Jump to content

Nanalan': Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
take out cat, meme is not mentioned in the article
 
(493 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Canadian children's television show}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Nanalan Russell Mona.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Russell the Dog (left) and Mona "Monica" (right)]] -->
{{Infobox television
'''''Nanalan'''''' is a [[Canada|Canadian]] [[television]] show broadcast by the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] in [[Canada]] and by [[PBS]] in the US, created by the puppet troupe, [[The Grogs]]. Its target audience is [[preschool]] children and, according to the CBC, ''Nanalan''' is "designed to foster children's curiosity and love of learning, with the hope they will carry it with them as they grow." Excerpts from the show also air on [[Fox Kids UK]].
| image = Nanalan Russell Mona.jpg
| caption = Russell (left) and Mona (right)
| runtime = 3 minutes {{small|(shorts)}}<br />21 minutes {{small|(full-length)}}
| creator = {{Plainlist|
* [[Jamie Shannon]]
* [[The Grogs|Jason Hopley]]
}}
| composer = Jack Lenz
| cinematography = John M. Tran
| executive_producer = [[Jack Lenz]]<br />Jamie Shannon
| producer = Tim Williams
| director = Michael Larsh
| starring = {{Plainlist|
* Jamie Shannon
* Jason Hopley
* [[Ali Eisner]]
* Marty Stelnick
}}
| country = Canada
| language = English
| network = {{Plainlist|
* [[YTV (TV channel)|YTV]] <small>(shorts)</small>
* [[CBC Television]] <small>([[CBC Kids|Kids' CBC]])</small> <small>(series)</small>
}}
| company = [[The Grogs]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1998|9|7}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2006|1|6}}
| num_seasons = 2
| num_episodes = 72 {{small|(shorts)}}<br />41 {{small|(full-length)}}
}}
'''''Nanalan'''''' is a Canadian [[children's television series]] created by [[Jamie Shannon]] and [[The Grogs|Jason Hopley]]. It began in 1998<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/948549065/|title=YTV moves into a new zone|newspaper=[[The Toronto Star]]|page=262|date=September 5, 1998|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> as a series of three-minute shorts and later ran for two seasons of full-length episodes spanning 21 minutes each. It chronicles the small-scale adventures and discoveries of a three-year-old puppet girl named Mona in her grandmother Nana's backyard. The title is a contraction of the phrase "Nana Land," referring to the setting.


Hopley and Shannon, who continued to work with Nickelodeon afterwards on their creation ''[[Mr. Meaty]]'', produced the series through their puppetry troupe [[The Grogs]] in association with [[Jack Lenz|Lenz Entertainment]]. The show uses a blend of hand puppetry and the manipulation of cardboard cutouts, particularly in the opening theme. While the shorts do not follow a structure, the half-hour episodes follow a loose format that includes at least one song or reading an original story to the viewers.
The show's main protagonist is a 3-year-old girl named Monica "Mona" (voiced by [[Jamie Shannon]]). In each episode, Mrs. Bea Lan, Mona's grandmother(voiced by [[Marty Stelnick]]), Mona's mother, drops her off nana's (voiced by [[Jason Hopley]]) house in the morning and picks her up at the end of the episode. Mona, Nana, and Russell the Dog (Mona's sidekick and partner and Nana's puppy dog, voiced by [[Jason Hopley]]) spend the day exploring, learning, visiting Harold "Hank" Wooka (Nana's next-door neighbor, voiced by [[Todd Doldersum]]), and playing.


