On This Day in 1997 | The Angry Beavers Premiered on Nickelodeon
On this day 22 years ago, Angry Beavers premiered on Nickelodeon! Nobody's angrier than these angry beavers!
Nicktoons Facts:TheAngry Beavers was created by Mitch Schauer and premiered on August 19, 1997 -- the 8th official Nicktoon! The series revolves around Daggett and Norbert Beaver, voiced by Richard Horvitz (Invader ZIM) and Nick Bakay (Salem Saberhagen in Sabrina the Teenage Witch), respectively, two beaver bros who leave home to live alone in the forest near Wayouttatown, Oregon. It ran on Nickelodeon for 63 episodes over 4 seasons.
Watch all your ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s Nickelodeon favorites on NickRewind, your late-night destination for your favorite childhood Nickelodeon cartoons and live-action shows! NickSplat doesn't question football-shaped heads, but embrace them - along with Reptar bars, a Big Ear of Corn, orange soda, and even slime for Pete (and Pete's) sake. Make your slime-covered Nickelodeon childhood dreams come true every night at 11 PM ET/PT on TeenNick USA, and anytime you want on NickSplat on VRV!
Like NickRewind on Facebook, subscribe to the NickRewind YouTube channel and follow NickRewind on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive digital content from all of your throwback favorites like Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, iCarly, Victorious, Kenan & Kel, CatDog, Doug, Rocko’s Modern Life, The Amanda Show, Clarissa Explains It All, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and so much more!
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Classic Nickelodeon, NickRewind and The Angry Beavers News and Highlights!
Go Green w/ PAW Patrol & Nick Jr. Friends 🌎 BONUS: Easy DIY Recipe | Nick Jr.
You can clean up and green up the planet with the help of Rocky and your favorite Nick Jr. friends. Watch the PAW Patrol, Top Wing cadets, Shimmer & Shine, and more, recycle and clean up the environment! PLUS learn how to make Earth Day dirt cups!
Kids can watch their favorite Nick Jr. shows weekdays on Nickelodeon and all week long on the Nick Jr. channel: http://nickjr.com/tvschedule/
Preschoolers can watch full episodes online, play games, and discover silly surprises in the free Nick Jr. App and at NickJr.com. Stream Nick Jr. for free in the Nick Jr. App on Roku and Apple TV or download full episodes for offline viewing on iTunes or Google Play.
You can also download premium apps featuring your child's favorite Nick Jr. shows on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon, including Nick Jr. Draw and Play and Nick Jr. Let’s Learn!
In the brand-new Game Shakers episode "Wet Willy's Wild Water Park", the Game Shakers go to Wet Willy's Wild Water Park on its last day to try and break the speed record on the extremely dangerous water slide, the Big Ripper! Can be break the record, held by the man, the myth, the legend that is Gibby Gibson from iCarly? Tune into the all-new Game Shakers episode "Wet Willy's Wild Water Park" (#311), premiering Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT), followed by a brand-new Cousins for Life at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT), only on Nickelodeon USA! Check out the promo and sneak-peek below!
Originally published: Monday, April 15, 2019.Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and Game Shakers News and Highlights!
RYAN’S MYSTERY PLAYDATE, STARRING YOUTUBE SUPERSTAR RYAN
OF RYAN TOYSREVIEW, FRIDAY, APRIL 19, AT 12:30 P.M. (ET/PT)
Live-Action Series Created and Produced by pocket.watch
Share it: @NickJr #RyansPlaydate
Courtesy of Nickelodeon
NEW YORK–March 27, 2019–Nickelodeon will unbox its playful new preschool series Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, starring seven-year-old YouTube superstar Ryan of Ryan ToysReview, on Friday, April 19, at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT). Created and produced by pocket.watch, the new studio creating global franchises from the YouTube stars and characters loved by Generation Alpha, the live-action series (20 episodes) follows Ryan as he tackles a series of imaginative, physical challenges and solves mystery box puzzles to reveal the identity of his playdate. A brand-new episode of Ryan’s Mystery Playdate will also premiere Saturday, April 20, at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT), before the series moves to its regular timeslot on Fridays at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.
In Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, Ryan, his parents and animated friends Gus the Gummy Gator and Combo Panda, work together to complete unique challenges and unlock mystery boxes that contain hints to help him discover who his mystery playdate is. The series encourages physical play, models positive family relationships and features a creative problem-solving curriculum.
Courtesy of Nickelodeon
In the series premiere, “Ryan’s Kickin’ Playdate/Ryan’s Viral Playdate,” Ryan is put to the test with challenges ranging from stacking pancakes to catching slimy frogs before meeting his highly skilled playdate. Then, Ryan must deflate a room full of whoopee cushions to reveal the identity of his internet superstar playdate.
Following the linear series premiere of Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, NickJr.com and the Nick Jr. App will feature original short-form content and full-length episodes. Episodes will also be available on Nick Jr. On Demand and DTO.
Courtesy of Nickelodeon
Beginning Friday, April 19, through Sunday, April 21, Nickelodeon will launch the Ryan’s Mystery Playdate Sweepstakes. Each episode of Ryan’s Mystery Playdate will feature a mystery word that parents can enter on RyansMysterySweepstakes.com, giving kids a chance to win a playdate with Ryan.
Since its inception in 2015, Ryan ToysReview has grown to become one of the world’s largest YouTube channels with videos that feature Ryan and his family playing with toys for kids. The channel, along with other channels featuring Ryan and his friends, averages over one billion views monthly and currently has over 18 million subscribers. In addition to videos of Ryan playing with toys, Ryan ToysReview also features fun and easy science experiments, educational content, and videos that document daily life for the family of five, which includes Ryan’s younger twin sisters. Ryan’s World, a companion consumer products line developed by pocket.watch, featuring Ryan and the universe of characters created by Ryan and his parents, launched nationwide last year.
Courtesy of Nickelodeon
Pocket.watch is the new studio that specializes in entertaining and inspiring kids and families through digital-first content and sparking their imaginations with lifestyle products ranging from toys to toothbrushes. The company inspires kids to seamlessly move between screen time and playtime and boasts a growing portfolio of franchises that includes some of the largest kids and family YouTube brands in the world alongside original characters and talent that the company has extended into premium series, consumer products, books, games, live events and more. Pocket.watch was founded in March 2017 by Chris M. Williams and is located in Culver City, CA where it maintains an office and studio. The management team is made up of studio veterans and visionaries from traditional and digital entertainment including Albie Hecht, Stone Newman, Jon Moonves and David B. Williams. Investors include Viacom, Greycroft, Third Wave Digital and United Talent Agency (UTA), as well as notable strategic angels including Robert Downey Jr. (Team Downey) and Jon Landau.
Production of Ryan’s Mystery Playdate for Nickelodeon is overseen by Cathy Galeota, Senior Vice President, Preschool Content.
Nickelodeon, now in its 39th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated kids’ basic cable network for 22 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).
Taking the child star from YouTube to Nickelodeon was no easy feat, but Pocket.watch CCO Albie Hecht breaks down how the prodco pulled it off.
By Ryan Tuchow
Nickelodeon and Pocket.watch are bringing seven-year-old YouTube superstar Ryan, from Ryan ToysReview (18 million subscribers), to a slightly bigger screen with their new linear live-action series Ryan’s Mystery Playdate.
Premiering tomorrow, the 20 x half-hour series stars the social media star, his family and a cast of animated characters who work together on creative challenges to discover the identity of his special playdate guest star. The challenges range from stacking pancakes to catching slimy frogs and deflating a room full of whoopee cushions, while guest stars could be anyone from fellow social media celebs to professional athletes.
