Sid the Science Kid

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Sid with his parents, brother and grandma.

Sid the Science Kid is a preschool television series produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with KCET Los Angeles. The show features real-time computer-generated puppets, using the Henson Digital Performance System. Production began in the fall of 2007 with 40 half-hour episodes of Sid the Science Kid having been ordered. The series debuted on PBS Kids on September 1, 2008^[1], with a two-year on-air commitment.^[2]

The main character in the show is Sid, an "inquisitive youngster" who uses comedy to tackle questions kids have about basic scientific principals and why things work the way they do. He tries to answer questions and solve problems with the help of his classmates (Gabriela, May and Gerald), his teacher (Susie), his parents (Alice and Mort), his Grandma and even his baby brother (Zeke).

Two DVDs of the show, The Bug Club and Change Happens, were released in August 2009^[3]; while a more DVDs are slated for release in 2009 and 2010.^[4] In August 2009, the first ten episodes of season one were added to The iTunes Store.

Content and structure

The conceptual content of Sid is based in national science learning standards, cognitive learning theory, and on the preschool science curriculum, Preschool Pathways to Science.^[5]

Each week's episodes are built around a single scientific theme or concept, such as scientific tools and concepts, changes and transformation, the senses, and health. The Friday shows are designed to review, reinforce and summarize the central concept of the week.

One recurring segment, "Good Laughternoon", features the kids opening panels in a brightly-colored playground structure and telling jokes. The format and set borrow heavily from the closing "joke wall" of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, but for a pre-school audience. Other recurring segment include The Sid Survey, Rug Time, The Super Fab Lab, Susie sings, and Sid's "super-duper-schmoper" big idea. On rare occasions, Sid invites a friend over, mainly Gabriela, to play with him, such as in the episodes The Rolie Polie, My Ice Pops!, A Brush With Teeth, and Home Tweet Home.

History and development

Sid the Science Kid was developed by Halle Stanford and Jim Lewis. The initial concept was to create a show to teach science concepts to pre-school kids. The series went into production in the fall of 2007.

Jim Lewis discussed his role in the creation of Sid the Science Kid in a 2008 interview, stating:

I was the first guy in. I worked with an executive at Henson, someone I've worked with for years, Halle Stanford. They had an idea there for a science program – basically a pre-science, I forget what the exact term was, but it was to teach science concepts to pre-school kids... My involvement in that was I helped developed the show. I basically got it up to the point where it was sold to KCET, which is the public television station in Los Angeles... When they actually wanted to go into production, I realized I'm too old for this, I don't want to be a show runner – it's a lot of work. So I found someone that Halle and I had both worked with, Bradley Zweig, an enormously talented writer whose worked on a variety of things, I'm sure you can look up on imdb. He's very funny and has just the right sensibility and he's a lot younger than me, and more willing to work brutal hours for the 18-months it takes to do that kind of thing. And he ran the show and executive produced it with Brian and Lisa and Halle. And I wrote a few scripts, you know, and I feel part of it's my baby – but they deserve all the credit.[6]

The original working title for the series was "What's the Big Idea?" and the central character, Sid, was originally named Josh.^[7]

Sid's personality was originally based on executive producer Halle Stanford's son Max.^[8]

The initial conceptual designs for the characters were completed by Elanna Allen, while Creature Shop Creative Supervisor Peter Brooke ensured that the original concepts and designs were translated into the 3D world of the Henson Digital Performance Studio. Brooke sculpted detailed maquettes of the characters to help translate the designs into three dimentions.

Cast

SidDrew Massey Misty Rosas	GabrielaAlice Dinnean John Munro Cameron	MayJulianne Buescher Dana Michael Woods	GeraldVictor Yerrid Alon Williams
SusieDonna Kimball Sonya Leslie	MortVictor Yerrid John Munro Cameron	AliceAlice Dinnean Sonya Leslie	ZekeDonna Kimball Alon Williams
GrandmaJulianne Buescher Dana Michael Woods	PhilbertBruce Lanoil Daisy the dog

Episodes

Awards and honors

In 2009, Sid the Science Kid was awarded the Parents' Choice Award and was called "Recommended Television for the spring of 2009" by the organization.

In May 2009, Sid the Science Kid ws nominated at the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in two categories - "Outstanding Children's Animated Program" and "Outstanding Achievement in Main Title & Graphic Design".

The series was nominated by the Television Critics Association for a TCA Award in "Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming." The winners will be announced August 1, 2009.

Crew

For full credits, see the Sid the Science Kid credits on the Henson Digital Performance System Wiki.

