Pinecone & Pony

Last updated
Pinecone & Pony
Genre Children’s animation adventure
Based on The Princess and the Pony
by Kate Beaton
Developed byStephanie Kaliner
Directed byWayne-Michael Lee
Voices of
Theme music composerGreg Alsop
Opening theme"Warrior"
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes16 (31 segments)
Production
Executive producers
EditorTaneka Stotts
Production companies DreamWorks Animation Television
First Generation Films
Atomic Cartoons
Original release
Network Apple TV+
ReleaseApril 8, 2022 (2022-04-08) 
February 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)

Pinecone & Pony is a children's animated television series produced by DreamWorks Animation and First Generation Films for Apple TV+. The series is loosely based on the children's book The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton. [1] The first season was released on April 8, 2022, [2] [3] and the second season was released on February 3, 2023. [4]

Contents

Premise

The series follows the adventures of Pinecone and her pony as they face trolls, giants, dragons and a dangerous rope bridge atop a valley.

Cast and characters

Episodes

SeasonSegmentsEpisodesOriginally released
1 168April 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
2 158February 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)

Season 1 (2022)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"The Pwettiest Pony"Wayne-Michael LeeStephanie KalinerApril 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
"Try This Club on for Size"Lakna Edilima
22"Lance or Not"Wayne-Michael LeeJocelyn GeddieApril 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
"Treat Your Creature"Evany Rosen
33"O Prickly, Where Art Thou?"Wayne-Michael LeeJocelyn GeddieApril 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
"Big Trouble in Lil Labyrinth"Taneka Stotts
44"This Calls for Courage"Wayne-Michael LeeTaneka ScottsApril 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
"The Straight and Arrow"Stephanie Kaliner
55"It's a Pony Thing"Wayne-Michael LeeLienne SawatskyApril 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
"Hawthorn the Adventurer"Pilot Viruet
66"In Plain Sight"Wayne-Michael LeePilot ViruetApril 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
"Belt or Bust"Lakna Edilima
77"You're On!"Wayne-Michael Lee Kate Beaton April 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
"The Pony Express"Jocelyn Geddie
88"What Would Freda Do?"Wayne-Michael LeeEvany RosenApril 8, 2022 (2022-04-08)
"A Token of Toughness"Gigi D.G.

Season 2 (2023)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
91"Hero Soup"Wayne-Michael LeeLienne SawatskyFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
"Sleepless at the Sleepover"Kate Beaton
102"The Harvest Spirit"Wayne-Michael LeeLakna EdilimaFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
"Speak From the Art"Jocelyn Geddie
113"One Night Only"Wayne-Michael LeeLaurie ElliottFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
"Fountains of Youths"Taneka Stotts
124"Good Night, Bad Knight"Wayne-Michael LeeTaneka StottsFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
"A Life of Adventure"Gigi D.G.
135"Pinecone and Horse"Wayne-Michael LeeCorey LiuFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
"Once in a Violetmoon"Tally Yong Knoli
146"Festival of Might"Wayne-Michael LeeEvany RosenFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
"Sage Advice"Corey Liu
157"Next in Line"Wayne-Michael LeeTally Yong KnoliFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
"A Spell of Your Own"Tristen Sutherland
168"The Sturdy Stone"Wayne-Michael LeeStephanie KalinerFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)

Production

Cartoonist Kate Beaton published the webcomic Hark! A Vagrant from 2008 to 2018 with a variety of characters, one of which was a fat, farting pony. [5] This pony later played a central role in Beaton's 2015 children's book The Princess and the Pony, about a warrior princess named Princess Pinecone who receives a pony as a birthday gift. [6]

Beaton was approached several years later by First Generation Films, a production company out of Toronto, asking for the rights to the show to option it (in partnership with DreamWorks Animation) to different streaming services. [7] The show was eventually picked up by Apple TV+ as the platform began to roll out children's programming. [7]

Beaton is listed on the project as Executive Producer along with Christina Piovesan, Mackenzie Lush and showrunner Stephanie Kaliner. [6] While Beaton worked on the show from her home in Mabou, Nova Scotia, animation was handled by Atomic Cartoons of Ottawa. [6] The cast included Maria Nash as the title character, Alicia Richardson, Andy Hull, Rachel House, Thom Allison, Chase W. Dillon and Viola Abley. [6] [8] Following the release of Season 1, Back Lot Music released a new song called "Warrior" written by Greg Alsop and performed by Tasha Peter. [9]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2022 Canadian Screen Music Awards Best Original Score for a Children's Program or Series Caleb Chan and Brian ChanNominated [10]
2023 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Children's ProgrammingPinecone & PonyNominated [11]
Canadian Screen Awards Best Directing in an Animated Program or SeriesWayne-Michael Lee for ("What Would Freda Do? / A Token of Toughness")Nominated [12]
Best Original Music, AnimationCaleb Chan and Brian Chan for ("Lance Or Not / Treat Your Creature")Nominated
Best Writing in an Animated Program or SeriesStephanie Kaliner and Lakna Edirisinghe for ("The Pwettiest Pony / Try This Club On For Size")Won
Leo Awards Best Musical Score, Animation SeriesCaleb Chan and Brian Chan for ("You're On! / The Pony Express")Nominated [13]
Best Screenwriting, Youth or Children's Program or SeriesCorey Liu for ("Pinecone & Horse")Nominated
Humanitas Prize Children's TeleplayGigi D.G for ("A Life of Adventure")Nominated [14]
Canadian Screen Music Awards Best Original Score for an Animated Series or SpecialCaleb Chan and Brian Chan for ("The Sturdy Stone")Nominated [15]
Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Younger Voice Performer in an Animated or Preschool Animated Program Maria NashWon [16] [17]
2024 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Children's ProgrammingPinecone & PonyNominated [18]
ACTRA Award Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Female VoiceEmma Hunter for ("Pinecone and Horse")Nominated [19] [20]
Maria Nash for ("The Sturdy Stone")Won
Canadian Screen Awards Best Animated Program or SeriesPinecone & PonyPending [21]
Best Editing in an Animated Program or SeriesJoshua Guitar for ("The Sturdy Stone")Pending
Best Sound in an Animated Program or SeriesMike Mancuso, Joe Tetreau, Evan Turner, Ryan Eligh, Patrick Mallan and Matt McKenzie for ("The Sturdy Stone")Pending
Best Directing in an Animated Program or SeriesWayne-Michael Lee for ("The Sturdy Stone")Pending
Best Original Music, AnimationCaleb Chan and Brian Chan for ("The Sturdy Stone")Pending
Best Writing in an Animated Program or SeriesJocelyn Geddie for ("Speak from the Art")Pending
Stephanie Kaliner for ("The Sturdy Stone")Pending
Corey Liu for ("Pinecone and Horse")Pending

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