Ask the StoryBots
American animated preschool children's television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
American animated preschool children's television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ask the StoryBots is an American live-action/animated preschool children's television series based on the characters from the StoryBots educational website and videos. It premiered exclusively on Netflix on August 12, 2016.[1] Originally created and produced by JibJab Bros. Studios, the StoryBots media franchise was fully acquired by Netflix in May 2019.[2] The show targets young children aged 1–8. In its first season, the series was nominated for an Annie Awards, was a finalist for a Peabody Award,[3] was nominated in the International category at the British Academy Children's Awards[4] and received six nominations for the Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Program.[5] It won the 2017 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Interactive Media - Enhancement to a Daytime Program or Series.[6] Its second season, which premiered on Netflix on August 24, 2018,[7] received the Annie Award for Best Animated Television Production for Preschool Children and won two Daytime Emmy Awards for writing and directing.[8]
| Ask the StoryBots | |
|---|---|
| |
| Genre | Children's television Animated Educational |
| Created by | Evan Spiridellis Gregg Spiridellis |
| Based on | StoryBots |
| Voices of | Judy Greer Erin Fitzgerald Fred Tatasciore Jeff Gill Gregg Spiridellis Evan Spiridellis Nate Theis |
| Theme music composer | Gabe Sokoloff |
| Opening theme | "Just Ask the StoryBots" |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 22 |
| Production | |
| Production companies | JibJab Bros. Studios (2016–18) StoryBots Inc. (2019) |
| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | August 12, 2016 – August 2, 2019 |
Ask the StoryBots also inspired a holiday special, A StoryBots Christmas, also on Netflix, which won two Daytime Emmy Awards. Starting in its second season, Ask the StoryBots has been translated into 22 languages and is available for streaming on Netflix in 190 countries.
A third season premiered on August 2, 2019.[9][10][11] A trailer for the new episodes was launched on YouTube ahead of the season's premiere.[12]
More Ask The Storybots episodes are in development, which are believed to be season 4.[13]
The StoryBots are curious little beings who live beneath our screens. In every episode, the intrepid quintet of Beep, Bing, Bang, Boop and Bo of Team 341B go on an adventure to the human world to help answer kids' biggest questions like "Why is the sky blue?" or "Why do I need to brush my teeth?" They deliver their answer in the end of each episode in the form of a musical video.[14]
Ask the StoryBots made its first season debut with six half-hour episodes. Its second season premiered August 24, 2018 and includes eight half-hour episodes.[15] Its third season premiered August 2, 2019 and includes eight half-hour episodes.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Guest appearance | Songs [note 1] | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "How Does Night Happen?" | Jay Leno as King Yardstick the Ruler | "You Need An N", "Love Is Red", "Chicken Bop", "How Does Night Happen?" | August 12, 2016 |
| 2 | 2 | "How Do Airplanes Fly?" | Kevin Smith as Super Mega Awesome Ultra Guy | "Think Green", "In An Airplane", "Rockin' Radishes", "How Do Airplanes Fly?" | August 12, 2016 |
| 3 | 3 | "Why Do I Have To Brush My Teeth?" | Whoopi Goldberg as The Tooth Fairy | "Wake Up", "Alright, It's White", "Big Brown Boogieing Bear" "Why Do I Have To Brush My Teeth?" | August 12, 2016 |
| 4 | 4 | "Why Is The Sky Blue?" | Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci of Garfunkel and Oates as The Molecules | "The Sky Is Blue", "Clean Up", Calypso Carrots", "Why Is The Sky Blue?" | August 12, 2016 |
| 5 | 5 | "Where Do French Fries Come From?" | "Weird Al" Yankovic as the Spud Spa Yogi | "Great Cities Paris", "Farmer", "Cars, Cars, Cars", "Where Do French Fries Come From?" | August 12, 2016 |
