Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Amazing Animals (TV series)

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Country of origin
  
UK, US

No. of seasons
  
4

Running time
  
30 minutes

Original language(s)
  
English

No. of episodes
  
52

Starring
  
Eric Meyers, Tom Clarke-Hill

Amazing Animals (sometimes marketed as Henry's Amazing Animals for home video) is an educational children's nature program produced by Dorling Kindersley and originally broadcast on the Disney Channel in 1996. It currently plays in syndication on Treehouse TV in Canada. It is also available on VHS.

Contents

The show centers on the interactions of Henry the Lizard, a green CGI gecko with purple spots, and an unseen narrator. Each episode centers on a theme relating to the episode's subject matter, such as Henry traveling through prehistory in a time machine in an episode about prehistoric animals. Henry is usually faced with some kind of predicament or work, always relating to the episode's theme, which he resolves by the end of the episode, often learning a lesson of some sort in the process.

Plot

Each episode is made up of sections in which Henry is featured, video sequences of animals narrated by the off-screen narrator with replies by Henry, and cartoons featuring recurring unnamed cartoon animals. There are also two recurring segments: "Henry's Report" and "The Golden Gecko Awards". Early episodes depicted Henry's Report as a school report, though later episodes changed it to a news report. In either case, the report is comical and almost always wildly inaccurate. The correct information is given by The Narrator after the report.

In Henry's Amazing Golden Gecko Awards, Henry picks three animals relating to the subject of the episode and presents them with awards. Unlike the report, the Golden Gecko Awards are typically more genuine. Henry does most of the narration and often gets annoyed at the Narrator for interrupting him. Henry's Report occurred in every episode; the only episode that did not have the Golden Gecko Awards was "Underground Animals", probably because of timing issues.

Cast and major characters

  • Henry: The show's main protagonist. He is a small green gecko with purple spots and yellow eyes. Henry is portrayed as being enthusiastic, albeit foolish and immature. He is generally depicted as ignorant of the episode's subject matter and typically fails in the endeavours he attempts to undertake. Sometimes, he can prove himself to be quite smart; he is also an inventor. He often identifies lizards seen in the video sequences as his cousins. His favorite food is pizza. Henry is voiced by Eric Meyers.
  • The Narrator: The Narrator is Henry's co-star, but he is never seen and almost never named. He is depicted as being wise and knowledgeable. In addition to teaching Henry about animals and correcting his special reports, the Narrator acts as a comedic foil to Henry: the show's "straight man", who cuts Henry down for his immaturity and lack of knowledge with some combination of a mature seriousness and a dry sarcasm. The Narrator is voiced by Tom Clarke-Hill.
  • Crab Tuesday: Henry met Crab Tuesday during a visit to the seashore, and the crab has been Henry's best friend and assistant ever since. Henry names him Tuesday after Robinson Crusoe's "man Friday". Henry can often tell what Tuesday is saying, although he has no voice at all and communicates by snapping his claws. However, in Amazing Animal Hunters, he is heard mumbling "I don't know" to Henry. Crab Tuesday's vocal effects by Frank Welker.

    • Episodes

    - All episodes are shown in the order that Disney Channel and Discovery Kids aired them.

    Season 1:

    1. Tropical Birds (scarlet macaw) - April 16, 1996 (1996-04-16)
    2. Animal Disguises (chameleon) - April 23, 1996 (1996-04-23)
    3. Nighttime Animals (springhare) - April 30, 1996 (1996-04-30)
    4. Animal Appetites (king penguin) - May 7, 1996 (1996-05-07)
    5. Animal Survivors (wolf) - May 14, 1996 (1996-05-14)
    6. Animal Senses (cat) - May 21, 1996 (1996-05-21)
    7. Animal Weapons (goat) - May 28, 1996 (1996-05-28)
    8. Animal Builders (American beaver) - June 4, 1996 (1996-06-04)
    9. Armored Animals (tortoise) - June 11, 1996 (1996-06-11)
    10. Mini Beasts (tarantula) - June 18, 1996 (1996-06-18)
    11. Animal Babies (puppy, kitten, duckling) - June 25, 1996 (1996-06-25)
    12. Poisonous Animals (Gila monster) - July 2, 1996 (1996-07-02)
    13. Animal Journeys (camel) - July 9, 1996 (1996-07-09)

