Phred on Your Head Show

Phred on Your Head Show

Title card
Developed by
  • Janine Cirincione
  • Michael Ferraro[1]
Starring Doug Preis
Opening theme "It's the Phred on Your Head Show" by Michael Ungar[2]
Composer(s) Broadway Sound[3]
SandBlast Productions[4]
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 31
Production
Executive producer(s) Amy Friedman[5]
Producer(s)
  • Michael Pecoriello
  • Sally Anne Syberg[6]
  • Lissette Decos
Running time 30–60 minutes
Production company(s) MTV Animation
Possible Worlds[7]
Data Motion Arts[8]
Tricky Pictures
Release
Original network Noggin
Original release July 26, 1999 (1999-07-26)[9] – March 31, 2002 (2002-03-31)
Chronology
Followed by The URL with Phred Show

Phred on Your Head Show is an American children's television series starring Doug Preis. The series aired from July 26, 1999[9] to March 31, 2002 on Noggin (now Nick Jr.).[10]

When aired on Saturdays and Sundays, the show ran for thirty minutes; on weekdays, it ran for one hour.

Plot

A yellow-greenish character named Phred hosts his very own television show from the head of a child.

Format

At the beginning of each episode, an unseen character named "Big Voice" gives Phred information about (and the name of) that episode's host. Following the description, Phred exits his home (inside the "dot" in Noggin.com) and hops from head to head searching for the host. When Phred finally finds the host, he tells the "crew" or "boys" to "pickle" him/her (which teleports them into Noggin.com). Later, the two introduce episodes of various Noggin programs.

Vignettes

Opening prologue

The show opens with an explanation of the central character, Phred. It describes how he was a mascot for the fictional pickle distributor, Phantastic Pickles, until his pickle jar rolled off of a supermarket shelf and set him free (causing him to search for a place to think, which resulted in him choosing the dot of Noggin.com).

Featured content

Episodes aired on weekends feature episodes or segments of select Noggin programs while Phred is "searching" for the host. Examples of these programs include Doug, Dirk Niblick of the Math Brigade, The Further Adventures of Zook & Alison, Sesame Street, Mathnet, and The Electric Company.[11] Occasionally, a "Snick Snack" or Short Films by Short People selection is aired as well.

Theme song

After a cold open, a stop-motion theme song (written by Michael Ungar)[2] plays. It has replaceable lyrics that change to fit in the host's name.

Other segments

The series features a set of segments in addition to the Noggin programs. These included Phred's Got Mail (a piece starring Phred as he reads fan-mail aloud) and Cecile and Her Very Own Universe (an animated addition).

Broadcast

Phred on Your Head Show premiered on the Noggin network on July 26, 1999.[9] Throughout 1999, 21[7] episodes making up the first season were aired twice daily (from 5-7 PM and 8-10 PM ET).[12] The series was renewed for a 10-episode second season on February 1, 2000.[13] The series was reran on sister channel Nickelodeon several times in 2000.[14][15] The series served as the lead-in to the "Noggins Up" programming block,[16] which began on March 27, 2000.[17][18]

Reception

A preview episode of Phred on Your Head Show that aired on June 6, 1999 (over a month ahead of the series' official premiere) drew over 850,000 viewers,[19] generating a 2.2 Nielsen Media Research national rating.[19]

Phred on Your Head Show is mentioned in the 2001 book "Designing for Children: Marketing Design that Speaks to Kids" as an example of a program that was successfully able to transition from television to the Internet (referencing the show's online content at Noggin.com).[20]

The URL with Phred Show

A spin-off based on Phred on Your Head Show aired in 2001, titled The URL with Phred Show.[21] It focuses on user-generated content submitted to Noggin.com.

References

  1. ↑ Jacobs, Heather. "Possible Worlds Spot Ambitions". DCA Business Media LLC.
  2. 1 2 "SandBlast Productions Crew". SandBlastProductions.com.
  3. ↑ "New York Post: Surrounded by prime time". Mix Magazine.
  4. ↑ "Phred at SandBlast Productions". SandBlastProductions.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Phred on Your Head Show at ProductionBeast.com". Production Beast.
  6. ↑ "SpeakEasyFX adds trio of industry vets". StudioDaily.com.
  7. 1 2 "Possible Worlds Projects". PossibleWorlds.com. Archived from the original on September 13, 2001.
  8. ↑ "DMA designs Noggin host character". Animation World Network.
  9. 1 2 3 "Possible Worlds revolutionizes toon production with 'live' animation technique". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Phred on Your Head Show - LocateTV". LocateTV. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Phred on Your Head Show Overview - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  12. ↑ Kilmer, David. "DMA, Possible Worlds and MTV Animation put Phred on your head". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on March 28, 2002.
  13. ↑ "Noggin spawns original educon for older kids". Kidscreen. 1 February 2000.
  14. ↑ "Noggin on Nick schedule". Nick.com. 10 May 2000. Archived from the original on May 10, 2000.
  15. ↑ Hogan, Monica. "Noggin plans ad push with Detroit launch". Multichannel News.  – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  16. ↑ Edel, Raymond. "Television News & Notes, March 2000". The Record.  – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  17. ↑ ""Noggins Up" debuts March 27". Multichannel News.  – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  18. ↑ "Nick's Noggin and Nye". Cable World. 20 March 2000.  – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  19. 1 2 Moss, Linda (18 July 1999). "Preview may help Phred escape Pluto". Multichannel News.
  20. ↑ Catharine Fishel (1 October 2001). Designing for Children: Marketing Design that Speaks to Kids. Rockport Publishers. p. 93. ISBN 978-1564968005.
  21. ↑ Umstead, Thomas (11 June 2001). "Noggin adds interactive series". Multichannel News.  – via HighBeam (subscription required)
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