The show received three nominations at the 2004 [[Gemini Awards]] and was fairly well received by Canadian and U.S. press, with some critics calling attention to the show's surreal presentation and genuine approach to its concept. In 2004, select shorts were released across several [[DVD]]s and [[VHS]] in the U.S. In the mid-2010s and early 2020s, the series [[viral phenomenon|went viral]] with a resurgence in popularity on websites such as [[Tumblr]] and [[YouTube]] for its bizarre nature.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chen |first1=Tanya |date=May 10, 2016 |title=Teens On Tumblr Are Obsessed With This Fucked Up Canadian Kids Show |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/tanyachen/nanalan-why |access-date=4 November 2016 |website=Buzzfeed}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bobkin |first1=Matt |date=2016-05-12 |title=Canadian kids' show Nanalan' goes viral, validates weirdness of Canadian millennials |url=https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/television/canadian-kids-show-nanalan-goes-viral-validates-weirdness-of-canadian-millennials |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=National Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Van Wort |first=Amber |date=2020-04-17 |title=Nanalan Quarantine Videos Are Being Shared Online And It's Canadian Nostalgia Overload |url=https://www.narcity.com/nanalan-quarantine-videos-are-being-shared-online-and-its-canadian-nostalgia-overload |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Narcity |language=en-ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=May |first=Brigitte |date=August 21, 2018 |title=Nanalan': Canadian television treasure or collective children's fever dream - The Beaverton |url=https://www.thebeaverton.com/2018/08/nanalan-canadian-television-treasure-or-collective-childrens-fever-dream/ |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=www.thebeaverton.com}}</ref>
''Nanalan{{'}}'' began airing in 1999. In 2004, it was nominated for the following three [[Gemini Award]]s: Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series; Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series; and Best Pre-School Program or Series. ''Nanalan''' won Best writing and Best performance, an award shared by [[Jamie Shannon]], [[Jason Hopley]], [[Marty Stelnick]], [[Todd Doldersum]], and [[Ali Eisner]].


Interest in the series was renewed in late 2023 after video clips of it went viral on [[TikTok]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kircher |first=Madison Malone |date=November 21, 2023 |title=Who's That Wonderful Girl? How "Nanalan'" Found New Success on TikTok |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/21/style/whos-that-wonderful-girl-nanalan.html |website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Angelica |date=November 17, 2023 |title=Who’s that wonderful girl? How Nanalan’ is taking over TikTok, 20 years later |url=https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/whos-that-wonderful-girl-how-nanalan-is-taking-over-tiktok-20-years-later |website=CBC Kids News}}</ref> The new success led to Hopley and Shannon reuniting for the first time since disbanding The Grogs in 2009, reprising Nana and Mona for interviews and online videos.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rashotte |first1=Vivian |title=How Nanalan's viral TikTok success reunited the show's creators after 15 years |url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/q/how-nanalan-s-viral-tiktok-success-reunited-the-show-s-creators-after-15-years-1.7049441 |website=CBC |access-date=17 February 2024 |date=5 December 2023}}</ref>
Several compilation [[DVD]]s of the show and a [[CD]] of musical highlights are also available.


==Cast==
==Premise==
The show focuses on Mona, a three-year-old girl<ref name="globe"/> with a big imagination and a tendency to repeat short words or phrases while also mispronouncing them. Each episode begins with Mona's mother dropping her daughter off at Nana's house and ends with her picking Mona up. Mona, Nana, and Nana's pet dog Russell spend the day exploring, learning, and visiting Nana's next-door neighbour Mr. Wooka.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IC Punch Media Inc. Announces Acquisition of Two New Children's Shows - "Nanalan" and "Jurassic Cubs" For VU Television Network Launch. |url=http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/ic-punch-media-inc-announces-214900242.html |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=ca.finance.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Jamie Shannon]] as Monica "Mona" Bea
* [[Jason Hopley]] as Nana Bea / Russell Bea the Dog / Random Cat
* [[Marty Stelnick]] as Mrs. Bea
* [[Todd Doldersum]] as Harold "Hank" Wooka
* [[Ali Eisner]] as Russell Bea the Dog (performer)


==Crew==
==Characters==
*Mona ([[Jamie Shannon]]) is the main character of the series. She is an almost-three-year-old with green skin, a spherical head, wide bean-shaped eyes, and lime green hair styled in pigtails. In the original shorts, she cannot speak in full sentences and can only say a few words. She has a tendency to mispronounce words; for example, she says ''pea pod'' as "peepo" and ''mushroom'' as "shoosh."
===Puppet Wrangler===
*Nana ([[The Grogs|Jason Hopley]]) is Mona's grandmother, who Mona stays with every weekday while her mother goes to work. Nana resembles a carrot (a vegetable), with bright orange skin and a very tall forehead. She wears a gaudy multicolored dress and big circular glasses. In the original shorts, her hair is auburn; in the full-length episodes, her hair is white.
* [[Caitlin O' Reilly]]
*Russell ([[Ali Eisner]]) is Nana's pet [[Jack Russell Terrier]] whom Mona plays with while visiting Nana's house. Russell does not talk, but often attempts to communicate by barking and gesturing. Mona often pronounces his name incorrectly, calling him "Russer."
*Mr. Wooka (Todd Doldersum) is Nana's next-door neighbour who is a main character in the full-length episodes. He is an elderly man with yellow skin and a white mustache who wears blue overalls. Whenever Mona visits his yard, he puts on his own puppet shows to entertain her.
*Mrs. Bea (Marty Stelnick) is Mona's mother and Nana's daughter. She has a similar appearance to Mona, but is taller and has brown hair in a bob. She is married to Mona’s unnamed father. She works during the day and leaves Mona in Nana's care while she works.
*Alice is Nana's pet cat. She appears infrequently and is often at odds with Russell. Like with Russell, Mona mispronounces her name, often calls her "Ally".


