Editing Tiny Planets

{{short description|2001 animated children's television series}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Tiny Planets title card.png
| genre                = [[List of children's animated television series|Children's animation]]
| creator              = Nina Elias-Bamberger
| writer               = 
| director             = Alastair McIlwain
| creative_director    = David J. Aldred
| developer            = 
| presenter            = 
| starring             = 
| voices               = Dashiell Tate<br>[[Kim Goody]]
| narrated             = 
| theme_music_composer = 
| opentheme            = ''Bing and Bong'' by [[Kim Goody]]
| endtheme             = ''Bing and Bong'' by Kim Goody
| composer             = [[Kim Goody]]<br>Alan Coates
| country              = United Kingdom<br>United States
| language             = English<br>[[Grammelot]]
| num_series           = 5
| num_episodes         = 145<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1916486.stm|title=Tiny Planets go worldwide|work=BBC.co.uk|publisher=[[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=8 April 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edtaylor.co.uk/Main_Animations.htm|title=Ed Taylor Animations|work=EdTaylor.co.uk|last=Taylor|first=Ed}}</ref>
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = {{ubl|Paul J. Michael|Nina Elias-Bamberger}}
| producer             = {{ubl|Richard Morss}}
| editor               = Samantha Hatton-Brown
| location             = 
| cinematography       = 
| camera               = 
| runtime              = 5 minutes
| company              = [[Sesame Workshop]]<br>Pepper's Ghost Productions Ltd
| network              = [[CITV]]
| first_aired          = {{Start_date|2001|6|10|df=yes}}
| last_aired           = {{End_date|2005|7|20|df=yes}}
| related              = 
}}
'''''Tiny Planets''''' is an animated children's television series produced by [[Sesame Workshop]], and Pepper's Ghost Productions. The concept was designed and developed by Ed Taylor. The series consists of 65 five-minute, dialogue-free episodes featuring two white-furred extraterrestrials travelling their universe and solving a specific problem each episode.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Erickson|first1=Hal|title=Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003|date=2005|edition=2nd|publisher=McFarland & Co|isbn=978-1476665993|pages=852–853}}</ref>

==Plot==
Deep in the heart of the Tiny Universe lies the North Planet, where the main characters, two aliens named Bing and Bong, make their home. These two [[explorers]] are catapulted to the surrounding worlds in their [[planetary system]] on a flying white couch where they explore, learn about the inhabitants, develop friendships and have fun.

==Characters==
* '''Bing''' (voiced by Dashiell Tate) – The older and larger alien, his enormous appetite for exploring is dwarfed only by the endless supply of useful gadgets in an ever-present pouch. Wise and determined, he often takes the lead in adventures. Patient and thoughtful, he loves nothing more than a problem to be solved or a job to be done. He likes to help others and has an optimistic approach to life and its problems. He does not speak, but communicates with body language, expressive eyebrows, and humming sounds.
* '''Bong''' (voiced by [[Kim Goody]], the singer of the theme song) – The younger and smaller alien who is Bing's appealing, coy and impulsive best friend. Impish, playful, gregarious and incredibly compassionate, she is especially miserable when on bad terms with Bing. She loves to join in games and be the centre of attention. She does not speak but has an expressive face and a body, a high-pitched sound (which is cross between a grunt and a squeak), and a multi-decibel cry of joy.
* '''Halley''' (also voiced by Kim Goody, the singer of the theme song) – A small wide-eyed insect who is named after the [[Halley's Comet|comet]] who provides a running commentary from her flying saucer and "films" the action with a remote camera to provide a summary at the end of the episode.
* '''Flockers''' – Creatures that live on each of the Tiny Planets, each with its own distinctive population. More often than not, it is these social creatures that Bing & Bong are helping out of a jam. Whether it is cleaning out-of-reach windows or fortifying a house to withstand wind, Flockers are a perpetual source of problems begging to be solved. They do not speak, but communicate with body language and call sounds. Their design varies depending on the planet; they have either one or two heads and either one or two legs. Only a few have arms.
* '''Locals''' – Smaller inhabitants of the planets that can appear in greater numbers than the Flockers but are just as dim. They are mostly globular in shape with blinking eyes and little antennae on top of their heads. They do not speak, but they communicate by bouncing, blinking and squeaking. On certain planets, the Locals are geometric shapes – squares, circles and triangles. Locals are always colourful, appealing and friendly.
* '''Robots''' – Segmented spherical creatures with mechanical arms and either wheels or helicopter rotors. Found mostly on the Tiny Planet of Technology, like all robots, they are linear thinkers attempting to multitask. They are there to help but do not always take instructions well. Thus, they are a challenge and Bing and Bong learn to work with them to get the best out of them.

