Talk to the Snail

Spongebob vs Phineas & Ferb

eric — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:01:08 +0000

Confused

Help me out here. Yesterday’s Nickelodeon press release announcing more SpongeBobs are on the way gave us this bit of information:

“SpongeBob SquarePants will once again cap the year as the number-one animated show among kids 2-11 (followed by The Penguins of Madagascar) and kids 6-11 on broadcast and basic cable. The series is also basic cable’s top animated show with total viewers.”

But a Disney Channel press release dated November 5, 2010, had this to say:

“The Emmy Award-winning hit series “Phineas and Ferb” has ranked as TV’s #1 animated series among Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 for two consecutive years. It is TV’s #1 animated series in fiscal 2010 among Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14, delivering 3.3 million Total Viewers on average.”

What’s the spin? So which is the #1 cartoon for kids 6-11?

– Eric

Have a “Great and Grumpy” Holiday

eric — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 16:34:24 +0000

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! episode #213a

– Eric

Doug: The Movie

eric — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 22:50:22 +0000

– Eric

The Cartoon Medley (FreddeGredde)

eric — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:24:50 +0000

I was facing grown-up problems by the time most of these shows were airing, but I still like pretty well Fredrik Larsson’s Cartoon Medley. If you were a kid in the ’80s, you’ll probably like it even more.

Thanks to the Daily What for posting this.

– Eric

Phineas and Ferb Take the Boys’ Market by Storm

eric — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:51:50 +0000

Phineas and Ferb creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff ‘Swampy’ Marsh

This Fast Company article on Phineas and Ferb is interesting for a couple of reasons, not the least of which are the facts and figures how the show’s license and merchandising compares with SpongeBob’s. From Frederator’s point-of-view there’s an even bigger take-away. You might know we’re a cartoon company whose output has been (nearly) 100% creator based, meaning the folks, usually cartoonists, who come up with the idea are also the ones who run the show. So while there’s always that tendency for networks to veer in the opposite direction of how we like to work, it’s great to know this creator-based cartoon - at a network far from being known for its catering to the visions of creators - is now “the top cable animated series among 6- to 14-year-olds.” So, good for Disney for supporting the show, and a bigger congratulations to [Read more…]

Heading to A.P.E.?

eric — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:48:40 +0000

Hey, if you’re going to the Alternative Press Expo this weekend in San Francisco and want to pitch your cartoon projects to a high-powered development executive, let me know, I’ll be glad to put you in touch with one. Ha ha ha. Seriously, though. If you’ve got ideas for cartoons - TV or features - I’ll be there to meet you. Email me at eric at frederator.com.

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Congratulations, T.U.F.F. Puppy

eric — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:32:05 +0000

Hats off to Butch and his cast and crew. You can read the good news (and for Planet Sheen, too) in the official Nickelodeon press release below, but if all those numbers hurt your head like they do mine, just know the T.U.F.F. Puppy premiere was Nick’s highest-rated cartoon of the week with kids aged six to eleven.

– Eric

NICKELODEON’S NEW PLANET SHEEN AND T.U.F.F. PUPPY TOP SATURDAY MORNING TIME PERIODS!

Back-to-Back Premieres of New Nicktoons Bring in 3.6 Million Total Viewers to Saturday Morning Block

NEW YORK– Oct. 5, 2010–Nickelodeon’s back-to-back Saturday morning premieres of Planet Sheen (Saturday, Oct. 2, 11 a.m. ET/PT) and T.U.F.F. Puppy (11:30 a.m. ET/PT), topped basic cable in their respective time periods with kids 2-11, kids 6-11, tweens 9-14 and total viewers. The additions to Nick’s hit animation roster, averaged 3.6 million total viewers, boosting Nick’s Saturday morning block by double- and triple-digits over last year

Planet Sheen, a new CG-animated comedy series from the creative minds of Steve Oedekerk and Keith Alcorn, drew 3.5 million total viewers (+38%) and averaged a 5.5/2.0 million K2-11 (+22%), 6.9/1.5 million K6-11 (+47%), and 5.3/1.1 million T9-14 (+121%). T.U.F.F. Puppy, a 2D animated comedy from Nicktoon hit-maker Butch Hartman (The Fairly OddParents), drew 3.6 million total viewers (+29%) and averaged a 5.8/2.1 million K2-11 (+26%), 6.9/1.5 million K6-11 (+57%) and 5.2/1.1 million T9-14 (+108%).

The action-packed T.U.F.F. Puppy centers around Dudley Puppy (voiced by iCarly’s Jerry Trainor), a gung-ho, dim-witted dog who finds himself accidentally thrust into the role of secret agent when he’s recruited by the super-secret, crime-fighting organization, T.U.F.F. (Turbo Undercover Fighting Force). He partners with Kitty Katswell, a feline superspy who is an amazing kung-fu and weapons expert. Naturally, they don’t get along, but together they protect their hometown of Petropolis and the rest of the world against the evil animal organization, D.O.O.M. (Diabolical Order of Mayhem).

Planet Sheen follows the intergalactic adventures of Sheen Guevera Estevez, the hyperactive kid from Nick’s hit TV series The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius. Planet Sheen finds Sheen stranded in outer space after he accidentally “borrows” a rocket and crash lands on the planet Zeenu, a world of limited technology that is inhabited by not-too-bright creatures and ruled by an Emperor who becomes fascinated with Sheen.

T.U.F.F. Puppy airs regularly on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and Planet Sheen at 11:30 a.m.

Nickelodeon, now in its 31st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 16 consecutive years.

Good Luck, Butch

eric — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 00:09:55 +0000

Man, we’ve known Butch Hartman as a hotshot cartoon guy since 1822. Since then, he’s created TV shows, written features, and delivered babies in snowstorms on desert islands with two arms tied behind his back. Tomorrow, at 11:30 a.m. on Nickelodeon, Butch unleashes his latest cartoon series, T.U.F.F. Puppy. He and his cast and crew have worked incredibly hard on the series. As with everything Butch does, we wish him - along with everyone associated with the show - the very best of success.

– Eric

Thurop Stops By

eric — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:26:28 +0000

When we asked Thurop Van Orman what he’s been up to since Flapjack wrapped production (besides re-growing his beard), we had no idea it would be as cool as Black Forest, a feature he’s been developing. Thanks a ton for stopping by the Frederator compound yesterday, Thurop, and telling us about the project. Of course, we’re quite grateful your allowing us to show these cracking images on our blogs. Good luck.

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“Labor Day” Title Card

eric — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:38:13 +0000

Yeah, three weeks late (or forty-nine weeks early). From My Life as a Teenage Robot. Artwork by Joseph Holt.

– Eric