Ribert and Robert's Wonderworld
Ribert and Robert's Wonderworld is a children's educational television series that is part animated, part live action. It was created by Mike DeVitto. As of May 2007, the series airs on over 120 public television stations in North America.
Premise
The series revolves around Ribert, a young animated toad that wears a cap & later a safety helmet, who wants to know "everything", and Robert, his human friend, as they spend each episode learning about different topics against the backdrop of a magical island amusement park, known as WonderWorld. The show's tagline is: The first show a kid can ride!
Episode Format
Each episode follows a general format, concentrating on a single topic. Ribert is curious by nature, and he "wants to know everything", according to the song he sings at the start of each episode. Robert, a human, is his best friend and partner. He's the one who pilots the roller coaster car Ribert and his viewers (known as Power Pals) ride as they learn about the day's topic.
Ribert tells Robert what he wants to learn about that day. Subjects have included birthdays, dinosaurs, "being safe" and "being a good friend". Robert powers up the roller coaster car and Ribert (along with the Power Pals), put on their safety helmets as the journey begins.
The goal of each episode is to solve three "challenges" as the roller coaster car travels the track in the Wonderworld amusement park. Three times over the course of the episode, Robert asks the Power Pals a question, and once it's answered correctly, the Power Pals are given a "magic key", which is a key with a human face painted in it, and the respective keys are called in order Jenn, Lee and Tiffany. Ribert asks each "magic key" to open a door for him, and everyone is treated to a visit by human "friends", who perform a skit or task describing the day's subject matter. One of the doors is usually occupied by Cousin Chris, who draws a picture related to the day's topic. After each presentation, Ribert and Robert discuss it together before the roller coaster car moves to the next challenge.
After all three "magic keys" are obtained, a "secret word" is revealed that is in line with the day's subject. Clues to the "secret word" are provided to the Power Pals during the course of the episode. Upon the completion of the mission, Ribert and Robert say goodbye to the Power Pals with a song.
Episode Descriptions
Season 1 (2005)
| Season # | Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Colors" | September 4, 2005 | 101 |
| 2 | 2 | "Ribert Wants to Know About the First Day of School" | September 11, 2005 | 102 |
| 3 | 3 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Numbers" | September 18, 2005 | 103 |
| 4 | 4 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Going to the Doctor" | September 25, 2005 | 104 |
| 5 | 5 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Bugs" | October 2, 2005 | 105 |
| 6 | 6 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Being a Good Friend" | October 9, 2005 | 106 |
| 7 | 7 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Dinosaurs" | October 16, 2005 | 107 |
| 8 | 8 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Being a Good Sport" | October 23, 2005 | 108 |
| 9 | 9 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Music" | October 30, 2005 | 109 |
| 10 | 10 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Being Afraid of the Dark" | November 6, 2005 | 110 |
| 11 | 11 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Family" | November 13, 2005 | 111 |
| 12 | 12 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Having Fun on a Rainy Day" | November 20, 2005 | 112 |
| 13 | 13 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Animals" | November 27, 2005 | 113 |
Season 2 (2005-2006)
| Season # | Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Games" | December 4, 2005 | 201 |
| 2 | 2 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Pets" | December 11, 2005 | 202 |
| 3 | 3 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Being Healthy" | December 18, 2005 | 203 |
| 4 | 4 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Magic" | December 25, 2005 | 204 |
| 5 | 5 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Outer Space" | January 1, 2006 | 205 |
| 6 | 6 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Having Good Manners" | January 8, 2006 | 206 |
| 7 | 7 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Dancing" | January 15, 2006 | 207 |
| 8 | 8 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Building Things" | January 22, 2006 | 208 |
| 9 | 9 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Art" | January 29, 2006 | 209 |
| 10 | 10 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Sharing" | February 5, 2006 | 210 |
| 11 | 11 | "Ribert Wants to Know About a New Brother or Sister" | February 12, 2006 | 211 |
| 12 | 12 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Science" | February 19, 2006 | 212 |
| 13 | 13 | "Ribert Wants to Know About Weather" | February 26, 2006 | 213 |
Season 3 (2006/2007)
| Season # | Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Beach" | September 3, 2006 | 301 |
| 2 | 2 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Arts and Crafts" | September 10, 2006 | 302 |
| 3 | 3 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Earth" | September 17, 2006 | 303 |
| 4 | 4 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: History" | September 24, 2006 | 304 |
| 5 | 5 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Hobbies" | October 1, 2006 | 305 |
| 6 | 6 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Meeting New People" | October 8, 2006 | 306 |
| 7 | 7 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Moving" | October 15, 2006 | 307 |
