Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
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| Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Children's television series |
| Based on | Ordinary People Change the World by Brad Meltzer |
| Written by |
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| Directed by | Cory Bobiak |
| Voices of |
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| Theme music composer |
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| Opening theme | "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum Theme" |
| Ending theme | "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum Theme" (instrumental) |
| Composer | Meiro Stamm |
| Country of origin |
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| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 47 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Jennifer Bradley |
| Editors | Meghan Read Tom Hastings |
| Running time | 22 minutes (11 minutes) |
| Production companies | 9 Story Media Group Brown Bag Films |
| Original release | |
| Network | PBS Kids (U.S.) TVOKids (Canada) |
| Release | November 11, 2019 – present |
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum is an animated children's television series that premiered on November 11, 2019, on PBS Kids.[1] The series is produced by 9 Story Media Group. It is based on the children's book series written by Brad Meltzer and Chris Eliopoulos, named Ordinary People Change the World.[2] The series involves Xavier Riddle with his sister Yadina, and their friends Brad and Berby, at the Secret Museum, and help from historical heroes, who are depicted in the series as children.[3]
Premise[edit]
The series involves a Peruvian-American boy named Xavier Riddle, his sister Yadina Riddle (alongside her stuffed turtle Dr. Zoom) and their best friend Brad. In each episode, a problem or difficulty is encountered. They go to the Secret Museum to time travel to the past to observe, interact, and learn from the historical heroes. They then return to the present and use their experience to solve the problem.[2][4]
Characters[edit]
Main[edit]
- Xavier Riddle (voiced by Aidan Vissers in Season 1, and Ian Ho in Season 2 and onwards) is the titular character and the leader of his group with his sister Yadina and their friend Brad. He appears to be an excitable kid who is eager to go back in time and meet various historical figures. He is described as a kid who loves everything (especially art and basketball), but lives for adventures.
- Yadina Riddle (voiced by Zoe Hatz) is Xavier's younger sister. She seems to be eager to explore the secret museum and learn about various historical figures. She carries a stuffed turtle around with her named Dr. Zoom. She is quite talented, whether it be with books or with balls. Although Yadina is very extroverted (not a wallflower at all), she is only seven years old. This means that she can be very honest with just about anyone, and sometimes even blunt. For example, Yadina dislikes meanness of any kind, and if anyone is not being friendly to another, Yadina will let them know exactly what she thinks of their behavior. When faced with conflict, Yadina is an expert at making others understand a situation from someone else's perspective, which ultimately requires empathy, self-awareness, and self-regulation. She also has a habit of making bad puns, which she fruitlessly tries to explain to both her brother Xavier and her buddy Brad.
- Brad Meltzer (voiced by Wyatt White) is Xavier and Yadina's best friend. He tends to be the most nervous and neurotic of Xavier's group and suffers from several allergies. He is sometimes hesitant to go on adventures since travelling back in time makes him dizzy. Brad is quite partial to butterflies, as well as action heroes and is a relatively good artist who enjoys drawing comic book stories. He is described as having "delusions of averageness", and is apprehensive over everything. His friends, Xavier and Yadina, encourage him to live a little and to try new things. He suffers from impostor syndrome. Brad is Jewish, as revealed in the episode I am Tomioka Tessai, when he shows his friends a dreidel. His last name is only revealed on the website. He is an avatar of the author of the book series Brad Meltzer, whom he also resembles.
Supporting[edit]
- Berby is a small, egg-shaped flying robot who resides at the Secret Museum and functions as part of the time machine by transporting Xavier, Yadina, Dr. Zoom, and Brad back and forth in time. Berby communicates by making robotic beeping sounds, and is good friends with the kids and Dr. Zoom. She also functions as the museum's curator, ensuring all of the exhibits are taken care of and in the right places. Berby also appears in all the shorts after all of the episodes, either winning another "race around the world" against Xavier, playing hide & seek with Dr. Zoom & Yadina, co-starring with Brad in one of his "Bradman" comics, or going on random travels with Dr. Zoom. It is revealed in "I Am Madam President" that Berby is a female robot.
