Vorlage:About Vorlage:Infobox Television WordGirl is an American children’s animated television series for children aged 6-12, produced by the Soup2Nuts animation unit of Scholastic Entertainment for PBS Kids. The show began as a series of shorts that premiered on PBS Kids GO! on November 10, 2006, usually shown at the end of Maya & Miguel; the segment was then spun off into a new thirty-minute episodic series that premiered on September 3, 2007 on most Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member stations. This animated show is aimed at people seven and older and is designed to teach about the expansive English language and its vocabulary. This is also the second (The first was Liberty's Kids) PBS Kids program to have a TV-Y7 rating.[1] The first two seasons each have twenty-six episodes; on June 10, 2009 it was announced that a third season was ordered, and it began airing on many PBS stations August 23, 2010, consisting of an additional twenty-six episodes. The show has been renewed for three additional seasons in August of 2010.[2]
The show is also seen on some educational networks in Canada, including Knowledge in British Columbia and TVOntario. The program is also syndicated internationally in places such as Australia and Italy, and also airs on Discovery Kids Latin America. The Spanish version is called "Chica Supersabia" (Super-wise girl) and it is translated and dubbed in Caracas, Venezuela, and the Brazilian version is called "Garota Supersábia". There's a Catalan version called "La Súper Mots" and a Portuguese version called "Super Sabina". The show, however, has not been well-received in Latin America and Brazil, where many parents have stated that the show is too violent and inappropriate for Discovery Kids' preschool audience. [3][4]
Background
The show's creator, Dorothea Gillim, believes that children's shows often underestimate children's intelligence: Vorlage:Cquote[5][6]
Each eleven-minute segment in each episode (except for the first three episodes) begins with verbal instructions to listen for two words that will be used throughout the plot of that episode. The words (examples include “diversion,” “cumbersome,” and “idolize”) are chosen according to academic guidelines. The reasoning is that children can understand words like “cumbersome” when told that it means “big and heavy and awkward.”[5]
News anchor Jim Lehrer agreed to do a mock interview with WordGirl. Jack D. Ferraiolo, who developed the series with Gillim and served as the series' head writer in Season One, received an Emmy for his work on WordGirl.[7]
Plot
The series stars WordGirl, an alien with superpowers whose (inexplicably) secret identity is Becky Botsford, a 10½ year old fifth grade student. WordGirl was born on the fictional planet Lexicon (also a term referring to the vocabulary of a language or to a dictionary) but was sent away after sneaking onto a spaceship and sleeping there. Captain Huggy Face, a monkey who was a pilot in the Lexicon Air Force, piloted the ship, but lost control when WordGirl awoke, and crash-landed on Earth (more specifically in Fair City), a planet that affords WordGirl her superpowers, including flight and super strength. WordGirl utilizes these powers to save her adoptive home, using her downed spacecraft as a secret base of operations. WordGirl and Captain Huggy Face fight crime together.
WordGirl was adopted and provided an alter ego by Tim and Sally Botsford, who gave her the name Becky. While in her alter ego, she has a younger brother, TJ, obsessed with WordGirl, but still unknowingly a typical sibling rival to Becky. The Botsford family keeps Captain Huggy Face as a pet, naming him Bob. Becky attends Woodview Elementary School, where she is close friends with Violet Heaslip and has a crush on school newspaper reporter Todd “Scoops” Ming.
WordGirl tries to balance her superhero activities with her "normal" life. Doing battle with a rather odd grouping of villains, such as the Butcher, who can call into existence most any type of meat; senior citizen Granny May, with her knitting needles and projectile yarn; her former friend Professor Steven Boxleitner, who became the evil Dr. Two Brains thanks to an albino mouse fusing his brain with the animal; ten-year-old genius and colossal robot builder Tobey McCalister; and The Whammer, who speaks by interjecting the word "wham" in the most inopportune sentences. At the same time, she must worry about maintaining her second life as Becky, keeping people from discovering the truth and living normal family situations and later on the show There will be some Gunfire and Dead Bodies but No Blood Because this is a Kid show and Wordgirl Will be Torcherd By Lexinite Some of the Young viewers Will Be frighten by this Momment.
Format
Often, short animated segments are shown in between and at the end of episodes. "What's Your Favorite Word?", ostensibly hosted by Todd "Scoops" Ming, is a series of vox populi interviews asking random children what their favorite words are and why. A short game show segment called "May I Have A Word?" airs following each eleven-minute segment. This segment features the game show host, Beau Handsome, asking three contestants the definition of a particular word. Yet another segment features the interstitials announcer (Rodger Parsons) asking Captain Huggy Face for a visual demonstration of a certain word (such as "pensive" or "flummoxed"). When Captain Huggy Face correctly demonstrates the meaning of the word, a definition is given, followed by a victory dance by the chimp sidekick.