==Settings==
There are six Tiny Planets that Bing and Bong travel to, in addition to their Home Planet.

* '''Home Planet''' – Bing and Bong live on the Home Planet. From here, they set out every morning on a new adventure. It is an icy world, covered in snow-capped ice floes. Inside a giant crystal is Bing and Bong's home, decorated in a [[steampunk]] fashion, with much [[brass]] work. The main and most notable feature is the fuzzy white couch that doubles as both their bed and their means of intergalactic travel. Tethered to the Home Planet by a [[bungee cord]] it is launched into space by a monstrous [[catapult]].
* '''Tiny Planet of Nature''' – Bing and Bong discover weather, plants and animals, the power of wind and the way rain turns to snow. This is a verdant and lush world, with trees, lakes, mountains, forests and flowers. The seasons there are much like a temperate part of the world, with snow in winter, hot sun in summer and falling leaves in autumn.
* '''Tiny Planet of Technology''' – Bing and Bong design gadgets to discover the properties of [[Spring (device)|springs]], wheels, [[lever]]s, [[pulley]]s, balance, forces, gears and structures. The planet consists of a massive detailed brass sphere, with four tethered [[satellites]]: two cubes and two spheres. The action takes place inside this planet, with an emphasis on structures and principles of [[physics]].
* '''Tiny Planet of Self''' – Bing and Bong encounter fitness, cleanliness and healthy eating and learn more about themselves and others. This is a loose cluster of outcrops floating in a sunny atmosphere, linked by rows of stepping-stones. There are [[pagoda]]-like [[pavilions]] and a [[sports arena]] here, and local transport is by sky-boat. Lessons of health, feelings, and good manners are learned here.
* '''Tiny Planet of Sound''' – Bing and Bong join musical bands, play [[tuba]]s, beat on drums and experiment with rhythm, [[harmony]], [[Pitch (music)|pitch]] and [[acoustics]]. This is a rocky desert planet, with odd flora such as Pitch-Plants (extendible [[flutes]] that can be blown), [[maraca]] leaves and self-playing [[tom-tom]] trees. Flockers and Locals often hold concerts here. The planet is blue from orbit, and is surrounded by a swarm of small [[asteroids]] which spiral from pole to pole.
* '''Tiny Planet of Light and Colour''' – Bing and Bong discover rainbows, shadows, animation and [[color mixing|colour mixing]]. This is an environment where Bing and Bong discover [[optical phenomena]]. Around the planet, there is a wide, circular, semi-transparent band inlaid with parallel strips of ever-changing colours. The landscape is similar to a desert, and the most notable features are the bullet-shaped rock pillars with paint coloured spots on them.
* '''Tiny Planet of Stuff''' – Bing and Bong explore groups of things and what they're made of. They play with patterns and numbers and sort things by colour, shape and sound. The planet is shaped like a gigantic [[Möbius strip]] and patterned like pink-and-blue graph paper; hence, this is where Bing and Bong solve problems involving [[arithmetic]], [[logic]] and [[geometry]].

==Episodes==
'''Nature:'''
* Seasons Machine
* Snow Problem
* Gone With the Wind
* It's Raining Bongs
* Winter Warm-Ups
* On the Right Track
* Blown Away
* Egg-stra Large
* Body Talk
* Big and Small

'''Technology:'''
* Tip the Scales
* Spring Cleaning
* Tools, Glorious Tools
* Free Wheeling
* Slippery Slope
* Pedal Meddle
* Pivotal Points
* The Right Angle
* The Fisher Bing
* Strength in Girders

'''Self:'''
* Tuba Trouble
* Night Light, Sleep Tight
* Shower Power
* That's What Friends are For
* Flockercise
* Sweet Temptations
* Odd Bing Out
* Box of Tricks
* Keep Your Head
* Easy Rider
* Moving and Grooving
* Birthday Build-Up
* Be a Sport
* Love is All You Need
* Pooling Resources
* Everyone's a Winner

'''Sound:'''
* Highs and Lows
* Flower Power
* Jammin' Session
* A Chorus Line
* Desperately Seeking Silence
* Hear My Song
* Bing Bong Bell
* Found Sounds Orchestra
* Rhythm and Moods

'''Light and Colour:'''
* Shadow Showdown
* True Colours
* Making Rainbows
* Flocker Flicker
* Contrasting Views
* The Light Fantastic
* 3D or Not 3D?

