Super Why!

Super Why!
File:Sw super why.jpg
Genre	Animation Family
Created by	Angela Santomero Samantha Freeman Alpert
Theme music composer	Eggplant, LLC
Opening theme	"Who's Got The Power?"
Ending theme	"Hip Hip Hooray"
Country of origin	United States Canada
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	103 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Production companies	Out of the Blue Productions Decode Entertainment (seasons 1-2) DHX Studios Halifax (season 3)
Original release
Network	PBS Kids PBS
Release	September 3, 2007 (2007-09-03) – May 12, 2016 (2016-05-12)
Related
Between the Lions, Blue's Clues

Super Why! (stylized as Super WHY!) is an American-Canadian interactive children's CGI computer animated show developed by Angela Santomero Co-creator Dr. Alice Wilder and Samantha Freeman Alpert. The series is produced by New York City-based Out of the Blue Enterprises and Toronto-based DHX Media through its Decode Entertainment division. The show premiered on September 3, 2007 on most PBS member stations and went on hiatus in October 2012 for 2 years and 10 months. The series resumed again on August 17, 2015, until May 12, 2016, with Season 3 being animated by DHX Media's Halifax studio.

Since the series' cancellation, it still airs reruns on PBS Kids.

Plot

The show is set in Storybrook Village, where the title character, Whyatt Beanstalk, lives with his friends Pig, Red, and Princess Pea. In each of the episodes, one of the main characters has a super big problem. The main characters will then discuss their problem at the Book Club. Then Princess Pea magically summons a book, and Whyatt summarizes the problem faced by the book's characters, drawing a parallel to the problem the Super Readers are trying to solve. They then change into their super identities and fly into the storybook.

The goal of the Super Readers is to follow the storyline to solve the problem. As they progress through the events of the story, they encounter obstacles, which can be solved by applying their literacy skills to change the story. As they overcome these obstacles, they are rewarded with red glittery "Super Letters" that form the solution to the super big problem.

At the conclusion of the adventure, the Super Readers fly back to the Book Club. The Super Letters are put onto the giant computer screen and are spelled out to show the Super Story Answer. Then one of the Super Readers gives the reason why that particular word or phrase serves as the solution to the Super Big Problem. Once the solution is reached, the Super Readers sing a song to end the episode.

Episodes

Main article: List of Super Why! episodes

Season	Episodes		Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
1	65		September 3, 2007 (2007-09-03)	November 15, 2010 (2010-11-15)
2	15		September 12, 2011 (2011-09-12)	October 11, 2012 (2012-10-11)
3	23		August 17, 2015 (2015-08-17)	May 12, 2016 (2016-05-12)

