Bob the Builder (2015 TV series)
Bob the Builder is a CGI animated children's television series and a reboot of the British-American animated television show Bob the Builder. It was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on Channel 5, beginning on 1 September 2015 and PBS Kids in the United States in 12 November. In January 2018, it was removed from the PBS Kids 24/7 lineup. In November 2018, it was removed from the PBS Kids National Satellite feed lineup. It is airing on Qubo in the United States on 26 August 2019 for only the third series.
| Bob the Builder | |
|---|---|
 Logo for the reboot series. | |
| Genre | Children's animation |
| Created by | Keith Chapman |
| Based on | Bob the Builder by Keith Chapman |
| Voices of | Lee Ingleby Joanne Froggatt Jacob Scipio (UK) Colin Murdock Ian James Corlett Lee Tockar (US) |
| Theme music composer | Paul K. Joyce |
| Composer(s) | David Schweitzer (2015–2017) Tim Foy (2018–present) Paul Kaufman (2018–present) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom United States Canada |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 130 (+1 special) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Kim Dent Wilder (2015-2017) Michael Hefferon (2015–2017) Christopher Keenan (2015–present) Steven DeNure (2018–present) Kirsten Newlands (2018–present) |
| Producer(s) | Kylie Ellis (2015-2017) Fred de Bradeny (2015-2017) TBA New Producer (TBA-present) |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera (2004–present) |
| Production company(s) | HIT Entertainment Rainmaker Entertainment (2015-2017) Mattel Creations (2017–present) IoM Media Ventures Halifax (2018–present) |
| Distributor | Mattel (2015–present) DHX Media (2017–present) |
| Release | |
| Original network | Channel 5 (UK) PBS Kids (Seasons 1-2) Qubo (Season 3) (US) Family Jr. (Canada) |
| Picture format | 16:9 |
| Original release | 1 September 2015 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Bob the Builder (original series) |
| External links | |
| Website | |
As of 2019, the show went on hiatus since there is no US dub of Season 3 of this show and Season 4 was not announced yet.
Episodes
| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 52 | 1 September 2015 | 29 February 2016 | |
| 2 | 52 | 27 June 2016 | 7 September 2017 | |
| 3 | 26 | 2 January 2018 | 30 December 2018 | |
Characters
Voice cast
United Kingdom
- Lee Ingleby as Bob
- Blake Harrison as Scoop
- Paul Panting as Muck
- Steven Kynman as Lofty and Dash Lighting
- Terry Mynott as Two-Tonne and Tiny
- Jacob Scipio as Leo
- Joanne Froggatt as Wendy
- Sarah Hadland as Dizzy, Lift Voice, Betsy and Vet Tilly
- Nick Mercer as Mr. Bentley and Farmer Pickles
- Marcel McCalla as Roley
- Sam Swann as Stretch
- William Haresceugh as JJ (Not to be confused with the character from the Original Series)
- Mia Hope as Saffi
- Lucy Montgomery as Mayor Madison, Jenny Dobbs and Shifter
- Holly Hazelton as Mila
- Dustin Demri-Burns as Tread
- Steve Cannon as Phillip and various minor roles
- Phil Cornwell as Alfred
United States
- Colin Murdock as Bob
- Blake Harrison as Scoop
- Vincent Tong as Muck and Brandon
- Richard Ian Cox as Lofty
- Richard Newman as Two-Tonne
- Daniel Bacon as Leo
- Joanne Froggatt as Wendy
- Claire Corlett as Dizzy
- Ian James Corlett as Roley and Mr Bentley
- Erin Mathews as JJ and Vet Tilly
- Lee Tockar as Tiny
- Peter New as Stretch
- Steve Cannon as Phillip
- Lucy Montgomery as Jenny Dobbs
- Cole Howard as Shifter
- Ryan Beil as Tread
- Nicole Oliver as Mayor Madison
- Kazumi Evans as Saffi
- Rebecca Shoichet as Mila and Betsy
Production and broadcast
After the original show ended in 2012, Mattel bought the Bob the Builder franchise for a revamped series which premiered on Channel 5 on 1 September 2015. The series was given a visual overhaul for both the characters and the scenery, with Bob and his team moving to the bustling metropolis of Spring City. The CGI animation remained and the construction projects and buildings are significantly larger and more advanced. Mr. Bentley is now seen with a new character, Mayor Madison and a new builder named Leo joined the building team. Several new vehicles were also introduced, including a heavy delivery vehicle named Two-Tonne.
Turner Broadcasting System later bought the broadcasting rights for the 2015 series for the United Kingdom to be repeated on Cartoon Network UK's sister preschool channel Cartoonito UK. The channel began airing the series in January 2016.[1] After the first season ended Rainmaker Entertainment announced that they have ceased animating the show due to issues the company was having at the time. DHX Media announced that they have started work for the second season and that their Halifax studio have officially replaced Rainmaker Entertainment.
The show also aired on Family Jr. in Canada. In Australia, Bob the Builder premiered in 2016. It aired on 10 Peach (formerly known as Eleven) every weekday morning. It also aired on ABC Kids. In the United States, it aired on PBS Kids from 2015 until 2018. Qubo aired the reboot series on 26 August 2019, but the original British dub is aired on that channel, instead of the American dub.
Reception and criticism
The reboot was poorly received by longtime fans of the older series. Criticism focused on the characters' redesigns and the changes to their personalities.[2]
References
- "Boomerang UK And Cartoonito UK January 2016 Highlights". RegularCapital.com. Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- Campbell, Tina (12 October 2014). "Bob The Builder gets a makeover: 'WTF have they done?' asks everyone". Metro. Retrieved 2 June 2017.