Nickelodeon Previews New Content Pipeline for 2014-2015 Season at Annual Upfront Presentation
Nick to Add 10 New Series to Schedule, with Content Spanning Every Genre, Every Platform
Network Unveils Plans for Brand-New, Live Tent-Pole Event, Kids'
Host/Executive Producer Michael
Strahan Details Show Slated for 3Q 2014
Upfront Presentation Capped by Special Musical Performance
from
Five-Time Grammy Nominee Sara Bareilles
"Our mission has been to create and deliver funny content that will resonate with today's kids, and we are well-positioned to do that through our schedule of fresh hits, a deep pipeline of new series, tent-pole events, ratings momentum and innovation on all platforms," said Zarghami. "Nickelodeon is a magnet for creative people and projects, and we're incredibly excited about the new pool of talent we're bringing to our audience in front of and behind the camera."
The network's creative energy has been buoyed by its relevance to today's new generation of kids and its ongoing research into the audience's tastes and perspectives. Kids today are markedly different from other generations in that they are extremely close to their parents, with 80% wanting even more time spent with them and 93% citing their moms as the people they trust most. Nine in 10 kids say they are happy, and 96% believe they can accomplish anything if they work hard enough. They believe that being different is more important than fitting in, and most (80%) would choose being really smart over being really good looking. They also highly value being funny, ranking laughter as more important than vacation, family meals and holidays.
"Comedy is what today's kids want above all else, and it's what they
expect from Nickelodeon," added
Across every genre—animation, live action, preschool and events—and for every platform, Nickelodeon's pipeline of new content includes:
ANIMATION:
-
Bad Seeds (26 episodes) - Harvey, a sweet and
well-meaning bird, makes two new best friends, Fee and Foo, the
wildest imps in the forest. Although their friendship seems unlikely,
their connection only grows as they push each other out of their
comfort zones and into endless adventures. Created, written and
directed by
C.H. Greenblatt (SpongeBob SquarePants, Chowder). -
Pig Goat Banana Cricket (26 episodes) - This show
features a series of absurd interwoven stories about four friends and
roommates, Pig (the fool), Goat (the artist), Banana (the wise-guy)
and Cricket (the brain). The series is created by
Dave Cooper and J. Ryan, and executive produced byDavid Sacks (The Simpsons, Regular Show) who co-writes withJ. Ryan . Cooper also art directs the series and the pilot was directed by independent animatorNick Cross . -
Welcome to the Wayne (6 episodes) - Launching on
the Emmy Award-winning
Nick App , Welcome to the Wayne, is a comedy following the adventures of two 10-year-old boysOlly Timbers andAnsi Molina as they explore their crazy apartment building, the Wayne. The series was created and written byBilly Lopez (The Wonder Pets!). - The network will also roll out new episodes of returning hit animated series, including, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sanjay and Craig, Breadwinners, Rabbids and The Fairly OddParents for the 2014-15 season.
