Janice Burgess had worked as Nick Jr.'s production executive since the mid-1990s.The Backyardigans originated as a live-actionpilot episode titled "Me and My Friends", filmed atNickelodeon Studios Florida and completed in September 1998. The characters were played by full-body puppets on an indoor stage. The pilot was rejected by Nickelodeon, and Burgess decided to rework the concept into an animated series. In 2001, a second pilot was animated atNickelodeon Digital inNew York. It was completed and screened in early 2002. The second pilot was successful, and the series entered production in 2003.
The show ran for four seasons, totaling 80 episodes. Most episodes aired on Nickelodeon on weekday mornings. A fifth season of the series was planned to be produced in 2009.[5] However, in 2010, Burgess decided to move on to a different series: Nickelodeon'srevival ofWinx Club. Burgess worked as a creative director and writer forWinx Club before eventually retiring from Nickelodeon in 2014.
The Backyardigans received generally positive reviews from audiences and critics who consider it superior to Nickelodeon's other preschool shows because its writing was sophisticated and enjoyable for older viewers.The New York Times andCommon Sense Media commended the show for including frequent nods to an older audience,[6] such as references to action-adventure franchises. The quality of the show's music was also well received by critics, and the show received eightDaytime Emmy Award nominations for its music.
Plot
The show centers around a group of five animal neighbors named Uniqua, Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, and Austin.[7][8] They share a large backyard between their houses. In each episode, they meet in the backyard and imagine themselves on a fantastical adventure. Their adventures span a variety of different genres and settings; many episodes involve visiting different parts of the world, traveling back or forward in time, and using magic or supernatural powers. The characters give themselves different jobs or roles depending on the episode's imaginary setting, such as detectives, knights, or scientists. From the second season onward, many episodes are parodies of action-adventure films such asJames Bond,Star Trek,Indiana Jones, andGhostbusters.
The openings and endings of the episodes follow a similar pattern. The stories begin with the characters in the backyard, introducing themselves and explaining the scenario they are about to imagine, which causes the backyard to transform into an environment fitting the scenario they are imagining. When the Backyardigans finish their adventure, their stomachs begin to growl, leading to them deciding to have a snack at one of their houses. As they return home, the fantasy sequence fades, restoring the original backyard setting. The characters sing a closing song, say their goodbyes to the audience, then walk inside the house that belongs to the snack inviter and close the door. As the episode ends, at least one character reopens the door and shouts a phrase related to the adventure.
The show follows the format of astage musical. Each episode is set to a different genre of music and features four songs. The characters sing and dance to the songs with original choreography. The song and dance routines are often used to introduce a character's imaginary role, further the plot, or explain a problem. In addition to singing songs in a new genre each episode, the show's background music changes to match, scoring all of the Backyardigans' actions.
Characters
In the US dub, each of the five main characters on the show has a separate voice actor for speaking and singing voices, while the voice actors in the UK dub provide both speaking and singing voices. Live-action dancers first performed the dancing on the show, and their movements were later transported to animation. Choreographer Beth Bogush described the process: "What we do is we film the live footage in the studio, send that off, and they do aLeica, and then they send it to the animators. The animators watch and were pretty precise. What we film for that day is pretty close to what you see in the character."[9]
Main
Uniqua is a pink-spotted unique creature who is very curious, self-confident, and adventurous. She really likes to tell jokes and make her friends laugh a lot. The series uses the name "Uniqua" for both the character and her unique species. She usually imagines herself having roles that require brains and courage, such as a scientist or pirate captain. CreatorJanice Burgess described Uniqua as the child she wished she was like as a child. She is best friends with Tasha. She is the only Backyardigan to appear in every episode.[10] Her voices are provided by:
Pablo is a bluepenguin who is high-strung, frenetic, energetic, and often tends to overreact very quickly. Due to his energy and impetuousness, he often goes into a "panic attack" when he faces an obstacle, running around in circles and telling his friends not to worry until someone gets his attention by calling his name three times. Pablo's panic attacks became less prominent after the first season, though in the fourth-season episode "The Flipper!", his propensity for getting overexcited is the main plot point. He is best friends with Tyrone. He appears in every episode with the exception of the third-season episode, "Chichen-Itza Pizza". His voices are provided by:
Tyrone is a red-haired orangemoose who is laid-back and cool-headed. He is best friends with Pablo, of whom he is almost the complete opposite in terms of personality, with his calm and easygoing character. Tyrone is known for his sarcastic comments, one of them being "That certainly was convenient." At the end of most episodes, he says, "That was an excellent adventure, don't you think?" (although this comment can also be said by Pablo, Austin or Tasha in the five episodes he's absent on.) Despite not appearing to wear pants, Tyrone somehow manages to put his hands in his pockets. His voices are provided by:
Reginald Davis Jr. - speaking (Season 1 to Season 2 Episode 3)
Jordan Coleman - speaking (Season 2 Episode 4 to Season 3)
Tasha is a strong-willed yellowhippopotamus who is rational, skeptical, and highly motivated, as well as occasionally bossy, wanting things being done her way. She is the most serious of the Backyardigans, though she can be just as easygoing as the others from time to time. She is more feminine than the tomboyish Uniqua. She is best friends with Uniqua. Her catchphrase is "Oh, for goodness sakes!" Nickelodeon describes Tasha as "deceptively sweet" and "tough-as-nails." Her voices are provided by:
Gabriella Malek - singing (Season 3 Episode 6 to Season 4)
Maria Darling - UK dub (Seasons 1–2)
Emma Tate - UK dub (Seasons 3–4)
Austin is a very shy but fun-loving purplekangaroo. In the first season, he is very reserved and soft-spoken. In later episodes, Austin becomes much more outgoing and is revealed to be smart and imaginative. Austin appears the least frequently of the main cast, but takes the role of the lead character in several episodes. Beth Bogush described him as "the one pulling up the rear. He's kind of a get-along guy."[9] His voices are provided by:
The Wormans are a fictional species of colorfulworm-like creatures who speak in squeaks and gibberish.
