The Amazing World of Gumball
Encyclopedia
The Amazing World of Gumball (sometimes referred to simply as Gumball) is a British
/American
animated television series created by Ben Bocquelet
. It first aired on May 2, 2011 in the United Kingdom
as a sneak preview and officially premiered on September 5, 2011. It premiered a week later on May 9, 2011 in the United States
on Cartoon Network
. A sneak preview aired on May 3, 2011 in the United States. This series is rated TV-Y7-FV. The series is unusual in that it employs several different styles of animation, often simultaneously.
was created in 2007, Ben Bocquelet was hired in order to help people pitch their projects to the network
. However, when the studio decided to have its employees all pitch their own ideas, he decided to take some of the rejected characters he had created for commercials and put them all in one series, with a school setting. Daniel Lennard, the Vice President of Original Series and Development at Turner Broadcasting UK, liked the idea and the series was ultimately greenlit. There were twenty half-hours worth of episodes written for the first season, but only eighteen were actually created. A second season was announced on March 17, 2011 and it will consist of an additional twenty half-hours worth of episodes, bringing the total to thirty-eight.
gave the show a positive review. His review calls it "mostly a really clever spin on domestic chaos" and says that it "qualifies as first-rate silliness." The special preview that aired on May 3, 2011 scored 2.120 million viewers and premiere on May 9, 2011 scored 1.937 million viewers.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
/American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated television series created by Ben Bocquelet
Ben Bocquelet
Benjamin "Ben" Bocquelet is a French-born English animator, writer, and producer. He is best known as the creator of the Cartoon Network series The Amazing World of Gumball. He also wrote a short film called The Hell's Kitchen in 2003...
. It first aired on May 2, 2011 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as a sneak preview and officially premiered on September 5, 2011. It premiered a week later on May 9, 2011 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. A sneak preview aired on May 3, 2011 in the United States. This series is rated TV-Y7-FV. The series is unusual in that it employs several different styles of animation, often simultaneously.
Production
When Cartoon Network Development Studio EuropeCartoon Network Development Studio Europe
Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe is a British animation studio based in London. It was founded in early 2007. It is owned by Turner Broadcasting System Europe...
was created in 2007, Ben Bocquelet was hired in order to help people pitch their projects to the network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. However, when the studio decided to have its employees all pitch their own ideas, he decided to take some of the rejected characters he had created for commercials and put them all in one series, with a school setting. Daniel Lennard, the Vice President of Original Series and Development at Turner Broadcasting UK, liked the idea and the series was ultimately greenlit. There were twenty half-hours worth of episodes written for the first season, but only eighteen were actually created. A second season was announced on March 17, 2011 and it will consist of an additional twenty half-hours worth of episodes, bringing the total to thirty-eight.
Cast and Characters
- Gumball Watterson (voiced by Logan GroveLogan GroveLogan Parker Grove is a native of Palmer, Alaska, who fell into acting at the age of six. His sister was invited to attend the annual Actors, Models and Talent Competition and Logan was subsequently entered as well. Showing promise by winning several categories at the annual AMTC, his family...
): He is the main protagonist of the series. A male 12-year-old trouble-making catCatThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
who repeatedly does idiotic things but never learns his lesson. He has an unbearable crush on Penny, the antlered peanut. Despite his rambunctious behavior, he can be loyal, serious and often kind-hearted. He is often victim of circumstance. - Darwin Watterson (voiced by Kwesi BoakyeKwesi BoakyeKwesi Boakye is an American actor who is most notable for his role as Manny in the Tyler Perry film I Can Do Bad All By Myself. He is the youngest of three brothers who are also actors; Kwame Boateng, 18, and Kofi Siriboe, 17. His family is originally from Ghana...
): Formerly Gumball's pet fishFishFish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, he grew legs one day and became fast friends or brothers with Gumball. He subsequently became a member of the family. Due to his sudden introduction into the world, his world view is somewhat skewed and he tends to be more naïveNaïveNaivety , is the state of being naive—having or showing a lack of experience, understanding or sophistication. One who is naive may be called a naif.- Etymology :...
than other characters. Although his best friend can sometimes be a negative influence on him, he is very loyal to Gumball and is smart at times. He often helps Gumball out of any sticky sitution. - Anais Watterson (voiced by Kyla Rae KowalewskiKyla Rae KowalewskiKyla Rae Kowalewski is an American child voice actress known for the role as Anais Watterson in The Amazing World of Gumball. She was also the voice of Fufu in Ni Hao, Kai-Lan...
): A prodigy at four years old, she is a rabbitRabbitRabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
who is considered to be the youngest and smartest character on the show, often being called a genius and attending school with her much older brother. Gumball resents the fact that she is always telling him what to do, but deep down, he knows that she is usually right. Although impatient with her brother, she often tags along with him on his misadventures as a voice of reason. She also helps Gumball out of any situation. - Nicole Watterson (voiced by Teresa GallagherTeresa Gallagher-Career:Gallagher is known for her role as Ellen Smith in The Bill, for her appearances on radio in No Commitments, Salem's Lot and Memorials to the Missing, and the voices of Emily, Mavis, Rosie, Duchess of Boxford and other female characters from the first CGI Thomas and Friends Special Hero of...
