Ask the StoryBots

Last updated

Ask the StoryBots
Ask the Storybots.svg
Genre Children's television
Animated
Educational
Created byEvan Spiridellis
Gregg Spiridellis
Based on StoryBots
Voices of Judy Greer
Erin Fitzgerald
Fred Tatasciore
Jeff Gill
Gregg Spiridellis
Evan Spiridellis
Nate Theis
Theme music composerGabe Sokoloff
Opening theme"Ask the StoryBots Theme Song"
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes22
Production
Production companies JibJab Bros. Studios (2016–18)
StoryBots Inc. (2019)
Original release
Network Netflix
ReleaseAugust 12, 2016 (2016-08-12) –
August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02)

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 Award, 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]

Contents

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]

Plot

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 music video. [13]

Cast

Main cast

Additional voices

Episodes

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. [14] Its third season premiered August 2, 2019 and includes eight half-hour episodes.

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
1 6August 12, 2016 (2016-08-12)
2 8August 24, 2018 (2018-08-24)
3 8August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02)

Season 1 (2016)

No.
overall		No. in
season		QuestionKid who asked the questionGuest appearance  [note 1] SongsOriginal release date
11"How Does Night Happen?"Spencer Park Jay Leno as King Yardstick the Ruler"You Need an N", "Love Is Red", "Chicken Bop", "How Does Night Happen?"August 12, 2016 (2016-08-12)
22"How Do Airplanes Fly?"Katelyn Nagoray Kevin Smith as Super Mega Awesome Ultra Guy"Think Green", "In An Airplane", "Rockin' Radishes", "How Do Airplanes Fly?"August 12, 2016 (2016-08-12)
33"Why Do I Have To Brush My Teeth?"London Sizemore 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 (2016-08-12)
44"Why Is The Sky Blue?"Eva Stikeleather Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci of Garfunkel and Oates as The Molecules"The Sky Is Blue", "Cleanup Time", "Calypso Carrots", "Why Is The Sky Blue?"August 12, 2016 (2016-08-12)
55"Where Do French Fries Come From?"Kiran Jyothi "Weird Al" Yankovic as the Spud Spa Yogi"Great Cities: Paris", "Farmer", "Cars, Cars, Cars", "Where Do French Fries Come From?"August 12, 2016 (2016-08-12)
66"Where Does Rain Come From?"Daxter "Dax" Cuthbertson Tim Meadows and Chris Parnell as The Reindeer"Hooray For A", "I'm Scared", "Tiger in the Jungle", "Where Does Rain Come From?" August 12, 2016 (2016-08-12)

Season 2 (2018)

No.
overall		No. in
season		QuestionKid who asked the questionGuest appearance  [note 1] SongsOriginal release date
71"How Do Computers Work?"Edwin "E.J." King Jr. Snoop Dogg as the Operating System"Wheels On The Bus", "The Number 10", "Walk Like A Camel", "How Do Computers Work?"August 24, 2018 (2018-08-24)
82"Why Can't I Eat Dessert All the Time?"Lilyn Calloway Christina Applegate as the Baker"Food into Energy (Stomach)", "Time To Go", "Horses", "Why Can't I Eat Dessert All the Time?"August 24, 2018 (2018-08-24)
93"How Many Types of Animals Are There?"Rayne Harrison 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 (2018-08-24)
104"How Do Ears Hear?"Peyton Maria Haddock Ali Wong as the Brain"Marconi and the Radio", "Bones In Your Body", "Earth (A Beautiful, Beautiful World)", "How Do Ears Hear?"August 24, 2018 (2018-08-24)
115"How Do Volcanoes Work?"Henry Hobgood David Koechner as the Pirate“When It’s Black”, "Layers Of The Earth", "The Number 1", "Volcanoes Finale", "You Gotta Love a Lion", "How Do Volcanoes Work?"August 24, 2018 (2018-08-24)
126"What Is Electricity?"Pierce McCloud Edward Norton as Gary the Electronics Salesman"Thomas Edison and the Lightbulb", "Mouse Party", "Square Dancin' Squash", "What is Electricity?"August 24, 2018 (2018-08-24)
137"How Do Flowers Grow?"Ava Grace Van Meir-Fintchre David Cross as Moonbeam the Hippie"Cow", "Itsy Bitsy Spider - Rock Version", "Squares", "How Do Flowers Grow?"August 24, 2018 (2018-08-24)
148"How Do People Catch A Cold? [15] "Malachi Anderson Wanda Sykes as the Doctor"Wash Your Hands", "The Cold Song", "Apatosaurus", "How Do People Catch A Cold?"August 24, 2018 (2018-08-24)