Sherman (vocal effects byOliver Wyman) is a small, orange-spotted yellow Worman. Sherman is easily scared due to his small size. He has a brother named Herman (also voiced by Wyman) who appears in "Polka Palace Party".
Dragon (vocal effects by Oliver Wyman, singing voice byAdam Pascal) is a friendly, green-colored dragon who appears in the special "Tale of the Mighty Knights" and the episode "The Tale of the Not-So-Nice Dragon". He hatched from a spotted egg and lives inside of Dragon Mountain.
Green-colored aliens with eyestalks appear in "Mission to Mars", "News Flash", "Los Galacticos", and "The Big Dipper Diner".
A very hungry, irritable and bad tempered giant clam appears in "The Legend of the Volcano Sisters" and "The Great Dolphin Race". He is very protective of his pearl. He pants and acts like a dog.
Voices were included in the episodes "Secret Mission" and "It's Great to Be a Ghost!" that do not come from any shown character.
Robot Roscoe (voiced by Evan Mathew Weinstein) is a robot owned by Austin, who appears in the two-part special "Robot Rampage" and the episode "Elephant on the Run".
I really enjoy a big adventure. I thinkDie Hard is one of the greatest films ever, not to mentionTerminator 2. I love those big films... I wanted to bring some of that fantastical nature to young children, but to do it in a way that is safe, hopefully not scary, and not 'imitatable' except in your head.
— Janice Burgess on the inspirations forThe Backyardigans[5]
Janice Burgess, the show's creator
Burgess drew inspiration fromaction films[15] when writing episodes of the show, as she wanted to adapt high-stakes stories for a young audience.[5] In an interview with thePittsburgh Post-Gazette, Burgess was asked what inspired the show; she responded, "I know this is going to sound very strange, but the things I really draw upon are action films. I likeDie Hard,Star Wars, theTolkien movies ... I thought it would be fun to take kids on that big adventure."[16] The character of Uniqua was based on how Burgess viewed herself as a child; as a result, Uniqua was written as the leader of the Backyardigans, and was the only character who appeared in every episode.
The main characters were based on designs by children's book author and illustratorDan Yaccarino.[17] Michael Lennicx, an artist at Nick Digital, co-designed the characters.[18]
Before Nickelodeon ordered the first season, two pilot episodes ofThe Backyardigans were made. The first was a live-action pilot titled "Me and My Friends,"[19] filmed atNickelodeon Studios in September 1998.[20] The characters were played by full-body puppets who danced on an indoor stage. The pilot was rejected by Nickelodeon, and Burgess decided to rework the concept into an animated show. The original pilot was consideredlost media for decades, but was leaked online in June of 2025.[21]
Between 2001 and 2002, a second pilot was created; it was a computer-animated short produced atNickelodeon Digital.[22] The second pilot was greenlit by Nickelodeon to become a full-length series. Nickelodeon called the show "a home-grownNick Jr. property," as "the whole creative team... [had] been part of the Nick Jr. family for years."[23]
In December 2009, Nick Jr. president Brown Johnson stated that Nickelodeon intended to keep the show running for "at least another five years. Maybe forever."[5] Nickelodeon believed thatThe Backyardigans was an ideal "evergreen" property: a series that would stay in production for a long time through multiple generations. A fifth season was planned in 2009.[5] However, in 2010, Burgess decided to endThe Backyardigans to start working on Nickelodeon's newer projects: a revival series ofWinx Club. Burgess brought the formerBackyardigans crew ontoWinx Club as well. This included lyricist McPaul Smith; writers Jeff Borkin,Adam Peltzman, andCarin Greenberg;line producer Sara Kamen; andscript coordinator Jonathan Foss. Burgess worked as a story editor, writer, and creative consultant onWinx Club.[24] The crew considered it a natural progression, asWinx Club was also a musical action-adventure show, but it targeted an older audience, allowing them to branch out.
