Jack's Big Music Show is an American musical children's television series originally aired on Noggin on September 12, 2005, to October 13, 2007. The show was produced by Spiffy Pictures, and was nominated for a 2008 Emmy award for Outstanding Pre-school Television Series. The popularity of the show made the idea of appearing on it attractive to musicians. An executive from Nick Jr. in 2006 said that they were "clamoring to get onto Jack's Big Music Show." In May 2007, production was disbanded and it was announced that no new episodes would be produced. The last episode aired on October 13, 2007. However, it reran on Nick Jr. until December 26, 2014.
Plot
The series focuses on music-loving Jack, his best friend Mary, and his drum-playing dog Mel, all of whom are puppets. The show takes place in Jack's backyard clubhouse and centers on the characters' passion for music. The characters play music in every episode and are often accompanied by other puppets or human musicians. Each episode starts with Jack's mom calling him that he has to leave for an activity soon. They feature two music videos by children's musical artists and a performance by The Schwartzman Quartet about the episode's theme. At the end of each episode, a big "finale" song is played. Sometimes Jack leaves and tells his mom what they did today, while other times they continue to play music in the clubhouse. Mel can be seen popping up during the credits.
Characters
Main
Jack – A blue-colored musician and star of the show.
Mary – Jack's best friend, a purple-haired accordionist.
Mel – Jack's drum-playing dog.
The Schwartzman Quartet – A group of four similar-looking singers.
In an interview on the Nick Jr. website, Rudman says that The Jack Benny Show was an influence on Jack's Big Music Show. The names Jack, Mary, Mel, and the "Schwartzman Quartet" are references to characters on The Jack Benny Program. Other possible name references to Jack Benny Program regulars include the squirrels Sheldon and Leonard, Phil the Coo-Coo Bird, and Gertrude the Groundhog. The ring around Mel's eye is an obvious homage to Pete the Pup from The Little Rascals. Hannert says that the music is influenced by Chuck Berry and the whole history of rock and roll.
