Tag: Jim Henson Company

The Doozers Debuts on Hulu + Giveaway

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

If you’re a huge fan of furry, cute monsters like I am, then surely, you’re a fan of Fraggle Rock.  From the imagination of Jim Henson, the Fraggles was a hit show from the 80s that followed the world of their name sake.  It was a musical, muppet-centric world that made many, many children happy!

And from the Fraggles, several characters emerged as cult faves.  One of the all-time favorites were certainly the Doozers, who are all set for a modern reboot with a new preschool show on Hulu.  

Doozers Poster

If you know anything about the Doozers, they’re all about construction and doing things together with their crew. They’re doers and put ideas into motion. The Doozers focuses on four little Doozers, dubbed the Pod Squad, who are a group of best buds who play together and share a love of inventing.

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 We had a first look, and so far, we’re loving what we’re seeing.  It doesn’t appear as though there’s a curriculum, but the show is fun, fluid and engaging.  I love the vibrant colors, helpful interaction and relatable language. I can’t wait to see what sort of things Spike, Molly, Bolt, Flex, and Daisy Wheel get into on The Doozers. 

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 A few years ago when The Doozers first hit the tv radar, I reported about the news of this upcoming show.  It sounds like that show was a totally different premise, but I’m just glad The Doozers show came into fruition, and I just love that they landed over at Hulu.  I appreciate that The Doozers are a Hulu Plus exclusive; this brings a new dynamic to subscription-based viewing for families, and one that I’m thrilled to see expand.  

The Doozers is a Hulu Original produced by The Jim Henson Company and DHX Media.  The Doozers launched last week with seven episodes on Hulu Plus, followed by a cycle of three more new episodes every third Friday.  

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Giveaway

In honor of the Doozer debut, we’re giving away a 3-month subscription to Hulu.  Just comment to let me know why you’re excited about the Doozers on Hulu.  I’ll pick one winner at random at the end of the week!

 

Watch Doozers on Hulu at http://hulu.tv/i7M

 check out the trailer right here:

 

Dinosaur Train Introduces New Episode and Giveaway

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s a chugging kind of day; I’ve got lots of cool train-related news today.

To start off, Buddy and crew are welcoming the new year with a new Dinosaur Train episode.  The Jim Henson Company property that follows a Buddy the dinosaur, along with his family and friends on their train adventures, is chugging along with a new episode called “The Good Mom;” “Diamond Anniversary.”

In the new episode, Mrs. Pteranodon meets fellow mom Millie Maiasaura, who hovers a bit over her kids. The moms share some mothering methods in a play date at the Big Pond.  And, Mr. and Mrs. Pteranodon decide to surprise each other with gifts on their anniversary.

The new episode can be viewed on PBSkids.com, so be sure to check it out if you missed it.

As fans of both trains and dinosaurs, Dinosaur Train, which airs on PBS, is one of our all around favorites.  We’ve been tracking Dinosaur Train’s adventures way before the very first episode even aired.  Dinosaur Train has been so well received, like many popular shows, licensed toys and products have followed suit.  I love Learning Curve’s Dinosaur Train toys and can’t wait to see what’s up next toy-wise.

But toys aren’t the only Dinosaur Train products worth checking out:  There’s a new line of pjs that are now available at Kohl’s, ideal for this frigid weather.  The Dinosaur Train Striped Footed Pajamas feature a dinosaur appliques and a striped pattern, and I’ve got one to give away.

Giveaway

Would you like to win a size 3t Dinosaur Train Striped Footed Pajamas?  Just tell me why you and your kid(s) like the show and comment below.

Want additional entries?

Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to @jenrab

Follow The Jim Henson Company on Facebook and tell them The Next Kid Thing sent you.

Comment on the NKT FB post associated with this giveaway!

Share this giveaway on any social networking site.

Please comment below for all entries.  This giveaway will end 1/25 at 11:59 p.m. and is available for U.S. residents.  All giveaway winners will be contacted via email, so please be sure to include a valid email address.

First Look: the New Muppets Movie

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Walt Disney Studios are whetting our appetites with some new Muppets awesomeness.  The studios released this teaser and promotional image for the upcoming Muppets movie, which How I Met Your Mother star, Jason Segel co-wrote and is also the star.

What I love most about this image is the action and emotion that’s going on—all at once.  (They’re Muppets, I know.)  The teaser image is sort of Da Vinci-like with its storytelling, yet so indicative of the creativity and eclecticism of  the Jim Henson Studios. The guy holding the iPhone is my favorite.

The working title of the new Muppets movie is called, “The Greatest Muppet Movie of All Time.”  The way Segal and co-writer, Nick Stoller, made us laugh in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and with the new Muppets’ movie’s interesting storyline, plus all of the rumored cameos, will this new Muppets Movie live up to its title?

Here’s a cool quote from Stoller that first appeared in an interview elsewhere:

Basically, we’re gonna do an old school Muppet movie, where the Muppets have to put on a show to save the studio. It’s very simple. A big part of the movie is rounding up all the Muppets from around the world, because they’ve all been separated. So it’s collecting them and bringing them together to put on this big show. It should hearken back to Great Muppet Caper and Muppets Take Manhattan and those kinds of Muppet movies. Jason and I are having a lot of fun writing it. We want to get as many cameos and guest stars as possible. Jason will play a human ventriloquist, and his puppet is alive and wants to be a Muppet.

The Muppets are coming to a theater near you, but unfortunately, we’ll have to wait another year..  The beloved Muppets are set to release this new film during the 2011 holiday season.

Credit: Muppetwiki

Great DVDs for Preschoolers

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The next installment of the Next Kid Thing Gift Glossary is all about DVDs for toddler and preschoolers.  I’m all about less is more when it comes to tv watching, dvds and video games, especially for the smaller kids.  But a great show on DVD is often what separates me from getting dinner cooked without a meltdown.  So, here are a few dvd picks for preschoolers (and even one for toddlers) that are entertaining for everyone.

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All aboard the Dinosaur Train

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The Dinosaur Train, a new tv series for preschoolers from the Jim Henson Company, is set to debut on September 7 on PBS Kids, just in time for the new school year. The CGI-animated series, aimed at 3-6 year olds, will combine two preschoolers’ favorites—trains and dinosaurs—while encouraging interest in science, specifically natural history and paleontology.

dtrainThe Dinosaur Train’s premise follows Buddy, who is adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Pteranodon, and brought to their nest to hatch at the same time as his new siblings, Tiny, Shiny and Don. The show will follow the family’s adventures as they travel around in the Dinosaur Train checking out the prehistoric world and learning about other dinosaurs along the way.

This isn’t the Jim Henson Company’s first foray with CGI animation.  In fact,buddy perhaps one of their most notable new shows, the parent and kid favorite, Sid the Science Kid, is a CGI-animated show that focuses on science, and was recently nominated for 2009 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program.
If the popularity of the Emmy-nominated Sid the Science Kid is any indication, I have a feeling that The Dinosaur Train will be a another big hit and a great natural history-focused addition in the educational media sector.

The full website is expected to launch in August, but in the meantime, be sure to meet Buddy and the gang on The Dinosaur Train’s preliminary website.

Photo credit: PBS