PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch

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PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch
PBSKidsBookWormBranch.jpeg
Network PBS
LaunchedSeptember 30, 2000;24 years ago (2000-09-30)
ClosedSeptember 5, 2004;21 years ago (2004-09-05)
Country of origin
Owner
Running time3 hours (2000–01)
2 hours (2001–04)
Original language(s)English

The PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch was a weekend morning preschool television block co-produced by Canada-based animation studio Nelvana Limited that aired on PBS from September 30, 2000, until September 5, 2004. It typically aired on weekend mornings, depending on station preference and scheduling. The six programs that aired on the Bookworm Bunch were all based on children's books: Corduroy (by Don Freeman), Elliot Moose (by Andrea Beck), Timothy Goes to School (by Rosemary Wells), Seven Little Monsters (by Maurice Sendak), George Shrinks (by William Joyce), and Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse (by Betty and Michael Paraskevas).

Contents

History

In August 1999, PBS and Nelvana teamed up to create the network's first-ever animated weekend programming block. [1] It was created to increase viewership of the preschool audience on weekends, specifically on Saturday mornings when that attention was shifted elsewhere; many PBS stations devoted their Saturday morning schedules to general audience programming, including crafting or do-it-yourself shows, meanwhile commercial networks had extensive lineups for Saturday morning cartoons. A proposed series called Junior Kroll and Company was part of original plans for the new block, but that idea was eventually canceled and replaced by Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse. [2] This and the other five series were all based on children's books, a theme that was inspired by a PBS-commissioned study from the University of Kansas that demonstrated the idea that children can learn to read from television programs. [3] Upon its launch on September 30, 2000, the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch became the second preschool-oriented Saturday morning block on broadcast television after Nick Jr. on CBS, which premiered two weeks before and replaced CBS Kidshow. Although PBS intended on the block to be broadcast on Saturdays. [4]

During the block's first season, all the shows (with the exception of the first 15-minute Corduroy episode) were shown either 15 or 45 minutes past the hour, in an effort to discourage "channel surfing" to other competing children's cartoons. Another 15-minute Corduroy episode then ended the block, making its total runtime three hours. The PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch proved to be extremely popular in its first season, and weekend viewership increased dramatically.[ citation needed ] The first season ended on February 24, 2001, with reruns continuing until October 27, 2001.

In the first season, the six shows on the weekend lineup aired in reruns and continued until October 27, 2001. The second season premiered on November 3, 2001, [5] and with this premiere came with some changes. Elliot Moose and Corduroy were both removed from the lineup entirely, thus shortening the block to two hours. The four remaining series (Timothy Goes to School, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse, Seven Little Monsters, and George Shrinks) were instead seen on the hour and half-hour. Timothy Goes to School and Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse both ended production by late 2001. The second season ended on January 26, 2002.

Following the second season of the block, two shows became separate, standalone series. This included new episodes of Seven Little Monsters and season three of George Shrinks starting on January 6, 2003, in addition to the 2002 version of The Berenstain Bears . The new episodes of Seven Little Monsters were 15 minutes, instead of the original 30 minutes, and were aired immediately after The Berenstain Bears in the same half-hour timeslot. [6] However, Seven Little Monsters was canceled not long after and PBS eventually aired two 15-minute episodes of The Berenstain Bears back-to-back beginning on September 15, 2003. [7] George Shrinks was given its own half-hour timeslot, [8] in which it also proved to be extremely popular. Given the success of these shows, many PBS stations carried them on their weekday schedule.

Reruns of the second season of the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch block continued airing on weekends on select PBS stations and the PBS Kids Channel until September 5, 2004. Around this time, there were many new additions coming to the PBS weekend morning lineup (such as two British series: Thomas & Friends and Bob the Builder ) and the new, preteen-aimed PBS Kids Go! block premiered in 2004. That is, in addition to The Berenstain Bears . All of them effectively replaced the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch. Meanwhile, many PBS stations continued airing reruns of the individual standalone series on the weekday lineup (including Seven Little Monsters until the end of 2004, George Shrinks until 2009, and The Berenstain Bears, which continues to air reruns on a limited number of PBS stations until 2025).