Companion Website
The companion site to WordGirl lives on PBS Kids, and was built by interactive firm Big Bad Tomato. It contains vocabulary-building games, a section where children can submit their favorite word, a video page with clips from the show, a "Heroes and Villains" section with character biographies and activities, and a PBS Parents section with episode guides, lessons, a site map, and more activities to play at home.
Characters and voice cast (2007-present)
| Cast | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voice Actor | Character(s) | |||||||
| Dannah Phirman | Becky Botsford/WordGirl, Clair McCalister, Edith von Hoosinghaus, Chuck's mom, Iris, Lily, Wordgirl Doll, Audience Member #1, Toddler additional voices SuperNova{Aka Super Lexicoian} | |||||||
| Chris Parnell | The Narrator, Exposition Guy, Police Officer, Cab Driver, Audience Member 1, Parent Gallery Member #1 additional voices | |||||||
| Tom Kenny | Dr. Two-Brains, TJ Botsford, Two-Brains' Henchman #1, Warden Chalmers, Brent the Handsome Successful Everybody-Loves-Him Sandwich Guy, Phil, Truck Driver, News Reporter, Shoe Salesman, additional voices | |||||||
| Cree Summer | Granny May, Bingo Announcer, additional voices | |||||||
| Patton Oswalt | Theodore "Tobey" McCalister III, robots, additional voices | |||||||
| Fred Stoller | Chuck the Evil Sandwich Making Guy | |||||||
| Gilbert Gotfried | Larry Laffer! | |||||||
| Jack D. Ferraiolo | The Butcher | |||||||
| Pamela Adlon | Eileen, a.k.a. The Birthday Girl, additional voices | |||||||
| Nika Futterman | Alex Cahill | |||||||
| Maria Bamford | Violet Heaslip, Sally Botsford, Leslie the Assistant, additional voices | |||||||
| Ryan Raddatz | Tim Botsford, Todd "Scoops" Ming, Beau Handsome, additional voices | |||||||
| Tim Conway | Bampy Botsford | |||||||
| Mike O’Connell | Bill the Grocery Store Manager, Big Left Hand Guy, additional voices | |||||||
| Elliott Gould | The Masked Meat Marauder | |||||||
| Bobcat Goldthwait | Victor Petrnco | |||||||
| Ned Bellamy | The Coach | |||||||
| Brian Posehn | Glen Furlblam | |||||||
| James Adomian | Captain Huggy Face/Bob (script readings), Robber, The Candlestick Maker, Security Guard, Curator, Raul Demiglasse, Hunter Throbheart, Robber #1, additional voices | |||||||
| H. Jon Benjamin | Reginald, InvisiBill, Jewelry Store Clerk (first voice) additional voices | |||||||
| Ron Lynch | The Mayor, additional voices | |||||||
| Jeffrey Tambor | Mr. Big, Old Woman, Old Man | |||||||
| Larry Murphy | The Amazing Rope Guy, TV Reporter, Dave, Principal, Mr.Best, Used Car Salesman (second voice), Mailman, additional voices | |||||||
| John C. McGinley | The Whammer and an Insane Criminal Named Victor zazz | |||||||
| Amanda Plummer | Beatrice Bixby / Lady Redundant Woman (first voice) | |||||||
| Grey DeLisle | Beatrice Bixby/Lady Redundant Woman (second voice), Ms. Question, Mrs. Ripley, Host additional voices lady Adelace | |||||||
| Rose Abdoo | Great Granny May | |||||||
| Darran Norris | Seymour Orlando Smooth, Nocan the Contrarian | |||||||
| Mike Phirman | The Narrator's Brother | |||||||
| Peter Graves | Mr. Callihan | |||||||
| James Mathis | Tiny Big, additional voices | |||||||
| Ed Asner | Kid Potato, The Butcher's father | |||||||
| Jen Cohn | Bank Teller (first voice), Rich Old Lady, Ms. Champlain | |||||||
| Stephanie Sheh | Bank Teller (second voice), Lill Mittens, additional voices | |||||||
| Robin Reed | Ms. Libri, the bookstore owner | |||||||
| Judy Greer | Ms Dewey, the librarian | |||||||
| Andy Dick | Milt (Ms. Dewey's assistant) | |||||||
