List of Oobi episodes
Oobi is an American children's television series created by Josh Selig. It premiered on Nickelodeon's Noggin network during a three-year period in which the channel's programming was controlled by Viacom, Sesame Workshop, and the Jim Henson Company.[1] The series centers on a group of four characters represented by bare hand puppets with eyes and accessories. The program was highly influenced by Sesame Street, which Selig had worked on since its first season. The cast of Oobi consists exclusively of Muppet performers.
Oobi began as a series of two-minute shorts, which were broadcast from 2000 to 2002.[1][2] It was announced in March 2003 that it was being developed into a full-length series.[3] The first half-hour episode premiered on April 7, 2003,[4] and the series concluded on February 11, 2005.[5] Two seasons of full-length episodes, each consisting of 26 segments, were produced. As of 2018, Oobi has been made available for streaming through services such as Amazon Video and the Noggin mobile app. The program received a variety of awards and nominations throughout its run; these include an Innovation Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which presents the Primetime Emmys, and two accolades from the Parents’ Choice Foundation.[6][7][8]
As with other episodic series that do not follow a continuous plotline, episodes of Oobi were not aired in the order they were produced. Nickelodeon's websites and streaming services list the episodes in a specific order, but this official ordering does not match either the production or broadcast order.
Series overview
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
Shorts | 47 | 2000 | 2002 | |
1 | 13 | April 7, 2003[4] | 2004 | |
2 | 13 | September 6, 2004 | February 11, 2005 |
Episodes
Shorts (2000–2002)
A collection of 47 shorts, each ranging from one to two minutes in length, was produced before Oobi became a full-length program. The shorts are arranged below in the order used on Screener and MSN TV.[9]
No. [9] | Title | Directed by [10] | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | "Dance!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Grampu brings a radio outside and each of the kids takes a turn dancing along to a different genre of music. | |||
2 | "Tag!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako play a game of tag. | |||
3 | "Flush!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Uma finds the sound of a potty flushing funny and wants to hear it flush over and over again. When Grampu asks her to stop, they play a game where they imitate a flush by moving their thumbs up and down. | |||
4 | "On and Off!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi learns how to turn a light switch on and off. | |||
5 | "Share Pretzels!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi shares his store-bought pretzels with Uma and Kako, who end up eating all of them and leaving none for Oobi. Grampu appreciates Oobi's thoughtfulness and gives him a home-baked pretzel. | |||
6 | "Watermelon!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Uma discovers the taste of watermelon and loves it so much that she tries to eat one whole. | |||
7 | "Soup!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Grampu makes soup for Uma when she is ill. Uma determines that the soup is too hot at first, then too cold, and finally just right. | |||
8 | "Hot Dog and Ketchup!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Uma eat hot dogs with condiments. | |||
9 | "Prince Oobi!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Uma and Kako pretend that Oobi is a prince. | |||
10 | "Bubbles!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi, Uma, Kako and Grampu work together to clean each other with bubble soap after playing in the backyard. | |||
11 | "Empty and Full!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Uma show the difference between empty and full by drinking orange juice out of a cup and a pitcher. | |||
12 | "Popcorn!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako pretend to be popcorn by "popping" up and down while Grampu makes a bowl of popcorn for them to share. | |||
13 | "Worm!" | Tim Lagasse | |
The children discover a worm outside. | |||
14 | "Apple Picking!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako go apple picking at an orchard. Uma tries to reach an apple from a tall branch, but is unable to. The boys decide to help and use teamwork to grab it. | |||
15 | "Pretend Wind!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako are outside on a windy day. They pretend to be the wind by blowing on each other. | |||
16 | "Tea!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Uma want to have a tea party but have lost their teapot. They decide to sing the song "I'm a Little Teapot" instead. | |||
17 | "Ice Cream!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Uma eat ice cream. | |||
