January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20) – November 27, 2015 (2015-11-27)
Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse is aweb series of CGI-animatedshorts produced byArc Productions andMattel.[1] The series was released onYouTube and the official Barbie website from January 20, 2012, to November 27, 2015.[2]
The series is currently available onNetflix, though Netflix streams the series only as specialized bundles of episodes instead of in the original chronological order.[3]Nickelodeon aired two"continuity" specials on September 1, 2013.[4] The series later spawned a continuation, titledBarbie: Dreamhouse Adventures, released from May 3, 2018, to April 12, 2020, onNetflix.[5]
The series is set in a fictional version ofMalibu, California, where all of its inhabitants are dolls. The dolls behave like humans, though a number of the show's gags rely on their doll-like nature. The series centers on the life ofBarbie,her friends, her siblings, her boyfriendKen, and a number of pets. The series is stylized as a mockreality show featuring confessionals of the characters in between scenes. The show heavily relies onslapstick humor, and makes a lot ofsatirical andself-parody references to the Barbie doll line.
Barbara Millicent "Barbie" Roberts is the lead character of the show. She lives in a large pink mansion called the "Dreamhouse" along with her younger sisters Skipper, Stacie, Chelsea and their pets. Barbie is a fashion icon and has had over135 careers and over and over again; though a celebrity in Malibu, she is friendly, humble and good-natured. Voiced byKate Higgins.
Kenneth "Ken" Carson is Barbie's long-time boyfriend. Ken strives to be the perfect boyfriend for Barbie and is always there when Barbie needs him. He is an inventor who makes high-end machines and gadgets for Barbie to use, though they usually end up malfunctioning. Voiced bySean Hankinson.
Skipper Roberts is Barbie's teenage sister who enjoys technology andDJing. Voiced by Paula Rhodes.
Stacie Roberts is Barbie's tomboy tween sister who loves sports and organization. Voiced by Paula Rhodes.
Chelsea Roberts is Barbie's youngest sister who is mostly interested in collecting and playing with stuffed animals (including her eye-catching favoriteUnicorn Plushie of the Month or simplyPlushie). Voiced by Laura Gerow.
Teresa is Barbie's extremely chatty but ditzy best friend who lives near the Dreamhouse and often makes silly, half-witted remarks. Voiced byKatie Crown.
Nikki: Barbie's principal Black American best friend who is also close friends with Teresa. She manages a fashion blog and loves taking pictures as a hobby.[6] She is creative, smart, sassy, outspoken, and very protective of her friends. Voiced byNakia Burrise.
Raquelle is Barbie's frenemy and rival for Ken's affections. She lives a very posh lifestyle in an attempt to outshine Barbie. She is portrayed as vain and arrogant and is not above deceit to attain what she wants. She is also clumsy, and her plans to sabotage Barbie often backfire. Voiced by Haviland Stillwell.
Ryan is Raquelle's twin brother and struggling musician.[7] He is in love with Barbie and often writes songs about her to impress her. He is a frenemy of Ken and will often brawl with him to win Barbie's affections. Like his sister, Ryan is also very vain and is often seen carrying around large cardboard standups of himself. Voiced by Charlie Bodin.
Midge Hadley is Barbie's childhood best friend from Barbie's hometown ofWillows, Wisconsin.[8] She and Barbie lost touch when Barbie's family moved toMalibu. Prior to her makeover, she appears inblack-and-white dressed invintage fashion and speaks in the 1960s slang.[9] She is also quirky, smart, and is fond of arts and crafts (particularlymacramé). She moves toMalibu and develops a crush on Ryan, who does likewise after her makeover. Voiced by Ashlyn Selich.
Summer is Barbie's fun and energetic best friend who loves sports and games. She is competitive, and her hyperactive nature is sometimes too much to handle.[10] Voiced byTara Sands.
Grace is Barbie's new best friend and a new resident in Malibu. She is very smart and interested in science. Voiced by Lillian Sofia.
Closet is a robot who lives in and manages Barbie's closet. Closet speaks in monotone and has an evil side. Voiced by Todd Resnick. He is often the antagonist and believes to have a father/son relationship with his creator, Ken
Background Clones are different versions of the main characters. Voiced by Sean Hankinson, Nakia Burrise, Paula Rhodes, Laura Gerow, Tara Sands, and Haviland Stillwell.
