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Space Racers

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This article is about the 2014 TV show. For participants in a space race, see Space race (disambiguation).
Space Racers
File:SapceRacersLogo.png
GenreAnimated, children's
Created byRichard Schweiger and Julian Cohen
Developed byAllan Neuwirth and Mark Risley
Written byAllan Neuwirth, David H. Steinberg, Kate Boutilier, David Steven Cohen, Gabe Pulliam, Louise Gikow, Sam Dransfield, Davey Moore, Donna Logan, Phil Lollar, George Arthur Bloom, Angelo DeCesare, Ann Aptaker, Jim Kierstead, Richard Fegen, Andy Yerkes, P. Kevin Strader, Michael Daedalus Kenny, Chad Burke, Julian Cohen
Directed byMark Risley
Creative directorDavid Michael Friend
Theme music composerJody Gray
Opening themeJody Gray, Allan Neuwirth, David Cohen
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes90 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersMichael Matays, Charles Matays, Matthias Schmitt
ProducersSpace Race LLC, Mark Risley, Allan Neuwirth
Running time22-23 minutes
Original release
NetworkPBS, Season One
Universal Kids, Season Two
ReleaseMay 2, 2014 (2014-05-02) –
present

Space Racers is an American CGI STEM-focused educational animated television series featuring the cadets of the Stardust Space Academy. The series was distributed in its first season for public television by American Public Television, and was produced under the auspicies of Maryland Public Television.[1] The second season of Space Racers debuted in September 2016 as a commercial effort on NBCUniversal's Sprout, since rebranded to Universal Kids.[2] The show follows the Space Racers Cadets as they travel the solar system exploring space through assigned missions. The show features contributions from NASA involving science and space technology education, and also maintains partnerships with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and U.S. Space Camp.

Plot

Space Racers is an educational animated television series aimed at children 3–6 years old. The main characters—Eagle, Hawk, Robyn, Starling and Raven—are cadets at the Stardust Space Academy, and each episode they discover a series of space-based scientific discoveries. The cadets spend each episode traveling through outer space.[3][4][5]

Cast

Episodes

Main article: List of Space Racers episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
Webisodes8March 22, 2011 (2011-03-22)April 29, 2011 (2011-04-29)PBS Kids
150May 2, 2014 (2014-05-02)October 24, 2014 (2014-10-24)
240October 31, 2016 (2016-10-31)November 22, 2018 (2018-11-22)Universal Kids

Development

The series concept was developed by Richard Schweiger, who wanted to create a show based around animated vehicles that travel through space. In 2009, Schweiger and Julian Cohen developed the idea into a feature-film script, which won a screenwriting award. In 2010, Schweiger formed the company that would produce Space Racers, and instead of pursuing a film, decided to turn the concept into a television series.[3][4] The idea developed into fifty individual 11 minute episodes for broadcast.[5]

Season one of Space Racers consists of 26 half-hour episodes, first airing in 2014. The series was originally distributed by Maryland Public Television and American Public Television.[6] Cake Television is the distributor for the show internationally.[7]

The show's head writer was Allan Neuwirth, its director was Mark Risley, and its executive producers were Brenda Wooding as well as show creators Richard Schweiger and Julian Cohen.[8] Episodes would contain two eleven-minute animated segments, offset by live-action sections between them. The US premiere of the show was on May 2, 2014.[3][4][5] The show was also in international syndication, including broadcastings on France 5[9] and the show's world broadcast debut on February 15, 2014 in New Zealand.[3]

Season two of Space Racers consists of half-hour episodes, first airing on November 5, 2016 on NBC Universal's Sprout Network.[10] The show's head writer was again Allan Neuwirth, its director was Mark Risley, and its executive producers were Michael Matays, Charles Matays, and Matthias Schmitt. Episodes contain two eleven-minute animated segments, offset by interstitials or commercial sections between them. The US premiere of the show was on November 5, 2016. The show is also in international syndication, including broadcastings on France 5.[11]

Collaborations

The Space Racers TV series was produced in collaboration with NASA experts, with input from NASA experts on science-based facts incorporated into the episodes. The show also features NASA scientists and astronauts in live action interstitials. The Space Racers creators have also developed a website where viewers can find a preschool science curriculum on space science, which was developed in collaboration THIRTEEN productions (WNET) and SiiTE. SpaceRacers.org has a section for family-based education as well for educators and parents.[4] Special screenings of episodes have been held at both the Kennedy Space Center and the Wallops NASA Visitor Center, in collaboration with Maryland Public Television.[4][12] In July 2014, the Virginia Air and Space Center opened a Space Racers-themed exhibit.[13]

Broadcast

In Canada it airs on TVO Kids.[14]

Awards

Space Racers has won several awards in children's broadcasting including the American Public Television (APT) Programming Excellence Award in 2014 and a Parents’ Choice Recommended Award in 2015.[15] [16]

References

  1. ^ Ramin Zahed (October 25, 2013). "'Space Racers' to Premiere on Public Television this Spring". Animation Magazine. Retrieved July 14, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ http://deadline.com/2017/05/sprout-rebranding-to-universal-kids-network-with-top-chef-junior-dreamworks-animation-series-1202080226/
  3. ^ a b c d Elizabeth Howell (March 6, 2014). "'Space Racers' TV Show Brings The Adorable (And The Science) To Preschoolers". Universe Today. Retrieved July 14, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e "NASA Wallops Visitor Center Hosting "Space Racers" Program for Kids". NASA. June 12, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Hillary Busis (October 24, 2013). "NASA-approved 'Space Racers' coming to public television in 2014". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 14, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/space-racers-premiere-public-television-spring/
  7. ^ http://kidscreen.com/2013/03/20/cake-to-distribute-new-space-themed-series/
  8. ^ "Space Racers: Synopsis". Cake Entertainment. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  9. ^ Jennifer Wolfe (March 31, 2014). "CAKE's 'Space Racers' Lands on France 5". Animation World Network. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  10. ^ "New Preschool Show 'Space Racers' Launches Tomorrow on Sprout". BroadwayWorld.com. November 4, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  11. ^ Jennifer Wolfe (February 28, 2017). "CAKE to Launch 'Space Racers' Second Season". Animation World Network. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  12. ^ "Special viewing of preschool television program, Space Racers". Kennedy Space Center. July 11, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  13. ^ http://articles.dailypress.com/2014-07-10/entertainment/dp-fea-best-bets-spaceracers-0711-20140710_1_virginia-air-space-center-new-exhibit-new-children
  14. ^ https://tvokids.com/preschool/space-racers
  15. ^ Multiple Industry Awards Presented, Nearly 100 Titles Screened: American Public Television’s Fall Marketplace 2014, American Public Television, November 19, 2014
  16. ^ Parents' Choice Award Winners: Television, Parents' Choice Award, January 22, 2015
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