18 | "Water Games!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako play with a sprinkler in the backyard. The water unexpectedly stops running, puzzling them. They soon discover that it turns on and off at random. | |||
19 | "Guess!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi plays with a jack-in-the-box and guesses what will pop out of it. | |||
20 | "Bird!" | Tim Lagasse | |
After hearing a bird's song, Grampu teaches Oobi and Uma different bird calls. | |||
21 | "Cat!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi feeds a cat with help from Grampu. | |||
22 | "Puppy!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi pretends to be a puppy. | |||
23 | "Animal Cookies!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Kako eats all of Oobi's animal-shaped cookies. | |||
24 | "Slide!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi rides down a slide with Uma at the playground. | |||
25 | "Follow the Leader!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako play a game of follow the leader, in which Kako performs an action and Oobi must copy it. | |||
26 | "Peekaboo!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako play peekaboo by covering and uncovering each other. Later, they invite the viewers to join in by covering and uncovering the camera. | |||
27 | "Dig!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Uma dig in the sand and make a sand castle while Grampu pretends to be king of the castle. | |||
28 | "Hide and Seek!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi hides behind a sunflower during a game of hide and seek. | |||
29 | "Nature!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi explores the outdoors and smells a patch of flowers in the garden. | |||
30 | "Pretend Catch!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako play catch with an imaginary ball. | |||
31 | "Music!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako make music together by turning a soup can and a bottle into makeshift instruments. Uma joins in by singing along to the boys' rhythm. | |||
32 | "Guitar!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako have trouble trying to play an acoustic guitar separately. They discover that they need to work together to play a tune on it. | |||
33 | "Bongo Drums!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Grampu plays a beat on a pair of bongo drums and Uma wants to play along, but she cannot seem to grasp the rhythm correctly. | |||
34 | "Quiet Read!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi tries to read a book in peace but is interrupted by Uma, who is listening to loud music. He finds a compromise by giving Uma a pair of headphones. | |||
35 | "Clap Hands!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Uma wants to join when Oobi and Kako pass time by clapping their palms together. | |||
36 | "Painting!" | Tim Lagasse | |
The characters make paintings. | |||
37 | "Macaroni Jewelry!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako put on a fashion show with jewelry made from macaroni. Their performance is cut short when Grampu calls them to the kitchen, where he has prepared bowls of macaroni and cheese for the kids. | |||
38 | "Paint Shapes!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako use sponges to paint different shapes. | |||
39 | "Pinch Pot!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Uma make a pinch pot out of clay. | |||
40 | "Drawing Game!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Grampu draws a rabbit as part of a charades-inspired drawing game and asks Oobi to guess what it is. | |||
41 | "Neighborhood Art!" | Tim Lagasse | |
The characters discover art around the neighborhood. | |||
42 | "Toothpaste!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako try to open a tube of toothpaste. Kako decides to jump on top of it, accidentally covering Oobi with toothpaste in the process. | |||
43 | "Feelings!" | Tim Lagasse | |
44 | "Cake!" | Tim Lagasse | |
The kids eat cake with frosting. | |||
45 | "Wet and Dry!" | Tim Lagasse | |
The kids learn the difference between wet and dry. | |||
46 | "Bubble Bath!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Oobi and Kako take a bubble bath. They pretend to be different creatures by covering themselves with bubbles. | |||
47 | "Itsy Bitsy Spider!" | Tim Lagasse | |
Kako pretends to be a spider and gives Oobi the idea to sing the song "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". |
Season 1 (2003–2004)
The first season consists of 13 episodes (26 segments). It is ordered below according to the lists on Nickelodeon's official websites and streaming services, which are similar but not identical to the original production order.[11]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by [a] | Prod. code [12] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1a | 1a | "Camp Out!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 009 |
Grampu takes Oobi, Uma, and Kako camping in the backyard. | ||||
1b | 1b | "Uma Swing!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 003 |