==Episodes==
===Paper Construction===
===Season 1 (2003–04)===
* [[Jason Lee (actor)|Jason Lee]]
{{Episode table
* [[Tara Murphy]]
|background=#770b47
* [[Todd Doldersum]]
|overall=
* [[Brad White]]
|title=
* [[Steven Dawley]]
|director=
* [[Geoff Hill]]
|writer=
* [[Caitlin O' Reilly]]
|airdate=
* [[Brad Archdekins]]
|episodes=
* [[Millennia Lytle]]


{{Episode list
===Music Composer===
| EpisodeNumber = 1
* [[Jack Lenz]]
| Title = Lollipop
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon and Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| Title = Sunshine
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon and Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| Title = Big Girl
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| Title = Rainy Day
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 5
| Title = Free
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 6
| Title = Purple Juice
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 7
| Title = Snow
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 8
| Title = Chirp
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| Title = Play Day
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| Title = Bye Bye
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| Title = Chipmunk in the House
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| Title = Hummingbird
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 13
| Title = Love
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 14
| Title = Home
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 15
| Title = Bird Song
| DirectedBy= Tim Williams
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
}}


===Season 2 (2004–06)===
==Episodes==
{{Episode table
* 101 Puppet - Mona's mother is going to the beauty parlor today. But she is leaving her daughter, Mona, under a care of her nanny (Nana) and her dog, Russell. There, Mona learns about living in a new house for the very first time. Nana also introduces Mona to her neighbor, Mr. Wooka, who likes puppets.
|background=#770b47
* 102 Sneeze - Mona is allergic to dust. Nana teaches Mona the importance of washing hands even when she sneezes.
|overall=
* 103 Free - Mona and Russell captures a frog and learns about letting animals free and herself as well.
|title=
* 104 Bird Song
|director=
* 105 Purple Juice - Mona accidentally wet her stuffed duck, Fleefer, with her purple juice. Luckily for her, she learns about sharing when Russell cleans Fleefer up with water. While they wait, they ate lunch and read a story called, "Oranges to Share".
|writer=
* 106 Home - After watching a puppet show with Mr. Wooka, Mona, Nana, and Russell ran to their house on a rainy day to learn about home living.
|airdate=
* 107 Big Girl
|episodes=
* 108 Chipmunk In The House
* 109 Chirp
* 120 Sunshine
* 121 Lollipop - Russell ruined Mona's lollipop for the sixteenth time. That's when Nana teaches Mona about playing fair.
* 122 Hummingbird
* 123 Rainy Day - It's raining in Nanalan' and poor Mona wants to go outside and have fun. Nana teaches Mona that she can have fun inside.
* 124 Love - Mona learns the importance of love no matter how much she loves mommy, Nana, Russell, and even Mr. Wooka.
* 125 Snow - It's a snowy day here in Nanalan'. Here, Mona goes sledding, makes a snowman, drinks hot cocoa, has a snowball fight, and makes snow angels. it's a winter wonderland!
* 126 Bye Bye - Mona accidentally let's go of her balloon until she realizes that it's okay to give up what she wants and to say "Good-bye".
* 127 Play Day - Today is Play Day! A day devoted to playtime! On that day, Mona plays as a bee, Nana, and a princess.
* 128 Hooray For You - Nana teaches Mona how she is the most important girl in the whole wide world!
* 129 Smelly Smells - Russell likes to smell things from his trash can until a skunk arrives to spray him! He learns the important thing about his sense... of smell!
* 130 Brownies - Mona ate one brownie too many! Luckily for her, Nana teaches Mona the importance of eating healthy foods.
* 131 Hootenanny - Mr. Wooka decided to invite Mona, Nana, and Russell over to his house to make a band.
* 132 Under My Wing - Mona and Russell decided to care for Nana even when they learn all about caring.
* 133 Sick As A Dog - Mona is not feeling well. Luckly, Nana let's Mona rest in her bed and brines the outside, inside!
* 134 Nanalympics - Watching too much television can be fun, but when you are exercising with Nana, Mona, and Russell, you'll know that it's more fun!