Season 3 (2019)

No.
overall		No. in
season		QuestionKid who asked the questionGuest appearance  [note 1] SongsOriginal release date
151"How Do You Make Music?"Mya Young John Legend as the King of Music"So Many Instruments", "The Number 3", "Chicken Rap", "How Do You Make Music?"August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02)
162"Where Do Planets Come From?"Asher Keller Zoe Saldana as the Professor"We Are the Planets", "The Gravity Song", "Breakin' Brussels Sprouts", "How Are Planets Made?"August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02)
173"Why Do People Look Different? [16] "Coco Carter
Lennon Grace		 Reggie Watts as Bernard the Nurse"Rock-a-Bye Baby", "Let's Wait For Yellow", "Sheep", "Why Do People Look Different?"August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02)
184"Why Do We Have To Recycle?"Rhori James Tony Hale as Chuck the Recycling Plant Owner"Where Does The Garbage Go?", "Triangle", "Triceratops", "Why Do We Have to Recycle? (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)"August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02)
195"How Do Cell Phones Work?"Sorayah Ramdeo 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 (2019-08-02)
206"What Happens When You Flush the Toilet?"Juaquin Ebuen 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 (2019-08-02)
217"Where Does Chocolate Come From?"Dae-J Haddon Alyssa Milano as the Chocolatier"Money Rap", "Amazing Frog", "Great Cities: Beijing", "Where Does Chocolate Come From?"August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02)
228"How Do Eyes See?"Mia Lynn Maria Bamford as Dr. Pat the Mad Scientist"Inventions Everywhere", "Rain, Rain, Go Away", "Anklyosaurus", "How Do Eyes See?"August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02)

Reception

Ask the StoryBots has been called the "best kids' show on Netflix" by both Wired [17] and Decider [18] and has received positive reviews, with critics specifically citing its educational quality and its entertainment value for both children and adults. [19] Common Sense Media wrote, "[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." [20]

The Domestic Geek called the show "a really fun and great way for the family to learn and laugh together", [21] 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". [22]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)Result
2017 Annie Awards Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool ChildrenAsk the StoryBotsNominated
Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Program Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Meridith Stokes, Megan McShane, Monica MitchellNominated
Outstanding Interactive Media - Enhancement to a Daytime Program or SeriesEvan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Mauro Gatti, Daniel Haack, Meridith Stokes, Rubens Cantuni, Nina Neulight, Romney Caswell, Jeff Gill, Jacob Streilein, Nikolas Ilic, Rohit Mohan, Bradley RoushWon
Outstanding Directing in a Preschool Animated ProgramEvan Spiridellis, Jacob Streilein, Ian WorrelNominated
Outstanding Main Title and Graphic DesignIan Worrel, Taylor Clutter, Jeff Gill, Nikolas Ilic, Kendall Nelson, Taylor Price, Evan Spiridellis, Jacob Streilein, Nate Theis, Eddie WestNominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Preschool Animated ProgramLeonardo Nasca, Jared Nugent, Jeff ShiffmanNominated
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated ProgramJeff Shiffman, David Carfagno, Brad Meyer, Nicholas J. Ainsworth, Elliot HermanNominated
Peabody Award Children's ProgrammingAsk the StoryBotsNominated
Cynopsis Kids !magination AwardsEducational Series/SpecialAsk the StoryBotsNominated
British Academy Children's Awards International Ask the StoryBotsNominated
2019 Annie Awards Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool ChildrenAsk the StoryBotsWon
Directing in an Animated Television/Broadcast ProductionEvan SpiridellisNominated
Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Series Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Sarah Kambara, Meridith StokesNominated
Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime ProgramGregg Spiridellis, Evan Spiridellis, Daniel Haack, Greg Mako, Sarah Kambara, Roberto TejedaNominated
Outstanding Performer in a Children's, Family Viewing or Special Class Program Edward Norton as Gary the Electronics Salesman (for "What Is Electricity?")Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated ProgramEvan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Nate Theis, Jacob Streilein, Eddie West, Jeff GillWon
Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated ProgramJacob Streilein, Jeff Gill, Evan SpiridellisWon
2020 Annie Awards Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool ChildrenAsk the StorybotsWon
Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in an Animated / Television Broadcast ProductionChris O'HaraNominated
Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Series Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Sarah KambaraWon
Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated ProgramEvan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis, Nate Theis, Jacob Streilein, Eddie West, Jeff GillNominated
Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated ProgramJacob Streilein, Jeff Gill, Evan SpiridellisNominated
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated ProgramJeff Shiffman, Nicholas J. Ainsworth, Tess Fournier, Jacob Cook, Ian Howard, Johnathan LopezNominated
Individual Achievement in AnimationChris O'HaraWon

Music

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. [23] The series' second season soundtrack was released on August 31, 2018. [24]

Spinoffs

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 list not complete
  1. ↑ Barrett, Brian. "Parents, Rejoice! Here Are Netflix's Kid-Friendly August Additions". Wired. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ "'StoryBots' Creators to Expand Children's Franchise Under Netflix Overall Deal". The Hollywood Reporter. May 9, 2019. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Announcing 76th Annual Peabody Awards Finalists". Archived from the original on April 8, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Nominations Announced for the British Academy Children's Awards in 2017". www.bafta.org. October 24, 2017. Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
  5. ↑ "THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS FOR THE 44th ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARDS | The Emmy Awards - The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences". emmyonline.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  6. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (April 29, 2017). "Amazon & Netflix Lead Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Winners- Full List". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Every movie and show coming to Netflix in August". Polygon . July 25, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  8. ↑ "The 46th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominees – The Emmys". emmyonline.tv. March 20, 2019. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  9. ↑ "'StoryBots' Creators to Expand Children's Franchise Under Netflix Overall Deal". The Hollywood Reporter. May 9, 2019. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  10. ↑ "'Ask The Storybots' Season 3 Coming to Netflix in August 2019". What's on Netflix. July 6, 2019. Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  11. ↑ Santoro, Alessia (July 30, 2019). "If Your Kids Don't Watch Ask the StoryBots on Netflix, This Celebrity Lineup Might Change That!". POPSUGAR Family. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  12. ↑ Ask the StoryBots on Netflix | Season 3 Trailer | Premieres August 2nd Worldwide, July 30, 2019, archived from the original on July 30, 2019, retrieved July 30, 2019
  13. ↑ "Netflix Announces 'Ask the Storybots,' An Original Series from Jibjab". August 5, 2016. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Ed Norton, Snoop Dogg, Ali Wong to Guest on Netflix's 'Ask the Storybots'". TheWrap. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  15. ↑ How Do People Catch a Cold? Ask the StoryBots FULL EPISODE. March 12, 2020 – via YouTube.
  16. ↑ Why Do People Look Different? Ask the StoryBots FULL EPISODE. June 12, 2020 – via YouTube.
  17. ↑ Barrett, Brian (August 24, 2018). "The Very Online History of the Best Kids' Show on Netflix". Wired. ISSN   1059-1028 . Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Netflix's Best Kids Show 'Ask the StoryBots' Is Back". Decider. August 25, 2018. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  19. ↑ "They're Back! All-New StoryBots TV Series Premieres Today". StoryBots Blog. October 7, 2016. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Ask the Storybots - TV Review". Archived from the original on September 3, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Ask the Story Bots: Entertaining for kids...and twenty-somethings - The Domestic Geek Blog". The Domestic Geek Blog. September 9, 2016. Archived from the original on September 13, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Netflix/JibJab - Ask the StoryBots - In the Mix - Special - Arts&Culture - September 22, 2016". Chico News & Review. September 21, 2016. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Ask the StoryBots: Season 1 Soundtrack Now Available!". StoryBots Blog. September 9, 2016. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Ed Norton, Snoop Dogg, Ali Wong to Guest on Netflix's 'Ask the Storybots'". TheWrap. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
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