The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! is a Canadian/British/American co-produced animated television series that premiered August 7, 2010 on Treehouse TV in Canada, on September 6, 2010 on PBS Kids in the US and also in the UK on CITV and Cartoonito. The award-winning series is based on Random House's Beginner Books franchise, The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library, and is developed by Portfolio Entertainment, Random House Children Entertainment and Collingwood O'Hare Productions. The first season has 40 half-hour episodes. PBS Kids renewed it for a second season of 20 episodes which premiered on September 10, 2012. A 20 episode third season is currently in development.
Each episode features The Cat in the Hat (voiced by Martin Short), who leads six-year-old neighbours Nick and Sally, the Fish, and Thing One and Thing Two on a variety of adventures in his "Thinga-ma-jigger", a Seussian contraption that can sprout wings, pontoons, booster rockets, change size, and do just about anything else necessary to further the adventure. The adventures are prompted by a question posed by either Nick or Sally at the beginning of each episode, which will inevitably lead them around the globe to "make natural science discoveries." Similar to other PBS Kids series such as Curious George and Sid the Science Kid, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! focuses on introducing preschoolers to various science and learning concepts.
Major characters
The Cat in the Hat – Voiced by Martin Short. An adventurous cat who knows a lot, but doesn't know everything. He loves to explore the world and act as Nick and Sally's guide, and he frequently speaks in rhyming patterns reminiscent of the Dr. Seuss character on which he is based.
Nick – Voiced by Jacob Ewaniuk. A seven-year-old boy. He is Sally's next door neighbour and best friend, though he is not the same boy seen in the book. He appears to be a replacement for Sally's brother (the original book's unnamed narrator, later named Conrad in the movie).
Sally – Voiced by Alexa Torrington. A six-year-old girl, the same girl seen in the book. She is Nick's next door neighbour and best friend. Apparently based on the Sally from the books.
Fish – Voiced by Rob Tinkler. A moderately pessimistic fish who is loosely based on the fish in the original story. Unlike the fish in the book, however, he is red and appears to belong to the Cat instead of Sally or Nick. He is also much more cooperative in the Cat's adventures.
Thing One and Thing Two – Also voiced by Rob Tinkler. The Cat's two zany, energetic helpers.
Sally's mom – Voiced by Tracey Hoyt. Whenever Sally asks permission to go on an adventure with the Cat, her voice is heard responding. In some episodes, she is seen.
Nick's mom – Also voiced by Tracey Hoyt. Whenever Nick asks permission to go on an adventure with the Cat, her voice is heard responding. In some episodes, she is seen. She talks with a Jamaican accent.
Animals
Zhu Zhu – Voiced by Heather Bambrick. Zhu Zhu is a giant panda enlisted by the Cat, Sally, and Nick to find a present for their panda. She appears in "Bamboozled" where she lives in the forest of Bamwamabooboo.
Daphne – A dolphin.
Fifi – A red mouse.
Ralph – Sometimes called a reindeer and sometimes called a caribou who has grey fur. In the Christmas episode, he wins the candy cane hunt and also has been stowed away in the Thingamajigger.
Buster and Brenda – booby birds
Betty the Beaver – Voiced by Angela Lewis. A beaver who has large teeth, just like a real beaver. The Things destroyed her dam.
Betty's Friend – Voiced by Jeffrey Tambor. Betty's friend helped fix her dam. He appeared later in "The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas!".
2012 Cynopsis: Kids !magination Awards – Winner, TV Series based on books
2012 Cynopsis: Kids !magination Awards – Winner, Song for a TV Series
2012 Kidscreen Awards – Recognized, Best Integrated Promotion
2012 Teachers' Choice Awards – For the Classroom: "Wings and Things" (DVD NCircle Entertainment)
2012 Young Artist Awards – Nominated, Best Performance in a Voice-Over, TV or Feature Film Young Actor
2012 Parents' Choice Award – Best Website
2012 Kidscreen Awards – Finalist, Best Companion Website
2012 Cynopsis: Kids !magination Awards – Honorable Mention, Website for a TV Series or TV Special
2012 Webby Awards – Website, Official Honoree
2011 – Nomination, Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program (Martin Short)
2011 Daytime Emmy Awards – Nomination, Outstanding Original Song in Children's & Animation
2011 NAPPA Awards – "Told from the Cold" (DVD NCircle Entertainment)
2011 WGC Screenwriting Awards – Winner, Animation
2011 Young Artist Awards – Nominated, Best Performance in a Voice-Over, TV or Feature Film Young Actor
2011 Young Artist Awards – Nominated, Best Performance in a Voice-Over, TV or Feature Film Young Actress
2011 Youth Media Alliance – Nomination, Award of Excellence, Animation Three to Five Years
2010 Parents' Choice Awards – Recommended Seal
DVDs
Various DVDs were released by NCircle Entertainment beginning in late October 2010 where every DVD is in region 1, subtitled in English and Spanish, approximately 60 minutes except for a few, in Dolby Digital, in 5.1 surround and Dolby surround stereo in Spanish. Every DVD has the bonus segments from the show.