* 135 Spring - Today is Spring! And it can only mean one thing... spring cleaning! Also, Mona finds a butterfly.
* 136 Bee Sting - Scaring bees can be fun when you are a dog like Russell. But when a bee stings him, he learns about "bee"ing careful when he scares bees... like Mona as a bee.
* 137 Purple Monster - Mona likes to scare people sometimes, even if she is a purple monster!
* 138 Bubbles - Mona likes to blow bubbles... from a cup of milk! But after Russell spills milk on Mona, she learns the importance of feelings.
* 139 Helpful Girl - Mona wants to help Nana with every thing and she even helps Mr. Wooka with his show.
* 140 Pumpkin - Russell's afraid of Halloween. In order to cheer him up, he listens to a story of how a boy named Bobby Bilings overcame his fears in Halloween.
* 141 Russell Did It - After breaking Nana's cat statue, Mona admits that Russell "did it" but learns about telling the truth.
* 142 Mud Puddle - Mona likes to swim in the mud to get dirty and in a tub to get clean even when she learns about being dirty and clean.
* 143 Camp Wooka - Mona's mommy drops her daughter off to have a nighttime play date with Nana. Just as they were about to watch a movie, the lights came off and they decided to visit Mr. Wooka to have fun... by camping!
* 144 Toad And Budgie - Nana babysits a bird named Budgie while the owner is away. Mona even shows Budgie a toad.
* 145 Mona A Go-Go - Mona learns about her firsts when she is with Nana. On that episode, it is revealed that Mona ''has'' been with Nana ever since she was a baby!
* 146 New Friends - Normally, Mona would go to the park with her mommy. But when she sees a squirrel in the park, she goes there with Nana and Russell. There, they chase squirrels, see Mr. Wooka's sneak peek, and Mona makes new friends.
* 147 Treasure - Finding bugs for your bug collection might sound adventurous... even if you find a lost pearl for Mona's Nana!
* 148 Night Night Nana - Mona's mommy drops her daughter off to have a sleepover with Nana. During that time, they had fun at nighttime before sleeping in Nana's room while reading a bedtime story, "Simon Squirrel".
* 149 123 Apple Tree - Mr. Wooka convinces Mona to get three apples from the apple tree for Nana.
* 150 Windy Day - It's a windy day! Mona have windy day fun and fly a kite in the end.
* 151 Soft As Nana - Mona removes rock from Russell's doghouse and learns all about soft and hard textures by touch. Mr. Wooka stops by to sing a song about Nana.
* 152 Winter Wonderland
* 153 Four-Part Harmony - Mona, Nana, and Russell invites Mr. Wooka over for a four-part harmony.


{{Episode list
funding
| EpisodeNumber = 16
| Title = Hooray For You
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 17
| Title = Smelly Smell
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 18
| Title = Brownies
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 19
| Title = Hootenanny
| DirectedBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 20
| Title = Under My Wing
| DirectedBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 21
| Title = Sick As A Dog
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 22
| Title = Nanalympics
| DirectedBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 23
| Title = Spring
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 24
| Title = Bee Sting
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 25
| Title = Purple Monster
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 26
| Title = Bubbles
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 27
| Title = Helpful Girl
| DirectedBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 28
| Title = Pumpkin
| DirectedBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 29
| Title = 1-2-3 Apple Tree
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 30
| Title = Windy Day
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 31
| Title = Russell Did It
| DirectedBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 32
| Title = Night, Night Nana
| DirectedBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 33
| Title = Treasure
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 34
| Title = 4 Part Harmony
| DirectedBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| WrittenBy= Jason Hopley & Jamie Shannon
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 35
| Title = Soft as Nana
| DirectedBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| WrittenBy= Jamie Shannon & Jason Hopley
| OriginalAirDate =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 770b47
}}
}}


