Following in the footsteps of Duck Tales, Disney Television produced another popular show starring two old stand-bys, Chip and Dale. The two chipmunks got a makeover than included clearer voices—though still very high pitched and fast-talking—and clothing. They still had no pants but Disney characters routinely lack pants. It makes you wonder.

Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers first aired on the Disney Channel in 1988 and recounted the adventures of the adorable rodents who had started up a sort of detective agency. The two friends couldn’t be more dissimilar in their attitude and work ethic: Chip was clever and hardworking, Dale was a bit of a slacker and not too bright. Chip’s adventurous nature showed in his outfit, a bomber jacket and fedora reminiscent of Indiana Jones. Dale, on the other hand, was the epitome of lounge chic in his bright red and yellow Hawaiian shirt. Chip and Dale teamed up with a few other creatures to form the Rescue Rangers, ready at a moment’s notice to fight evil and other unsavory forces in the animal world. Their team consisted of Monterey Jack, a rotund, boisterous adventurer (and mouse); Gadget, inventor and mechanic extraordinaire (and girl mouse); and Zipper, a tiny housefly capable of blinding speed and random feats of super fly strength. Together, they rode in their Rescue plane—built and maintained by Gadget—wherever they were needed.

The villains of the show included Fat Cat, the Rangers’ nemesis. Fat Cat was a feline with a decidedly criminal streak who ruled the animal underworld and constantly schemed against the Rangers (and dogs, he really didn’t like dogs). Various henchmen reported to Fat Cat, like Wart the lizard, Mepps the alley cat and Snout the rat. They were the bumbling, incompetent sort of henchmen but Fat Cat kept relying on them to outsmart the too-clever Rangers. There was also Professor Norton Nimnul, a human mad scientist, whose convoluted plots and plans often bedeviled the heroes.

The series relied on many familiar plot points: Chip’s spunky exploits, Dale’s lazy attitude and Gadget’s knack for constructing machines and devices out of ordinary trash. She was a genius at building them but they didn’t always work right, sometimes backfiring. Literally and loudly.

The series made the jump to syndication in 1989 and continued to run there for four years. About 65 episodes were produced and the response was positive enough to release Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers merchandise, including many video games and later, DVD sets.