TV Kids In-Demand: Comedy—Part 2

We’re featuring a slate of fantastic new shows in our latest round of In-Demand reports, just in time for MIPCOM and MIPJunior. In the second of two comedy reports, we spotlight ZDF Enterprises’ The Muscleteers and Zoom—The White Dolphin, Jetpack Distribution’s Critters TV and PBS International’s Cyberchase.

The Muscleteers

Commissioner: ZDF
Produced By: Caligari Film
Distributor: All rights worldwide from ZDF Enterprises.
Description: (Kids 6-9 animated comedy, 45×11 min.) In action-filled tales of intrigue and hilarity, two mice, a hamster and a lab rat band together to help those who cannot help themselves. One for all and all for one!
Pitch Perfect: The series is all about helping and being there for each other. Traditional values, such as solidarity and fairness, are transported into the modern world and it becomes obvious that they are not old-fashioned but timeless. The episodes are a mix of action-packed, often perilous adventures, mixed with a lot of fun and entertainment.
Sales Contacts: Katharina Pietzsch, Director ZDFE.junior; Marei Bruckmann, Director ZDFE.junior; Jan-Frederik Maul, Director ZDFE.junior.

Critters TV

Produced By: Turnip & Duck
Distributor: Worldwide rights, excluding Ireland, from Jetpack Distribution.
Description: (Comedy, 25×11 min.) A spoof nature documentary featuring a cast of hilarious cartoon animal families, from fun-loving foxes to filthy fleas, oddball squirrels to very silly owls. Critters TV shows kids wildlife like it’s never been seen before!
Pitch Perfect: Can you imagine animals watching nature documentaries on TV? Badgers giving out about foxes, owls laughing at otters, or foxes fighting over the remote control? Well, on Critters TV, for the first time in the history of television, we get the animal’s-eye view on nature docs, discover what our furry friends are really thinking, and learn some amazing facts about the natural world along the way!
Slot Winner: The series first aired on RTÉjr in Ireland in 2019 and 2020, with further episodes due to air before the end of 2021. The series won Best New Irish IP at the Irish Animation Awards in 2021.
Sales Contacts: Dominic Gardiner, CEO; Gillian Calvert Ridge, Global Distribution Director; Sophie ‘Kido’ Prigent, Global Sales Director.

Cyberchase

Commissioner: PBS
Produced By: THIRTEEN Productions for WNET
Distributor: All international rights for seasons 12 and 13 are available from PBS International.
Description: (Kids 8-11) Join Jackie, Matt and Inez on exciting, math-based adventures! Students will learn how important and useful mathematics can be when solving everyday problems and how to apply their math skills to the real world. Season 12 consists of 12×30-minute episodes.
Pitch Perfect: In the world of Cyberchase, the dastardly villain Hacker is on a mission to overthrow Motherboard and take over Cyberspace. But Motherboard enlists the help of three curious kids—Inez, Jackie and Matt—to stop him! Their weapon? Brain power! Cyberchaseshows children that math is everywhere, and they can be good at it by teaching concepts in a fun way that is easy to understand.
Sales Contacts: Betsy LeBlanc, Director, Sales; Anna Alvord, Senior Sales Manager; Nanci Church, Senior Sales Manager.

Zoom—The White Dolphin

Commissioners: TF1, ZDF
Produced By: Media Valley, Marzipan Films
Distributor: All rights worldwide from ZDF Enterprises.
Description: (Kids 4-10 animated adventure comedy, S1-2: 104×12 min.) Fifteen-year-old Yann and his little sister Marina live on the paradise island of Maotou with their uncle. They go on amazing adventures with Zoom, a white dolphin of exceptional intelligence.
Pitch Perfect: Now in its second season, the eco-friendly series is a proven hit in Europe with outstanding ratings. It is about every child’s dream: having a dolphin as a best friend! The young viewers plunge into an amazing natural world in this series full of comedy and danger, where adventure awaits at the tip of your diving fins.
Sales Contacts: Katharina Pietzsch, Director ZDFE.junior; Marei Bruckmann, Director ZDFE.junior; Jan-Frederik Maul, Director ZDFE.junior.