Nickelodeon Animation Update

Last week, Nickelodeon offered up a projection of the network's forthcoming programming efforts. There will be plenty of teen comedies for devoted viewers to tune in to, but even among the animation slated for 2012-2013 a few patterns seem to have emerged. Nickelodeon's next generation of content is returning to the format of the buddy comedy, stuffed with monsters, aliens, robots, snakes, dragons, and "rebellious dudes." In the animated medium, Nickelodeon has moved into full production on three new television series and ordered two new pilots.

Of the projects at the front of the mind, a few of them have already glanced the newswire, like Monsters vs. Aliens, which is another partnership between DreamWorks Animation and Nickelodeon, and the recently premiered Robot & Monster, a CG comedy about two pals who live in a city populated by creatures and automatons (integrated by their universal love of bacon).

Highlights of newer productions include Sanjay & Craig, a 2D project about a kid whose best friend is a snake; Monty and Norville, an upcoming preschool series about a five-year-old and his dragon pal; and Bad Seeds, technically an ordered pilot, but could prove interesting as the latest animation pitch from Carl Greenblatt (Chowder). According to Nickelodeon, these and other titles are scheduled to roll out this coming autumn and into the 2013 year.

New Animation:
Sanjay & Craig: A classic tale of boy meets snake, this 20-episode, 2D-animated series follows two best buds who dedicate their lives to becoming the coolest, most rebellious dudes in the neighborhood. Sanjay & Craig is created by Jim Dirschberger, Jay Howell, and Andreas Trolf, and executive produced by Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi (The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Alvin and the Chipmunks).

Monsters vs. Aliens: An extension of the 2009 movie, the all-new CG-animated TV series features the lovable monsters and a whole new group of nefarious aliens living and working together at Area 50-something. Greenlit for 26 episodes, the series will be executive produced by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle (Kim Possible, The Penguins of Madagascar), and Brett Haaland (Kung Fu Panda TV).

Robot & Monster: This CG series, recently premiering on Nickelodeon, follows the friendship and adventures of the most unlikely best-friend duo: Robot, a mechanical and self-proclaimed genius, and Monster, a happy-go-lucky organic. These pals live in a strange world where robots and monsters, also known as mechanicals and organics, live side-by-side and everybody is united by a love for bacon. Together, the relentlessly ambitious Robot and pathologically content Monster form an unlikely friendship. Robot & Monster is created by David Pressler and written by Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia.

Monty and Norville: This new preschool series follows the adventures of a five-year-old troll named Monty and his dragon friend Norville. With the help of viewers at home, Monty can use his magic stick to make incredible things happen as long as he uses the right words. The new 26-episode cartoon, created by Adam Peltzman (Blue's Clues, The Backyardigans), will introduce a literacy curriculum to Nickelodeon’s preschool audience.

Animation Pilots:
Bad Seeds: From SpongeBob SquarePants alumnus and Chowder creator, Carl Greenblatt, Bad Seeds is about a good bird running with the bad crowd.... and having a great time.

Blaze and the Monster Machines: This educational project is a CG-animated, interactive program about an eight-year-old boy named AJ and his incredible monster truck Blaze. AJ, Blaze, and their friend Maddie fight their arch nemesis Crusher along with a fleet of other trucks. The series features a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum and is created by Jeff Borkin (Team Umizoomi, Little Einsteins) and Ellen Martin (Bubble Guppies, The Backyardigans).

Previous Nickelodeon Animation News:
"Nickelodeon Animation Upfront 2012" at AnimationInsider.net (03/2012)