| 6 | 6 | "Where Does Rain Come From?" | Tim Meadows and Chris Parnell as The Reindeer | "Where Does Rain Come From?" "I'm Scared", "Tiger in the Jungle", "Hooray For A" | August 12, 2016 |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Guest appearance | Songs [note 1] | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | "How Do Computers Work?" | Snoop Dogg as the Operating System | "Wheels On The Bus", "The Number 10", "Walk Like A Camel", "How Do Computers Work?" | August 24, 2018 |
| 8 | 2 | "Why Can't I Eat Dessert All the Time?" | Christina Applegate as the Baker | "Stomach", "Time To Go", "Horses", "Why Can't I Eat Dessert All the Time?" | August 24, 2018 |
| 9 | 3 | "How Many Types of Animals Are There?" | Kristen Schaal as the Biologist | "The Number 5" "So Many Animals", "Riding On A Train" "How Many Types of Animals Are There?" | August 24, 2018 |
| 10 | 4 | "How Do Ears Hear?" | Ali Wong as the Brain | "Marconi", "Bones In Your Body", "Earth (Such A Beautiful, Beautiful World), "How Do Ears Hear?" | August 24, 2018 |
| 11 | 5 | "How Do Volcanoes Work?" | David Koechner as the Pirate | “Black”, "Layers Of The Earth", "The Number 1", "Volcanoes Finale", “Lion”, "How Do Volcanoes Work?" | August 24, 2018 |
| 12 | 6 | "What Is Electricity?" | Edward Norton as Gary the Electronics Salesman | "Thomas Edison", "Mouse Party", "Square Dancin' Squash" "What is Electricity?" | August 24, 2018 |
| 13 | 7 | "How Do Flowers Grow?" | David Cross as Moonbeam the Hippie | "Cow", "Itsy Bitsy Spider - Rock Version", "Squares", "How Do Flowers Grow?" | August 24, 2018 |
| 14 | 8 | "How Do People Catch A Cold?[16]" | Wanda Sykes as the Doctor | "Wash Your Hands", "The Cold Song", "Apatosaurus", "How Do People Catch A Cold?" | August 24, 2018 |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Guest appearance | Songs [note 1] | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1 | "How Do You Make Music?" | John Legend as the King of Music | "So Many Instruments", "The Number 3", "Chicken Rap", "How Do You Make Music?" | August 2, 2019 |
| 16 | 2 | "Where Do Planets Come From?" | Zoe Saldana as the Professor | "We Are The Planets", "The Gravity Song", "Breakin' Brussel Sprouts", "How Are Planets Made?" | August 2, 2019 |
| 17 | 3 | "Why Do People Look Different?[17]" | Reggie Watts as Bernard the Nurse | "Rock-a-Bye Baby", "Let's Wait For Yellow", "Sheep, Sheep, Sheep", "Why Do People Look Different?" | August 2, 2019 |
| 18 | 4 | "Why Do We Have To Recycle?" | Tony Hale as Chuck the Recycling Plant Owner | "Where Does The Garbage Go?", "Triangles", "Triceratops", "Why Do We Have To Recycle? (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)" | August 2, 2019 |
| 19 | 5 | "How Do Cell Phones Work?" | Jennifer Garner as the Cell Tower Operators | "The Hello Song", "Look For Purple", "He's A Rhino", "How Do Cell Phones Work?" | August 2, 2019 |
| 20 | 6 | "What Happens When You Flush the Toilet?" | Jason Sudeikis as Roger the Plumber | "The Toilet Bowl Song", "Captain Of The Boat", "Dance With The Elephant", "What Happens When You Flush the Toilet?" | August 2, 2019 |
| 21 | 7 | "Where Does Chocolate Come From?" | Alyssa Milano as the Chocolatier | "Money Rap", "Amazing Frog", "Great Cities Beijing", "Where Does Chocolate Come From?" | August 2, 2019 |
| 22 | 8 | "How Do Eyes See?" | Maria Bamford as Dr. Pat the Mad Scientist | "Inventions Everywhere", "Rain, Rain, Go Away", "Anklyosaurus", "How Do Eyes See?" | August 2, 2019 |
Ask the StoryBots has been called the "best kids' show on Netflix" by both Wired[18] and Decider[19] and has received positive reviews, with critics specifically citing its educational quality and its entertainment value for both children and adults.[20] Common Sense Media wrote that "[It’s] both educational and entertaining in every scene yet is visually appealing as well as humorous enough to make both children and parents laugh out loud... While the premise of the show is to answer a child's question, the antics that the characters get themselves into are very funny, and each episode always has an educational twist without being obvious... [T]he magazine format of the show allows for things such as music videos, letter rhyming, songs, and field trips to different places."[21]
The Domestic Geek called the show "a really fun and great way for the family to learn and laugh together",[22] while Chico News & Review wrote that "parents and children alike will want to binge on Netflix’s new edutainment series, Ask the StoryBots... The StoryBots dive deep into the natural world, research well-rounded answers and report back through contemporary music, humor and repetition."[23]
