New Animated Originals Headed to Universal Kids

Universal Kids has given the go-ahead to two new original animated series, Powerbirds and Norm, which are slated for broadcast during the Sprout preschool programming block in 2019.

Created by Pulitzer-winning author Steve Breen, Powerbirds follows the adventures of two pet parakeets as they lead secret superhero lives. Norm, meanwhile, tells the story of Mother Nature’s son, who serves as the handyman of the forest. The 52×11-minute shows are due to debut in early 2019 and late 2019, respectively.

In other news, Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) has joined the voice cast of Sprout’s upcoming original Kody Kapow, which is about a Chinese-American boy who learns that he is destined to become a martial arts superhero. The animated series is scheduled to premiere on July 15.

Amy Friedman, the senior VP of programming and development at Universal Kids, commented: “As Sprout grows into Universal Kids, our mission is to reflect all that is universal about being a kid. For our youngest viewers, that means helping them grow into good people. Our commitment to creating original, high-quality preschool content for families to watch together is very important to us. Kody Kapow—as well as Powerbirds and Norm—are characters who share kindness, resilience and humor, and allow us to deliver on that promise.”