Go Away, Unicorn!

Lore & Background

The series follows Alice, an 8-year-old girl voiced by Rebecca Husain, and her best friend, an energetic male unicorn voiced by Chris Diamantopoulos. Together they explore their differences and learn that friendships can be found in unlikely places. Alice's other friends include Ollie, an Indian-Canadian boy whose father was a champion speller, and Pixie, a girl who loves pink glitter.

Production began as a co-development between Tricon Films & Television and Mercury Filmworks in 2013. After Tricon became insolvent in December 2016, Sonar Entertainment acquired the series. By October 2017, Sonar and Nelvana began producing 52 11-minute segments and 10 one-minute shorts, with support from the Canada Media Fund.

The series premiered in the third quarter of 2018 on YTV in Canada, later airing on Teletoon's French counterpart Télétoon. In the United States, it aired on Disney Channel from March 3 to December 22, 2019.

Reader's Guide

Go Away, Unicorn! represents a co-production model between Canadian and international broadcasters, highlighting the role of Sonar and Nelvana in bringing a book adaptation to television. The series is notable for its diverse cast of characters, including an Indian-Canadian boy and a unicorn protagonist voiced by a male actor. Its production history illustrates the complexities of children's television financing, with the project surviving the insolvency of its original distributor. The show's brief run from 2018 to 2019 and its limited merchandise release through Jazwares in fall 2019 mark it as a minor but distinct entry in the landscape of early 2010s animated series for young audiences.

Did You Know?

• The series is based on a self-published book by Emily Mullock.
• Chris Diamantopoulos, who voices the Unicorn, also voices Mickey Mouse.
• Ollie's father could spell the word 'śvan' or 'kukkura', which means dog.
• The series was co-produced by Sonar Entertainment and Nelvana Limited.

A Turbulent Path to Production

Go Away, Unicorn! began its life in development back in March 2013 as a co-production between Tricon Films & Television, operating through its Tricon Kids & Family division, and Mercury Filmworks, with Tricon slated to handle international distribution. However, the project's journey was far from smooth. By December 2016, Tricon was deemed insolvent, leaving the series in limbo. That same month, Disney Channels Worldwide and Corus Entertainment stepped in to pick up the property. Sonar Entertainment then acquired Tricon's assets, including this very series, and by October 2017, Sonar partnered with Nelvana Limited to move forward with production. The planned output consisted of 52 eleven-minute segments, which would be paired into 26 half-hour episodes, alongside ten one-minute shorts. The Canada Media Fund provided financial support during production, while CentraIP was appointed as the worldwide licensing agent, setting the stage for the show's eventual global rollout.

A Colorful Ensemble of Voices

The animated series draws its narrative foundation from the children's book of the same name, written by Emily Mullock and originally published by McKellar & Martin. At the heart of the story is Alice, a sassy eight-year-old girl voiced by Rebecca Husain, who aspires to excel in everything she attempts. Her unlikely best friend is the eponymous Unicorn, brought to life by Chris Diamantopoulos, a cheerful, energetic male unicorn who constantly stirs up shenanigans yet always comes through for Alice in the end. Rounding out the friend group is Ollie, voiced by Varun Saranga, an Indian-Canadian boy whose father was a champion speller in his homeland, once spelling the extraordinarily lengthy word vakrapucchalalajjihvaindramahhakarman, which translates to simply a dog. Pixie, voiced by Josette Halpert, is a joyful girl obsessed with pink glitter that she tosses into the air at every opportunity. The family is completed by Hugo, Alice's baby brother, voiced by Jennifer Hale, along with their parents Tanya, also voiced by Hale, and Chuck, voiced by Diamantopoulos.

From Canadian Premiere to Global Screens

Go Away, Unicorn! first hit Canadian airwaves in the third quarter of 2018, premiering on YTV before rolling out internationally. The series ran from September 7, 2018, through June 8, 2019, and was also broadcast on Télétoon, the French-language counterpart of Teletoon, broadening its reach across Canada's linguistic communities. In the United States, the show found its home on Disney Channel, where it aired from March 3 to December 22, 2019. Beyond North America, the series was distributed worldwide, a testament to the licensing infrastructure put in place by CentraIP. The production was a co-production for both YTV and Disney Channel, handled by Sonar and Nelvana Limited, ensuring the show met the standards of both networks. To complement the on-screen experience, Jazwares secured worldwide toy licensing, with merchandise scheduled for a fall 2019 release, extending the show's presence into children's playrooms across multiple markets.

Creative Vision and Thematic Heart

Every single episode of Go Away, Unicorn! was directed by Jason Groh, giving the series a consistent visual and narrative voice across its full run. Behind the scenes, story editing was handled by Evan Thaler Hickey and Alex Ganetakos, shaping the scripts to ensure each segment delivered a coherent and engaging narrative for young viewers. The central theme of the show revolves around Alice and her unicorn best friend navigating their very different personalities and backgrounds, ultimately discovering that meaningful friendships can blossom in the most unexpected places. This message of embracing differences and finding connection across divides runs through the entire series, making it more than just a collection of lighthearted adventures. The show's structure, with 52 short segments paired into half-hour episodes along with ten one-minute shorts, allowed for a variety of standalone stories while maintaining the core relationship between Alice and Unicorn as the emotional anchor. The result is a series that balances humor, energy, and genuine warmth for its young audience.

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