): A working and workaholic cat and a stay-at-home mother, who works long hours cleaning the house. She is the only responsible member of the family aside from Anais. She has a short temper and can get quite angry, and is also competitive by nature. She often acts like a guide when Gumball and Darwin get in a tough spot with their misadventures. She often gets over-stressed. - Richard Watterson (voiced by Dan Russell): A massive rabbitRabbitRabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
dad, he does not appear to have any degree of responsibility or intelligence. He usually just spends all of his time sleeping, occasionally not even bothering to get dressed. He has a large appetite and is a voracious eater. He often serves as a third-wheel to his son's misadventures and cares for his family very much.
- Banana Joe (voiced by Rupert DegasRupert DegasRupert Joel Degas is an English actor and voice artist.- Early life:Degas was born in London, the son of screenwriter Brian Degas and television presenter Maggie Clews, whose marriage ended in divorce when he was eight...
): A bananaBananaBanana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
who is one of Gumball and Darwin's best friends. Joe is the class clown, and is always cracking jokes about whatever he can, whenever he can, without realizing that the joke is usually on him. Joe is quite restless and hyperactive, which usually leads to him getting hurt in some heinous way. - Tobias (voiced by Rupert DegasRupert DegasRupert Joel Degas is an English actor and voice artist.- Early life:Degas was born in London, the son of screenwriter Brian Degas and television presenter Maggie Clews, whose marriage ended in divorce when he was eight...
): A rainbow colored adolescent boy who is the other of Gumball and Darwin's best friends, with Banana Joe being the other. Tobias is obsessed with winning, and is used to getting whatever he wants, considering his parents are wealthy. - Tina Rex (voiced by Dan Russell): A Tyrannosaurus Rex who is Gumball and Darwin's worst enemy. Althought Tina is female, her voice is deep as if she were a male. Tina gets angry all the time, which is the main reason why she leaves a trail of carnage wherever she goes. To show her anger, she usually just steps on people.
- Penny Fitzergald (voiced by Jessica McDonald): A peanutPeanutThe peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
with antlers who is Gumball's crush, but does not think worse of him for it, considering she feels the same way about him. Penny likes cheerleading and hanging out with Gumball and Darwin and the Treehouse Girls. - Bobert (voiced by Kerry ShaleKerry ShaleKerry Shale is a UK-based actor, writer and voice-over artist. He is married to Suzanne Shale, a former Oxford University law don, now a specialist in the field of medical ethics.-Theatre:...
): A robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
who is one of the most unpopular students at Elmore Junior High. Bobert is very eccentric when it comes to a social life, and depends on Gumball and Darwin for help with that. Bobert also has big dreams of one day becoming a real boy. - Laurence "Larry" Needlemeyer (voiced by Rupert DegasRupert DegasRupert Joel Degas is an English actor and voice artist.- Early life:Degas was born in London, the son of screenwriter Brian Degas and television presenter Maggie Clews, whose marriage ended in divorce when he was eight...
): A stoneSTONeis a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Sin-Ichi Hiromoto. Kodansha released the two bound volumes of the manga on April 23, 2002 and August 23, 2002, respectively.The manga is licensed for an English-languague released in North America be Tokyopop...
man who works at almost every movie/video game store, gas station, and grocery store in Elmore. Larry used to be known as Lazy Larry, the laziest person in Elmore, until he lost his title to Richard. - Rocky Robinson (voiced by Lewis MacLeodLewis MacLeodEuan Lewis MacLeod is a prolific Scottish character actor, who can be heard as the voice of a huge number of television commercials, movie trailers and cartoons in his native UK. He voices characters such as Sebulba from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Postman Pat...
): A puppetPuppetA puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
who has three jobs at Elmore Junior High. He is a janitor, a lunch man, and a bus driver. Rocky is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robinson and is probably the dumbest adult in Elmore (sharing the title with Richard). - Miss Simian (voiced by Sandra DickinsonSandra DickinsonSandra Dickinson is an American-British actress. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She has often played a dumb blonde with a high-pitched voice in the UK – notably commencing in the St...
): A baboonBaboonBaboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger...
who is Gumball and Darwin's teacher at Elmore Junior High. Miss Simian is madly in love with Principal Brown, who feels the same about her. Miss Simian utterly despises Gumball, and will do anything to ruin his mischievous plans.
Episodes
A total of 36 segments have been made for season one, which is 18 half-hours worth. It premiered on May 2, 2011 in the United Kingdom at 10:00 AM BST, with encores having aired throughout the day. The United States was the first nation to get the full series premiere, beginning on May 9, 2011, at 7:30 PM ET/PT. Season two is currently in development, with an additional 40 segments having been ordered, which is 20 half-hours worth. Because the segments were meant to be aired in pairs, the total number of episodes that have been made or ordered is 38, although Cartoon Network US has opted to split the premieres and only air one new segment a week beginning June 6, 2011. The series airs in its intended pairs when it fully premiered in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2011. The Series premiered on October 1st, 2011 at 9am on Cartoon Network Asia along with the unveilling of the CHECK it Era theme.Critical reception
Brian Lowry of VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
gave the show a positive review. His review calls it "mostly a really clever spin on domestic chaos" and says that it "qualifies as first-rate silliness." The special preview that aired on May 3, 2011 scored 2.120 million viewers and premiere on May 9, 2011 scored 1.937 million viewers.
Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 BAFTA Children's Award (United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... ) |
Animation 2011 | |
| Writer 2011 |