• Executive producers: Brian Henson, Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford, Bradley Zweig
• Producer: Chris Plourde
• Directors: Brian Henson, Hugh Martin, Allan Trautman, Katy Garretson, Dean Gordon, David Gumpel
• Head writer: Bradley Zweig
• Writers: Bradley Zweig, Jim Lewis, Eric Shaw, Corey Powell, Joe Purdy, Craig Bartlett, Will Shepard, Elise Allen
• Story editors: Craig Bartlett, Joe Purdy
• Character designs: Ellanna Allen, Peter Brooke

Merchandise

For more coverage, see the Sid the Science Kid merchandise category on the Henson Digital Performance System Wiki.

Albums

Cover	Title	Release Date	Description
	Soundtrack - Volume 1	May 4, 2009	Released as an Amazon.com exclusive, the album features 18 original songs from the first half of the series. The albums was released both on CD and for digital download on May 4, 2009.

Videos

DVDs of the series are being released by the Jim Henson Company and NCircle Entertainment.

Cover	Title	Release Date	Description
	The Bug Club	August 4, 2009	"Sid the Science Kid: The Bug Club", features four episodes of the series with a focus on nature and backyard science. "Hello Doggie" "Home Tweet Home" "The Dirt on Dirt" "Don't Forget the Leaves"
	Change Happens	August 4, 2009	"Sid the Science Kid: Change Happens" features four episodes dealing with transformation and changes. "Sid's Rainy Play Date" "Special Sunny Dad Day" "Sid's Holiday Adventure" "The Wind Did It"
	Weather Kid Sid	December 1, 2009	In Development: This section contains information on an upcoming and currently unreleased item. "Sid the Science Kid: Weather Kid Sid" will feature four episodes dealing with weather.[4] "My Mushy Banana" "My Shrinking Shoes" "My Ice Pops" "The Perfect Pancake"
	Feeling Good Inside & Out	December 1, 2009	In Development: This section contains information on an upcoming and currently unreleased item. "Sid the Science Kid: Feeling Good Inside and Out" will feature four episodes dealing with health. "A Brush With Teeth" "I Want Cake" "The Big Sneeze" "Must See TV"
	The Ruler of Thumb	February 16, 2010	In Development: This section contains information on an upcoming and currently unreleased item. "Sid the Science Kid: The Ruler of Thumb" will feature four episodes dealing with science tools. "The Sticker Chart" "The Rolie Polie" "Enough With the Seashells!" "The Whale Episode"

Books

HarperCollins Children's Books and The Jim Henson Company plan to release a series of books based on the program. The first titles will hit book stores in December 2009.^[4]

• Sid the Science Kid: A Cavity Is a Hole in Your Tooth by Jodi Huelin
• Sid the Science Kid: The Trouble with Germs by Jennifer Frantz
• Sid the Science Kid: Why Are My Shoes Shrinking? by N. T. Raymond
• Sid the Science Kid: Everybody, Move Your Feet! by Jodi Huelin
• Sid the Science Kid: What's That Smell? by Jennifer Frantz

Toys

In February 2009 The Jim Henson Company appointed Hasbro, Inc. the master toy and game licensee for Sid the Science Kid. The four-year license grants Hasbro the rights to introduce an array of Sid the Science Kid products. Hasbro's line of Sid the Science Kid toys and games is slated to debut at retailers in the fall of 2009.^[9] The first set of toys, a series of mini plus dolls and the Talkin' Sid plush doll were released in November 2009.

• Gotta Know Microphone
• Talkin' Sid the Science Kid doll (with bonus DVD)
• Mini plush dolls

iPhone App

In fall 2009 the Jim Henson Company released an iPhone application of Sid's microphone. The apps design and audio effects replicate the functions of the microphone Sid has on the show. On the iPhone, users can record their own voices, or other sounds, for up to 20 seconds and then play them back. The Sid's Microphone app was developed by Stevo Brock from Sunset Magicwerks in partnership with PBS and The Jim Henson Company. The app was released as a free download.

Sid's Microphone app

Sources

1. ↑ The Jim Henson Company and KCET in Production on Sid the Science Kid for PBS Kids
2. ↑ Brandolution named licensing agent for US. & Canada for The Jim Henson Company's newest preschool series "Sid the Science Kid".
3. ↑ Sid the Science Kid Comes to DVD.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} The Muppet Newsflash: Sid the Science Kid Merchandise August 13, 2009
5. ↑ Sid the Science Kid - Educational Philosophy
6. ↑ The MuppetCast with Steve Swanson Show #83: November 9, 2008 - Interview with Jim Lewis (1:10:18)
7. ↑ Henson Prepares to Ask "What's the Big Idea?"
8. ↑ TV Guide Channel: Sid the Science Kid
9. ↑ Henson Compant Press Release

External links

• Sid the Science Kid on the Henson Digital Puppetry Wiki
• Official Website
• Henson.com - "Sid the Science Kid"