==Production==
funding for nanalan is made possble by pbs kids is made possble by stonyfield farm makers of yobaby organic whole milk
The show was filmed in a building "reputed to be an old munitions factory" in the television production district of [[Liberty Village]] in Toronto, Ontario.<ref name=globe>{{cite news|title=Puppeteers pull their own strings|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/puppeteers-pull-their-own-strings/article1125279/|last=Kohler|first=Nicholas|date=January 8, 2004|access-date=March 13, 2016|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|publisher=[[The Woodbridge Company]]}}</ref> The shorts were produced in 1998 & 1999.
yogurt for babies and toddlers who remind you that the best things like curiosity grown up joy what you kids for glessing

who am i international fun work a central to growing up if your child chuck e cheeses fun a supporting of good televsion
Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon continued to build a relationship with Nickelodeon during and after ''Nanalan''', appearing on the fellow Nick Jr. series ''[[Whoopi's Littleburg]]'' (with Goldberg) in 2004 and creating a teen-oriented sitcom for the network titled ''[[Mr. Meaty]]'' in 2005.
where a kid can be a kid and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you thank you

==Broadcast and home media==
''Nanalan{{'}}'' first aired as one of the short series broadcast during program breaks on [[YTV (TV channel)|YTV]]'s [[YTV Jr.]] block. In the United States, Nickelodeon's [[Nick Jr. (block)|Nick Jr. block]] and its sister channel [[Noggin (brand)|Noggin]] ran 21 of the 72 ''Nanalan{{'}}'' shorts beginning in 1999. Repeats of the shorts continued to air on Nick Jr. until late 2003, when the first full-length season began airing. International distribution for the shorts was handled by [[Sunbow Entertainment]].<ref>[https://cocatalog.loc.gov/ US Copyright Office] Document No. V3482D352 / 2001-11-23</ref>

CBC premiered the full-length episodes beginning September 1, 2003 and aired the series until 2007.<ref name=globe/> The show also aired in the U.S. on select [[PBS Kids]] stations from July 8, 2006<ref>{{cite web |title=PBS Pressroom - NANALAN' |url=http://pressroom.pbs.org/programs/nanalan |access-date=16 January 2024 |date=6 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106030906/http://pressroom.pbs.org/programs/nanalan |archive-date=November 6, 2007 }}</ref> through 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=nineMagazine - July/August 2013 by Nine PBS - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/nine_magazine/docs/ninemag_septoct2013 |website=issuu.com |access-date=16 January 2024 |language=en |date=27 August 2013}}</ref>

In 2004, Quality Special Products released a set of six [[DVD]]s and [[VHS]]es including selections of the three-minute shorts. The discs and were mainly sold in the U.S. Rather than simply ''Nanalan{{'}}'', the home media billed the show as ''Welcome to Nanalan{{'}}: As Seen on Nickelodeon''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.shop.ca/c/direct-source-welcome-to-nanalan-seasons-dvd-779836131591-22040279 |title=Welcome to Nanalan - Seasons DVD Canada online at SHOP.CA - 779836131591 |access-date=2016-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084107/http://www.shop.ca/c/direct-source-welcome-to-nanalan-seasons-dvd-779836131591-22040279 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The full-length seasons were neither released to DVD nor VHS.

The episodes were uploaded to YouTube in 2007 (but have since been deleted).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nanalan' Guys Surprised Own Nana with a Song |url=https://www.neatorama.com/2007/08/04/nanalan-guys-surprised-own-nana-with-a-song/ |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Neatorama |language=en}}</ref> In 2023, an official YouTube channel for the show was created. Shorts and full-length episodes are uploaded weekly.<ref>{{cite web |title=nanalan' official - YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/@nanalanofficial |website=YouTube |access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref>

==Reception==
During its short run, the series received mostly positive attention from media critics, some of which felt that the show's bizarre and unconventional nature made it more appealing and watchable by viewers of all ages. Although, the demographic for the show is geared toward children ages 3 to 11 years old. The ''[[Toronto Star]]'' said that "the series' surprising sweetness, simplicity and humour strike a universal chord with both young adults and kids."<ref name=reviews>{{cite news|title=Nanalan' Info|url=http://www.nanalan.net:80/5_info/5_main.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010621002652/http://www.nanalan.net/5_info/5_main.html|archive-date=June 21, 2001|access-date=March 13, 2016|work=[[The Grogs]]|publisher=Objektory|url-status=dead}}</ref> Writers for the ''[[Windsor Star]]'' enjoyed its surreal approach to depicting early childhood, saying that "the creators have captured the essence of what it is to be three."<ref name=reviews/> A review from the Canadian newspaper ''Broadcast Week'' said that "it made me laugh out loud, even though I'm out of the target audience by more than a couple of decades."<ref name=reviews/>

===Awards and nominations===
In 2004, the series was nominated for the following three [[Gemini Award]]s: Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series; Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series; and Best Pre-School Program or Series. ''Nanalan{{'}}'' won Best Writing and Best Performance, and the award was shared by all of the puppeteers.