After the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch block was discontinued, most of the series (with the exception of Corduroy ) aired on other commercial networks. American cable channel Discovery Kids aired reruns of Timothy Goes to School from 2004 until 2006, Qubo aired reruns of Elliot Moose, Timothy Goes to School, and Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse as part of its daily programming, the now-defunct Canadian dub of BBC Kids aired reruns of George Shrinks until its closure on December 31, 2018, and YTV formerly aired reruns of Seven Little Monsters until 2005. The UK channel Tiny Pop aired reruns of Timothy Goes to School until 2017.

Interstitial music videos

Music videos aired at the end of each program before the credits. [9] These music videos featured scenes from all of the shows with musical accompaniment. Each of the songs was performed by American children's music artist Nancy Cassidy, appearing on three albums released between 1986 and 1992 by Klutz (purchased by Nelvana in April 2000).

Season 1 (2000–2001)

Season 2 (2001–2002)

Programming

Former programming

Original programming

The first season (2000–2001) of the Bookworm Bunch block ran for three hours, and the second season (2001–2002) ran for two hours.

TitlePremiere dateEnd dateNotesSource(s)
Corduroy September 30, 2000October 27, 2001
Elliot Moose
Timothy Goes to School September 5, 2004
Seven Little Monsters
George Shrinks
Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse

Standalone programming

The most successful series from the weekend Bookworm Bunch block aired separately five days a week, and joined Berenstain Bears as standalone programs. [13]

TitlePremiere dateEnd dateNotesSource(s)
Berenstain Bears & Seven Little Monsters [note 1] January 6, 2003September 14, 2003Reruns of this 30-minute program continued on select stations until 2004. [14]
George Shrinks January 23, 2003Reruns continued on select stations until 2009.
The Berenstain Bears [note 2] September 15, 2003 [7] September 10, 2004Reruns continued on select stations until 2025.
  1. ↑ One 11-minute episode of The Berenstain Bears and one 11-minute episode of Seven Little Monsters packaged within a half-hour timeslot.
  2. ↑ Two 11-minute episodes of The Berenstain Bears packaged within a half-hour time slot.

References

  1. ↑ Elber, Lynn. "PBS launching Saturday series for preschoolers". OnlineAthens. Archived from the original on October 29, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Kidscreen » Archive » what's developing in kids production". Kidscreen. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  3. ↑ Zurawik, David (July 13, 2000). "PBS gives kids new Saturday morning shows". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  4. ↑ Bedford, Karen E. "PBS debuts 'Bookworm Bunch,' 2000 - Current.org". Current.org. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  5. ↑ "'PBS KIDS BOOKWORM BUNCH' Returns to PBS For a Second Season on Saturday, November 3" (Press release). Nelvana Limited. Archived from the original on August 5, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  6. ↑ "The Berenstain Bears(R) Bring 40 Years of Literary History to 'PBS KIDS' With Premiere of 15-Minute Animated TV Series" (Press release). Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Award-Winning PBS KIDS® Launches New Programming This Fall 2003" (Press release). Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  8. ↑ "George Shrinks Grows to Five Days a Week With All-New Episodes on 'PBS KIDS'" (Press release). Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  9. ↑ "PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch Interstitials (2001)". YouTube. January 18, 2017. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 "Kidssongs 2 by Nancy Cassidy". Apple Music. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Kidssongs by Nancy Cassidy". Apple Music. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "KidsSongs: Sleepyheads by Nancy Cassidy". Apple Music. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Nelvana trio stripped on PBS Kids". C21media. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  14. ↑ "WGTE - TV 30 Schedule". August 17, 2004. Archived from the original on August 17, 2004. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
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