WILD KRATTS: CREATURES OF THE DEEP SEA and PBS KIDS’ new STEM series
SPLASH AND BUBBLES inspire underwater learning
This Thanksgiving week, PBS KIDS is diving into the deep sea with the premiere of a new movie from everyone’s favorite adventure-seeking brothers, Martin and Chris Kratt. WILD KRATTS: CREATURES OF THE DEEP SEA will premiere on Wednesday, November 23, on PBS member stations (check local listings), followed by the world premiere of PBS KIDS’ newest series, SPLASH AND BUBBLES. Immersed in a marine biology and social-emotional curriculum, SPLASH AND BUBBLES will air daily on PBS stations following its premiere. SPLASH AND BUBBLES games and streaming video will debut in mid-November, offering families a sneak peek at the new underwater adventure series.
Produced by the Kratt Brothers Company, WILD KRATTS: CREATURES OF THE DEEP SEA features Martin and Chris as they dive down to the most unexplored habitat on Earth: the ocean trenches. There, they must choose between saving their creature friends from the greedy clutches of Gourmand or realizing their lifelong dream of discovering new species that may unlock the secrets of science. Following its on-air premiere, CREATURES OF THE DEEP SEA will stream on the free PBS KIDS Video App and on pbskids.org until December 22. A new WILD KRATTS game will also be available on pbskids.org and the free PBS KIDS Games App in mid-November.
SPLASH AND BUBBLES, produced by The Jim Henson Company (DINOSAUR TRAIN, SID THE SCIENCE KID) and Herschend Studios, the media arm of Herschend Enterprises (Dollywood, Harlem Globetrotters), and created by John Tartaglia (“ImaginOcean,” “Johnny and the Sprites”), is designed to encourage kids ages 4-7 to explore the natural undersea world. Developed with top marine biologists, digital innovators and educators, the series’ curricular focus incorporates themes of diversity, individuality, interconnectedness and the celebration of learning and discovery. Each episode includes two 11-minute animated stories, as well as live-action content. The series is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
“The WILD KRATTS movie and PBS KIDS’ new series SPLASH AND BUBBLES provide kids with engaging and entertaining ways to learn more about marine animals, while building science skills and supporting social-emotional learning,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. “With this new programming, PBS KIDS aims to spark kids’ lifelong curiosity and enthusiasm for the ocean, as well as appreciation for the diversity of creatures that call it home.”
In advance of its November 23 premiere, SPLASH AND BUBBLES will launch a suite of digital offerings, including full episodes and educational games for kids. Beginning the week of November 14, four 11-minute stories will be available on the free PBS KIDS Video App and pbskids.org, with additional episodes rolling out every week until January. “Finball Friends,” a SPLASH AND BUBBLES game, will also be available on the series’ website and the free PBS KIDS Games App at that time.
Episode Descriptions & Premiere Dates
WILD KRATTS: CREATURES OF THE DEEP SEA
Premieres November 23; streaming November 23-December 22
Aboard Aviva’s newly designed Deep Sea Explorer, the Wild Kratts team ventures to the last creature frontier – the deep sea. The challenges of the deep are many, and when ultimately they are forced to make a decision, the Wild Kratts must decide what is truly important.
SPLASH AND BUBBLES
Premieres November 23, 2016; streaming November 23-January 16
The following three 11-minute stories debut as part of a special premiere event on Wednesday, November 23, 2016:
“Lu the Explorer” – Splash takes his pals to go see his friend, Lu, a fearless explorer in the deep. He has met Lu in his travels, and she has been an inspiration for Splash. Lu turns out to be a female football fish (the “Lu” stands for “bio-LU-minescent”) who leads them on an adventure in the abyss.
“Double Bubbles” – When Finny, a green dragonet, joins the group to play one day, Bubbles starts to worry that they’re so similar, her friends won’t need her around anymore.
“I've Got Rhythm?” – Wave, the octopus, loves the musicality of Reeftown, but tries to keep others from discovering that he has no rhythm.
Additional new episodes premiere throughout the week of Thanksgiving:
“I Only Have Eyespots for You/Double Bubbles” – premieres November 24, 2016
“I Only Have Eyespots for You” – Splash sees a beautiful fish go by and instantly wants to be its friend, but whenever he tries to talk to the fish, it ignores him. He and his friends soon learn the fish has false eyespots on her back and had no idea they were trying to talk to her.
“Double Bubbles” – description above
“Cleaner of the Kelp/How Bubbles Got Her Moves Back” – premieres November 25, 2016
“Cleaner of the Kelp” – While playing in the kelp forest, Splash, Bubbles and Dunk meet Tidy the Garibaldi Fish, who is the self-appointed Kelp Forest Ranger. Tidy has been taking the kids’ shells as they play in the forest because he likes to keep everything clean and tidy.
“How Bubbles Got Her Moves Back” – Bubbles injures her fin and has trouble swimming, but still wants to move around, so she begins trying all of the methods that other creatures on the reef use to move.
About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, digital platforms and community-based programs. Kidscreen- and Webby Award-winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including digital games and streaming video. PBS KIDS also offers mobile apps to help support young children’s learning. The PBS KIDS Video app is available on a variety of mobile devices and on platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.
About Kratt Brothers Company
Kratt Brothers Company, founded in 1993, has created and produced more than 220 episodes of television, including award-winning series: KRATTS' CREATURES, ZOBOOMAFOO, Kratt Brothers: Be The Creature" and WILD KRATTS. Through its full service animation studio, Kratt Brothers Company is currently in production on its fifth season of the Emmy-nominated hit, WILD KRATTS. www.krattbrothers.com
About The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for 60 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy®-nominated Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train, and Pajanimals, as well as the CG-animated preschool series Doozers, the Netflix original series for young preschoolers Word Party and the digital citizenship series for preschoolers Dot. Top titles currently in production include the groundbreaking marine biology series Splash and Bubbles for PBS KIDS® and the Netflix original preschool show Julie’s Greenroom, starring award-winning actress Julie Andrews. Features include Disney’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, as well as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and MirrorMask. Television productions include Fraggle Rock, the sci-fi cult series Farscape, Henson Alternative’s No, You Shut Up! and the TV film Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow.
With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and post-production facilities. The company is home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The company’s Henson Alternative brand is currently touring Puppet-Up! – Uncensored, a live puppet improvisational show.
http://www.henson.com
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About Herschend Enterprises and Herschend Studios
Committed for more than half a century to Creating Memories Worth Repeating®, Herschend Enterprises is the largest family-owned attractions corporation in the U.S. Our team of more than 10,000 employees works daily to create wholesome, immersive entertainment experiences with soul and depth for every generation. With a focus on bringing families closer together, we create, develop and operate entertainment, tourism and hospitality properties spanning 24 locations in seven states, attracting over 14 million people annually. Herschend Studios is the media arm of Herschend Enterprises, committed to developing and producing family entertainment for television, film, and publishing.
Today, Herschend Enterprises’ properties include the world famous Harlem Globetrotters, award-winning theme parks like Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO, and Dollywood, our partnership with Dolly Parton in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, including Dollywood’s Dreammore Resort, top tier aquariums – Newport Aquarium and Adventure Aquarium – water parks, hotels, and other highly entertaining standalone attractions. For more information, visit www.hfecorp.com.
About Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of nearly 1,500 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related online services. For more information, visit www.cpb.org and follow on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About The NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program
The NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; and advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments.
Contacts
Maria Vera, PBS; 703.739.3225; mvera@pbs.org
Allison Salzberg, 360 PR+, 617.585.5793, asalzberg@360pr.plus
