Boo! is a children's television series shown in the United Kingdom on the CBeebies channel, and originally on BBC Two, and produced by Universal Studios. It features several cartoon characters who play a game similar to hide and seek in a variety of settings. The commentary is performed by an adult narrator and a chorus of children. The series was produced by the independent production company Tell-Tale Productions, which was also responsible for Tweenies. From 2007 to 2012, reruns of the show were broadcast in the USA on Qubo.
The series ran for a total of 104 episodes and one Christmas special and was nominated for a BAFTA in 2002-03.
At the end of the programme a song is sung, usually about matching characters or objects to their shapes or colours.
The visual style of Boo! is very distinctive, using 3D CGI with rounded shapes and cel-shading. The music and songs are generally in an early-70s funk/R&B idiom.
Boo - a pear-shaped patchwork creature with orange spiky hair. His feet are red with white spots on them. The main object of the programme is to find Boo in his various hiding places. Half-way through each episode, Boo magically adopts attributes of his surroundings (e.g. becomes "Penguin Boo" in the Antarctic). Boo cannot talk, although he whistles at the beginning of each episode and dances during every song.Laughing Duck (voiced by Kate Harbour) - a yellow soft-toy duck, who laughs when "found". She has a red-orange beak that matches her legs and has abilities to fly and swim. In some episodes, she meets some people who happen to be employees. In the hospital, she has been found sad because her laugh is lost, but it is regained when Boo tickles her flipper.Sleeping Bear (voiced by Justin Fletcher) - a brown teddy bear who is usually asleep, yawning or stretching when "found". His blankie is red with white-printed hearts on it. The catchphrase associated with him is "Shhh... I'm taking a nap right now."Growling Tiger (also voiced by Justin Fletcher) - a friendly soft-toy tiger with fluffy white ears. Despite his name, he says "Roar!" (not "Growl!") when found. His associated catchphrase is "I am fierce! Run away! Run away!"Other characters, both human and animal vary from one episode to another. The people who have speaking roles in this show are the artists, Chatty Hairdresser, Helpful Nurse, Caring Doctor, Helpful Teacher (the ice-skater), Helpful Waitress, Happy Customers (one man and one woman), Busy Chef, the woman in high stilts, the ringmaster, Careful Grownup, Graceful Teacher (the ballet dancer), Gentle Vet and Cheering Dad. The Blue Squawking Parakeet with a red crest on it appears in a birdcage (being taken home by a customer) when we are about to enter the veterinarian.
1. Rock Pool - 4 June 20032. Supermarket - 11 June 20033. Pond - 18 June 20034. Art Gallery - 25 June 20035. Desert - 2 July 20036. Harbor - 9 July 20037. Bedroom - 16 July 20038. Prehistoric Land - 23 July 20039. Theater - 30 July 200310. African River - 6 August 200311. Cave - 13 August 200312. Coral Reef - 20 August 200313. Train Station - 27 August 200314. Canadian River - 4 September 200315. Indian Jungle - 11 September 200316. Café - 18 September 200317. Deep Blue Sea - 25 September 200318. Castle - 1 October 200319. African Waterhole - 7 October 200320. Kitchen - 14 October 200321. Arctic - 21 October 200322. Fun Fair - 28 October 200323. Space - 4 November 200324. Garden - 11 November 200325. Hospital - 18 November 200326. Woods at Night - 25 November 2003Season 2 Episodes
27. Library - 5 February 200428. Canadian Mountain - 12 February 200429. Australian Bush - 19 February 200430. Swimming Pool - 26 February 200431. Forest Floor - 22 April 200432. Circus - 12 March 200433. Swamp - 19 March 200434. Fun House - 26 March 200435. Playgroup - 2 April 200436. Antarctic - 9 April 200437. Ski Resort - 16 April 200438. Jungle - 25 April 200439. Farm - 30 April 200440. Bathroom - 13 May 200441. Park - 20 May 200442. Zoo - 27 May 200443. English Riverbank - 4 June 200444. American Ranch - 11 June 200445. Bamboo Forest - 18 June 200446. American Prairie - 25 June 200447. Junior Gym - 2 July 200448. Meadow - 9 July 200449. Tropical Island - 16 July 200450. City at Night - 23 July 200451. Pirate Ship - 30 July 200452. City Farm - 6 August 2004Season 3 Episodes
53. Fire Station - 1 March 200554. Dentist - 7 March 200555. The Pyramids - 14 March 200556. Athletics Track - 21 March 200557. Airfield - 28 March 200558. Kite Festival - 4 April 200559. Ballet - 11 April 200560. Veterinarian - 18 April 200561. Car Factory - 25 April 200562. Pottery - 2 May 200563. Carpenter's Workshop - 9 May 200564. Sports Day - 16 May 200565. Cheese Market - 23 May 200566. Tennis Court - 30 May 200567. Post Office - 6 June 200568. Diwali Party - 16 September 200569. Fishing Dock - 20 June 200570. Fancy Dress Shop - 27 June 200571. Garden Center - 4 July 200572. Police Station - 11 July 200573. Pop Concert - 18 July 200574. Chinese New Year Party - 1 February 200675. Tea Plantation - 3 August 200576. Basketball Court - 10 August 200577. Hairdressers - 17 August 200578. Ice Skating Rink - 24 August 2005Season 4 Episodes:
79. Bus Station - 16 February 200680. Chicken Farm - 23 February 200681. Street Market - 2 March 200682. Bakery - 9 March 200683. Building Site - 16 March 200684. Baseball Stadium - 23 March 200685. Children's Party - 30 March 200686. Football Stadium - 6 April 200687. Surfer Beach - 13 April 200688. Race Track - 20 April 200689. Roman Villa - 27 April 200690. Orange Grove - 4 May 200691. Venetian Canal - 23 May 200692. Play - 30 May 200693. Crazy Golf - 6 June 200694. Galapagos Islands - 13 June 200695. Luau - 20 June 200696. House Being Decorated - 24 June 200697. Seaside - 27 June 200698. Halloween - 30 October 200699. Campsite - 10 July 2006100. Film Set - 7 September 2006101. Snowy Garden - 8 December 2006102. Rainforest Canopy - 23 December 2006Italy: Disney JuniorSpain: Clan TVE, Canal PandaLatin America: Discovery Kids (Latin America)United States: QuboUnited Kingdom: CBeebiesCanadian English: Treehouse TV, YTV, Playtime KrumeaterCanadian French: TFO, Disney Junior FranceGermany: Disney JuniorThe show was created by Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan, who have created and produced Fun Song Factory, BB3B, and Jim Jam and Sunny in addition to Tweenies. Brenton also designed the characters.
The series was directed by Mark Taylor and produced by Teresa Reed. Animation was handled by the Bristol-based studio A Productions.
The voices of Growling Tiger and Sleeping Bear were provided by Justin Fletcher; the voice of Laughing Duck was supplied by Kate Harbour. The children's voices were supplied by a group of junior school children including Daniel Hardoon, Franklin Taylor Moore (son of Mark Taylor), Corey Lewis and Laura Reed. The male narrator is ex-Freak Power singer Ashley Slater and the female narrator is Sharon D. Clarke.
The original design was created by Rebecca Elgar, a children's author and illustrator.
"Boo!" can be seen in the United Kingdom on CBeebies (formerly on CBeebies on BBC Two), formerly in the United States on Qubo's digital channel until 2012. (with two episodes in a half-hour format), and Australia's ABC. "Boo!" is also available in Canada on the French educational public broadcaster TFO.
