Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba! is an American-Canadian live-action/puppet educational, musical children's television series starring five costumed toys come-to-life and their friend DJ Lance Rock. It debuted on Nickelodeon on August 20, 2007, and ended on November 12, 2015. A single topic is addressed in each episode, "Adventure," "Friends," and "Dance," through songs and short storylines in the half-hour program. Additionally, the show teaches children life and social skills, such as sharing and trying different foods. It also encourages viewers to move along with and dance with the characters in the program. The show is noted for its indie-culture guest stars and bands, and for drawing visual inspiration from 8-bit video games and H.R. Pufnstuf, among other television shows. Created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz, the show's learning process has parents, older siblings, and younger children watch the show together rather than letting it act as a babysitter. The television program has spawned a touring live stage show, several toys, and branded clothing. Trademarks relating to Yo Gabba Gabba! and its characters are held by GabbaCaDabra, LLC., in partnership with The Magic Store and WildBrain.
Overview
Hosted by a character named DJ Lance Rock, the series featured a mix of live-action segments featuring five cartoony costumed characters—Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex —and many short animated sketches and songs.Famous musicians who have appeared on the show include Mos Def, Bootsy Collins, Ladytron, The Killers, Enon, The Clientele, Jimmy Eat World, Solange Knowles, Taking Back Sunday, Datarock, The Aquabats, Devo, Anne Heche, Joy Zipper, Of Montreal, Chromeo, My Chemical Romance, Weezer, Hot Hot Heat, The Faint, The Roots, Paul Williams, Mates of State, MGMT, Peter Bjorn and John, Trunk Boiz, The Shins, The Aggrolites, The Flaming Lips, Mýa, Biz Markie, Blitzen Trapper, The Ting Tings, Money Mark, Mariachi El Bronx, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Erykah Badu. Other celebrity guests to have appeared include Jason Bateman, Jack Black, Andy Samberg, Melora Hardin, Tony Hawk, Elijah Wood, Sarah Silverman, Laila Ali, Bill Hader, and Anthony Bourdain.
Among the varied animation sequences during the show was Super Martian Robot Girl, designed by indie cartoonists Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer; the title character of that segment was voiced by Ariela Barer.
Kidrobot made the toy models of the characters that appeared at the beginning and end of each show. The title of the show pays homage to "Gabba Gabba Hey" from the punk rock band, The Ramones.
History
Yo Gabba Gabba! was developed by two Southern California fathers and punk rockers, Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz, who first started working together as teenagers, producing and directing skateboarding videos. Their goal was to design a kids' show that was entertaining while featuring real artists and real performers. Both had no past experience writing scripts for television, let alone children's broadcasting or education. In developing the show they took inspiration from a number of classic children's series including Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Pee-wee's Playhouse, ZOOM, as well as Sid and Marty Krofft puppet shows Banana Splits and H. R. Pufnstuf.In 1999, after becoming parents, Jacobs and Schultz started playing around with ideas for children's television and produced a pilot independently financed by small loans from friends and family. Yo Gabba Gabba! did not get much attention until it started circulating on the Internet. Jared Hess, the director of Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, saw the pilot online and recommended it to Brown Johnson, the executive vice president and executive creative director of Nickelodeon Preschool. Yo Gabba Gabba! premiered on Nickelodeon on August 20, 2007.
Production
The show was produced by The Magic Store and DHX Media. Yo Gabba Gabba! airs on the Nick Jr. cable network in the United States and the Nick Jr. networks in the United Kingdom & Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Italy, France and Australia as well as Treehouse TV and Family Jr. networks in Canada, Disney Junior in Southeast Asia and RTE2 on RTÉjr in Ireland. The series premiered August 20, 2007 on Nickelodeon as part of its Nick Jr. block, and was broadcast in reruns from February 23, 2008 to October 24, 2016 on the Nick Jr. TV channel. The show was not renewed for a fifth season.Episode format
All episodes follow a similar format. In the opening scene of the episode, DJ Lance Rock is shown walking on a plain white background while holding a silver radio with colorful buttons. He then arrives at a table with four different colored lands and a silver design underneath it. He then places down the radio, and then he shouts "YOOOO Gabba Gabba!" and opens the radio, and inside it are 5 toy dolls: Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex. He places down the dolls one-by-one, and then they become alive.The episode features four main segments that are connected to each other as a plot. They involve DJ Lance and the Gabba gang doing an activity. After each main segment, a short clip is shown that shows a kid dancing around. The kid says his or her name, followed by "I like to dance!".