Production[edit]
Brad Meltzer wrote the book Ordinary People Change the World and began a series based on the book named the Ordinary People series in 2014 with I Am Abraham Lincoln, I Am Amelia Earhart, I Am Rosa Parks, and I Am Albert Einstein.[5]
The series is produced by 9 Story Media Group's animation division, Brown Bag Films. 9 Story's Chief Creative Officer Angela Santomero states that Xavier Riddle lets kids know they have "the curiosity and adventurous spirit to change the world". Meltzer added to that statement: "When my own kids watch this series, I get to see them realize that there’s extraordinary within the ordinary."[6]
Episodes[edit]
Each episode of Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum runs for half an hour. They consist of two 11-minute stories based on famous historical heroes around the world in the past.[7] However, airings on streaming services such as Globoplay in Brazil split the episodes into segments, with each 11-minute story isolated. There may be an interstitial segment between the two main stories, in which Berby, and either Xavier, Yadina, Brad, or Dr. Zoom, are shown doing something fun together.
Season 1 (2019-22)[edit]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code [a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "I Am Johann Sebastian Bach / I Am Marie Curie" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Jennifer Daley Storyboard by : Cory Bobiak Written by : Amy Brown Storyboard by : Firas Momani | November 11, 2019 | 101 |
| 2 | 2 | "I Am Mary Shelley / I Am Harry Houdini" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Meghan Read Storyboard by : Craig Taillefer Written by : Desmond Sargeant Storyboard by : Hong Qi | November 12, 2019 | 102 |
| 3 | 3 | "I Am George Washington / I Am Susan B. Anthony" | Cory Bobiak | Unknown | November 13, 2019 | 109 |
| 4 | 4 | "I Am Isaac Newton / I Am Golda Meir" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Amy Brown Storyboard by : Sean Janisse Written by : Amy Brown Storyboard by : Stephanie Ramone | November 18, 2019 | 106 |
| 5 | 5 | "I Am Winston Churchill / I Am Cleopatra" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Jiro C. Okada Storyboard by : Alex Greychuck Written by : Lakna Edilima Storyboard by : Firas Momani | November 19, 2019 | 107 |
| 6 | 6 | "I Am Catherine the Great / I Am Tomioka Tessai" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Jiro C. Okada Storyboard by : Sean Janisse Written by : Meghan Read Storyboard by : Stephanie Ramone | November 20, 2019 | 108 |
| 7 | 7 | "We Are the Wright Brothers / We Are the Brontë Sisters" | Cory Bobiak | written by : Desmond Sargeant | November 27, 2019 | 111 |
| 8 | 8 | "I Am Mark Twain / I Am Abigail Adams" | Cory Bobiak | Unknown | November 27, 2019 | 112 |
| 9 | 9 | "I Am Julia Child / I Am Neil Armstrong" | Cory Bobiak | Unknown | November 27, 2019 | 113 |
| 10 | 10 | "I Am Helen Keller / I Am Alexander Graham Bell" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Meghan Read Storyboard by : Alex Greychuck Written by : Lakna Edilima Storyboard by : Firas Momani | December 2, 2019 | 103 |
| 11 | 11 | "I Am Florence Nightingale / I Am George Washington Carver" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Charles Johnston Storyboard by : Sean Janisse Written by : Jiro C. Okada Storyboard by : Craig Taillefer | December 9, 2019 | 104 |
| 12 | 12 | "I Am Leonardo da Vinci / I Am Amelia Earhart" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Charles Johnston Storyboard by : Alex Greychuck Written by : Jennifer Daley Storyboard by : Firas Momani | December 16, 2019 | 105 |
| 13 | 13 | "I Am Zora Neale Hurston / I Am Charles Dickens" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Charles Johnston Storyboard by : Sean Janisse Written by : Jennifer Daley Storyboard by : Stephanie Ramone | December 23, 2019 | 110 |
| 14 | 14 | "I Am Jackie Robinson / I Am Anna Pavlova" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Desmond Sargeant
Written by : Amy Brown | January 20, 2020 | 114 |
| 15 | 15 | "I Am Mary Leakey / I Am Alexander Hamilton" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Lakna Edilima
Written by : Lakna Edilima | January 21, 2020 | 115 |
| 16 | 16 | "I Am Theodore Roosevelt / I Am Eleanor Roosevelt" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Amy Brown
Written by : Jennifer Daley | January 22, 2020 | 116 |
| 17 | 17 | "I Am Lou Gehrig / I Am Marie Owens" | Cory Bobiak | Written By : Lakna Edilima
Written By : Jennifer Daley | January 23, 2020 | 117 |
