Wednesday, May 05, 2021

44 Cats | Season 2 - A Rainy Day [FULL EPISODE]

44 Cats | Season 2 - A Rainy Day [FULL EPISODE]


Wrench involves the Buffycats in his 'Scrapyard Game,' an activity where the four cat friends go on adventurous missions, all while avoiding the heavy rain pouring outside!

Watch 44 Cats on Nick everywhere!

Visit the official 44 Cats show website at 44cats.tv to find out more about the show and its musical stars, as well as watch exclusive video clips, play pawesome games and download purr-tastic activities!

More Nick: Nickelodeon International Acquires '44 Cats' Season 2!
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Adios Cot; Colourful Sticks | Sounds Familiar | Nick Jr. in Spanish

Adios cuna | Suena Familiar | Nick Jr. en Español


Lo que parece un pequeño cambio para nosotros, es enorme para ellos. Descubre cómo lograr esta transición y que sea de una forma divertida.

Varas de colores | Suena Familiar | Nick Jr. en Español


Jugar, aprender y reciclar al mismo tiempo es muy sencillo con este Hecho en Casa. Prepara junto a tus hij@s esta divertida actividad que les va a ayudar con los colores y su motricidad.


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What Infinity Train's Cancellation May Mean for the Future of Kids Animation

Infinity Train's cancelation, allegedly due to Book 5 lacking a "child entry point," is a bad omen for future animated programming on kids networks.


Infinity Train's creator Owen Dennis has said that Cartoon Network rejected a completed script for an Infinity Train Book 5 movie because it focused on Amelia, an adult character, and lacked a "child entry point." This news has left a lot of Infinity Train fans both frustrated and confused. Cartoon Network has had plenty of successful shows about adult characters over the years, from Samurai Jack to Regular Show, so if the current management rejected Infinity Train Book 5, it makes one wonder if they would've rejected those shows if they were pitched today.

According to a Twitter thread by Kelly Turnbull, a storyboard artist who worked for Cartoon Network on the 2016 Ben 10 reboot, the answer is yes. The standards Cartoon Network and most other children's animation studios follow have grown ever more restrictive, with an increased focus on preschooler-friendly programming that would ironically have killed many of the most popular cartoons ever if they were trying to get their start now.

The list of shows Turnbull cites as likely to be rejected due to lacking "child entry points," both for starring older characters and featuring slightly edgier humor, includes SpongeBob SquarePants, Angry Beavers, Rocko's Modern Life, CatDog, The Ren & Stimpy ShowGarfield & Friends, Regular Show, G.I. Joe, and Looney Tunes. Rugrats, meanwhile, would have the opposite problem: while studios don't want shows with protagonists way older than the target audience, they also don't want protagonists younger than the target demographic either. Villain protagonists a la Invader ZIM or Pinky and the Brain are currently considered to be mostly off-limits now due to fears of "imitable behavior."

Multiple animators responding to Turnbull's thread also noted another major shift at Cartoon Network in particular: the network only wants "strictly comedy" pitches at the moment. This seems like a serious departure from the more genre-bending programming that brought the network success throughout the 2010s. While the first season of Adventure Time could be described as "strictly comedy," it evolved into something a lot more complex, and it would take amazing mental gymnastics to pitch Steven Universe, even in its lighter first season, as "strictly comedy." Infinity Train was continuing that trend of emotionally complex comedy-adventure storytelling, but it seems Cartoon Network doesn't care for that trend anymore.

Obviously, already successful franchises are excused from the current pitching standards, so SpongeBob is still going strong and RugratsLooney Tunes and Pinky and the Brain got successful revivals. Even SpongeBob, however, is being given prequel spin-offs about the characters as kids, seemingly to fit current mandates better. Already established talent also seems to get some leeway, so a proven hitmaker like Genndy Tartakovsky can pitch a more serious action show to Cartoon Network and still get greenlit. But for new ideas from new creators, things are more restrictive than ever at the major kids' networks.

In industry terms, there are three main age demographics for children's animation: 2-5, 6-11 and 9-14. Most of the "kids'" cartoons older viewers care about would be considered for the 9-14 demographic. Cartoon Network used to be more friendly to the 9-14 demo than other cable networks, but has now mostly stopped and is instead trying to expand its preschool programming while keeping its 6-11 shows safe for even younger viewers, demanding formulaic "play patterns" for merchandising purposes.

