Boo! (TV series)
A hide-and-seek game with a patchwork creature.
Boo! is a British pre-school 3D-animated children's television series created by Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan. Produced through their company Tell-Tale Productions for CBeebies, it aired 104 episodes and one Christmas special. The series was nominated for the British Academy Children's Award for Pre-School Animation in 2003.
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 11 minutes; 22 minutes (Log Cabin/Santa's House)
- Creator
- Will Brenton
- Iain Lauchlan
- Rebecca Elgar (characters)
- Director
- Mark Taylor
- Producer
- Teresa Reed
- Voices
- Ashley Slater
- Sharon D. Clarke
- Justin Fletcher
- Kate Harbour
- Opening theme
- "Where's Boo? (Can You Find Boo?)"
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Synopsis
The show follows Boo as he plays a game of hide-and-seek with his pals across different places. A male and female adult narrator, plus a chorus of kids, provide the voiceover. During each round, the players find three specific objects and locate Boo’s friends. After Boo is discovered three times, the children go over the objects they found. Everyone gathers, and then a song plays, often about matching items or characters by shape or color. The episode wraps up when Boo’s friends spot him hiding once more. The animation uses rounded 3D computer graphics with cel shading, and the music has an early-1970s funk or R&B feel.
Characters
Boo is a pear/aubergine-shaped patchwork creature with orange spiky hair and red feet with white spots. The goal is to find him in his hiding places; halfway through each episode he magically adopts attributes of his surroundings, such as becoming "Penguin Boo" in the Antarctic. Boo cannot talk but whistles at the start of each episode and dances during every song. Laughing Duck, voiced by Kate Harbour, is a yellow duck with a red-orange bill and legs who laughs when found; she can fly and swim. In some episodes she meets employees; in the hospital she loses her laugh but regains it when Boo tickles her flipper. Sleeping Bear, voiced by Justin Fletcher, is a brown bear usually asleep, yawning or stretching when found, with a red blanket printed with white hearts; his catchphrase is "Shhh... Tippy-toe, tippy-toe." Growling Tiger, also voiced by Justin Fletcher, is a friendly tiger with fluffy white ears who says "Roar!" when found; his catchphrase is "It's Growling Tiger! Run away! Run away!" Other characters vary per episode and include the artists, Chatty Hairdresser, Helpful Nurse, Caring Doctor, Helpful Teacher (an ice skater), Helpful Waitress, Happy Customers, Busy Chef, a woman on high stilts, the ringmaster, Careful Grownup, Smiling Santa, Graceful Teacher (a ballet dancer), Friendly Police Officers, Strong Lumberjack, Gentle Vet, Show Singers, Shouting Stallholder and Cheering Dad. The Blue Squawking Parakeet, actually a cockatoo with a red crest, appears in a birdcage in the episode 'Veterinarian'.
Development, Songs and Broadcast
Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan created the show; Brenton also designed the characters. On July 26, 2002, the BBC acquired UK broadcasting rights for a September 2003 broadcast. On September 1, Universal Pictures acquired worldwide distribution, home video and consumer product rights in exchange for co-funding. The show premiered on June 4 on the CBeebies on BBC Two block, announced on May 22, 2003. A second series was ordered on April 7, 2004. In the United Kingdom it aired on CBeebies; reruns ran from 2007-2012 in the United States on Qubo, and it also aired on Discovery Kids in Latin America, ABC in Australia, TVOKids in Canada, Hop! in Israel, and Baraem in Qatar. Songs include "Where’s Boo? (Can You Find Boo?)", "Show Us a Shape", "The Counting Song", "We’re Looking for a Colour", "Do the Same As Me", "Odd One Out", "Everybody Do This Sound", "What’s Missing?", "Snap!", "Can You Guess?", and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Boo! (TV series)?
Boo! was created by Will Brenton, Iain Lauchlan and Rebecca Elgar (characters).
When did Boo! (TV series) end?
Boo! last aired on 29 December 2006.
More in British Children's Animated Fantasy Television Series
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