Characters

Super Readers

• Whyatt Beanstalk (voiced by: Nicholas Castel Vanderburgh (season 1), Nicholas Kaegi (season 2), Johnny Orlando (season 3) The host of the series and the leader of the group of characters who become the Super Readers, Whyatt is an olive-skinned, blue-eyed, brown-haired boy who wears a dark blue polo shirt with green stripes and khaki pants. In the episode Jack and the Beanstalk, it is revealed that Whyatt's older brother is Jack, the hero of the English folktale Jack and the Beanstalk. Whyatt lives with his mother Mrs. Beanstalk, who writes stories, and his father Mr. Beanstalk who illustrates them, along with baby sister Joy his only baby sister. Jack appears in some episodes but generally away at college. When Whyatt arrived at the book club, he introduces himself. He says, Whyatt here!. His super reader form is Super Why. In this form, he has a green mask, turbo sneakers, a blue cape, green jumpsuit with blue accents with a blue book, blue leg-open shorts, red belt with a gold buckle, and carries a Why Writer as his item. His symbols are a blue book and a question mark and his signature colors are green, and blue. He has the power to read, which focuses on vocabulary.
• Pig (voiced by: Zachary Bloch in (both season 1 And 2), Samuel Faraci in (season 3) He is referred to in the credits as The Littlest Pig, he introduces himself at the book club as P is for Pig, but throughout the show, he is simply known as Pig. Pig enjoys pretending and dressing up like his father, a construction pig. He is pink and generally wears a construction hat, with a toolkit belt and safety goggles. His super reader form is Alpha Pig. In this form, he wears a purple jumpsuit with orange accents, an orange belt with a triangle on the center, an orange construction hat with a purple triangle on the center, safety goggles, yellow cape, and orange sneakers with yellow and brown accents. His Alphabet Toolbox has an Alphabet Map, a Lucky Letter Lasso, Brilliant Binoculars, a Mega Magnifying Glass and a Fabulous Flashlight in it. His symbol is a triangle and his signature colors are blue and orange. His alphabet power focuses on the alphabet.
• Little Red Riding Hood (voiced by Siera Florindo in (seasons 1-2), TJ. McGibbon in (season 3) She is referred to as Red in the TV series. The title character from the fairy tale, she only refers to herself as Red Riding Hood and is a freckle-faced pale skinned brunette redhead who wears a red hoodie and skirt and red roller skates as well as a red flat cap. When she is introduced, she says Red Riding Hood rolling in! When turned to Wonder Red in her superhero form, her attire becomes a purple and red two piece v shaped bikini with two braids and a blue heart jewel on it, red trim thus showing her midriff, a red cape, her skates are turned red and purple, a red helmet with a purple stripe, red fingerless gloves with purple accents, and red kneepads with purple accents, in addition of a necklace with a blue heart gem and lilac heart earrings. Her main item is the Wonder Words Basket and her symbol is a spiral and her signature colors are red and purple. She has word power, which focuses on rhyming and word families like OP, AT, UN, UMP, OG, etc.
• Princess Pea (voiced by: Tajja Isen) Princess Pea was named after the children's story The Princess and the Pea it is shown in the episode The Princess and The Pea that the princess in that story was Pea's mother and the prince in that story was her father. However, in this case, Pea is her surname. She is dark skinned with large green eyes and curly dark brown hair, wears a lavender princess dress and loves to dance. When she enters, she says, Princess Pea at your service! Her superhero form is Princess Presto Butterfly Princess Presto and in this form, she wears a pink gown with lime green accents with a purple star in the middle, pink crown with jewels, pink gloves with green accents, pink sparkly transparent cape, and pink shoes. Her symbol is a star because she always takes her Magic Spelling Wand with her and her signature colors are purple and green. She has spelling power focuses on spelling.
• Woofster (voiced by Joanne Vannicola) Woofster is a Golden Retriever puppy dog with light brown spots. He also lives with Whyatt and his family. When he turns into Woofster, he has dictionary power and can find the meaning to any word. His Super Reader form allows him the power to speak also and his symbol is a dog bone and his signature colors are cyan and blue. He is also declared the fifth Super Reader. He officially became a Super Reader in the episode Woofster Finds a Home. He cuts the Super You part after the transformation of Whyatt Beanstalk to Super Why for Season 2.
• Super You is the television viewer and the sixth Super Reader in (seasons 2-3). Super Why always invites the viewer to join them by describing them as Super You and tells them they have the power to help the Super Readers. The first time they became the super Readers was the first episode in season 3 The Story of the Super Readers.