| 8 | 8 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: When I Grow Up" | October 22, 2006 | 308 |
| 9 | 9 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Having Fun Outside" | October 29, 2006 | 309 |
| 10 | 10 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Travel" | November 5, 2006 | 310 |
| 11 | 11 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Writing Stories" | November 12, 2006 | 311 |
| 12 | 12 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Playing Safely" | November 19, 2006 | 312 |
| 13 | 13 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Reading" | November 26, 2006 | 313 |
| 14 | 14 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Birthdays" | December 3, 2006 | 314 |
| 15 | 15 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Nature" | December 10, 2006 | 315 |
| 16 | 16 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Imagination" | December 17, 2006 | 316 |
| 17 | 17 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Math" | December 24, 2006 | 317 |
| 18 | 18 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Rhyming" | December 31, 2006 | 318 |
| 19 | 19 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Sun" | January 7, 2007 | 319 |
| 20 | 20 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Books" | January 14, 2007 | 320 |
| 21 | 21 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Calendar" | January 21, 2007 | 321 |
| 22 | 22 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Shapes" | January 28, 2007 | 322 |
| 23 | 23 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Desert" | February 4, 2007 | 323 |
| 24 | 24 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Teachers" | February 11, 2007 | 324 |
| 25 | 25 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Geography" | February 18, 2007 | 325 |
| 26 | 26 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Drawing" | February 25, 2007 | 326 |
Season 4 (2007-2008)
| Season # | Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Reptiles" | September 2, 2007 | 401 |
| 2 | 2 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Camping" | September 9, 2007 | 402 |
| 3 | 3 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: City" | September 16, 2007 | 403 |
| 4 | 4 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Winter" | September 23, 2007 | 404 |
| 5 | 5 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Fire Safety" | September 30, 2007 | 405 |
| 6 | 6 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Farm" | October 7, 2007 | 406 |
| 7 | 7 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Ocean Life" | October 14, 2007 | 407 |
| 8 | 8 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Feelings" | October 21, 2007 | 408 |
| 9 | 9 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Planes, Trains and Automobiles" | October 28, 2007 | 409 |
| 10 | 10 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Moon" | November 4, 2007 | 410 |
| 11 | 11 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Big & Little" | November 11, 2007 | 411 |
| 12 | 12 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Rainforest" | November 18, 2007 | 412 |
| 13 | 13 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Garden" | November 25, 2007 | 413 |
Season 5 (2008)
| Season # | Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Fairytales" | September 7, 2008 | 501 |
| 2 | 2 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Community Helpers" | September 14, 2008 | 502 |
| 3 | 3 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Dentist" | September 21, 2008 | 503 |
| 4 | 4 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Inventions" | September 28, 2008 | 504 |
| 5 | 5 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Fruits and Vegetables" | October 5, 2008 | 505 |
| 6 | 6 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Microscopes and Telescopes" | October 12, 2008 | 506 |
| 7 | 7 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Five Senses" | October 19, 2008 | 507 |
| 8 | 8 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Playground" | October 26, 2008 | 508 |
| 9 | 9 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Baby Animals" | November 2, 2008 | 509 |
| 10 | 10 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Summer" | November 9, 2008 | 510 |
| 11 | 11 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Opposites" | November 16, 2008 | 511 |
| 12 | 12 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: The Zoo" | November 23, 2008 | 512 |
| 13 | 13 | "Ribert Wants to Know About: Computers" | November 30, 2008 | 513 |
Cast and Principal Crew
- Ribert - voiced by Jessikah Lopez
- Robert - James Bondy
- Cousin Chris - Chris Allard
- Magic Matt (magician) - Matt Roberts
- Dara Duck - Dara Bourne
- Leeny (the story performer) - Leeny Del Seamonds
- Vanessa (dance partner) - Vanessa Logan
- Joan and Friends - Joan Kennedy, Jeffery McIlwain, Con Fullam, Grace Katherine Stacey
- Professor Expound - Mark Scalia
- Erin (the game girl) - Erin Horne
- Kids' Voices - Luis Branco, Jr., Rachel Estremera and Nicole Branco
- Nonni-CJ Gagliola Hughes
- Created, Produced and Directed by Mike DeVitto
- Written by Mike DeVitto and Jenn DeVitto
- Executive Producers - Mike DeVitto, Con Fullam and Greg Gormican
- Music and Sound - Michael McInnis
- Live-Action Supervision - Jamie Norton and Mike DeVitto
- Technical Director - Jim Grotto
- Animation Director - Jamie Norton and Melissa Napier
- Creative Director - Chris Allard
- Design and Support - Dick Campbell and Dennis Gilbert
- Sound recorded at Michael McInnis Productions, Portland, Maine
- Songs by Paul Conway Fullam and Michael McInnis
- Presented by Deos Animation Studios and American Public Television