    Season 2:

    1. Birds of Prey (vulture) - April 15, 1997 (1997-04-15)
    2. Desert Animals (dromedary camel) - April 22, 1997 (1997-04-22)
    3. Scary Animals (tarantula) - April 29, 1997 (1997-04-29)
    4. Animal Records (tortoise, rabbit) - May 6, 1997 (1997-05-06)
    5. Animal Colors (golden pheasant) - May 13, 1997 (1997-05-13)
    6. Animal Mothers (lioness) - May 20, 1997 (1997-05-20)
    7. Animal Pets (Puli) - May 27, 1997 (1997-05-27)
    8. Seashore Animals (pelican) - June 3, 1997 (1997-06-03)
    9. Animal Families (ducks) - June 10, 1997 (1997-06-10)
    10. Endangered Animals (Bengal tiger) - June 17, 1997 (1997-06-17)
    11. An Animal Year (red squirrel) - June 24, 1997 (1997-06-24)
    12. Prehistoric Animals (crocodile) - July 1, 1997 (1997-07-01)
    13. Monkeys and Apes (mandrill) - July 8, 1997 (1997-07-08)

    Season 3:

    1. Animal Hunters (golden eagle) - April 14, 1998 (1998-04-14)
    2. Animal Talk (dog) - April 21, 1998 (1998-04-21)
    3. Slimy Animals (apple snail) - April 28, 1998 (1998-04-28)
    4. Rainforest Animals (scarlet macaw) - May 5, 1998 (1998-05-05)
    5. Animal Acrobats (chimpanzee, sea lion, wallaby) - May 12, 1998 (1998-05-12)
    6. Underwater Animals (fish) - May 19, 1998 (1998-05-19)
    7. Animal Neighbors (rabbit) - May 26, 1998 (1998-05-26)
    8. Giant Animals (Great Dane) - June 2, 1998 (1998-06-02)
    9. Creepy Crawly Animals (grasshopper) - June 9, 1998 (1998-06-09)
    10. Farm Animals (cow, sheep) - June 16, 1998 (1998-06-16)
    11. Animal Changes (lion cub, lioness) - June 23, 1998 (1998-06-23)
    12. Extinct Animals (footprints) - June 30, 1998 (1998-06-30)
    13. Animal Eggs (egg) - July 7, 1998 (1998-07-07)

    Season 4:

    1. Around the World Animals (red kangaroo, monarch butterfly) - April 13, 1999 (1999-04-13)
    2. Polar Animals (Arctic hare) - April 20, 1999 (1999-04-20)
    3. Clever Animals (dolphin) - April 27, 1999 (1999-04-27)
    4. Underground Animals (rabbit) - May 4, 1999 (1999-05-04)
    5. Animal Helpers (llama) - May 11, 1999 (1999-05-11)
    6. Woodland Animals (giant panda) - May 18, 1999 (1999-05-18)
    7. Mountain Animals (bulldog) - May 25, 1999 (1999-05-25)
    8. Backyard Animals (mockingbird) - June 1, 1999 (1999-06-01)
    9. Tiny Animals (ant) - June 8, 1999 (1999-06-08)
    10. Animal Partners (white horse) - June 15, 1999 (1999-06-15)
    11. Scaly Animals (crocodile) - June 22, 1999 (1999-06-22)
    12. River Animals (beaver) - June 29, 1999 (1999-06-29)
    13. Animal Flight (ladybug) - July 6, 1999 (1999-07-06)

    Merchandise

    Some merchandise was also released during the activity of the series. An educational computer game was also released with the television show. A board game known as The Really Amazing Animal Game was also sold but was shortly discontinued. In the episode "Extinct Animals" Henry's gift shop displayed several Henry plush toys but it is unknown if they were actually sold in stores or not.

    References

    Amazing Animals (TV series) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA