Charlie and Lola (TV series)

Last updated

Charlie and Lola
Charlie and Lola logo.jpg
Title card
Created by Lauren Child
Based on Charlie and Lola book series
by Lauren Child
Written by
  • Dave Ingham
  • Bridget Hurst
  • Carol Noble
  • Samantha Hill
  • Anna Starkey
  • Olly Smith
  • Laura Beaumont
  • Paul Larson
Directed byKitty Taylor
Creative directors
  • Alan Kerswell
  • Gary Dunn
  • Leigh Hodgkinson
  • Jonathan Hodgson
  • Gideon Rigal
  • Jim Nolan
Voices of
  • Jethro Lundie-Brown (S1)
  • Maisie Cowell (S1)
  • Daniel Mayers (S2)
  • Clementine Cowell (S2)
  • Oriel Agranoff (S3)
  • Holly Callaway (S3)
Theme music composerTom Dyson
Soren Munk
Composers
  • John Greswell
  • David Schweitzer (S2-3)
  • Chris Taylor (S1)
  • Munk & Dyson (S1)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes78 (+2 specials) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Michael Carrington
  • Lauren Child
Producers
  • Claudia Lloyd
  • Tom Beattie
  • Nikki Chaplin
Editors
  • Zurine Ainz
  • Stephen Perkins
  • Claire Dodgson
  • Katie Bryer
  • Yulia Martynova
  • Ben Campbell
Running time11 minutes
  • 22 minutes (specials)
Production company Tiger Aspect Productions
Original release
Network CBeebies
Release7 November 2005 (2005-11-07) 
24 April 2008 (2008-04-24)

Charlie and Lola is a British Flash-animated children's television series based on the popular children's picture book series of the same name by Lauren Child, produced by Tiger Aspect Productions for CBeebies. It ran for 3 series from 7 November 2005 [1] to 24 April 2008, winning multiple BAFTA Children's Awards throughout its run. The animation uses a collage style that emulates the style of the original books.

Contents

Synopsis

Charlie has a little sister named Lola; he describes her as "small and very funny". Lola often gets caught up in situations that she (inadvertently) causes, whether it's running out of money at the zoo and having to borrow Charlie's [2] to forgetting her entire suitcase when having a sleepover at a friend's house. [3] These situations are sometimes comedic but often reflect real world problems that younger children may face, such as losing a best friend, [4] not getting the preferred part in a school play, [5] or becoming too excited about an upcoming event and accidentally ruining it. [6]

When these situations happen, Charlie usually ends up having to solve her problems through imaginative or creative methods, or by explaining to Lola where she went wrong. This is particularly demonstrated in the debut episode, "I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato", where Charlie pretends that her least favourite foods (such as carrots, mashed potatoes, fish fingers, and tomatoes) are more fantastical items in order to encourage her to eat them, such as 'orange twiglets from Jupiter' and 'ocean nibblers from the supermarket under the sea'. [7] This may encourage young children to eat particular healthy foods that would otherwise come across as undesirable to them.

In many episodes, Lola's best friend Lotta, Lola's imaginary friend Soren Lorenson, and Charlie's best friend Marv become involved in some way or another. Although adults are mentioned through dialogue, none of them are ever shown or heard.

Episodes

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 267 November 2005 (2005-11-07)12 December 2005 (2005-12-12)
2 261 May 2006 (2006-05-01)20 April 2007 (2007-04-20)
3 2617 November 2007 (2007-11-17)24 April 2008 (2008-04-24)
Seasonal specials 225 December 2006 (2006-12-25)3 November 2007 (2007-11-03)

Characters

Primary

Minor

Animation style

The television series uses a collage style of animation which captures the style of the original books. 2D Flash animation, paper cutout, fabric design, real textures, photomontage, and archive footage are all employed and subsequently animated in software applications called Adobe Animate, ToonBoom, Adobe Flash, Adobe After Effects, and CelAction2D. [11]

The series is also notable for its use of children rather than adult voice actors as well as not showing adults, both techniques pioneered by the Peanuts television specials.

Release

Distribution

On 14 December 2004, Tiger Aspect Productions signed a licensing and distribution deal with BBC Worldwide (later BBC Studios) for the series.

On 12 October 2023, Banijay Kids & Family acquired the distribution rights to the series from BBC Studios. [12]

Home releases

In the United States and Canada, volumes 4 and 5 are reversed, as well as volumes 9 and 11, but volume 9 is titled "What Can I Wear for Halloween?" instead of "Everything is Different and Not the Same".

International transmission

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryRecipient (if any)Result
2006 Cartoons on the Bay [13] [14] Best Series For InfantsWon
Best Programme
The Raisat YOYO Best Series
BAFTA Children's Awards [15] Best Pre-school Animation Series Nominated
Bradford Animation Festival [16] Best TV Series for Children and AdultsWon
Royal Television Society Programme Awards [17] Best Children's Programme (for "Welcome to Lolaland")Nominated
2007 BAFTA Children's Awards [18] Best Pre-school Animation Series Won
Best WriterBridget Hurst
Anna StarkeyNominated
Best Animation (for "How Many More Minutes Until Christmas?")
Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards [19] Best Music Original ScoreJohn Greswell and David SchweitzerWon
Annecy International Animation Film Festival [20] Special Award for a TV Series (for "I Will Be Especially, Very Careful")
Broadcast Awards [21] Best Children's Programme
Annie Awards [22] Best Animated Television ProductionNominated
2008 BAFTA Children's Awards [23] Best Animation (for "Everything is Different and Not the Same")Won
Best Pre-school Animation Series
Best WriterDave InghamNominated

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References

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This article incorporates material derived from the " Charlie and Lola " article on the Charlie and Lola wiki at Fandom (formerly Wikia) and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License (December 2023).