Peter Rabbit (TV series)
Peter Rabbit is an internationally produced computer-animated animated television series for preschool children that debuted on Nick Jr. on December 14, 2012 in the United States and on the CBeebies channel and BBC One on December 25, 2012 in the United Kingdom. It is based on the character of the same name from Beatrix Potter's books for children. The series debuted on American TV and iTunes on December 14, 2012 with the pilot episode debuting as a Christmas holiday special, titled Peter Rabbit's Christmas Tale, and the show was becoming a regular series on February 19, 2013 in the USA. which was watched by three million viewers in the U.S. The first official DVD of Peter Rabbit was released on May 28, 2013, as a Walmart exclusive. it contains the programmes first eight episodes on a single disc. On October 11, 2013, Nickelodeon ordered a second series of 26 episodes. The series is also on the BBC Alba channel known as Peadar Kinnen.
A springtime holiday special episode, titled Peter Rabbit's Springtime Tale, aired on March 29, 2013 on iTunes in the USA. Season 1 concluded on October 7, 2014 with the second and obviously the final season airing for another year and a half until the show concluded on May 6, 2016, and there has no plans yet to continue the show since then. The programme ran for two series from 2012 to 2016 and was produced for Nickelodeon in the US by Brown Bag Films and Silvergate Media. The programme still airs reruns on CBeebies in the UK.
The series features and revolves around the titular character Peter Rabbit and his younger cousin Benjamin Bunny along with newcomer Lily Bobtail and Poppy Labrosse. The three rabbits experience many adventures in their woodland home across the lush Lake District: From daring radish raids in Mr. McGregor's garden to outwitting the wily fox Mr. Tod and the bumbling badger Tommy Brock to helping their family and friends solve all sorts of problems. The programme features educational goals that encourage preschoolers to learn problem-solving and interpersonal skills, self-efficacy, resilience, positive re-framing and fostering an interest in and respect for nature.
Synopsis
The programme follows mischievous, charming Peter Rabbit and his friends as he overcomes obstacles, outwits predators and avoids danger. Peter wants to grow up to be just like his late father and carries his journal on his adventures with his friends, Cousin Benjamin Bunny and new character Lily Bobtail, in the Lake District of northern England.Voice cast
US version
- Colin DePaula as Peter Rabbit
- L. Parker Lucas as Peter Rabbit
- Peter Steve Harris as Benjamin Bunny
- Michaela Dean as Lily Bobtail
- Kyle Massey as Squirrel Nutkin
- Stephanie Sheh and Katie L. Koslowski as Josephine Rabbit
- Megan Taylor Harvey as Flopsy, Mopsy
- Brittany Harms as Flopsy
- Sawyer Niehaus as Mittens and Mopsy
- Jenna Iacono and Aviella Kibel as Cottontail Rabbit
- JB Blanc as Tommy Brock, Mr. Bouncer, Ginger and Jack Sharp
- Mark A. Huckerby as Mr. Tod
- Dave B. Mitchell as Mr. McGregor and Old Brown
- Gwenfair Vaughan as Mrs. Tiggywinkle
- Sarah Bolt as Jemima Puddle-Duck and Mrs. Bobtail
- Katie Koslowski as Josephine Rabbit and Mrs. Bobtail
- Kirk Thornton as Jeremy Fisher and Pickles
- Shawn Curran as Sammy Whiskers and Dr. Warren Bobtail
- Spike Spencer as The Shrew and Felix
- Joshua Colley as Pig Robinson
- David McCamley
- Dino Athanassiou
- Cole Meyer Carandang
- Jennifer Fox
UK version
- Connor Fitzgerald and Harry Henty as Peter Rabbit
- Harriet Perring Poppy Labrosse as Lily Bobtail
- Danny Price as Benjamin Bunny
- Nigel Pilkington as Squirrel Nutkin
- Mark A. Huckerby as Mr. Tod
- JB Blanc as Tommy Brock
- Dave B. Mitchell as Mr. McGregor, Old Brown
- Joshua Colley as Pig Robinson
- Gwenfair Vaughan as Mrs. Tiggywinkle
- Justin P.G. Trefgarne as The Shrew, Dr. Warren Bobtail
- Roger May as Jack-Black
- Gemma Harvey as Wow-Wow The Sly Shrew
- Sophie Aldred
- Emma Tate
- Dan Chambers as Jeremy Fisher, Ginger and Pickles, Jack Sharp
- Laurence Kennedy
- Sophia Waterton as Mittens
Characters
Main
- Peter Rabbit – The main protagonist of the series. A mischievous, curious, quick-witted, street smart, imaginative and adventurous young rabbit. Unlike the character from the books, this version of Peter Rabbit lacks shoes. He also can be very hot-headed. He is likely that he has a crush on Lily. Peter's catchphrase is "a good rabbit never gives up!"
- Benjamin Bunny – Peter's cousin who joins him on his adventures. Unlike the character from the books, this Benjamin is shorter and younger than Peter. He is also portrayed as being cowardly, wimpy, clumsy, hungry and clueless but also very good-natured, loyal, and kind. Benjamin's catchphrase is "rabbits are brave, rabbits are brave..."
- Lily Bobtail – Peter and Benjamin's quick-witted female best friend and Peter's girlfriend who carries many useful objects in her pocket. Unlike cousins Peter and Benjamin who were based on the books by Beatrix Potter, Lily is a newcomer who was created by the production team for the series. She has a crush on Peter. Lily's catchphrase is "I know that for a fact!"