Reception
The Backyardigans received eightDaytime Emmy Award nominations, and Burgess won the 2008 Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program.[25] In a 2016 article forThe Chicago Tribune, drama criticChris Jones calledThe Backyardigans "a fabulously inventive TV show."[26]DVD Talk's John Crichton gave the show a "hearty recommendation," citing its "enjoyable (and varied) music score, the character voices (both spoken and singing) and the impressive visual presentation."[27]Slate named theBackyardigans episode "The Swamp Creature" one of the best episodes of children's television.[28]
Critics noted that the series held broad appeal to older viewers, due to its high-quality music and focus on character-driven, non-educational stories. Susan Stewart ofThe New York Times said "it's hard to say whetherThe Backyardigans is a fantasy for children or for their parents,"[6] commending the show's animation and storytelling.Common Sense Media's Emily Ashby wrote, "It's not always easy to find a show you like as much as your youngsters do, butThe Backyardigans definitely has the potential to fit that bill."[29] JournalistVirginia Heffernan wrote, "with each episode devoted not just to a separate quest but also to a different musical genre...the show blows you away with its artistic exactitude."[30]
In 2021, the songs "Castaways" and "Into the Thick of It" went viral onTikTok, with the former appearing in more than 745,000 videos[31] and the latter appearing in more than 46,000 videos as of June 2021.[32] Due to their success on TikTok, "Castaways" and "Into the Thick of It" reached number 5 and 13 respectively on the Spotify viral 50 chart in the US for the week beginning on June 10, 2021.[33]
The Backyardigans was adapted into several stage shows. These included 2008's "Tale of the Mighty Knights" and 2010's "Storytime Live!" (an event featuring otherNick Jr. Channel characters fromDora the Explorer,Wonder Pets!, andNi Hao, Kai-Lan, as well as hostsMoose and Zee).[43] In Canada, separate live shows called "Quest for the Extra Ordinary Aliens" (2008) and "Sea Deep in Adventure" (2009) were created.[44]
Merchandise
Activision released aThe Backyardigans PC game, "Mission to Mars," in October 2006. There are interactiveBackyardigans games made for theLeapPad andVTech'sV.Smile consoles. There is also aLeapFrogClickStart game titled "Number Pie Samurai," teaching children necessary computer skills.
From 2005 to 2007Kohl's had a section devoted to the series' merchandise, including a clothing line and toys exclusively in-store.
Over one hundred storybooks (both original stories and episode-based) were released throughout the series' run.[45] Most of these were released in both Canada and the United States; however, a 2006 series of educational books were exclusively sold in Canada under the license ofTreehouse TV.[46]
Fisher-Price produced numerous plush toys and interactive character toys (mostly Uniqua, Pablo, and Tyrone). There are also Beanie Babies of the main characters available.
Distribution
Nelvana handled distribution and marketing of the series worldwide, except in the United States, where it was handled by co-producer Nickelodeon.[47]
Home media
In the United States, the show's 80 episodes were released across a series of 21 DVD releases. Ten episodes of the first season were also released toVHS across five volumes. Viacom'sParamount Home Media Distribution published all of the show's video releases. Outside North America, Paramount releasedDVDs under a separate deal with Nelvana, with this worldwide deal later transitioning toFremantle Home Entertainment.[48][49]
All four seasons have been released on theiTunes Store in Canada and the United States; however, the US iTunes Store is missing three episodes from the first season: "Secret Mission," "It's Great to Be a Ghost!," and "High Tea".
CD releases
There were threeThe Backyardigans albums released in North America, and one album released in Europe. Each has approximately 20 tracks, whileBorn to Play has four bonus tracks only available on the iTunes Store.
The Backyardigans
Released on July 12, 2005, underNick Records' label. This is the first album sold in stores. It debuted at #32 on the Billboard 200, selling 46,000 copies its first week. It contains nineteen tracks from the first season, including the opening theme.
The third and finalBackyardigans CD was released on January 22, 2008, underSony BMG's label. It contains sixteen tracks from the first two seasons, as well as all the songs from "Tale of the Mighty Knights" from the third season. This album was released in a cardboard foldout case, rather than a jewel case like the previous two releases.Borders carried the jewel case release exclusively, which included a booklet. The album's digital releases featured four additional bonus tracks not included on the CD.
Tracks
"Ready for Anything"
"We Love a Luau"
"Dancin' the Worman Polka"
"I Feel Good"
"Go, Go, Go!"
"The Customer is Always Right"
"Surf's Up, Ho Daddy"
"Almost Everything is Boinga" (featuringAlicia Keys)
In 2024,The Backyardigans was revived byNickelodeon as a series of animated music videos onYouTube,[50] this time only starring Uniqua, Tyrone, and Pablo. Notably, these videos are music videos that consist only of remakes of existing songs from the show, and have drawn strong internet criticism.
Notes
^The series first previewed in Canada onTreehouse TV on September 11, 2004,[1] followed by its official debut onNickelodeon in the USA on October 11, 2004.[2]
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