| 18 | 18 | "I Am Nikola Tesla / I Am Nellie Bly" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Meghan Read | August 3, 2020 | 119 |
| 19 | 19 | "I Am Maya Angelou / I Am Frederick Douglass" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Desmond Sargeant
Written by : Lakna Edilima | August 4, 2020 | 120 |
| 20 | 20 | "I Am Louis Pasteur / I Am Rachel Carson" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Charles Johnston
Written by : Amy Brown | August 5, 2020 | 121 |
| 21 | 21 | "I Am Kate Warne / I Am Sir Arthur Conan Doyle" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Meghan Read + Jen Daley
Written by : Jen Daley | August 6, 2020 | 122 |
| 22 | 22 | "I Am Cesar Chavez / I Am Dolores Huerta[8]" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : M.R Horhager
Lakna Edilima Storyboard by : Meghan Read | October 5, 2020 | 126 |
| 23 | 23 | "I Am Confucius / I Am Sacagawea" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Charles Johnston
Lakna Edilima | October 6, 2020 | 125 |
| 24 | 24 | "I Am Mary Anning / I Am Charlie Chaplin" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Amy Brown
Written by : Charles Johnston | October 7, 2020 | 127 |
| 25 | 25 | "I Am Billie Jean King / I Am Arthur Ashe" | Logan McNeil | Written by : Jennifer Daley
Written by : Deamond Sargeant | October 8, 2020 | 128 |
| 26 | 26 | "I Am Rosa Parks / I Am Thurgood Marshall" | Cory Bobiak | Written by : Desmond Sargeant
Written By : Charles Johnston | October 9, 2020 | 123 |
| 27 | 27 | "I Am Harriet Tubman" | Cory Bobiak | Written By : Meghan Read and Desmond Sargeant | October 12, 2020 | 121 |
| 28 | 28 | "I Am Wilma Rudolph / I Am Jonas Salk" | Cory Bobiak | Written By : Amy Brown
Written By : Meghan Read | February 1, 2021 | 124 |
| 29 | 29 | "I Am Jesse Owens / I Am Ella Fitzgerald" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Desmond Sargeant
Written By : Charles Johnston | February 2, 2021 | 135 |
| 30 | 30 | "I Am James Naismith / I Am Temple Grandin" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Desmond Sargeant
Written By : Charles Johnston | April 5, 2021 | 129 |
| 31 | 31 | "I Am Albert Einstein / I Am Carol Burnett" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Meghan Read
Written By : Jennifer Daley | April 6, 2021 | 130 |
| 32 | 32 | "I Am Abraham Lincoln / I Am Jane Jacobs" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Meghan Read
Written By : Amy Brown | April 7, 2021 | 131 |
| 33 | 33 | "I Am Sir Edmund Hillary / I Am Celia Cruz" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Charles Johnston
Written By : Lakna Edilima | April 8, 2021 | 132 |
| 34 | 34 | "I Am Jigonsaseh / I Am Sacagawea" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Millie Knapp
Written By : Lakna Edilima | November 1, 2021 | 136 |
| 35 | 35 | "I Am Ibn Battuta / I Am Beulah Louise Henry" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Gillian Muller
Written By : Amy Brown | November 2, 2021 | 134 |
| 36 | 36 | "I Am Rukmini Devi / I Am Bob Ross" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Lakna Edilima
Written By : Meghan Read | January 14, 2022 | 133 |
| 37 | 37 | "I Am Fred Rogers" | Logan McNeil | Written By : Meghan Read | January 31, 2022 | 137 |
Season 2 (2024)[edit]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 1 | "I Am Michelangelo / I Am Dorothy Levitt" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 15, 2024 | 202 |
| 39 | 2 | "I Am Bessie Coleman / I Am King Sejong the Great" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 16, 2024 | 203 |
| 40 | 3 | "I Am Eugenie Clark / I Am Benjamin Banneker" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 17, 2024 | 204 |
| 41 | 4 | "I Am Ruth Bader Ginsburg" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 18, 2024 | 201 |
| 42 | 5 | "I Am Grandmaster Flash / I Am Mary Seacole" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 19, 2024 | 205 |
| 43 | 6 | "I Am Hedy Lamarr / I Am Archimedes" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 22, 2024 | 206 |
| 44 | 7 | "I Am James Braidwood / I Am Queen Liliʻuokalani" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 23, 2024 | 207 |
| 45 | 8 | "I Am Alvin Ailey / I Am Lucy Maud Montgomery" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 24, 2024 | 208 |
| 46 | 9 | "I Am Zelia Nuttall / I Am Jules Léotard" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 25, 2024 | 209 |
| 47 | 10 | "I Am Louis Braille / I Am Zaha Hadid" | Logan McNeil | Unknown | January 26, 2024 | 210 |
Shorts (2022)[edit]
These shorts were first released exclusively on the PBS Kids video app. They later aired in between episodes in season 2.