Recurring

• Mrs. Beanstalk is Whyatt's mother who is a noble author. She has orange hair tied up in ox-horns and appeared in some episodes.
• Mr. Beanstalk is Whyatt's father who is a noble illustrator. He wears a beret and eyeglasses and has appeared in some episodes.
• Jack Beanstalk is Whyatt's older brother who is a dark brown-haired, green-eyed, olive-skinned teenage boy. He's also a musician who plays his guitar. He appears in some episodes.
• Joy Beanstalk is Whyatt's baby sister and has appeared in some episodes.
• Ken Beanstalk is a character Jack got replaced with after he left for college near the end of Season 1.
• Jill – Jill was named after the children's nursery rhyme Jack and Jill. Her first appearance was in The Three Little Pigs. She also appeared in Hansel and Gretel, The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Little Red Hen, The Princess and the Pea, The Emperor's New Clothes, Momotaro the Peach Boy, The Gingerbread Boy, The Comic Book Attack of the Eraser, and The Beach Day Mystery.
• Little Bo Peep – Little Bo Peep is named after the children's nursery rhyme Little Bo Peep. Her first appearance was in The Elves and the Shoemaker. She also appeared in The Little Red Hen, The Frog Prince, The Princess and the Pea, and Twas the Night Before Christmas.
• Goldilocks – Goldilocks is one of the girls in Storybrook Village. Her first appearance was in The Goose and the Golden Eggs. She also appeared in The Magic Porridge Pot, The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Halloween, Snow White, The Rolling Rice Cakes, George and the Dragon, The Ugly Duckling Becoming a Swan, and The Comic Book Attack of the Eraser.
• Little Miss Muffet – A girl in a yellow dress and a white blouse with a yellow bow on her hair.
• Cinderella – In the TV series, Cinderella has long brown hair and wears different dresses. She is one of the citizens of Storybrook Village and appears in some episodes.
• Ella – Ella is a star girl who wears yellow. Her skirt shapes like a star and her hair matches her dress. Her only appearance is The Stars in the Sky.
• Odette – Although, she is called the Swan Maiden, Odette dresses in white with white hair and pink ballet slippers with a matching flower on her head. Her only appearance is The Swan Maiden.
• Sleeping Beauty – A princess who wears a blue dress.
• Thumbelina – In this show, this girl has brown hair with high pigtails decorated in flowers and wears a red flowery dress.
• Clara Drosselmeyer – One of the characters from the Nutcracker story. Clara wears a big pink bow on her head with a pink and green nightgown and pink ballet slippers.
• Rapunzel – Rapunzel is based on the German fairy tale, Rapunzel.
• Peter Piper – Peter Piper is named after the children's nursery rhyme Peter Piper. He first appeared in Hansel and Gretel. He also appeared in Humpty Dumpty, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Little Red Hen, Sleeping Beauty, The Comic Book: Attack of the Eraser, and The Beach Day Mystery.
• Momotarō – Momotaro is a Japanese boy who was born from a peach fruit in a story called Momotarō the Peach Boy. He has three talkative animal friends which are Dog, Monkey, and Pheasant who fight and argue causing the ogre to roar.
• Owen – A boy who works as a newspaper deliverer boy in the comic book called Attack of the Eraser.
• Little Boy Blue – A boy who is close friends with Red. He plays the horn and has glasses.
• Pappa Pig – The father of the three pigs who were born in Storybrook Village. As an adult, he wears a blue hard hat with overalls on his shirt.
• Eldest Pig – First son of Pappa Pig, wears green.
• Middle Pig – Second son of Pappa Pig, wears red.
• Pappa Pig's Brothers – Uncles of the three pigs who were born in Storybrook Village.
• Three Bears – Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear live in Storybrook Village together as a family. She wears a pink scarf while Papa Bear wears a green necktie and eyeglasses.
• Charlie – The main character of his story called Bedtime for Bear. He wears green pajamas, has a teddy bear dressed in blue and lives in his home, a cave.
• Panda – A panda bear who lives in a Chinese bamboo forest. From Around the World Adventure, she helps Wigglesbottom travel to Antarctica by giving directions.
• Baby Dino – A cute little orange Brachiosaurus who hatched from an egg.
• Stego – A Stegosaurus met by Baby Dino. His plates are red.
• Torosaurus – A dinosaur with a Mid-Atlantic accent.
• Mother Goose – Mother Goose has a light blue dress, a pink hat with two turquoise feathers on it, eyeglasses and pink shoes. She also carries her book and feathered pen to write her nursery rhymes. Her only appearance is The Story of Mother Goose.
• The Blue Goose – This talkative fowl only appears in her story called The Goose and the Golden Eggs. Her yellow beak matches her head feathers and she has a purple tail.
• The Green Dragon first appears in Woofster Finds A Home. He is menacing at first, but is changed to nice.
• Wolfy – Wolfy is the Big Bad Wolf's son who lives in Storybrook Village. He first appeared in Little Red Riding Hood. He also appeared in The Emperor's New Clothes, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Beauty and the Beast, The Rolling Rice Cakes, Juan Bobo and the Pig, The Nutcracker, and The Comic Book Attack of the Eraser.
• Tiddalick – Tiddalick is a frog with a hat on his head who likes water a lot.
• Webby – Webby is a penguin who is the main character of the story called Webby in Bathland. His place is Rub-a-Dub.
• Moose – Lives in North America from Around the World Adventure.
• The Squirmy Germs – Antagonists of the story called Webby in Bathland. These characters come in different colors. Most of them are pink and the only female is blue.

Broadcast

The series airs on PBS Kids in the USA, Kids CBC (now CBC Kids since January 2, 2017) and Family Jr. in Canada, and as of June 26, 2014, Tiny Pop in the UK. It also has aired on Nick Jr. in the UK since 2008. It also premieres in Northern Ireland on BBC Northern Ireland. The series especially premieres in Australia on ABC2.

Home Media

In North America, all the Super Why! DVD's are distributed by Paramount Home Media Distribution via PBS Home Entertainment. since 2011, PBS got full distribution of its shows, including Super Why!

As of 2019, digitally remastered on seasons 1-2 only, and for the first time ever in stunning 1080p High Definition, all 3 seasons of the show itself will be released on Blu-ray and Digital HD, but also new on 4K UHD in the USA from PBS Distribution.

Live show

On March 1, 2012, a planned live show based on Super Why, entitled Super Why! Live You've Got the Power, was announced.

External links

Channels

• Super Why! on PBS Kids

Others

• Official Website
• Official App
• Common Sense Media Super Why! Review
• New York Times Review of Super Why
• Super Why! at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com show