In anticipation of the all-new Phineas and Ferb: Animal Agents—releasing to DVD on February 26, 2013—I had the opportunity to interview the show’s creators and co-executive producers, Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh.

Since it was a phone interview, they began by identifying themselves, so I would know who was speaking when. I told them if they would just speak in character, I’d have no trouble…so they greeted me as Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz and Major Frances Mongram! That set the tone for the very friendly conversation that follows.

Here’s what the guys had to say about the show in general, the new production, and what’s in the works.

JW: Good afternoon! Thanks for speaking with me today! My kids and my husband and I are all huge Phineas and Ferb fans, and it’s great to have this chance to talk to you. I have read that it took you guys 16 years of pitching the show to various producers before Disney picked it up? Is that so?

P&M: Yeah, it was about 13 years before someone finally took a look at it, and then another couple years of negotiating and working out the details before it actually aired, so yeah, about 15 or 16 years total—1993 to 2008.