Arthur series creator Marc Brown is bringing his next kids show to Max. The streaming service has given a series greenlight to new animated preschool series Hop. The series order is part of a return by Max, the company behind the Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera libraries, to the kids space.
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The series also marks Brown’s first television show following last year’s finale of the beloved Arthur series following its 25-season run on PBS.
Co-created by Brown and Arthur alums Peter K. Hirsch and Tolon Brown, Hop hails from producers Epic Story Media and Loomi Animation. Epic also has brought on board RespectAbility – the advocacy nonprofit organization fighting stigma and advancing opportunity for people with disabilities – to consult on the series.
Hop follows an eclectic group of besties whose comedic adventures teach preschoolers about embracing their own uniqueness. Led by Hop, an enthusiastic, empathetic frog with one leg shorter than the other, he and his quirky friends address kid-relatable problems with a healthy dose of laughter, silliness, and adventure.
Set in the aspirational community of Fair Village, every episode is grounded in emotional reality but soars into the world of fantasy, populated by dragons, trolls, talking banjos, and magic crayons. With a gentle balance of humor and heart, our heroes go on fun escapades to discover that they can overcome any obstacle with perseverance, creativity, and teamwork. Together, they show us the power of friendship and kindness as they navigate the mud puddles of life.
Hop will be voiced by David Connolly, the first amputee to perform on Broadway. Characters also include Penny, Hop’s slightly older sibling, voiced by Moneesha “Misha” Bakshi; Hoot, the life of the party, voiced by Makeda Bromfield; Filipa, a fiercely intelligent squirrel, voiced by Charlotte Walker; Benny, an alligator, who may look fearsome, but is the sweetest, shyest – and most neurotic – one of the group, voiced by Jake Shannon; and Alfred Beaver, the youngest member of the group who loves to hang out with the Hoppers, also voiced by Bromfield.
“Even before Arthur ended, I was nurturing a new project about a little frog named Hop, for a younger audience,” said Brown. “As Hop’s world grew in my imagination, I drew inspiration from the great work my friend Fred Rogers had done. With Arthur, we occasionally introduced characters with disabilities, but they never became part of the ensemble cast in any meaningful way. But the characters in Hop reflect many kids who are underrepresented in the media. Some of our characters have disabilities but they never define who they are or what they can achieve. Kids are kids and each one is unique and filled with potential. And kids love to have fun, that’s what Hop is all about!”
Before the rebrand to Max, the streaming service had pulled numerous kids shows from the HBO Max platform, disappointing many in the children’s TV industry. Following the rebrand, the service revealed in April that it was returning with an increased commitment to the sector, while admitting that it was ostensibly technical difficulties that caused some of its problems for younger viewers.
“We sit on the best library of IP for kids content [compared] to anyone so we’re not only going to reboot a lot of what we already have in our library but we’re also going to make new [shows],” Kathleen Finch, Chairman and Chief Content Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery’s U.S. Networks Group, said in April.
“We’re extremely proud of our work and collaboration with industry experts on representing characters in an inclusive way,” said Ken Faier of Epic Story Media. “It is an honor to have developed with Marc, Peter and Tolon who know how to engage not only today’s youth but parents looking for quality content. We believe Hop will have longevity in the marketplace for many years to come.”
Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang added: “Marc is a legend in children’s programming, having created one of the most iconic television shows that has garnered almost every honor imaginable. Hop exudes everything families love about Arthur, but with a fresh cast of modern characters that authentically represent the sundry of little eyes watching TV.”
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