Streaming is currently the best hope for cartoons deemed too dark or mature for little kids but not dark or mature enough for the Adult Swim treatment, but there are still problems there. Moving from Cartoon Network to HBO Max didn't save Infinity Train, and if anything, it seems like the AT&T merger and the needs of HBO Max might have hastened Cartoon Network's shift to preschool shows. Crunchyroll is making original animation in the young adult space, but its release patterns have been a mess. Netflix seems to be the most reliable producer of 9-14 shows at the moment, though it has its own limits of sticking primarily to anime/Avatar-inspired fantasy action shows for this demographic.

The cancelation of Infinity Train seems to signal some disappointing shifts at Cartoon Network and in the animation industry at large away from more ambitious all-ages TV series. The good news is that if things can shift this much this suddenly, things can shift in different directions just as quickly.

Original source: CBR.com.



Originally published: Tuesday, May 04, 2021.

Original source: Anime Superhero Forum /@SweetShop209.

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Tonies to Release 'PAW Patrol: Chase' Figure for the Toniebox on Monday 10th May 2021

Tonies has announced the PAWsome news that they'll be releasing a PAW Patrol Chase Tonie figure for their hit screen-free audio player the Toniebox on Monday 10th May 2021!


The Toniebox allows kids as young as three to listen to audio stories based on some of their favourite TV shows simply by popping a "Tonie" figure on it. The soft cube has a digital core which is intuitive and easy to use: the audio starts as soon as the “Tonie” audio character, such as Chase are placed to the
top of the “Toniebox” magnetic pad. No complicated controls or confusing displays. It couldn't be easier.

With the Chase "Tonie" figure, kids can unlock four pup-tastic PAW Patrol stories: "Pups Save the Football Game", "Pups Save a Lucky Collar", "Pups Save Alexs Mini-Patrol" and "Pups Save a Lost Tooth", totalling approximately 54 minutes runtime.

Tonieboxes are available for £69:95 and are available in a variety of vibrant colours, whilst the Chase figure, sold separately, costs £14.99.

To find out more, visit https://tonies.com.



Original source: Toy World Magazine.

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ViacomCBS Consumer Products Announces UK Partners for 'PAW Patrol: The Movie' Merchandise

ViacomCBS Consumer Products UK has signed 21 new and renewed partnerships for PAW Patrol: The Movie ahead of the film’s scheduled release into cinemas in August 2021.


The new licensing programme, due to hit shelves across the U.K. from July next year, includes products across an array of categories, including toys, apparel, accessories, consumer packaged goods, home, publishing and home entertainment.

Spin Master, producers of PAW Patrol and the master toy partner, will lead the roll-out by unveiling a specially developed toy line comprised of figures, plush, role play, vehicles and playsets, as well as a range of True Metal vehicles.

Further product launches in the U.K. will follow from a number of key licensees, including Play by Play, Crayola, Vtech, Sambro, RMS International and Kiddieland, who are all confirmed to create toys and games inspired from the new PAW Patrol movie look and feel.


On the home and apparel front, ViacomCBS Consumer Products has partnered with Blues and Fashion UK for daywear, Aykroyd TDP for nightwear and Amscan for costumes. Bedding and textiles will be created by Character World.

ViacomCBS Consumer Products will also continue its partnership with Worlds Apart, Kinnerton, Seabrook, Yoplait and Beiersdorf, as well as joining forces with new partners.

In the publishing space, Signature Gifts will release personalised books, and Egmont is set to release a PAW Patrol magazine special and movie tie-in books. Other partnerships include Danilo for social expressions and DNC and Sambro for back-to-school accessories.

PAW Patrol: The Movie is a Spin Master Entertainment production in association with Nickelodeon Movies and will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Venetia Davie, Vice President (VP) of ViacomCBS Consumer Products for the U.K. and Ireland, said: “PAW Patrol continues to shine in the pre-school space, dominating across traditional TV, streaming services, digital and retail, with next year’s movie set to be a summer cinema hit. We’re excited to be collaborating with such strong partners including Paramount Pictures and Spin Master, ensuring that the magic of the big-screen is translated into products which children up and down country will continue to love long after they have seen the movie.”

"No city is too big; no pup is too small!" In PAW Patrol: The Movie, Ryder and the pups are called to Adventure City to stop Mayor Humdinger from turning the bustling metropolis into a state of chaos. Get ready for exciting missions, high-stake rescues, new pups and amazing new vehicles making this the biggest Paw Patrol story ever!