| Nick Kroll | Ruben Grinder | |||||||
| Wayne Knight | Police Commissioner Watson with a new do (second voice), Customer #1, additional voices | |||||||
| Brian Doyle-Murray | Police Officer, Person #1 | |||||||
| Jim Gaffigan | Mr. Dudley | |||||||
| Matt Besser | Zachry Zany, Male News Anchorman, Lead Deriver, additional voices | |||||||
| Rodger Parsons | Interstitials Announcer (uncredited) | |||||||
| Danielle Schneider | Female News Anchorwoman, Crowd Member, News Caster, additional voices | |||||||
| William Mapother | Guy Rich | |||||||
| Kristen Schaal | Victoria Best, additional voices Lexicoian Soldier #3 | |||||||
| John Henson | Captain Tangent | |||||||
| Amy Sedaris | Ms. Davis, additional voices | |||||||
| Orlando Brown | Tommy "His Dishonor" | |||||||
| Kelly Miyahara | Emily | |||||||
| Kevin Nealon | Lexicoian Soldier #1 | |||||||
| Kevin McDonald | Vocab Bee, PoliceChief, Judge, The Baker, Hippyman, Magic Pony | |||||||
| Wayne Knight | Police Commissioner Watson (first voice) | |||||||
| Frank Welker | Prof. Robert Doohickey | |||||||
| Jill Talley | Babysitter | |||||||
| Elisabeth Abbot | Dress Shop Owner | |||||||
| Chris Williams | Judge | |||||||
| Jack Ferraiolo | The Genreral | |||||||
| Sergio Cilli | Royal Dandy, Lolipop Man | |||||||
| Jane Lynch | Ms. Powers | |||||||
| Judah Friedlander | Sub Commander | |||||||
| Rachel Dratch | Lt. Jenkins | |||||||
| Stephen Root | Lt. Johnson | |||||||
| Dana Snyder | Major Kensel | |||||||
| Kristen Wiig | Pastor Bibble | |||||||
| Gary Anthony Williams | SGT. Botsford | |||||||
| Janie Haddad | Lexicoian Commander | |||||||
| Paul F. Thompkins | Lexicoian Soldier #2 | |||||||
| Dee Bradley Baker | The father | |||||||
| Lauren Tom | BJ Simmins | |||||||
| John O'Hurley | Doheney! | |||||||
| French Stewart | Max Winnterson CEO of Lexicon Command | |||||||
| David Kaufman | Caption Tangart | |||||||
| Chris Hardwick | Duke Nukem | |||||||
| Kari Wahlgren | Sora | |||||||
| Eric Bauza | James Botsford | |||||||
| Kathy Najimy | Johesp Allen | |||||||
| Mark Hamill | L.T.A Soldier | |||||||
| John Gemberling | caption Deathshead L.T.A Corpal | |||||||
| Rachael Harris | Karrie Tangart Sister Of wordgirl and KC Tangart | |||||||
| Maile Flanagan | Shadowrever Leader of the L.T.A | |||||||
Wordgirl hero of lexicon Caption huggyface Not so much Violet Beckys freind Villians Two Brains Mr Big Chuck Tobey Granny may Lady Redundant woman Ms Question Whammer and Buthcer and #1 Villain From Lexicon Leader of the L.T.A shadowrever. And the botsford Family Tim sally and TJ
External links
References
- ↑ PBS Kids Programs - WordGirl
- ↑ Cluster of Animation Studios Grows Up Around Watertown, The Boston Globe 5 September 2010
- ↑ http://comunidad.tudiscoverykids.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/123101243/m/790100994 Discovery Kids LA community forum: WordGirl = inappropiate for small children (in Spanish)
- ↑ http://comunidade.discoverykidsbrasil.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/139100243/m/358103994 Discovery Kids Brazil community forum: Post of complaints against WordGirl (in Portuguese)
- ↑ a b Elizabeth Jensen: A New Heroine’s Fighting Words. The New York Times, 2. September 2007, abgerufen am 23. Juni 2008.
- ↑ Aaron H. Bynum: 'The Adventures of WordGirl' Animation Emerges on PBS Kids. Animation Insider, 18. Juni 2007, abgerufen am 25. Juni 2008.
- ↑ Johannah Spero: Local man lands Emmy for ‘WordGirl’. In: Wicked Local Newburyport/The Newburyport Current. GateHouse Media, Inc., 18. Juni 2008, abgerufen am 23. Juni 2008.