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Annie Awards | Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children | Ask the StoryBots | Nominated |
| Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Program | Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Meridith Stokes, Megan McShane, Monica Mitchell | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Interactive Media - Enhancement to a Daytime Program or Series | Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Mauro Gatti, Daniel Haack, Meridith Stokes, Rubens Cantuni, Nina Neulight, Romney Caswell, Jeff Gill, Jacob Streilein, Nikolas Ilic, Rohit Mohan, Bradley Roush | Won | ||
| Outstanding Directing in a Preschool Animated Program | Evan Spiridellis, Jacob Streilein, Ian Worrel | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Main Title and Graphic Design | Ian Worrel, Taylor Clutter, Jeff Gill, Nikolas Ilic, Kendall Nelson, Taylor Price, Evan Spiridellis, Jacob Streilein, Nate Theis, Eddie West | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Preschool Animated Program | Leonardo Nasca, Jared Nugent, Jeff Shiffman | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program | Jeff Shiffman, David Carfagno, Brad Meyer, Nicholas J. Ainsworth, Elliot Herman | Nominated | ||
| Peabody Award | Children's Programming | Ask the StoryBots | Nominated | |
| Cynopsis Kids !magination Awards | Educational Series/Special | Ask the StoryBots | Nominated | |
| British Academy Children's Awards | International | Ask the StoryBots | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Annie Awards | Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children | Ask the StoryBots | Won |
| Directing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production | Evan Spiridellis | Nominated | ||
| Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Series | Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Sarah Kambara, Meridith Stokes | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program | Gregg Spiridellis, Evan Spiridellis, Daniel Haack, Greg Mako, Sarah Kambara, Roberto Tejeda | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Performer in a Children's, Family Viewing or Special Class Program | Edward Norton as Gary the Electronics Salesman | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Program | Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Nate Theis, Jacob Streilein, Eddie West, Jeff Gill | Won | ||
| Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Program | Jacob Streilein, Jeff Gill, Evan Spiridellis | Won | ||
| 2020 | Annie Awards | Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children | Ask the Storybots | Won |
| Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in an Animated / Television Broadcast Production | Chris O'Hara | Nominated | ||
| Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Series | Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Sarah Kambara | Won | |
| Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Program | Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Nate Theis, Jacob Streilein, Eddie West, Jeff Gill | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Program | Jacob Streilein, Jeff Gill, Evan Spiridellis | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program | Jeff Shiffman, Nicholas J. Ainsworth, Tess Fournier, Jacob Cook, Ian Howard, Johnathan Lopez | Nominated | ||
| Individual Achievement in Animation | Chris O'Hara | Won | ||
The show's first season soundtrack, Ask the StoryBots: Season 1 (Music from the Original Series), was released to digital vendors in September 2016 and is currently available for download and streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, ITunes and Amazon.com.[24] The series' second season soundtrack was released on August 31, 2018.[25]
A companion series, StoryBots Super Songs, premiered on October 7, 2016, also on Netflix. A holiday special, A StoryBots Christmas, premiered on December 1, 2017, and features Ed Asner in a guest appearance as Santa Claus. It received two Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Special Class Animated Program, with an additional four nominations.
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