Fresh Beat Band of Spies
Fresh Beat Band of Spies is a 2015-2016 American-Canadian musical animated children's television series originally airing on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. It was created by Nadine Van der Velde and Scott Kraft. It is a spin-off of Nickelodeon's The Fresh Beat Band. 20 episodes were produced. Despite being a spin-off, this series is not part of the original show's canon.
Plot
The Fresh Beat Band, now a group of spies, solve wacky mysteries in their town using their individual talents and cool gadgets.Characters
Main
- Twist – A comedic disc jockey whose day job is as the manager of the Pet Daycare Center.
- Kiki – The band's lead guitarist and lead singer who owns a local hair salon.
- Shout – An athletic keyboardist who is also the lifeguard at a nearby swimming pool.
- Marina – The brainy drummer of the spy team who is the chemist for a cupcake bakery.
- Bo Monkey – Twist's best friend, a monkey who helps him operate the pet center.
- Reed – A bespectacled computer specialist who provides the Fresh Beats with gadgets. He tends to suddenly appear out of nowhere, due to hiding in or behind various objects.
- Commissioner Goldstar – The chief of police who appears at the end of every episode, normally to congratulate the spies on their successes.
Recurring
- Champ Von Champ Von Winnerchamp – A muscular recurring villain who steals & cheats for various objects, such as trophies, wrestling belts and party supplies. He speaks with a German accent and is assisted by his own cheer squad for stealing stuff.
- Lily – Commissioner Goldstar's niece and a good friend of the Fresh Beats. She has a pet dog named Goldie and plays on Shout's baseball team.
- Lil Piggie – A pig with a hot pink mohawk and one of the many animals living at Twist's pet center. He is a friend of the Fresh Beats.
- Captain Arrrgh – A singing pirate who steals treasure with the help of his chicken, Poulet, and his second-in-command, First Mate.
- Yi-Haw – A cowgirl and outlaw who wishes to surpass her outlaw ancestor by stealing buildings from all over town.
Production
Episodes
Broadcast
Fresh Beat Band of Spies premiered in the United States on June 15, 2015 and continues to be shown in reruns on both Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. It was first shown on Nickelodeon Canada on September 1, 2015. It also aired on Treehouse TV. The series debuted on Nick Jr. in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on January 11, 2016, in Italy on January 18, 2016, in the Middle East and North Africa on January 25, 2016, and in Australia on February 1, 2016. The series premiered on Nick Jr. UK on February 6, 2016. Channel 5 – Milkshake! premiered the show in 2017.The show went off the air on Nick Jr. after August 7, 2017, but returned to the channel on July 3, 2018, before it went off the air again after September 3, 2018. It returned to Nick Jr. again on March 26, 2019 before it went off the air for the third time after September 2, 2019. It returned to Nick Jr. again for the fourth time on December 17, 2019 before it went off the air again after February 3, 2020.
Reception
Critical response
The series has received generally positive reviews from critics. Common Sense Media reviewer Emily Ashby gave the show four out of five stars, praising the show's use of "quirky villains" rather than "real scares." In October 2018, USA Today listed the series as one of the twenty-five best family programs of the year.Accolades
The episode "Singing Pirate" was nominated for "Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production" in the 43rd Annie Awards. The series was also the recipient of a 2019 Parents' Choice Award.| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Refs |
| 2019 | 43rd Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production | Ernie Gilbert | ||
| 2019 | Parents' Choice Awards | "Fun Stuff" Award | Nickelodeon |