Oobi teaches Uma how to be careful at the playground after she falls off of the swing. | ||||
2a | 2a | "Uma Bathroom!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 001 |
Uma refuses to take a bath after playing in the mud with Oobi and Kako. Note: A scene from this episode appears in a 2007 installment of Joel McHale's The Soup.[13] | ||||
2b | 2b | "Dance Class!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 004 |
Oobi and Uma learn that practice makes perfect when they take their first dance lessons. After being taught a simple routine, they celebrate their new moves with a dance party. | ||||
3a | 3a | "Kako's Puppy!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 005 |
Oobi learns that pets are a big responsibility when Kako asks him to take care of his puppy. | ||||
3b | 3b | "Uma's Birthday!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 006 |
A big surprise birthday party for Uma becomes more about the party and less about her. She feels overwhelmed and retreats to her room. The boys realize that Uma would prefer a small party and give her one. | ||||
4a | 4a | "Asparagus!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 007 |
Oobi and Grampu take drastic measures to get Uma to try eating asparagus, but almost all of their attempts fail. Oobi is able to convince Uma to take a small taste, and she ends up loving it. | ||||
4b | 4b | "Haircut!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 008 |
Oobi wakes up with hair on his head. He tries hiding and styling it, but is not satisfied. In the end, he and Grampu go to the barbershop. Oobi is able to overcome his fear of getting a haircut and happily returns to his old hairless self. | ||||
5a | 5a | "Grampu Day!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 002 |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako create a holiday called "Grampu Day," on which they each create a special gift for Grampu. Oobi makes a clay statue of Grampu, Kako makes food and Uma sings a special song. | ||||
5b | 5b | "Make Pizza!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 010 |
Grampu teaches the kids how to make pizza using dough, tomato sauce, and cheese. | ||||
6a | 6a | "Showtime!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 011 |
Uma wants to help with Oobi and Kako's puppet show. They ask her to watch instead, but soon realize that they need Uma's help to open the curtain. Note: A scene from this episode appears in a 2007 installment of Joel McHale's The Soup.[13] | ||||
6b | 6b | "Oobi's Car!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 012 |
Uma forgets to be careful while playing with Oobi's favorite toy car, and breaks off one of its wheels. Grampu explains to Oobi that accidents happen and fixes the toy with the children's help. | ||||
7a | 7a | "Garden Day!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 013 |
Grampu teaches the kids how flowers grow and gives them a seed to plant. They have trouble waiting for it to grow, but learn that patience is key when gardening. | ||||
7b | 7b | "Piano Lesson!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 014 |
Inka gives Oobi his first piano lesson, and teaches him how to play "Do-Re-Mi." | ||||
8a | 8a | "Uma Chicken!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 015 |
Uma pretends to be a chicken as part of Oobi and Kako's farm animal game. However, she takes things too far and is soon unable to stop acting like a chicken. | ||||
8b | 8b | "Sleepover!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 016 |
Uma misses Oobi when he visits Kako's house for a sleepover. Grampu does his best to make Uma feel better, but the only thing that works is a phone call and a lullaby from Oobi. | ||||
9a | 9a | "Play Ball!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 017 |
Kako becomes frustrated with tee-ball and refuses to play. After Oobi learns the basics of Kako's hand-clapping game, Oobi teaches Kako the fundamentals of tee-ball. Kako gets a hit and Uma is revealed to be a tee-ball natural. | ||||
9b | 9b | "Build Fort!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 018 |
Oobi and Kako build forts out of blocks and argue over whose is better. They combine their forts after coming to the conclusion that arguments are no fun. | ||||
10a | 10a | "Petting Zoo!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 019 |
Grampu takes Oobi and Kako to the petting zoo. The boys are afraid of the horse at first but overcome their fear after joining Grampu for a horseback ride. | ||||
10b | 10b | "New Friend!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 020 |
A day at the park with Grampu becomes special for Oobi when he meets Frieda, a friendly foot. Oobi learns that diversity is good and that new friends come in many shapes and sizes. | ||||
11a | 11a | "Uma Sick" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 021 |