Between the main segments, there is another segment called "The Super Music Friends Show", which features a performance by a band about the episode's theme. Other small segments include "Mark's Magic Pictures" and "Biz's Beat of the Day".
Near the end of each episode, DJ Lance and the Gabba gang do a mix-like song about what had occurred during the main segments. After it is finished, DJ Lance shouts "YOOOO Gabba Gabba!" once again, and then Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex turn back into toys. One-by-one, DJ Lance puts them back in the radio, closes the radio, and then walks off carrying it, thus ending each episode. The credits then roll.
Characters
Main- DJ Lance Rock – A human DJ who is the friend of the Gabba gang and the series' host. He likes to fly.
- Muno – A friendly red cyclops. He's the tallest, is somewhat clumsy and has a close friend with Foofa. He is also the band's guitarist. He lives in a rock-filled place called “Muno Land”. His hobbies are playing his guitar, seeing bugs, skateboarding, and building blocks. During Super Bowl XLIV, he appeared in a 2010 commercial for the Kia Sorento. His realm resembles the moon, another planet, or a desert and he has a pet horse.
- Foofa – A carnation pink cornflower bubble girl character who's sweet and happy. She likes cornflowers, rainbows, dolphins and unicorns. She lives in a spring-themed place called “Foofa Land”. She is the band’s tambourinist. Her realm is a spring or a summer meadow. Her hobbies are watering cornflowers, whistling, playing her tambourine, and riding her bike.
- Brobee – A small, green furry monster and the youngest of the Gabba gang. He lives in a fall-themed place called “Brobee Land”. He is the band’s drummer. He is the one of the characters whose facial expression changes depending on the situation; his normal face turning into a frown, and vice versa. He is often subjected to trying different foods. His realm is a large fall forest. He is 4 years old. He likes to play the drums.
- Toodee – A sky blue arctic cat-dragon girl who loves to have fun. She has a close friend with Plex and is also the band’s bassist. She lives in an arctic realm called “Toodee Land”. Her hobbies are ice skating, playing her bass, surfing, and tap dancing.
- Plex – A magic yellow robot who is intelligent and the oldest of the Gabba gang. He is portrayed as being smart and as the leader of Gabba Land. Plex often teaches lessons to his friends and is a father figure to the gang. He can also use his special ray to bring things into existence and transport living things. He's the band’s keyboardist. His instrument is the keytar. He has no realm in particular, though he seems to have a "docking station" between Foofa and Brobee's realms. His hobbies are driving his car, playing his keytar, and stretching his arms.
- Gooble – A white ghost who is always sad. He lives in a magical house located in a place outside Gabba Land named "Gooble Land".
- The Yo Dazzlers - are the biggest band in all of Gabba Land. Members include Riffington, Jean-Pierre, Big Bitz, and Chip. Riffington is big with a blue head. He has blonde hair, and wears black sunglasses. He also wears a yellow shirt with dark pink stripes. He plays the guitar. Riffington is 18 years old. Jean-Pierre is a light green bug with green spots on him. He wears green glasses, and an orange snow cap on his head. He plays the keyboard. Jean-Pierre is 11 years old. Big Bitz is a purple monster with hair. One piece of his hair covers his right eye, and another piece sticks up. Unlike the other 3, his legs are purple and rectangle shaped. He plays the bass. Big Bitz is 16 years old. Chip is an orange pyramid shape with spikes all over him. He wears fuchsia sunglasses. He plays the drums. Chip is 13 years old.
- Barbara - is a big orange butterfly. She is Toodee's best friend and is from the episodes "Nature,' "Flying," "Olympics," "Circus," and "Day Camp." Like all butterflies, Barbara can fly. She has a daughter named Mona.
- Muno's family - include Muno's parents, his younger brother Gogo and he is dark orange and his older sister Cheebo and she is hot pink. She is also a friend Toodee and Foofa. She loves school, and baby owls. and only appeared in "Family,' "Circus,' and "Baby"
- Fooful - is an aquamarine bubble boy. He is Foofa's older brother and appeared in "Weather,' "Mystery,' "Ride,' "Circus,' "Gooble,' "Olympics,' and "Day Camp"
- Sparkles - is a unicorn Giraffe She is Brobee's Best Friend from "Flying", 'Nature', and Show.
- Keedee - is Toodee's younger brother who only appears in "Day Camp". He is light green with a ring around his right eye.
- Plexee - is Plex's niece and she is light yellow. She only appeared in 2 episodes "Baby,' and "Day Camp"
- The Elek Aliens - are purple alien creatures that live on a Sparkly Planet called Elek.
- Mark Mothersbaugh - He loves to draw.