Since his YouTube channel launched in 2015, it has become one of the platform’s most popular channels, and the child star has become a giant in the kids entertainment industry. The linear series is Pocket.watch’s latest project in a partnership with Ryan’s family, which began in 2017 when they first teamed up to create a multiplatform franchise development plan. Today, the brand has expanded into publishing, licensing, original programming and merchandising. Pocket.watch turned the YouTube channel into a massive franchise and created a new book imprint called Watch This Book! with Simon & Schuster; launched a toy and apparel line named Ryan’s World; signed deals with a myriad of licensing partners; and kicked off a 75-location experiential tour at Walmart locations across the US.
The only thing the young YouTuber hasn’t tackled is linear—until now. But the transition from YouTube to TV was not a difficult one, says Pocket.watch CCO Albie Hecht, who recently shared some insights with Kidscreen about the challenges behind production, balancing the feel of his YouTube channel with a network TV production, and why Nickelodeon was the right partner for this series.
“His whole family has a great dynamic. The father is such a comedic character, and his mother holds it all together, explaining challenges and what’s going on. It’s just like how they are on the YouTube channel,” says Hecht. “And then there’s Ryan. He has the kind of face we can cut to when we’re filming because when he laughs, everyone laughs.”
At the core, Hecht says the idea for Mystery Playdate comes down to the YouTuber’s infectious energy—he just comes across as everyone’s best friend.
The idea for the show arose after the digital media company ran a contest where kids had a chance to win a playdate with the mini vlogger. When Pocket.watch brought the idea to Nickelodeon, the kidcaster didn’t need much convincing. Nickelodeon (known for having worked with digital stars in the past) was quick to give him his own show, Hecht says, after seeing the YouTube star’s massive audience and appeal.
“Nickelodeon was a natural partner for this. Not only had it pioneered live-action Nick Jr. shows like Blues Clues, it also had begun to understand the power of social media stars with JoJo Siwa,” says Hecht.
After the premiere, Nick will bring back the original promotion and give kids an opportunity to have a playdate with Ryan. A new episode of the show will also bow on Saturday, April 20 before moving to its regular time slot on Fridays. Short-form content including behind-the-scenes videos and additional footage, as well as full-length episodes, will be added to NickJr.com and the Nick Jr. app after it debuts.
Convincing Nick to air the show may have been easy, but producing it wasn’t. One of the main challenges was in trying to stay true to the original YouTube channel‘s brand, says Hecht, while also needing to show audiences that it offers something they can’t get by just going online.
The show’s production kept a crew of 100 people busy for six months. Ryan’s videos are known for a roving camera, close-ups as he’s unboxing gifts, animated characters, colorful costumes and some special effects. Now, all of the intimate action that’s captured by one camera in a family’s living room has to be balanced against huge sets and technology. By keeping the family dynamic at the center of the action, though, Hecht says the team was able to bridge those personal moments with the more elaborate production.
Pocket.watch maintained the authentic and unscripted nature of the YouTube channel by not having any writers, instead hiring five challenge producers led by EP Jeff Sutphen (Figure It Out). The producers decided what each challenge would be and made sure it was safe and entertaining for those on set. Dialogue is improvised, and the only portions that are scripted are scene transitions and challenge explanations. To further protect the brand, the prodco maintains editorial control and makes final decisions on the editing process.
Hecht did not provide any details on the budget, but says one of the biggest challenges of production was building the sets because it had to maintain the look of Ryan’s videos while creating something that was bigger, and more of a spectacle, to draw audiences to TV.
“We’ve taken these great and familiar YouTube challenges and blown them up so it’s more mess, more obstacles and more fun props and costuming to take it to a higher level that the audience will recognize and love,” says Hecht. “But they will also say, ‘Wow! I’ve never seen that before.’”
Originally published: Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at 6:36pm GMT.Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Preschool, Nick Jr. and Ryan's Mystery Playdate News and Highlights!