Oobi and Kako try to make Uma feel better when she comes down with a fever. They make her a card and perform a "get-better dance", but learn that what she really needs is some rest. They decide to sing her a lullaby, and Uma is healthy once again after sleeping. | ||||
11b | 11b | "Playdate!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 022 |
Oobi forgets about Kako and the playdate they had planned when Grampu gives him a pet turtle. | ||||
12a | 12a | "Make Art!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 023 |
The kids decide to make art together after seeing Grampu's painting. Kako paints a colorful pattern, Uma creates a circle-themed piece, and Oobi makes a collage. | ||||
12b | 12b | "Rainy Day!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 024 |
Oobi and Kako reluctantly join Uma to find a rainbow after the rain spoils their plans. They cheer up after catching raindrops and splashing in puddles. | ||||
13a | 13a | "Pretend Circus!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 025 |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako are disappointed when they cannot visit the circus because it is too far away. They decide to use their imaginations to create their own pretend circus. | ||||
13b | 13b | "Make Music!" | Josh Selig, Pam Arciero, and Kevin Lombard | 026 |
The kids form their own band and try to find makeshift instruments. Kako blows into a bottle, Uma uses a pot as a drum, and Oobi claps with Grampu. |
Season 2 (2004–2005)
The second season consists of 13 episodes (26 segments). It is ordered below according to Nickelodeon's official websites and streaming services, which match the production order for this season but not for the first.[11]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Prod. code [12] |
---|---|---|---|---|
14a | 1a | "Video!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 027 |
Grampu shows Oobi and Uma how to film and edit a home video. | ||||
14b | 1b | "Grown-Up!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 028 |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako pretend to be grown-up firefighters, musicians, and businesspeople. | ||||
15a | 2a | "Shopping!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 029 |
Oobi and Kako learn to respect other people's property when Grampu takes them to Bella's supermarket. | ||||
15b | 2b | "Uma Dreams!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 030 |
Grampu helps Uma turn her nightmare into a silly dream. | ||||
16a | 3a | "Chopsticks!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 031 |
Grampu takes the children to a Chinese restaurant, where Uma learns how to use chopsticks. | ||||
16b | 3b | "Clean Up!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 032 |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako work together to clean up Oobi's room so he can go outside and play. | ||||
17a | 4a | "Kako Dinner!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 033 |
Oobi learns that trying new things is good when he visits Kako's house for dinner. | ||||
17b | 4b | "Sign Language!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 034 |
Oobi and Kako meet a deaf girl named Amy at the park. Her mother helps them learn sign language so that they can communicate and play together. | ||||
18a | 5a | "Halloween!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 035 |
It is Uma's first time trick-or-treating on Halloween. After Oobi teaches her all of the rituals, Uma takes Kako under her wing and helps him overcome his fear of Halloween. | ||||
18b | 5b | "Checkup!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 036 |
Oobi visits his pediatrician's office for a checkup. He is nervous at first, but the doctor's kindness helps puts Oobi at ease. | ||||
19a | 6a | "Uma Trip!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 037 |
Oobi, Kako, and Grampu take Uma on a pretend trip throughout the house. | ||||
19b | 6b | "Frieda Friend!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 038 |
Frieda invites Oobi to play with her and another foot named Frankie at the park. At first, Oobi does not know how to play with them because they like different games. However, Uma tells him that differences are okay and even points out some things that they have in common. | ||||
20a | 7a | "Neighborhood!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 039 |
Oobi and Kako build a replica of their neighborhood out of boxes and paint. They give Uma a tour and show her the library, the post office, and the zoo. | ||||
20b | 7b | "Uma Preschool!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 040 |
Uma does not want Grampu to leave on her first day of preschool, but ends up having the time of her life when she meets her teacher and some new friends. | ||||
21a | 8a | "Theater!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 041 |
Maestru directs a musical performance of "Little Red Riding Hood", staged in the park. Oobi plays the wolf, Uma plays Little Red, Kako plays the mother and grandmother, and Angus steals the show as the woodsman. | ||||