LIVE ACTION:
-
Henry Danger (20 episodes) - Created and written by hitmakerDan Schneider (iCarly, Sam &Cat ) andDana Olsen (George of the Jungle, Inspector Gadget), this brand-new crime-fighting comedy features 13-year-old Henry (Jace Norman ) who lands a part-time job as Danger Boy, a sidekick-in-training to super crime fighter Captain Man (Cooper Barnes , The Perfect Host). Their colorful adventures throw Henry's otherwise ordinary life absurdly out of balance, yet he must keep his new job a secret from his best friends Charlotte (Riele Downs, The Best Man Holiday) and Jasper (Sean Ryan Fox ). -
Bella and the Bullfrogs (12 episodes) - This new
live-action comedy follows a perky head cheerleader named Bella (
Brec Bassinger , The Haunted Hathaways) whose life inTexas takes an unexpected twist when she becomes the new quarterback for her school's team the Bullfrogs. Bella is joined by "The Troy" (Coy Stewart , Are We There Yet?), the Bullfrogs' dethroned quarterback along with his pint-sized sidekick, Newt (Buddy Handleson , Wendell & Vinnie). Rounding out the cast are Lilimar Hernandez as Bella's cheerleader best friend, Sophie, andJackie Radinsky as true southern cowboy, Sawyer. The series is written byGabriel Garza andJonathan Butler (The Haunted Hathaways, Fanboy & Chum Chum), who were discovered through Nickelodeon's Writing Program.Jeff Bushell will serve as Executive Producer. -
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn (13 episodes) - Created
by
Matt Fleckenstein (iCarly, Victorious, Drake & Josh) and executive produced by Fleckenstein andMichael Feldman (See Dad Run), this new half-hour comedy is the story of a 10-year-old girlDawn Haley (Lizzy Greene ) whose sibling rivalry with her three brothers is heightened by the fact that they are quadruplets.Aidan Gallagher (Modern Family) plays the germaphobic Nicky, joined byCasey Simpson (The Goldbergs) as the overachieving, Ricky; andMace Coronel (Bold and the Beautiful) as the pint-sized ladies' man, Dicky.Brian Stepanek (Two and a Half Men) andAllison Munn (What I Like About You) star as the Haley parents. -
Nickelodeon will also premiere new episodes of its hit live-action lineup, including Sam &Cat , The Haunted Hathaways and The Thundermans. -
Moving to Thursday nights this quarter, to provide a family hour of
viewing, are the network's two original sitcoms: Instant Mom
and See Dad Run. These two popular shows are among a hit
lineup of modern family sitcoms like Yes, Dear, My Wife and
Kids, The Nanny and
George Lopez .-
Instant Mom stars
Tia Mowry-Hardrict (Tia & Tamera) as Stephanie, a party girl who trades in Cosmos for carpools when she marries Charlie (Michael Boatman, Spin City), who already has three kids.Sheryl Lee Ralph (Moesha) stars as Stephanie's mother Maggie. Instant Mom is executive-produced byHoward Michael Gould andAaron Kaplan . -
See Dad Run is executive produced by and stars
Scott Baio who playsDavid Hobbs , an actor who becomes a stay-at-home father while his soap star wife (Alanna Ubach , Legally Blonde) makes her return to the limelight.Mark Curry (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) also stars. The series, shot on the formerHappy Days stage inLos Angeles , is created/executive produced byTina Albanese and Patrick Labyorteaux, with executive producersNat Bernstein andMitchel Katlin serving as showrunners.Eric Bischoff andJason Hervey also serve as executive producers through their production companyBischoff Hervey Entertainment (BHE).
-
Instant Mom stars
PRESCHOOL:
-
Dora and Friends: Into the City! (20 episodes) - Dora
and Friends: Into the City! is a brand-new animated preschool
series featuring the iconic character Dora in new adventures, with new
friends and a new interactive curriculum. The series is set in a
fictional, pan-Latino city, where Dora is 10 years old, in school and
at the center of a peer group that works together to give back to the
community—having both real-life and magical adventures along the way.
As always, Dora is an adventurer, a good friend and problem-solver. Dora
and Friends helps teach Spanish and introduces new educational
areas to the curriculum, including social-emotional skills like
community service and peer relationships. Dora and Friends is
created by
Chris Gifford andValerie Walsh Valdes (Dora the Explorer), and will launch late-summer onNickelodeon . -
Blaze and the Monster Machines (20 episodes) - This original
CG-animated series, debuting this fall, introduces preschoolers to the
areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This is the
first preschool show that features a curriculum dedicated to all areas
of STEM. Viewers will join an eight-year-old boy named AJ and his
incredible monster truck Blaze on super-sized adventures. AJ and the
viewer help Blaze as they explore the physics of how things move,
master mathematics and discover how everyday technologies work. Blaze
and the Monster Machines is created by
Jeff Borkin (Team Umizoomi, Blue's Clues) andEllen Martin (Bubble Guppies, The Backyardigans). -
Shimmer & Shine (20 episodes) - This brand-new
animated series follows the magical adventures of fraternal twin
genies, Shimmer and Shine, who unintentionally create chaos while
attempting to grant wishes for their human best friend, Leah. The new
series features an emotional-intelligence curriculum that highlights
mistakes as an important avenue to learning and doing better next
time. Shimmer & Shine, set to premiere in 2015, is created
by
Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz and produced atNickelodeon Animation Studios . -
Fresh Beat Band of Spies (20 episodes) - In this brand-new animated series based on the hit live-action show,The Fresh Beat Band , the four best friends --Kiki , Marina, Twist and Shout - are also a group of undercover spies. The pop band uses their individual talents and the coolest transforming spy gadgets to outwit a goofy cast of bad guys and solve an endless series of wild and wacky mysteries. The series, which teaches problem-solving to preschoolers, is created byNadine van der Velde andScott Kraft , the same duo behindThe Fresh Beat Band .Fresh Beat Band of Spies is currently in production and will premiere onNickelodeon in 2015. -
Nickelodeon will also air new episodes of its top-rated, returning series, including Dora the Explorer, Wallykazam!, Bubble Guppies, PAW Patrol, Team Umizoomi and Peter Rabbit.