The feature film will feature the voices of Kim Kardashian West, Dax Shepard (Chips, Idiocracy), Jimmy Kimmel, Tyler Perry (The Star), Yara Shahidi (Black-ish), Randall Park (Fresh Off The Boat, The Interview), Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon), Marsai Martin (Black-ish), and Will Brisbin (Forbidden Playground).

Update (5/5/2021) - Via the May 2021 issue of Toy World Magazine:

Paw Patrol: The Movie Co-produced by Paramount Pictures, Spin Master Entertainment and Nickelodeon Movies, the highly anticipated Paw Patrol: The Movie is scheduled to hit cinemas internationally in August. The action and adventure movie, based on the award-winning pre-school series Paw Patrol, will follow Ryder and the pups when they are called to Adventure City to stop Mayor Humdinger from turning the bustling metropolis into a state of chaos. The movie will include exciting missions, high-stake rescues, new pups and amazing never-before-seen vehicles. Directed by Cal Brunker, the movie’s star-studded voice cast will include Kim Kardashian, Iain Armitage, Will Brisbin, Jimmy Kimmel, Marsai Martin, Randall Park, Tyler Perry, Yara Shahidi and Dax Shepard.

In the UK, Paw Patrol is now in its seventh season on Nick Jr. and is also available on Milkshake! as well as all key UK VOD platforms.

The show is the No. 1 boys’ pre-school show in the UK and has been the No. 1 pre-school property in the UK since its launch in 2016.

To support the release of Paw Patrol: The Movie in the UK, Spin Master Entertainment, producer of the show and the movie, and the master toy partner for the franchise, will lead the consumer product roll-out by unveiling a specially developed toy line comprised of figures, plush, role-play, vehicles and play sets as well as a new range of True Metal vehicles. Other licensees including Mega Bloks, Moose Toys, Play by Play, Crayola, VTech, Kid Designs, Sambro, Jakks Pacific, Kiddieland and more have delved into the look of the movie to create fun toys and games for all Paw Patrol fans to enjoy. The new CP programme will also include home and apparel, daywear (Blues and Fashion UK/Global Licensing), nightwear (Aykroyd TDP), bedding and textiles (Character World), and footwear (William Lamb and Brand International Group) as well as FMCG (Seabrook, Yoplait, Unilever and more), and arts & crafts (Sambro, BTS and Dine (DNC)). In total, more than 20 partners in the UK across a wide range of categories have joined ViacomCBS Consumer Products to create Paw Patrol movie lines.

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Originally published: Monday, October 19, 2020.


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Nick Jr. UK to Premiere 'Blue’s Clues & You!' Season 3 in October 2021; Consumer Products to Be Released Summer 2021

A remake of the ground-breaking, curriculum-driven interactive series Blue’s Clues, Blue’s Clues & You! has invited a new generation of pre-schoolers to search for clues with beloved puppy Blue and new live-action host Josh Dela Cruz. The series, which launched last year on Nick Jr. in the UK & Ireland, features new CG-animation for Blue and Magenta, brand-new elements and refreshed iconic items from the original series including an updated Handy Dandy Notebook equipped with smartphone technology, plus the return of fan-favourite characters.


Blue’s Clues & You! is currently the No.4 show in the UK. The second season of the show launched in November 2020 and a third season will be coming to Nick Jr. UK & Ireland in October this year. Blue’s Clues and You! also launched on Channel 5’s kids’ block, Milkshake! in Q4 2020 and has got off to a strong start.

The consumer products roll-out of Blue’s Clues and You! in the UK is scheduled for July. Just Play is
confirmed to be the master toy partner for the brand, working alongside its distribution partner Flair,
and will develop an exciting line including plush and interactive toys aimed at pre-schoolers aged
2-5 years old. Additional partners for the pre-school brand in the UK include Amscan on costumes
and dress up, Melissa & Doug with arts & crafts, Kid Designs for consumer electronics, Imagine8 on
accessories, and Kimm & Miller for novelty food gifting. Fashion UK and Blues will cover daywear, with Aykroyd TPD on nightwear, while Character World will focus on bedding. In the publishing space, Egmont has acquired the UK rights for Blue’s Clues & You! themed magazines, while Signature Gifts has picked up the rights for personalised books.


Via the May 2021 issue of Toy World Magazine.

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