21b | 8b | "Baby!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 042 |
Oobi meets a baby named Sophie and her mother, Sheila, at the park. Oobi feeds Sophie, changes her diaper, and rocks her to sleep. | ||||
22a | 9a | "Chez Oobi!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 043 |
Grampu prepares a special dinner of spaghetti and meatballs for his date with Inka. Oobi and Kako help by turning the house into a French-style restaurant. They turn on soft violin music, act as waiters, and serve fruit tarts for dessert. | ||||
22b | 9b | "Valentine!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 044 |
Oobi and Uma follow a trail of hearts to find their mystery valentine, who turns out to be Grampu in a festive heart costume. | ||||
23a | 10a | "Parade!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 045 |
The kids put on their own parade after seeing a parade poster. Oobi wears a float costume, Uma becomes a majorette, and Kako dresses as a one-man band. | ||||
23b | 10b | "Babysitter!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 046 |
Grampu and Inka go out polka dancing and leave a playful babysitter named Randy in charge of the kids. Uma initially resents Randy, but his silly demeanor eventually wins her over. Guest star: Kevin Clash as Randy[14] | ||||
24a | 11a | "Recital!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 047 |
Oobi and Angus perform at a piano recital. Oobi is very confident and helps Angus overcome his stage fright. However, when Oobi makes a mistake during his performance, he panics and runs offstage. Kako persuades him to try again, and soon afterwards, Oobi is able to play "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" perfectly. | ||||
24b | 11b | "Dinosaur!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 048 |
Oobi writes a storybook called "The Lost Umasaurus", in which dinosaurs named Oobi-Rex and Dino-Kako help Umasaurus find her way home. | ||||
25a | 12a | "Nature Walk!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 049 |
Grampu takes the kids on a nature walk in the park. The highlight of their trip is seeing an eagle fly through the air. | ||||
25b | 12b | "Sing!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 050 |
Oobi and Kako decide to join Maestru's singing group after hearing a song called "Yo To Ho!" (based on the classical opera tune "Ride of the Valkyries"). | ||||
26a | 13a | "Fishing!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 051 |
Grampu takes Oobi fishing. They learn about patience and eventually catch a fish. However, Oobi feels bad for the fish and convinces Grampu that they should set it free. | ||||
26b | 13b | "Superheroes!" | Josh Selig and Scott Preston | 052 |
Oobi, Uma, and Kako pretend to be superheroes when they bring Mrs. Johnson's cat down from a tree. |
Notes
- ^ Information is taken from the ending credits. The same three directors—Selig, Arciero, and Lombard—are credited for every episode of season one. The team of directors changed in season two, with Selig remaining and Scott Preston replacing the others.
References
- ^ a b "Children's network does double duty". Lawrence Journal-World. New York, NY: Ogden Newspapers. March 21, 2002.
- ^ Selig, Josh. "Little Airplane – Our Work". New York, NY: Little Airplane Productions.
- ^ "Noggin Introduces Oobi – The Friend Who's Always With You!". PR Newswire. Cision Inc. March 25, 2003. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b Heffley, Lynne (April 7, 2003). "Noggin network gathers a lineup of gigglies for the preschool set". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
- ^ "Oobi – Chez Oobi!; Valentine!". TV Guide. CBS Corporation. February 11, 2005. Archived from the original on June 27, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
- ^ "Fred Rogers scholarships go to three students". Online Athens. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
- ^ "Oobi – 2001 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner". Parents' Choice Foundation. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
- ^ "Oobi – 2004 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award Winner". Parents' Choice Foundation. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
- ^ a b "Oobi Episode Guide". Screener. Tribune Digital Ventures. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
- ^ Lagasse, Tim (February 6, 2011). "Muppet Directing Resume". Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ a b "Oobi - Amazon Prime Video". Amazon Video. Amazon. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ a b "Oobi Episodes – NickJr.com". NickJr.com. Viacom International, Inc. Archived from the original on August 13, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
- ^ a b Host: Joel McHale (March 2, 2007). "What the Kids Are Watching". The Soup. Season 4. Episode 16. E! Entertainment Television.
- ^ Renquist, Christopher North. "Friends and Associations". Archived from the original on April 2, 2016.