Pajanimals

Did You Know?

• The series was redubbed with British voice actors for its UK premiere on Nick Jr. on September 23, 2013.
• On August 30, 2012, ABC and TVNZ picked up Australian and New Zealand broadcast rights.
• On November 11, 2013, the series was pre-sold to TVB in Hong Kong and TVOntario in Canada.

Characters

Apollo, a friendly green-and-purple dog performed by John Kennedy in the shorts and by Michael Winsor (US) and Edward Cross (UK) in the series, is the group's leader. He enjoys watching the night sky and playing with his toy rocket ship, and his bed transforms into a rocket ship when the group flies. Squacky, a blue-and-yellow duck performed by Victor Yerrid (US) and Alexander Littler (UK) in both formats, is energetic and excitable; he speaks with a frontal lisp in the music videos but not in the TV series. He sleeps with a blankie that doubles as a cape for his Super Squacky persona, and his bed becomes a plane or submarine. Sweetpea Sue, a pink-and-orange horse with buckteeth performed by Donna Kimball (US) and Gabrielle Illesley (UK), is quiet, shy, and smart, speaking with a Southern accent. The oldest of the group, she sleeps with a stuffed daisy pillow named Daisy Puff, and her bed is a hot air balloon. Cowbella, a purple, pink-and-white cow performed by Alice Dinnean-Vernon in the shorts and by Sarah Lyle (US) and Isobel Cross (UK) in the series, loves princesses and unicorns; she had an Italian accent in the music videos but not in the TV series. She sleeps with a stuffed unicorn named Princess Lucy, and her bed is a carriage. Mom and Dad are heard but never seen; their voice actors are unknown. Bedtime Bunny, a sleepy white rabbit performed by Donna Kimball, lives in the Land of Hush and often falls asleep during conversations; she widens her eyes and falls to the ground at loud noises. Jerry Bear, a yellow bear performed by Victor Yerrid, lives in the Friendly Forest and gives bear hugs to the Pajanimals.

Production

The series was announced on June 2, 2008 as a co-production between The Jim Henson Company and 4Kids Entertainment for PBS Kids Sprout, initially produced as ten three-minute music video shorts for The Good Night Show. On April 7, 2011, The Jim Henson Company partnered with Northern Irish production company Sixteen South to produce a full-length series of 52 11-minute episodes premiering on Sprout in the fall. The full-length series includes playtime before bed and introduces exclusive characters who offer bedtime advice, with each episode ending with a moral from that character.

Episodes

In 'Stick to the Plan', Sweetpea Sue helps the others follow bedtime steps: bath, brushing teeth, and putting on pajamas. 'Stay in Bed (Put on Your Sleepy Head)' features Squacky with the 'squirmies' wanting to get out of bed while the others remind him nighttime is for sleeping. 'I Love to Hug My Lovie' has the Pajanimals singing about their comfort objects that help them sleep. 'How Do I Know If It's Morning Time?' shows Squacky wanting to play before morning, annoying the others. 'Goodnight to Mom' finds the Pajanimals singing about their parents and imagining what they do at night. 'Sleeping Makes Me Feel Alright' is a song about how sleep provides energy for the next day. In 'What's That Sound? (Night Will Sing Us All to Sleep)', Apollo is bothered by nighttime noises until friends help him hear them as a lullaby; each character sings about a different sound. 'Lights in the Dark' addresses Apollo's fear of the dark as friends share things that light the night: Cowbella gazes at the moon, Squacky makes shadow puppets, and Sweetpea Sue explains how darkness comforts her. 'Let's Make Our Bodies Tired' has the Pajanimals exercising to tire themselves before bed. 'A Scary Dream' calms Cowbella after a nightmare by explaining dreams as 'a story in your head'. 'La-La-Lullaby' is the group's signature song about how earth sleeps and self-comfort. 'Blankie in the Laundry' deals with Squacky's distress when his blankie is being washed; the others ride Sweetpea Sue's bed to the Land of Hush to ask Bedtime Bunny for help.

Merchandise and marketing

A fast-food deal with Chick-Fil-A was announced on September 30, 2011. On February 3, 2012, The Jim Henson Company signed a home media deal with NCircle Entertainment for DVDs and a toy deal with Tomy, with additional merchandising partners announced on October 12, 2012. A live-show theater adaptation, Pajanimals Live - Pajama Playdate, produced by Red Light Management, was announced on November 14, 2012 for a March 2013 tour, but was cancelled on February 15, 2013 with no reason given.