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Children's television series]]
* ''[[Mr. Meaty]]'', Hopley and Shannon's second television series

* [[Jack Lenz]] (executive producer and music director)
==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Portal bar|Television|Canada}}
* [http://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc/nanashelper.html Nana's Helper - Kids' CBC Web Game]
* [http://television.aol.com/show/nanalan/58419/episodes?count=14&skip=42]{{IMDb title|0400000}}
* [http://www.cbc.ca/parents/nanalan.html Nanalan page] at [http://www.cbc.ca CBC.ca]
{{Former YTV original series}}
* [http://www.nanalan.com/ The nanalan home page]
{{Former PBS Kids original programming}}
* [http://television.aol.com/show/nanalan/58419/episodes?count=14&skip=42 Nanalan': Episode Guide]
* [http://tv.msn.com/tv/series-episodes/nanalan'/?si=41 Nanalan': Episode Guide]


[[Category:2003 Canadian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1998 Canadian television series debuts]]
[[Category:Canadian children's television series]]
[[Category:2004 Canadian television series endings]]
[[Category:CBC network shows]]
[[Category:1990s Canadian children's television series]]
[[Category:2000s Canadian children's television series]]
[[Category:1990s preschool education television series]]
[[Category:2000s preschool education television series]]
[[Category:Canadian preschool education television series]]
[[Category:CBC Kids original programming]]
[[Category:First-run syndicated television shows in Canada]]
[[Category:PBS Kids shows]]
[[Category:YTV (Canadian TV channel) original programming]]
[[Category:Canadian English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Canadian television shows featuring puppetry]]
[[Category:Interstitial television shows]]
[[Category:Television series about children]]

Latest revision as of 20:52, 10 November 2024

Nanalan'
Russell (left) and Mona (right)
Created by
Directed byMichael Larsh
Starring
  • Jamie Shannon
  • Jason Hopley
  • Ali Eisner
  • Marty Stelnick
ComposerJack Lenz
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes72 (shorts)
41 (full-length)
Production
Executive producersJack Lenz
Jamie Shannon
ProducerTim Williams
CinematographyJohn M. Tran
Running time3 minutes (shorts)
21 minutes (full-length)
Production companyThe Grogs
Original release
Network
ReleaseSeptember 7, 1998 (1998-09-07) –
January 6, 2006 (2006-01-06)

Nanalan' is a Canadian children's television series created by Jamie Shannon and Jason Hopley. It began in 1998[1] as a series of three-minute shorts and later ran for two seasons of full-length episodes spanning 21 minutes each. It chronicles the small-scale adventures and discoveries of a three-year-old puppet girl named Mona in her grandmother Nana's backyard. The title is a contraction of the phrase "Nana Land," referring to the setting.

Hopley and Shannon, who continued to work with Nickelodeon afterwards on their creation Mr. Meaty, produced the series through their puppetry troupe The Grogs in association with Lenz Entertainment. The show uses a blend of hand puppetry and the manipulation of cardboard cutouts, particularly in the opening theme. While the shorts do not follow a structure, the half-hour episodes follow a loose format that includes at least one song or reading an original story to the viewers.

The show received three nominations at the 2004 Gemini Awards and was fairly well received by Canadian and U.S. press, with some critics calling attention to the show's surreal presentation and genuine approach to its concept. In 2004, select shorts were released across several DVDs and VHS in the U.S. In the mid-2010s and early 2020s, the series went viral with a resurgence in popularity on websites such as Tumblr and YouTube for its bizarre nature.[2][3][4][5]

Interest in the series was renewed in late 2023 after video clips of it went viral on TikTok.[6][7] The new success led to Hopley and Shannon reuniting for the first time since disbanding The Grogs in 2009, reprising Nana and Mona for interviews and online videos.[8]

Premise

[edit]