| No. | Title | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Puzzled" | Unknown | July 11, 2022 | |
|
Brad revisits Marie Curie. Virtue: Perseverance | ||||
| 2 | "Happy Birthday" | Unknown | July 11, 2022 | |
|
Yadina revisits Confucius. Virtue: Compassion | ||||
| 3 | "Fair and Square" | Unknown | July 11, 2022 | |
|
Xavier revisits Abraham Lincoln. Virtue: Honesty | ||||
| 4 | "Stand Up" | Unknown | July 11, 2022 | |
|
Yadina and Brad revisit Harriet Tubman. Virtue: Courage | ||||
| 5 | "Shell Shocked" | Unknown | July 11, 2022 | |
|
Xavier revisits George Washington Carver. Virtue: Responsibility | ||||
| 6 | "The Duet" | Unknown | July 11, 2022 | |
|
Yadina revisits Abigail Adams. Virtue: Gratitude | ||||
| 7 | "Dreidel" | Unknown | July 11, 2022 | |
|
Xavier and Yadina revisit Frederick Douglass. Virtue: Curiosity | ||||
| 8 | "Play Ball" | Unknown | July 11, 2022 | |
|
Xavier, Yadina, and Brad revisit Sacagawea. Virtue: Creativity | ||||
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie: I Am Madam President[edit]
A TV special titled Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie: I Am Madam President aired on March 16, 2020.[9][10] In the special, Yadina, who dreams of becoming president one day, realizes all the presidents were men.[9] She questions if she can still be president, even though it is something no girl has done yet. The trio visit the Secret Museum, where a five-part star is shown to them. They travel to different periods in time, where they meet women who are attempting to do something that has never been done before. Yadina learns from them on what is needed to do something that has never been done before, as she attempts to complete the star. She meets Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Amelia Earhart, Junko Tabei, Sally Ride and herself as an adult.[11] Amelia Earhart is the only historical figure to be featured in both the film and an episode.
Broadcast[edit]
The series premiered on PBS Kids in United States on November 12, 2019. It premiered on TVOKids in Canada on December 10, 2019.[12] It airs on Super3, a Catalan-language children's channel in Spain.[13] Season 2 released on January 15, 2024.