- Biz Markie - He raps everything.
- Super Mr. Superhero - A superhero.
Regular segments
- Jingles, each episode has animated music videos featuring music by a guest performer and animation by guest artists, designers, and animators. They often happen after the first segment in an episode.
- Mark's Magic Pictures, featuring Mark Mothersbaugh, drawing simple pictures that often come alive at the end of the segment.
- Biz's Beat of the Day, starring Biz Markie, demonstrating new beatboxing beats.
- The Super Music Friends Show, featuring musical guests and introduced by John Reis as "The Music Swami" and Matt Chapman as the announcer.
- Dancey Dance Time, featuring celebrity guests performing dance moves with the characters. It was rarely used after season one.
- Numbers, live action music video similar to the jingles, usually with counting up numbers or back.
- Cool Tricks, in which kid or an adult demonstrates a special talent
- Storytime, where a kid narrates a story
- Super Martian Robot Girl, featuring a helpful comic book drawn-style green-haired superhero who saves the day, but only solves extremely contrived misunderstandings of ignorant citizens, instead of fighting crime.
- Learn with Plex, a solo segment in which Plex teaches basic daily skills like brushing your teeth, making lemonade, putting on pajamas, etc. in kids' chants, using four repeated steps.
- Play Pretend with Muno, in which Muno encourages viewers to pretend along with him, as he imagines himself as different creatures and objects.
- Listen with Toodee, in which Toodee listens to sounds and encourages the viewer to help her identify them.
- Color with Brobee, in which the viewer guesses what color Brobee is thinking of by the examples he gives.
- Play Games with Foofa, in which Foofa solves simple puzzles, such as mazes and matching games, and encourages the viewer to help her find the solution.
- DJ Lance Dance, in which DJ Lance Rock teaches kids doing a different dance.
- Funny Faces, in which DJ Lance Rock encourages kids to make funny faces.
- Knock-Knock Joke of the Day, a segment where Jack McBrayer and Paul Scheer tell knock-knock jokes. This segment first appeared in season two.
- Look Back At Today, each episode ends with a music video recap of that episode, featuring special effects, and a remix of every song featured in that episode.
Episodes
Video releases
Main releases
Episodes on Nick Jr. compilation DVDs
Episodes on Nick Jr. iTunes compilations
NOTE: As of June 2019, the episodes are no longer part of the compilations due to the series being removed from Nick Jr.'s platforms.| Name | Release Date | Number of Episodes | Episode Title |
| Haunted Halloween Vol. 1 | October 13, 2008 | 1 |
|
| Holly Jolly Holiday Specials | December 25, 2009 | 1 | |
| Bundle of Love Vol. 1 | February 1, 2010 | 1 | |
| Helping the Earth | April 19, 2010 | 1 | |
| We Love Our Mommies | April 26, 2010 | 1 | |
| Haunted Halloween Vol. 3 | October 25, 2010 | 1 | |
| Bundle of Love Vol. 2 | January 31, 2011 | 1 | |
| Fairytale Play Dates Vol. 1 | February 14, 2011 | 1 | |
| Move to the Music | June 6, 2011 | 1 | |
| Nickelodeon in Space | October 24, 2011 | 1 | |
| Let's Learn ABC's | May 28, 2012 | 1 | |
| Let's Learn 123's | May 28, 2012 | 1 | |
| Let's Learn Colors | May 28, 2012 | 1 | |
| Let's Learn Music | November 12, 2012 | 1 | |
| Let's Learn Science | November 12, 2012 | 1 | |
| Let's Learn Weather | November 12, 2012 | 1 | |
| Circus | March 4, 2013 | 1 | |
| All Aboard with Nick Jr.! | April 15, 2013 | 1 | |
| Let's Drive! | April 15, 2013 | 1 | |
| Super Sailors | April 15, 2013 | 1 | |
| Let's Learn Cultures | May 6, 2013 | 1 | |
| Let's Go to the Farm! | July 29, 2013 | 1 | |
| Let's Go Under the Sea! | July 29, 2013 | 1 | |
| Back to School | August 13, 2013 | 1 | |
| Birthday Playdates | August 26, 2013 | 1 | |
| Treasure Hunt Vol. 1 | March 31, 2014 | 1 | |
| Bedtime Stories | September 29, 2014 | 1 | |
| Let's Visit the Dentist | November 11, 2014 | 1 | |
| Let's Visit the Doctor | November 11, 2014 | 1 |
Soundtrack releases
Four albums have been released featuring songs from the show performed by the cast and the "Super Music Friends Show" segment.- Music is. Awesome!
