Amazon orders more original kids’ TV shows
James R | On 23, Feb 2015
Amazon has ordered more seasons of its original kids’ TV shows.
Creative Galaxy, Annedroids, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, and recent Annie Award winner Tumble Leaf have all had a second season greenlit by Amazon Studios. Amazon has been increasingly focused on its child-friendly video offerings, as both the online retailer and Netflix battle it out for younger eyeballs. That effort is apparently paying off, with Amazon declaring its original childrens’ entertainment be some of the most-streamed kids’ content on the VOD service.
“Tumble Leaf, Creative Galaxy, Annedroids and Gortimer have all experienced a tremendous response from our customers and we’re excited to bring them back for another season,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids’ Programming for Amazon Studios.
“Working with such remarkably talented and impactful creators in both the preschool and kids six to 11 space, it’s exciting to see where the storylines and characters will take us for another season.”
Creative Galaxy, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and Tumble Leaf are particularly highlighted as popular, although all four have recently been honoured by the Parents’ Choice Foundation.
Annecy International Festival and Annie award-winning series Tumble Leaf was created by Drew Hodges (Saturday Night Live, Community) and executive produced by Hodges and Kelli Bixler (Saturday Night Live, The Roadents) of award-winning studio Bix Pix Entertainment. Aimed at preschool-aged children, each episode of the stop-motion world of Tumble Leaf follows Fig, a curious blue fox, and his best friend, Stick, a quirky caterpillar, as they embark on a fun and nature-filled adventure, learning science through their natural play.
Creative Galaxy, with Angela C. Santomero (Blue’s Clues, Super Why! Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) serving as Creator and Executive Producer, is a make-along, create-along series for preschool-aged children. The show, animated by 9 Story Entertainment, features Arty, an alien artist, and Epiphany, his inspirational side-kick, on their adventures through the Creative Galaxy, solving problems through art. To give kids and parents the real-life tools they need to recreate Arty’s experience, a live-action sequence tackles the same craft project Arty has completed at the end of each episode.
Annedroids, created by Emmy-nominated J.J. Johnson (Dino Dan) and Sinking Ship Entertainment, is aimed at kids aged between six and 11. The live-action adventure follows Anne, a young female scientist, her human friends and their android assistants, and the amazing scientific discoveries they make while undertaking the biggest experiment of them all: growing up.
Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, created by first-time writer David Anaxagorase, is aimed at the same age group. It’s a coming-of-age tale of friendship that centres around Gortimer and the bond with his two best friends, Ranger and Mel, as they chronicle their adventures on Normal Street — an ordinary suburban neighbourhood with a hint of something unexpected just beneath the surface. Gortimer was the first kids’ series to receive a green light from Amazon Studios’ open-door pilot submissions process – the show was written by a preschool teacher, who submitted her idea through AmazonStudios.com.
The announcement of a second season for each show follows the commission of two new series, Just Add Magic and The Stinky & Dirty Show, from Amazon’s latest batch of TV pilots.