Boo! is a children's television series shown in the United Kingdom on the CBeebies channel, and originally on BBC Two. It features several cartoon characters who play a game similar to hide and seek in a variety of settings. The commentary is performed by an adult narrator and a chorus of children. The series was produced by the independent production company Tell-Tale Productions, which was also responsible for Tweenies. From 2007 to 2012, reruns of the show were broadcast in the USA on Qubo. The series ran for a total of 102 episodes and one Christmas special was nominated for a BAFTA in 2002-03. At the end of the programme a song is sung, usually about matching characters or objects to their shapes or colours. The visual style of Boo! is very distinctive, using 3D CGI with rounded shapes and cel-shading. The music and songs are generally in an early-70s funk/R&B idiom.
Characters
Boo - a pear/eggplant-shaped patchwork creature with orange spiky hair. His feet are red with white spots on them. The main goal of the programme is to find Boo in his various hiding places. Half-way through each episode, Boo magically adopts attributes of his surroundings. Boo cannot talk, although he whistles at the beginning of each episode and dances during every song.
Laughing Duck - a yellow soft-toy duck, who laughs when "found". She has a red-orange bill that matches her legs and has abilities to fly and swim. In some episodes, she meets some people who happen to be employees. In the hospital, she has been found sad because her laugh is lost, but it is regained when Boo tickles her flipper.
Sleeping Bear a brown teddy bear who is usually asleep, yawning or stretching when "found". His blankie is red with white-printed hearts on it. The catchphrase associated with him is "Shhh... Tippy-toe, tippy-toe."
Growling Tiger - a friendly soft-toy tiger with fluffy white ears. Despite his name, he says "Roar!" when found. His associated catchphrase is "It's Growling Tiger! Run away! Run away!"
Other characters, both human and animal vary from one episode to another. The people who have speaking roles in this show are the artists, Chatty Hairdresser, Helpful Nurse, Caring Doctor, Helpful Teacher, Helpful Waitress, Happy Customers, Busy Chef, the woman in high stilts, the ringmaster, Careful Grownup, Graceful Teacher, Gentle Vet and Cheering Dad. The Blue Squawking Parakeet with a red crest on it appears in a birdcage when we are about to enter the veterinarian.
The show was created by Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan, who have created and produced Fun Song Factory, BB3B, and Jim Jam and Sunny in addition to Tweenies. Brenton also designed the characters. The series was directed by Mark Taylor and produced by Teresa Reed. Animation was handled by the Bristol-based studio A Productions. The voices of Growling Tiger and Sleeping Bear were provided by Justin Fletcher; the voice of Laughing Duck was supplied by Kate Harbour. The children's voices were supplied by a group of junior school children including Daniel Hardoon, Franklin Taylor Moore, Corey Lewis and Laura Reed. The male narrator is ex-Freak Power singer Ashley Slater and the female narrator is Sharon D. Clarke. The original design was created by Rebecca Elgar, a children's author and illustrator.
Broadcast
"Boo!" can be seen in the United Kingdom on CBeebies, reruns from 2007-2012 in the United States on the digital channel Qubo, and Australia's ABC. "Boo!" is also available in Canada on the French educational public broadcaster TFO.