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Joyce Slaton of Common Sense Media gave Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum a mixed review. She stated that "the show makes many historical inaccuracies, which makes it odd for a TV show that wants to make history come back alive for kids." She also stated that "the show's tendency to play too fast and loose with the historical facts is confusing, and that 'Go for it!' is an unlikely motto for Amelia Earhart, who disappeared in 1937 and didn't complete her solo Atlantic flight as a grade school student, as Xavier depicts." George Washington Carver did have a secret garden as a child, in which he learned important lessons that impacted his career in botany. But, as Slaton states, "it's a real stretch to imagine him having to defend plants from renegade soccer players in 19th century Missouri," and that "the show seems to overlook his importance as an activist for ex-slaves and champion of sustainable agriculture, instead boiling his messages down to 'take care of plants and you'll take care of the earth.'" [14]
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Annie Awards | Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum | Nominated | [15] |
| 2020 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Program | Cory Bobiak, Steven Boeckler and Susan Hart | Nominated | [16][17] |
| 2020 | TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum | Nominated | [18] |
| 2021 | Annie Awards | Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum | Nominated | [19] |
| 2021 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Special Class Daytime Animated Program | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I Am Madam President | Nominated | [20] |
| 2021 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing Team for a Preschool Animated Program | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum | Nominated | |
| 2021 | TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum | Nominated | [21] |
| 2022 | Annie Awards | Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Preschool Animated Series | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum | Nominated |
Notes[edit]
- ^ 9 Story files the copyright for the episodes under groups, rather than separate episodes, as seen here:
- "Public Catalog". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
References[edit]
- ^ "PBS KIDS Announces New Series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, Premiering November 11, 2019". PBS. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ a b "Brad Meltzer on Finding Heroes for "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum"". TV Shows. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
- ^ Columnist, Francine Brokaw Community. "'Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum' premieres on PBS Kids". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
- ^ "A New PBS Show That Lets Kids Learn from the Example of Historical Heroes". WTTW Chicago. November 7, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
- ^ "Brad Meltzer's kid-friendly history comes to PBS". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
- ^ Siegel, Fern (November 13, 2019). "'Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum' Streams on PBS Kids Platforms". The Streamable. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
- ^ "This Adorable PBS Show Will Teach Your Kids About Golda Meir". Kveller. November 20, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
- ^ "Program > KET". KET. December 30, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
- ^ a b "Rick's Review: Brad Meltzer makes history fun with 'Xavier Riddle' on PBS". March 12, 2020.
- ^ "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie". February 26, 2020.
- ^ "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie: I Am Madam President - TV Review". www.commonsensemedia.org. April 2, 2020.
- ^ "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (@XavierRiddleHQ) | Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ "Xavier Enigma i el museu secret". CCMA. April 6, 2023.
- ^ "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - TV Review". www.commonsensemedia.org. November 19, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
- ^ Mercedes Milligan (December 2, 2019). "47th Annie Awards Nominations Announced". Animation Magazine. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (May 21, 2020). "Daytime Emmy Nominees: 'Elena of Avalor,' 'Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure' Lead Toon Contenders".
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (July 26, 2020). "Daytime Emmy Awards: 'Dragon Prince,' 'Ask the Storybots' & 'Last Kids on Earth' Win Key Animation Categories for Netflix".
- ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (July 9, 2020). "TCA Awards: Watchmen, Unbelievable and Schitt's Creek Lead Nominations". TVLine. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ^ Mercedes Milligan (April 17, 2021). "Soul / Wolfwalkers / HildaFESTIVALS AND EVENTSNORTH AMERICA Annie Awards: 'Soul,' 'Wolfwalkers' & 'Hilda' Score Most Wins". Animation Magazine. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ Zahed, Ramin (June 28, 2021). "TV Academy Announces Animation/Children's Emmy Nominations".
- ^ Turchiano, Danielle (July 15, 2021). "'Ted Lasso' Scores the Most 2021 TCA Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
Attribution:
This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA. Text taken from Xavier Riddle, . Fandom.com.- This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA. Text taken from Yadina Riddle, . Fandom.com.
- This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA. Text taken from Brad Scott, . Fandom.com.
- This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA. Text taken from Berby, . Fandom.com.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum at IMDb
- Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum at TVOKids
| Current |
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| See also | |
- 2010s American children's comedy television series
- 2020s American children's comedy television series
- 2010s American animated television series
- 2020s American animated television series
- 2010s Canadian children's television series
- 2020s Canadian children's television series
- 2010s Canadian animated television series
- 2020s Canadian animated television series
- 2010s preschool education television series
- 2020s preschool education television series
- 2019 American television series debuts
- 2019 Canadian television series debuts
- American flash animated television series
- American children's animated adventure television series
- American children's animated comedy television series
- American preschool education television series
- American television shows based on children's books
- Animated preschool education television series
- Canadian flash animated television series
- Canadian children's animated adventure television series
- Canadian children's animated comedy television series
- Canadian preschool education television series
- Canadian television shows based on children's books
- American English-language television shows
- PBS original programming
- PBS Kids shows
- Animation based on real people
- Animated television series about children
- Animated television series about siblings
- Television shows set in museums
- Television series by 9 Story Media Group
- Television series by Brown Bag Films
- Hispanic and Latino American television
- Jewish television