Update (4/19) - Knight Squad showrunner and co-creator Sean Cunningham shared a tribute to the series on Twitter today, ahead of the show's series finale on Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon USA:
“I was lucky enough to make a TV show with @MarcDworkin and some friends. This Saturday the series finale airs 😢⚔️ The process of shooting a show with sword fights, explosions and puppets that fart takes tons of time. You get to know your cast & crew like family…,” he wrote.
“The hardest part of a show ending is not getting to see those people every day,” he continued. “But the cool thing is the friendships live on long after the final ‘cut.’ We hope you’ll watch #KnightSquad this Saturday at 9pm on @Nickelodeon and see you on the next adventure. For Astoria!⚔️💚.”
The hardest part of a show ending is not getting to see those people every day. But the cool thing is the friendships live on long after the final "cut." We hope you'll watch #KnightSquad this Saturday at 9pm on @Nickelodeon and see you on the next adventure. For Astoria!⚔️💚 pic.twitter.com/abVrhYSihK
Update (2/10) - Some sad news from the realm of Astoria: Sean Cunningham has confirmed on Twitter that Nickelodeon has decided to cancel Knight Squad, and that the show will be ending after it's second season.
No, unfortunately this will be pur last ep
— 👑⚔️Sean Cunningham⚔️👑 (@seanWcunningham) February 1, 2019
Original post:
Update (3/30) - Nickelodeon USA will premiere "Closing Knight", the series finale of Knight Squad, on Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT).
Sean Cunningham, the co-creator and co-executive producer of Knight Squad, has announced in a post on his official Instagram page that filming on the second season of Nickelodeon's popular live-action comedy series will be wrapping today (Friday, February 1, 2019).
"Today’s a tough day, but full of love.😢", Sean told fans of the show, adding "It’s the final day shooting our series #KnightSquad We’ve gotten to make 2 amazing seasons with our super talented work family. Marc Dworkin and I are beyond grateful for all of them. For Astoria! ❤️⚔️❤️"
Lexi DiBenedetto, who portrays Prudence on the show, and Trevor Kirschner, who has directed many episodes of hit Nickelodeon shows, including Knight Squad and Nick's newest comedy, Cousins for Life, also paid tribute to the show and its cast and crew in the comments Sean's post:
"I’m eternally grateful for this experience. Thank you so much for everything ❤️ love you ALL" said Lexi. "So proud of everyone involved in this project. Everyone. It’s been an amazing journey, though shorter than we had hoped. Eternally grateful to be a part of it. ⚔️", added Trevor.
Season one of Knight Squad (20 episodes) recently completed its run with a two-part finale which aired over two weeks - Saturday, January 19, 2019 and Saturday, January 26, 2019 - on Nickelodeon USA. Season two (10 episodes) will debut on the network on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT), following a special crossover episode Henry Danger/Knight Squad crossover special airing earlier in the evening at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT).
There is only one place in the magical land of Astoria where the young and fearless can train to become elite warriors - Knight School! Knight Squad is enchanted series full of magic, castles and swords that follows the misadventures two mismatched students who form an unlikely alliance to protect each other's secrets and pursue their dreams to become knights.
Ciara is the fierce and competitive star student who is hiding a colossal secret - she is the royal princess in disguise! Things only get crazier at school when Arc, a cocky and streetwise outsider, strolls in with a pretty big secret of his own.
This unlikely pair will have to team up if they want to become legendary knights. Teamed with two other students to form the Phoenix Squad, Ciara and Arc hope to outshine the school’s other squads for the honour of one day representing Astoria in battle. But in this fantastical kingdom full of powerful beasts, magical spells, and schoolyard frenemies, that might be harder than they think.
Season two will continue to follow fearless teens Arc (Owen Joyner), Ciara (Daniella Perkins), Warwick (Amarr M. Wooten), Prudence (Lexi DiBenedetto), Sage (Lilimar), Buttercup (Savannah May) and Sir Gareth (Kelly Perine) in the kingdom of Astoria, as they train to become elite knights.
Knight Squad is created and executive produced by Sean Cunningham & Marc Dworkin, executive producers of The Thundermans.
