3-2-1 Penguins!
3-2-1 Penguins! is a sci-fi computer-animated children's television series, initially launched on November 14, 2000 as a direct-to-video episode. The series was originally produced direct-to-video similar to the Big Idea Entertainment's flagship title, VeggieTales, with videos released between 2000 and 2003. The direct-to-video series held the top spot on the Soundscan kid video sales charts for its first 18 weeks of release, was the #1 seller on Christian Booksellers Association's video list in 2001, and had sold 1.5 million videos as of February 2009.
The 3-2-1 Penguins television series appeared on the Qubo blocks on NBC, Ion Television and Telemundo as well as the Qubo channel. It ran for three seasons with the first season consisting entirely of television broadcasts of the six original home videos. 3-2-1 Penguins continued in reruns until 2014. The series was a top-ranked show on NBC's Qubo Saturday morning kids block in 2008.
Overview
Twins Jason and Michelle are spending summer with their British Grandmum in The Poconos region of Pennsylvania. Grandmum has a collection of kitschy ceramic figurines, the most prized of which is four penguins in a rocket ship. In the first video, the twins accidentally drop the ship, but instead of breaking, it flies into the air and reveals the four penguins are actually the crew of a real spaceship. One of the twins is then pulled into the ship, using the crew's Galeezle device, and taken on a galactic adventure. The adventure that ensues then ties into whatever moral dilemma that Jason and Michelle had struggled with in the show's opening scene. For example, in the debut episode, Trouble on Planet Wait-Your-Turn, the twins are struggling with taking turns playing a new video game and looking through their Granddad's telescope before Jason is transported to a whole planet of aliens who similarly have trouble taking turns.Characters
Main
- Zidgel: Voiced by Ron Wells and John Payne : The Rockhopper's captain and a king who appears to be a cross between James T. Kirk and Ted Baxter.
- Midgel and Paul Dobson : The Rockhopper's engineer and pilot. Midgel sometimes shouts "Banzai!" and pulls out a Bonsai tree to trim a branch before driving the ship.
- Fidgel: Voiced by Page H. Hearn and Lee Tockar : The doctor/scientist of the Rockhopper's crew. Many of his inventions are odd, but can also be useful such as the crew's object resizer gun, the Gleezle. From photos in the first episode, we see that Fidgel physically resembles Jason's and Michelle's grandpa, Grandmum's deceased husband.
- Kevin: Voiced by Ron Smith and Michael Donovan : While Kevin has no specific job on the ship other than cleaning, he is always ready to help when needed by the others. He also sometimes answers questions or solves problems without being aware of it.
- Jason Conrad and Quinn Lord : 7-year-old twin brother of Michelle who goes on adventures with the penguins.
- Michelle Conrad: 7-year-old twin sister of Jason who also goes with the penguins on some of their adventures. She is 5 minutes older than Jason and always wears pigtails in her hair. Michelle is voiced by Melissa Peterson and Claire Corlett.
- Grandmum: Voiced by Pamela Thomas, Annie Walker-Bright, Kymberly Mellen, and Ellen Kennedy : Jason and Michelle's blue-haired British grandmother who often gives them advice from "The Good Book".
Recurring
- Baron von Cavitus : Originally known as Bert Bertman, he was a classmate of Fidgel's back when they were students at the Academy. He is the inventor of the Galeezle. Having been made fun of because of being a hamster, he went bad and tried to take over the Academy and name himself Honorary Dean of Evil. Some time later he built himself a robot suit and attempted to take over the galaxy.
- Admiral Strap : The Penguin's commanding officer. As strict and militaristic as he seems, he has a soft spot for Michelle. In the original six videos, Admiral Strap is not seen and communicates to the penguins via fax machine. In the later shows, he interacts via speakerphone with the Penguins in order to give them their missions.
- Sol : A wise old bartender at the Comic Lounge and friend of Jason, Michelle and the penguins, whom he also advises.
Series overview
Episodes
Season 1 (2000–03)
The first season was only released on direct-to-video from November 14, 2000 to July 1, 2003, before broadcasting on Qubo from September 9, 2006 to December 2, 2006.Special (2006)
Season 2 (2007–08)
After airing the original videos as season, Big Idea released new stories that were first aired on television for Season 2 and 3.Season 3 (2008)
Broadcast
After originally being released exclusively on direct-to-home videos, 3-2-1 Penguins first aired on the Qubo blocks on NBC, Ion Television, and Telemundo, as well as on the Qubo channel with the airing of the original videos. This was soon followed with new episodes that debuted on television. The show has since aired on Trinity Broadcasting Network and its children's block Smile of a Child on Saturdays until 2018.Home media
The first six videos were released in direct-to-video format from November 14, 2000 to July 1, 2003 prior to debuting on the Qubo television block.The first DVD compilation of the TV series Save the Planets! was released on September 1, 2008, including three episodes from the second season "The Green-eyed Monster", "More is More" and "Give and Let Give". The second DVD compilation Blast in Space! was released on February 1, 2009, including three episodes from the second season "Wiki Tiki", "Lazy Daze" and "Compassion Crashin'". The third compilation Escape from Planet Hold-A-Grudge! was released on October 20, 2009, including three episodes from the third and final season "Do Unto Brothers", "Oh, Mercy!" and "Between an Asteroid and a Hard Place".
The first video, "Trouble on Planet Wait-Your-Turn", was released as a bonus episode in the two VeggieTales DVD re-issues of Lyle the Kindly Viking Special Edition and Where's God When I'm S-Scared? 15th Anniversary Collector's Edition. The fourth video, "Runaway Pride at Lightstation Kilowatt", was also released in the re-issue of King George and the Ducky Special Edition.
On September 18, 2012, a 2-disc complete DVD set contained thirteen episodes from the first two seasons.