- Mr. Tod – The main antagonist of the series. A red fox who consistently fails to hunt down, capture, and devour the protagonists and other supporting characters.
- Squirrel Nutkin – A short-tailed squirrel and the leader of the squirrels' tribe. He is Peter's squirrel friend who saves Peter whenever he gets captured by Mr. Tod. His tail was cut off by Old Brown.
- Josephine Rabbit– Widow of Mr. Rabbit. Mother of Peter, Cotton-tail, Flopsy and Mopsy. Aunt of Benjamin. Sister of Mr. Bouncer. and Kate Koslowski
- Flopsy and Mopsy – Peter and Cotton-Tail's older, ignorant, arrogant, bossy and smug twin sisters. Benjamin's twin cousins. and Brittany Harms and Sawyer Niehaus, respectively
- Cottontail – Peter, Flopsy and Mopsy's baby sister. Benjamin's youngest cousin. and Aviella Kibel
- Mr. Bouncer – Benjamin's single father. Uncle of Peter, Cotton-tail, Flopsy and Mopsy. Brother of Josephine. Brother-in-law of Mr. Rabbit. He likes to invent many things.
Supporting
- Jeremy Fisher – A frog that Peter, Benjamin, and Lily accidentally cause trouble for on occasion. He enjoys fishing and was friend with Peter's father. He has a huge passion for music.
- Jemima Puddle-Duck – A kind yet very simple-minded duck that knows Peter and his friends well.
- Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle – A hedgehog, washerwoman and one of the many townspeople Peter interacts with. She speaks with an Irish accent.
- Ginger and Pickles – A cat and dog who run the village shop. Pickles is quite gruff while Ginger is a bit more respectful of their customer..
- Mr. McGregor – A human farmer whose vegetables are the target of Peter. His face is kept hidden from the picture. He is portrayed as an old man who gets winded often. Also, he speaks with a Scottish accent.
- Tommy Brock – An irritable badger that finds Peter and his friends obnoxious when they wake him up or disturb his possessions.
- Old Brown – A short-tempered owl that wants nothing but silence. Thus, he would attack anyone who makes a sound within his vicinity. He constantly chases after Nutkin for disrupting the peace.
- Samuel Whiskers – A rat who's full name is Samuel Jeremiah Bartholomew Edmond Cornelius Whiskers. He is always after an easy meal, preferably cakes and baked sweets and often attempts to steal food from the other characters.
- Dr. Warren Bobtail – Lily's father. The Rabbits' family doctor, he has a strong sense of smell.
- Mrs. Bobtail – Warren's wife and Lily's mother.
- Pig Robinson – A friendly pig that lives on a farm with his best friend Mittens. He loves to paint on his easel and tries mostly to befriend everyone he meets.
- Mittens – A young cat that lives on a farm with her best friend Pig Robinson. While somewhat hostile to Lily, Peter, and Benjamin at first, she eventually warms up to them. She is aggressive to Samuel Whiskers and abhorred the idea of Tommy Brock moving in her farm.
- Mr. Tolly – A tortoise, that, over his many years, has acquainted with many of Peter Rabbit's friends, enemies, as well as Peter's father with whom he went on many adventures with alongside Jeremy Fisher and Mr Bouncer.
- Jack Sharp – A three-spined stickleback that once knew Mr. Rabbit. Often fights with Jeremy Fisher.
- The Shrew – A shrew whose territory possesses a bountiful field of dandelions, which he guards against Peter Rabbit, or any other rabbit. He once tracked down Peter to his burrow to demand the return of dandelions picked by Peter and his friends. He is the object of Cotton-tail's affection, much to his dismay.
- The Tittlemouse siblings – Albert, Louisa and Stanley are two brothers and one sister mice siblings that are always trying to survive.
Episodes
Series overview
Season 1 (2012–2014)
Season 2 (2014–2016)
Broadcast
Presently, it is airing in Canada on Treehouse TV which also has games. In the United Kingdom, it currently airs on CBeebies.DVD release
Peter Rabbit: Season One was released on October 8, 2015 exclusively at Amazon.com. This release contains 4 discs. It is published on demand onto DVD-Rs.Reception
The series was met with mostly positive reviews."Peter Rabbit's Christmas Tale", drew 3 million total viewers and ranked as the number-one program with K2-5 and K2-11 across all TV in its time period. It was also the top-rated and most-watched preschool telecast for the week, posting double and triple-digit gains over last year with K2-5 and K2-11 ; and A18-49, making it the week's top preschool telecast.
According to 'By The Numbers', Nickelodeon's brand-new animated series Peter Rabbit hopped to the top of the charts, with its Tuesday, Feb 19 premiere, which delivered 1.7 million total viewers. The new CG-animated series was also basic cable's top telecast in its time period with K2-5, A18-49, W18-49 and total viewers, posting double-digit gains for the net with K2-5, A18-49, W18-49 and total viewers.
CBeebies broadcasts of the programme have been equally successful with the broadcast on Christmas morning 2012 on BBC1 earning it the highest ratings on any channel in that timeslot.
At the 2014 Emmy Awards, the programme earned three daytime Emmys and scored another five nominations, earning the most nominations for an animated programme that year.