Cricket Green

Character

Cricket Green is modeled after Chris Houghton's childhood, including his haircut which matches the one Houghton wore for years. The character's name comes from a nickname Houghton asked his classmates to use, though it never stuck. Cricket's catchphrase "Bingo! Bango!" originated from Houghton's own habit while storyboarding for Harvey Beaks.

Initially, the character was called "Bucket," but that was dropped to avoid confusion with another Disney show, Kirby Buckets. The Muppets inspired the visual style for Cricket and the rest of the cast, aiming for a cheerful, friendly look. Chris Houghton voices Cricket, finding the character's voice came to him without effort.

Biogrothy

Cricket was born 2 or 3 years after Tilly in Smalton to parents Bill and Nancy Green, his birth being unplanned and striking panic for Bill at first. In his early years, Cricket was bored on the farm, so his sister Tilly created a persona named Jilly, which astonished him. Although Tilly normally adores Cricket, one day his frenzy enraged her, and she vowed to trade him out, trying to sell him and looking online for where to dump her brother, but found only animals and no one wanted to own Cricket.

The more animalistic Cricket behaved, the angrier Tilly got, and she decided to stay away from him. Bill announced he was moving the family to Big City; Cricket and Tilly were unhappy, and Cricket tried desperately to stay. Bill confirmed they were leaving due to being outcompeted by other farms and bills piling up. Bill gave Cricket a jar of dirt to remind him the country is part of him.

The family moved to Big City, struggling before reaching Alice's house. After the move, Cricket wanted to make a good impression and got the idea to launch a chicken into space with Tilly and a random kid named Remy, who became Cricket's best friend. On steak night, the family returned from shopping at Wholesome Foods for their annual steak night. Cricket asked to hold the packaged steaks, and Bill reluctantly agreed, telling him to be careful.

The family took the subway, and Cricket and Tilly showed the bag of steaks around, with Tilly befriending a family of rats. Cricket was distracted by a street dancer doing the robot, and when Bill called him over, Cricket realized he had left the steaks behind.

Personality

Cricket Green is an energetic, impulsive kid who charges headfirst into trouble with boundless optimism. His curiosity and hunger for adventure drag his whole family into chaotic situations, and he’s the Greens’ primary source of mayhem.

He often causes destruction and unrest, but he rarely means any real harm. Pranks are his love language—he used to pull them with his ex-girlfriend Gabriella, and “April Fool” shows that was their way of showing affection. He also has a deep appreciation for explosions, as seen in “People Watching” and “Animation Abomination.”

Despite his reckless streak, Cricket can step up when it counts. He owns up to his selfish mistakes and tries to fix them.

In “Wishing Well,” he builds a well to profit from people’s wishes, but when his sister Tilly pours in her life savings and her wish (to feel a rainbow) doesn’t come true, he makes it happen himself. He almost always goes barefoot, a personal conviction highlighted in “No Service,” and both that episode and “Cyberbullies” show he’ll stand up for his beliefs. He’s perceptive to subliminal messages and likes to express himself, as revealed in “Rat Tail.” He’s not always the voice of reason, but in episodes like “Gargoyle Gals” and “Broken Karted,” he knows when he has to be.

Cricket deeply cares for his older sister Tilly. “Green Trial” reveals they share a “sibling code” reserved for the most serious emergencies. He dislikes making plans, as seen in “Cheap Snake,” though he eventually learns they’re useful.

“Wild Side” explains he gets an annual “wild urge” his dad Bill calls “the itch,” which only camping in the woods can satisfy. When enraged, as in “Chip’s Revenge,” he gains massive strength. He also has rare vulnerable moments, like when he loses his beloved dog Phoenix in “Phoenix Rises.”

Reception

Cricket Green is generally well-liked. Voice actor Chris Houghton says fans often ask him to perform the character's voice, and he runs an official TikTok account for Cricket using a puppet.

The character is frequently likened to Bart Simpson. Common Sense Media's Emily Ashby calls Cricket an energetic, quirky kid whose zest for life leads to silly, improbable adventures. Laughing Place describes him as a curious, energetic, and always optimistic ten-year-old boy.

Did You Know?

• During early development, Cricket was originally meant to be named 'Bucket', but was changed to avoid naming conflicts with another Disney project, Kirby Buckets.
• Cricket's signature exclamation, 'Bingo! Bango!', was a phrase Chris Houghton frequently used while storyboarding on the animated series Harvey Beaks (2015–2017).