- Music is. Awesome! Volume 2
- Music is. Awesome! Volume 3
- Music is. Awesome! Volume 4
- Hey!
- Fantastic Voyages
Stage shows
The world premiere live concert tour of Yo Gabba Gabba! took place in Australia in May 2009. DJ Lance Rock, Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee and Plex performed in Wollongong, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney with an indie house-band and secret special guests at each show. Additional tours in the United States and other countries have been performed throughout 2013. Shows have been toured including three presented by Kia Motors and a special Christmas one presented by Citi, Just Dance Kids & Toys for Tots.- "There's a Party in My City!"
- "It's Time to Dance!"
- "Get the Sillies Out!"
- "A Very Awesome Holiday Show!"
- "Music Is Awesome!"
Mobile streaming
On March 8, 2017, the first season of the show were made available for streaming on the Noggin video subscription service, the series was removed from the Noggin app on June 25, 2019, the series was also removed from the Nick Jr. website and Pluto TV's version of Nick Jr., the seasons got removed from iTunes and Amazon Prime Video, and the Yo Gabba Gabba! episodes that were on Nickelodeon iTunes compilation collections were removed as well. The series was available on Youtube for free on the Yo Gabba Gabba official channel, and all episodes can be watched.Critical reception
On April 30, 2008, the television show received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling. The show has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy in both 2008 and 2009 for Best Costume Design. Time magazine's James Poniewozik, who said the show "will convince you someone slipped something into your Fruity Pebbles" named Yo Gabba Gabba! one of the Top 10 new TV series of 2007, ranking it at #8. In November 2008, the Yo Gabba Gabba! production team won a BAFTA Children's Award, International. The show has also become popular among some college-aged young adults because of the artists often featured. Due to the show's popularity amongst both adults and children, they performed at Coachella 2010 as special guests. Their live touring show also won a Creative Content Award at the 2010 Billboard Touring Awards. The Television Critics Association Awards have nominated Yo Gabba Gabba! for Outstanding Achievement in Children's/Youth Programing. The years include 2008–2012. Yo Gabba Gabba! won for the year 2009 and 2010. In February 2013, Yo Gabba Gabba! won two Kidscreen Awards for "Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series 2013" and "Best Music 2013"In other media
- In 2009, the cast was featured in their own float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
- Muno was featured in a commercial for the Kia Sorento that aired during the 2010 Super Bowl and other Kia commercials in 2011. Also, the character Brobee appeared in a 2011 advertisement for Wonderful Pistachios.
- The cast appeared in the Big Time Rush episodes "Big Time Audition", "Big Time Halloween" and "Big Time Cameos."
- Yo Gabba Gabba! appeared in True Jackson VP in the episode "Trapped in Paris."
- Garry Lyon, of The Footy Show, an Australian Football League panel show, performed an interpretive cycle based on the Yo Gabba Gabba! dancing style after losing a humorous bet. The choice of the Yo Gabba Gabba! dance was based on a number of physical similarities to Brobee, including Bushy Eyebrows and Excessive Androgenic Hair.
- In the Mad episode "So You Think You Can Train Your Dragon How to Dance/Yo Gagga Gagga!," Lady Gaga hosts Yo Gagga Gagga! featuring her dolls – Taylor Swift, T-Pain, Miley Cyrus, and Triple H – and the cast is seen watching a monster movie at the end.
- In 2011, the cast appeared in the Raising Hope episode "Sabrina Has Money."
- The title of the Futurama episode "Yo Leela Leela" parodies this, as does the show Leela produces during the episode, known as "Rumbledy Hump".
- On June 8, 2012, The Fresh Beat Band's 15th episode in season three "Yo! Fresh Beats Go Gabba Gabba!" the "Gabba Gang" gets beamed into the episode by way of a malfunctioned Plex has with robotic hiccups which was caused by Gearmo: a gear who always causes trouble.
- Insane Clown Posse recorded a cover of the song Hold Still for the 2012 album Smothered, Covered & Chunked.
- The South Park episode "Taming Strange" features Foofa becoming a spoof of Miley Cyrus after Kyle's adopted younger brother, Ike, attends a performance and "tames Foofa's strange" in front of everyone seeing the show.
- The cast appeared in a Delta Airlines safety video which first aired in August 2015.
- In 2017, A spin-off called DJ Lance and The Upbeat Retreat!, produced by WildBrain Studios premiered on YouTube, featuring DJ Lance Rock with his new friends.
Spin-offs
- Reading is Awesome
- Rainbow Monsters
- DJ Lance and the Upbeat Retreat