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Phineas and Ferb Creators on Reunion, Ferb Recast, Favorite Memories

Phineas and Ferb creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh spoke with Bleeding Cool about reuniting the cast, favorite moments, and more.

Most dream of having something as beloved as a franchise as Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh's animated series Phineas and Ferb endures its legacy as it has since its premiere in 2007. Four seasons and several specials and films later, the duo are back with a fifth season for Disney bringing back Phineas (Vincent Martella, Ferb (Devid Errigo Jr), Candace (Ashley Tisdale), Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz (Povenmire), Major Francise Monogram (Marsh), Perry the Platypus (Dee Bradley Baker), Linda (Caroline Rhea), Isabella (Alyson Stoner) and more, back for new hijinks. The creators spoke to Bleeding Cool about having the cast reunite for the fifth season, how Errigo was cast as Ferb to replace original actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster after the series' initial four-season run,the  series' enduring legacy, and their favorite moments from the series.

Phineas and Ferb Creators on Series Cast Reunion After Nearly Five Years, Series' Secret to Success, and Their Personal Favorite Moments

Bleeding Cool: How did it feel to get the cast back with Vincent, Ashley, Dee, Caroline, and Alyson?

Marsh: Like seeing our kids again. We grew up, and those kids grew up with us [laughs].

Povenmire: Yeah, it was great. We saw most of them in 2020, because we did the [Phineas and Ferb the Movie:] 'Candace Against the Universe' for Disney+ in 2020. We'd seen them then, but Vincent's a full-on adult now in his 30s, sporting a beard, driving a car, and it's weird for us to see that, because we were all so young when we started it. I love the fact that they're still around and able to do these voices.

Was there anyone you tried to get back for the season but couldn't?

Povenmire: We replaced Ferb a while ago – Thomas Sangster, who did the original Ferb for the original run. As soon as the show was over, he started becoming too busy over there, and so we got David Errigo, Jr, to take over for Ferb back in whenever we did the first crossover [for 'Milo Murphy's Law' (2018)]. He's been around for a while, but I don't know that anybody else has said "No" that we know of. I can't think of anybody. We even got all the Fireside Girls back.

Marsh: A couple of them are married and have kids.

Povenmire Which is weird.

Marsh: That's so strange.

What has been the secret to 'Phineas and Ferb's' success after all these years?

Povenmire: It's two things. It's the niceness of the characters, who are genuinely sweet people, and not trying to get away with anything. We decided early on that 'Phineas and Ferb' would never try to get away with something. They're trying to make every day the very best day. All the motivations are genuinely pure at heart, and then it's the songs. Swampy and I write catchy melodies and funny lyrics, and that sticks in people's brains, as evidenced by how many of the songs have become TikTok trends in the last two years. That's the best way to lock into somebody's memory is to give them a song that sticks in their brain.

Marsh: We've always made sure the show stayed smart. We've never cut a gag, because somebody thought it would go over a kid's head. Everybody seems to appreciate that.

Is there a particular standout moment for each of you during the entire run, either from the show, specials, or films?

Povenmire: One of my favorite things I've ever done is the last 11 minutes of our first hour long special which was called 'Summer Belongs to You' (from season two), and there's a moment that to me is one of favorite things that we've ever written, which is Isabella (Stoner). She is the girl next door who is in love with Phineas, and he doesn't see her that way, because he's only nine. She went to Paris with him as part of this trip around the world and sang this whole song about "The City of Love," and he didn't even pay attention to her that way at all.

[Phineas] was trying to solve these problems they were having, and she's on the beach with Ferb, and they've been stranded. Their mode of transportation has been destroyed, and they'd been stranded on this desert island in the middle of somewhere. They're not going to make it back in the time that Phineas said they're going to make it back. He's trying to go all the way around the world in one day. [Isabella] is lamenting to Ferb that they were in Paris, and he didn't even pay any attention to her. She said, "See, even right here, he's still trying to solve this problem when I would just give anything in the world if he would come and sit down on this beach next to me and watch this beautiful sunset."

Right then, Phineas comes over and says, "Maybe we could dig a hole under the ocean or we could"…and then he collapses next door, and he sits down and goes, "I guess I can't do it, but I guess we can sit and watch this beautiful sunset" and he gives her exactly what she wanted. She doesn't take it, she stops, and says, "No, you will not do that. You showed me on Ferb's map how this is possible. You're not giving up right now!" He says, " It's impossible!" Isabella says, "That's not the Phineas Flynn I fell into this situation with," and she gives him the idea to get out of there. I love the fact that she is given what she wants more than anything in the world, but at the price of his character. She does not allow him to cheat on who he is. That's one of my favorite moments in the series.

Swampy?

Marsh: I can't beat that one. I still remember the first time we got the band back together. It's the first time we've had Candace and the boys working together to do something for Mom. Watching it back, the moment that Candace gives Phineas a little hug and gives Ferb a fist bump. For me, it was this wonderful moment where it showed you that they're siblings and they love each other. I wept and still get misty when I even think about it. It's such a small moment, but it was perfect for me.

Povenmire: It's a great moment because we spend so much time with them, sort of antagonistic towards each other. We always tried to make it very clear that Candace was not trying to get them in trouble, because she doesn't like them. We always tried to make clear that she was going for fairness, and it was the first time we got to see them as loving siblings.

Marsh: It was so sweet.

Season five of Phineas and Ferb premieres June 5th on Disney Channel and Disney XD with two episodes. The first episode will also be available on YouTube. The following day, both will be available on Disney+.

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