'''Stuff:'''
* Patterns on Parade
* Picnic Poser
* Suits You
* Give Me Five
* Shapes Alive
* Magnificent Seven
* Shapes and Ladders
* Mirror Magic
* A Place for Everything
* Road Block
* What's Cooking?
* Colour Clues
* Ramping Up

==Broadcast==
''Tiny Planets'' was screened on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in the United Kingdom from 10 June 2001 to 20 July 2005.

In the United States, it was broadcast from April 1, 2002 to April 9, 2006 on [[Noggin_(brand)#Television_channel|Noggin]], originally in 5-minute segments and later in half hour compilations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gilbertdennis.com/the-tiny-planets-hour/|title=The Tiny Planets Hour &#124; the Gilbert Dennis Website}}</ref> 

It also aired in several other countries around the world, including [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] in Australia, [[K-T.V.|K-T.V. World]] in South Africa, [[British Forces Broadcasting Service|BFBS]] in Germany as well as Belize, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and Bosnia and Herzegovina, [[TV3 (New Zealand)|TV3]] in New Zealand, [[Okto|Kids Central]] in Singapore, [[JimJam]] in Malta and Poland, [[e-Junior]] in the Emirates, [[TVB Pearl]] in Hong Kong and Macau, and [[Family Channel (Canadian TV channel)|Family Channel]] and [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] in Canada. Localised versions were aired on [[Super RTL]] in Germany, [[NRK]] in Norway, [[Croatian Radiotelevision|HRT]] in Croatia, [[NHK]] in Japan, [[United Broadcasting Corporation|UBC Kids]] in Thailand, [[Seoul Broadcasting System|SBS]] in South Korea, [[Astro Ria]] in Malaysia, [[Spacetoon]] in Indonesia, [[Italia 1]] in [[Italy]], [[Discovery Kids (Latin America)|Discovery Kids]] in Latin America, [[Televisa]] in Mexico and Minika Çocuk in Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.c21media.net/tiny-planets-licensed-throughout-europe-and-japan/|title=Tiny Planets licensed throughout Europe and Japan|work=C21Media.net|publisher=C21 Media|last=Fraser|first=Fiona|date=19 April 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/tiny-planets-gets-big-tv-marathon-home-vid-bow/|title=Tiny Planets Gets Big TV Marathon, Home Vid Bow|work=[[Animation Magazine]]|last=Ball|first=Ryan|date=10 September 2003}}</ref>

==Awards and nominations==
The programme was nominated for several [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] awards. It won the 2002 BAFTA Interactive Children's Entertainment Award<ref>{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2002/childrens/interactive|title=BAFTA Children's Interactive in 2002|work=BAFTA.org|publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]]|date=2002}}</ref> and was nominated for the 2001 BAFTA Interactive Award for Online Learning<ref>{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2001/interactive/online-learning|title=BAFTA Interactive Online Learning in 2001|work=BAFTA.org|publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]]|date=2001}}</ref> and the 2003 [[British Academy Children's Award for Pre-School Animation|BAFTA Pre-school Animation Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2003/childrens/pre-school-animation|title=BAFTA Children's Pre-school Animation in 2003|work=BAFTA.org|publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]]|date=2003}}</ref> Additionally, a website based on the series was awarded the 2001 BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Website Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2001/interactive/entertainment-website|title=BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Website in 2001|work=BAFTA.org|publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]]|date=2001}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|tt0408430}}

{{Sesame Workshop series}}

[[Category:2001 American animated television series debuts]]
[[Category:2001 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:2005 American television series endings]]
[[Category:2005 British television series endings]]
[[Category:2000s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2000s American children's television series]]
[[Category:2000s American science fiction television series]]
[[Category:2000s British animated television series]]
[[Category:2000s British children's television series]]
[[Category:2000s British science fiction television series]]
[[Category:2000s preschool education television series]]
[[Category:American children's animated science fiction television series]]
[[Category:American children's animated space adventure television series]]
[[Category:American computer-animated television series]]
[[Category:American preschool education television series]]
[[Category:Animated preschool education television series]]
[[Category:Animated television series about extraterrestrial life]]
[[Category:Animated television series set on fictional planets]]
[[Category:Animated television series without speech]]
[[Category:British children's animated science fiction television series]]
[[Category:British children's animated space adventure television series]]
[[Category:British computer-animated television series]]
[[Category:British preschool education television series]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:ITV children's television shows]]
[[Category:Television series by Sesame Workshop]]
[[Category:ITV animated television series]]