Hi-5 (American TV series)

Did You Know?

• On August 1, 2003, Southern Star signed a home media deal with MGM Home Entertainment to release the series on VHS and DVD in the U.S.
• MGM released three volumes on VHS and DVD in 2004 under their MGM Kids banner.
• The show was filmed and produced in Australia.

Format

Hi-5 is a variety-style series for pre-schoolers that uses music as an integral part of its premise. The five presenters, collectively known as Hi-5, perform songs as a group and present individual segments. The Puzzles and Patterns segment focuses on logical thinking and mathematics, featuring a puppet named Jup Jup. Body Move encourages children to participate in movement and dance for physical coordination. Word Play centers on linguistics and aural skills, with a puppet named Chatterbox. Shapes in Space addresses visual and spatial awareness using shapes, color, and everyday materials. Making Music explores musicality through pitch, rhythm, beat, and melody. The final segment, Sharing Stories, involves the cast telling a story about interpersonal relationships and emotions. Episodes begin and end with a Song of the Week that corresponds to the weekly theme.

Production

The American adaptation of Hi-5 was greenlit in 2002, capitalizing on the Australian original's global success. Production took place in the Australian show's own studios from September 2002 to February 2003, with the series premiering that February on TLC and Discovery Kids. The cast featured Kimee Balmilero, Curtis Cregan, Jennifer Korbee, Karla Cheatham Mosley, and Shaun Taylor-Corbett. It earned Daytime Emmy nominations in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Cheatham Mosley and Taylor-Corbett departed in August 2006 to pursue other projects. Touring replacements Sydney James and Yasmeen Sulieman joined the remaining three members but never appeared on television. The group's final performance together occurred in Puerto Rico in 2008.