Kiff (TV series)

Did You Know?

• Chibi versions of Kiff, Barry, and Helen appear in Disney's Chibiverse, which is based on the Chibi Tiny Tales webseries.
• A game titled Kiff: Reel Good Time was available on DisneyNow as early as March 11, 2023, until the app's discontinuation and a website update removed the games.

Characters

Kiff Chatterley, an orange squirrel between nine and twelve years old, is the main character of the series. She can be impulsive, but she is always ready to take responsibility and defend what she thinks is right. She is the only child in her family and attends Table Town Middle School. Her best friend and sidekick is Barry Buns, a gentle blue rabbit who is the third child in his family. Kiff’s father, Martin Chatterley, is a distracted inventor who never quite succeeds and has a fondness for popcorn and orange juice. Her mother, Beryl Chatterley, works as a college professor. Martin’s younger brother, Pat Chatterley, is Kiff’s uncle; he lives in a condo, rides a motorcycle, and works as a cruise director. Martin did not like Pat for a long time, but he started to get along with him after Pat gave the Chatterleys and Barry a free cruise. Kiff’s grandparents are Tom Chatterley and Rose Chatterley, Martin’s parents. Barry’s mother, Mary Buns, is warm and kind and speaks with a New Zealand accent. Barry’s older brother, Harry Buns, is the eldest child in the family and wants to be a DJ, going by the name DJ 11:30. The second child is Terrence Buns, called Terri, who is Barry’s older sister and Harry’s younger sister; she works as a pizza delivery person and is a social media influencer known as Terri 2-Bowls. The youngest Buns child is Kristophe, a baby who does not talk and is often seen with Farley, a toy robot that used to belong to Harry.

Production

Creators Nic Smal and Lucy Heavens met in 2017 while working as animators at Triggerfish Animation Studios, and they said they 'spoke the same comedy language'. Conception for the series began in December 2017, and Disney optioned it five months later. On June 17, 2021, at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the series was announced under the working title Donk, later changed to Kiff. The creators said the series is inspired by their experiences growing up in Cape Town; Heavens described it as 'about a kid who lives with her parents and goes to school' with comedy focused on the world and characters. Senior vice-president Meredith Roberts praised the duo's fresh and funny series. The show is produced by Disney Television Animation and Titmouse, Inc., with Kent Osborne as co-producer and story editor and Winnie Chaffee as producer. Episodes are 22 minutes long, composed of two 11-minute segments. Edward Mejia oversees the series. A second season was announced on June 13, 2023; a third season was announced in June 2024 and officially confirmed by February 2025. Titmouse, Inc. provides animation, with overseas animation by Yearim. Most episodes include at least one musical number, with music produced by Brad Breeck. Soundtracks and singles are released by Walt Disney Records.

Albums

Kiff: Season 1 (Original Soundtrack) was first released as Kiff (Original Soundtrack) on June 30, 2023, with eight tracks. It included the first releases of 'Sweet Compromise' and 'Things', whose parent episodes aired later that year. Kiff: Season 2 (Original Soundtrack) was released on July 25, 2025, with seventeen tracks, including first appearances of songs such as 'Buckets and Slides', 'Left Hangin'', and 'Love's a Type of Magic' before their episodes aired. Three Kiff singles have been released: 'Creeping Closer' on October 4, 2024; 'Show Them the Light' on January 15, 2025; and 'You Better Watch Out' on October 10, 2025.

Reception

Kiff has been positively received by critics. Scott Tobias of The New York Times said the series serves as a gateway to the gentle irreverence and surrealism of animated favorites like Adventure Time and Phineas and Ferb, and described it as unique and appealing to both parents and young children. Joel Keller of Decider called it a well-crafted buddy comedy with character-driven humor that extends beyond typical children's comedy, touching on relatable themes such as family sharing; he appreciated the world-building and concluded the series offers surreal fun and smart humor. Kristin Smith of Plugged In stated the show effectively showcases themes of friendship, kindness, silliness, sacrifice, and love, and appreciated its witty writing and emphasis on childhood friendship. Tony Betti of LaughingPlace.com rated it 4 out of 5, noting a nostalgic 90s tone reminiscent of Rocko's Modern Life with subversive humor for adults, bright visuals, and lasting appeal; he also praised the fictitious sponsors in title cards. Tessa Smith of Mama's Geeky gave it four out of five, finding it a good family-friendly show with humor for adults and children, fun quirky style, and subtle life lessons. Ashley Moulton of Common Sense Media gave it four out of five stars, praising positive messages and role models, and called it a 'quirky buddy comedy celebrates kid friendships'.