MULTIPLATFORM:
-
Nickelodeon actively programs all of its screens together, and two new multiplatform initiatives include the Nick Jr. App and the My Nick Jr. interactive channel:-
Launching next month, the Nick Jr. App follows the highly
successful 2013 introduction of the Emmy Award-winning Nick
App—which has received more than eight million downloads since its
debut last year and will feature among its exclusive content the
brand-new, digital series Welcome to the Wayne. The Nick
Jr. App is an experience designed for preschoolers and
incorporates signature Nick Jr. interactivity, discovery, and
surprises. The app will feature high-level interactivity and
educational entertainment activities; offer short-form video and
curriculum-based content, and with authentication, access to
full-length on-demand episodes and live-streaming of Nick Jr., the
24-hour network from
Nickelodeon dedicated to preschoolers and moms. -
My Nick Jr., which is rolling out this spring in the U.S.,
is an authenticated, multi-screen experience that lets parents
customize a playlist for their kids on television, desktops and
tablets. The new offering allows parents to create a channel by
age, gender and educational themes, featuring all the smart and
fun preschool content from
Nickelodeon like Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Bubble Guppies. Parents can also choose the duration of each viewing, pause content on one device and resume playing it on another.
-
Launching next month, the Nick Jr. App follows the highly
successful 2013 introduction of the Emmy Award-winning Nick
App—which has received more than eight million downloads since its
debut last year and will feature among its exclusive content the
brand-new, digital series Welcome to the Wayne. The Nick
Jr. App is an experience designed for preschoolers and
incorporates signature Nick Jr. interactivity, discovery, and
surprises. The app will feature high-level interactivity and
educational entertainment activities; offer short-form video and
curriculum-based content, and with authentication, access to
full-length on-demand episodes and live-streaming of Nick Jr., the
24-hour network from
EVENTS: KIDS' CHOICE SPORTS 2014:
-
The creation of Kids'
Choice Sports 2014 adds to Nick's schedule a fourth live tent pole that presently includes TeenNick HALO Awards, Worldwide Day of Play and Kids' Choice Awards, which is now in its 27th year. Live from LA this July, Kids'Choice Sports 2014 is the first-ever expansion of its iconic Kids' Choice Awards franchise and will be one big, slimy sports celebration from a kid's point of view. Onstage at the upfront presentation, Legendary Super Bowl Champion and host of top-rated Emmy-winning morning talk show LIVE with Kelly and Michael,Michael Strahan highlighted his role as the show's host and executive producer, and detailed that this new addition will honor kids' favorite athletes, teams and sports moments. In trueNickelodeon spirit, Kids'Choice Sports (KCS) will also feature a daring, slime-filled sports stunt performed on a star athlete's home turf, a special halftime live musical performance and top athletes competing outside their sports realm for a KCS trophy.
Nickelodeon's 2014 upfront presentation was capped with an exclusive
performance from five-time Grammy nominee
*For downloadable photos and additional information, visit: www.nickpress.com
thamar.romero@nick.com
or
maggie.wang@nick.com
Source:
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