can never bust her brothers,” Tisdale said. “That is her one thing in life that she wants to do.”
Among these character dynamics stands out Vanessa Doofenshmirtz (Olivia Olson), whose complicated relationship with her father, Dr. Doofenshmirtz, proved to be a radical change from traditional depictions of father-daughter relationships.
“We’ve always had more stories to tell with these guys,” Povenmire said. “We filled the writers room with people from the original series but also with young writers who grew up with the show who know the show inside now better than us. We tap into all of their energy for the show.”
Season 5 of Phineas and Ferb releases June 5 on Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series will also be available on Disney+ on June 6.
