The Best Kids Show Is Getting A CGI Reboot
The classic children’s animated show Caillou is getting a reboot, thanks to the NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock. The original series was a mainstay on PBS Kids throughout the 2000s, which followed a bald-headed child’s adventures in life. According to a report from MovieWeb, the new series will be produced by WildBrain, which has continued to make Caillou cartoons and specials ever since the original series ended in 2010. If you were a parent during the early 2000s, this theme song is likely burned into your memory forever.
Unlike the original series, which featured traditional animation, the Caillou reboot will be CG-animated. 52 all-new episodes are being produced for Peacock, each running 11 minutes long. In addition, five Caillou specials are also being produced, each running 44 minutes long and each featuring a particular theme: Christmas, Halloween, Celebration of Family, Summer Vacation, and Bullying. “We’re delighted to join with Peacock to expand the Caillou universe,” WildBrain President Josh Scherba said. “For over 25 years, preschoolers have connected with Caillou…With a new look and stories where Caillou explores the world through wonderful flights of imagination, Caillou is better than ever.” No release date for the series has been announced, but the new series and specials will likely be the centerpiece of Peacock’s growing selection of programming for kids. It’s a welcome addition, as Peacock subscribers likely noticed that the service is surprisingly thin on kid-friendly content, choosing instead to focus on Universal films and NBC TV shows.
Based on the books by Hélène Desputeaux, who co-created the animated series with Christine L’Heureux, Caillou was originally conceived as the story of a baby learning about the world around him. The character grew up quickly in the books, so to avoid having to change the look of the character, Caillou’s bald-headed look remained the same throughout the books and cartoons, even though he is supposed to be roughly four years old. Like other preschoolers, Caillou usually doesn’t get things right on the first try, but his loving, supportive family and friends always help him along the way. After a 20-year run on PBS Kids, some newer episodes were posted to the official Caillou YouTube page, as well as Amazon Prime Video.
Some fans aren’t happy about the reboot, however. For some, it was the pure hate for every reboot corporate Hollywood jumps on. For others, it was the idea that the new CGI animation betrays the spirit of the original cartoon. The cartoons used the same art style as the books, which was simple yet distinctive. The new CG version, however, is decidedly different.
The love for Caillou is not universal, however. Critics and some child psychologists have taken issue with Caillou’s behavior in the show, which often shows him as spoiled and angry, and throwing temper tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. Even worse, Caillou is never reprimanded by his parents or punished for his bad behavior. Common Sense Media, which features reviews by parents and kids, isn’t very kind to the show. Most parents take issue with the fact that the cartoon is geared to young children, who mimic Caillou’s spoiled behavior. Some people just hate the kid. This video by Electric Dragon details the case against Caillou, arguing that he is the most hated cartoon character of all time. Newer episodes of the animated series tried to rectify the character’s behavior, and we’ll see if the Peacock version is a bit more responsible in its presentation, similar to shows like Arthur, which balanced discipline with learning and growth.