The show focuses on Mona, a three-year-old girl[9] with a big imagination and a tendency to repeat short words or phrases while also mispronouncing them. Each episode begins with Mona's mother dropping her daughter off at Nana's house and ends with her picking Mona up. Mona, Nana, and Nana's pet dog Russell spend the day exploring, learning, and visiting Nana's next-door neighbour Mr. Wooka.[10]

Characters

[edit]
  • Mona (Jamie Shannon) is the main character of the series. She is an almost-three-year-old with green skin, a spherical head, wide bean-shaped eyes, and lime green hair styled in pigtails. In the original shorts, she cannot speak in full sentences and can only say a few words. She has a tendency to mispronounce words; for example, she says pea pod as "peepo" and mushroom as "shoosh."
  • Nana (Jason Hopley) is Mona's grandmother, who Mona stays with every weekday while her mother goes to work. Nana resembles a carrot (a vegetable), with bright orange skin and a very tall forehead. She wears a gaudy multicolored dress and big circular glasses. In the original shorts, her hair is auburn; in the full-length episodes, her hair is white.
  • Russell (Ali Eisner) is Nana's pet Jack Russell Terrier whom Mona plays with while visiting Nana's house. Russell does not talk, but often attempts to communicate by barking and gesturing. Mona often pronounces his name incorrectly, calling him "Russer."
  • Mr. Wooka (Todd Doldersum) is Nana's next-door neighbour who is a main character in the full-length episodes. He is an elderly man with yellow skin and a white mustache who wears blue overalls. Whenever Mona visits his yard, he puts on his own puppet shows to entertain her.
  • Mrs. Bea (Marty Stelnick) is Mona's mother and Nana's daughter. She has a similar appearance to Mona, but is taller and has brown hair in a bob. She is married to Mona’s unnamed father. She works during the day and leaves Mona in Nana's care while she works.
  • Alice is Nana's pet cat. She appears infrequently and is often at odds with Russell. Like with Russell, Mona mispronounces her name, often calls her "Ally".

Episodes

[edit]

Season 1 (2003–04)

[edit]
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Lollipop"Tim WilliamsJamie Shannon and Jason HopleyTBA
2"Sunshine"Tim WilliamsJamie Shannon and Jason HopleyTBA
3"Big Girl"Tim WilliamsJason Hopley and Jamie ShannonTBA
4"Rainy Day"Tim WilliamsJason Hopley and Jamie ShannonTBA
5"Free"Tim WilliamsJason Hopley and Jamie ShannonTBA
6"Purple Juice"Tim WilliamsJason Hopley and Jamie ShannonTBA
7"Snow"Tim WilliamsJason Hopley and Jamie ShannonTBA
8"Chirp"Tim WilliamsJason Hopley and Jamie ShannonTBA
9"Play Day"Tim WilliamsJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
10"Bye Bye"Tim WilliamsJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
11"Chipmunk in the House"Tim WilliamsJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
12"Hummingbird"Tim WilliamsJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
13"Love"Tim WilliamsJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
14"Home"Tim WilliamsJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
15"Bird Song"Tim WilliamsJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA

Season 2 (2004–06)

[edit]
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
16"Hooray For You"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
17"Smelly Smell"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
18"Brownies"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
19"Hootenanny"Jason Hopley & Jamie ShannonJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
20"Under My Wing"Jason Hopley & Jamie ShannonJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
21"Sick As A Dog"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
22"Nanalympics"Jason Hopley & Jamie ShannonJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
23"Spring"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
24"Bee Sting"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
25"Purple Monster"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
26"Bubbles"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
27"Helpful Girl"Jason Hopley & Jamie ShannonJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
28"Pumpkin"Jason Hopley & Jamie ShannonJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
29"1-2-3 Apple Tree"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
30"Windy Day"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
31"Russell Did It"Jason Hopley & Jamie ShannonJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
32"Night, Night Nana"Jason Hopley & Jamie ShannonJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
33"Treasure"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA
34"4 Part Harmony"Jason Hopley & Jamie ShannonJason Hopley & Jamie ShannonTBA
35"Soft as Nana"Jamie Shannon & Jason HopleyJamie Shannon & Jason HopleyTBA

Production

[edit]

The show was filmed in a building "reputed to be an old munitions factory" in the television production district of Liberty Village in Toronto, Ontario.[9] The shorts were produced in 1998 & 1999.

Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon continued to build a relationship with Nickelodeon during and after Nanalan', appearing on the fellow Nick Jr. series Whoopi's Littleburg (with Goldberg) in 2004 and creating a teen-oriented sitcom for the network titled Mr. Meaty in 2005.

Broadcast and home media

[edit]

Nanalan' first aired as one of the short series broadcast during program breaks on YTV's YTV Jr. block. In the United States, Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block and its sister channel Noggin ran 21 of the 72 Nanalan' shorts beginning in 1999. Repeats of the shorts continued to air on Nick Jr. until late 2003, when the first full-length season began airing. International distribution for the shorts was handled by Sunbow Entertainment.[11]

CBC premiered the full-length episodes beginning September 1, 2003 and aired the series until 2007.[9] The show also aired in the U.S. on select PBS Kids stations from July 8, 2006[12] through 2013.[13]

In 2004, Quality Special Products released a set of six DVDs and VHSes including selections of the three-minute shorts. The discs and were mainly sold in the U.S. Rather than simply Nanalan', the home media billed the show as Welcome to Nanalan': As Seen on Nickelodeon.[14] The full-length seasons were neither released to DVD nor VHS.

The episodes were uploaded to YouTube in 2007 (but have since been deleted).[15] In 2023, an official YouTube channel for the show was created. Shorts and full-length episodes are uploaded weekly.[16]

Reception

[edit]

During its short run, the series received mostly positive attention from media critics, some of which felt that the show's bizarre and unconventional nature made it more appealing and watchable by viewers of all ages. Although, the demographic for the show is geared toward children ages 3 to 11 years old. The Toronto Star said that "the series' surprising sweetness, simplicity and humour strike a universal chord with both young adults and kids."[17] Writers for the Windsor Star enjoyed its surreal approach to depicting early childhood, saying that "the creators have captured the essence of what it is to be three."[17] A review from the Canadian newspaper Broadcast Week said that "it made me laugh out loud, even though I'm out of the target audience by more than a couple of decades."[17]

Awards and nominations

[edit]

In 2004, the series was nominated for the following three Gemini Awards: Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series; Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series; and Best Pre-School Program or Series. Nanalan' won Best Writing and Best Performance, and the award was shared by all of the puppeteers.

See also

[edit]
  • Mr. Meaty, Hopley and Shannon's second television series

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "YTV moves into a new zone". The Toronto Star. September 5, 1998. p. 262 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Chen, Tanya (May 10, 2016). "Teens On Tumblr Are Obsessed With This Fucked Up Canadian Kids Show". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  3. ^ Bobkin, Matt (2016-05-12). "Canadian kids' show Nanalan' goes viral, validates weirdness of Canadian millennials". National Post. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  4. ^ Van Wort, Amber (2020-04-17). "Nanalan Quarantine Videos Are Being Shared Online And It's Canadian Nostalgia Overload". Narcity. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  5. ^ May, Brigitte (August 21, 2018). "Nanalan': Canadian television treasure or collective children's fever dream - The Beaverton". www.thebeaverton.com. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  6. ^ Kircher, Madison Malone (November 21, 2023). "Who's That Wonderful Girl? How "Nanalan'" Found New Success on TikTok". The New York Times.
  7. ^ Cooper, Angelica (November 17, 2023). "Who's that wonderful girl? How Nanalan' is taking over TikTok, 20 years later". CBC Kids News.
  8. ^ Rashotte, Vivian (5 December 2023). "How Nanalan's viral TikTok success reunited the show's creators after 15 years". CBC. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Kohler, Nicholas (January 8, 2004). "Puppeteers pull their own strings". The Globe and Mail. The Woodbridge Company. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  10. ^ "IC Punch Media Inc. Announces Acquisition of Two New Children's Shows - "Nanalan" and "Jurassic Cubs" For VU Television Network Launch". ca.finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  11. ^ US Copyright Office Document No. V3482D352 / 2001-11-23
  12. ^ "PBS Pressroom - NANALAN'". 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on November 6, 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  13. ^ "nineMagazine - July/August 2013 by Nine PBS - Issuu". issuu.com. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Welcome to Nanalan - Seasons DVD Canada online at SHOP.CA - 779836131591". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  15. ^ "Nanalan' Guys Surprised Own Nana with a Song". Neatorama. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  16. ^ "nanalan' official - YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "Nanalan' Info". The Grogs. Objektory. Archived from the original on June 21, 2001. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Nanalan%27&oldid=1256626292"