Amazon is quickly becoming a major player in the realm of streaming series, and thanks to shows like Alpha House, Bosch, and the excellent Transparent, they at least currently have a reputation for putting out ambitious, well-made programming. As part of a push to put out even more scripted programming in the coming years, Amazon will be premiering four animated pilots this summer to be considered for full-series orders. Though Bear in Underwear certainly catches the eye, the big standout here is Lily the Unicorn, the latest show to come out of Jim Henson Co. (Speaking of which, who else is pumped for ABC's The Muppets reboot?) Those two programs will join The Adventures of Knickerbock Teetertop and Lost in Oz, and all will be available for customers to stream, rate, and comment on to decide which of the bundle will get a full series. It's democracy at its finest.
Photos and an official synopsis for each show can be found below:
Here are the synopses:
The Adventures of Knickerbock Teetertop: For preschool-aged kids, the show — created by brother-sister team Adam Wilson and Melanie Wilson LaBracio (Marvel Universe Live, Evergone) — is about the smallest kid on the enchanted Wonderpine Mountain who wants to be a big adventurer just like his grandpa. Show’s character design is by Rhode Montijo (Melvin Beederman: Super Hero, The Halloween Kid) and animated by Karrot Animation (Sarah & Duck).
Lost in Oz: For children 6-11, animated show is set in a modern, metropolitan Emerald City in which 12-year-old Dorothy Gale befriends West, a young, street-smart witch grappling with dark temptations, and Ojo, a giant munchkin. Developed and produced by Bureau of Magic’s Darin Mark, Jared Mark, Abram Makowka, and Mark Warshaw (East Los High, Smallville); designed by Flaunt Productions (Under Siege, Project Spark); animated by Arc Productions (formerly Starz Animation which produced 9 and Gnomeo & Juliet); and scored by Adam Berry (The Penguins of Madagascar), with theme music by Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh.
Lily the Unicorn: Aimed at kids 6-11, animated show revolves around Lily, a colorful and comical unicorn who leads her friends on fantastic adventures. Anything is possible in Lily’s world: a simple song she hums can go viral and top the musics charts, or a quiet surprise picnic for her pal Roger can lead to a search for falafel waffles. Based on the children’s book by Dallas Clayton and produced by the Jim Henson Company.
Bear in Underwear: For children 6-11, animated show is based in Shady Glade Woods where Eddie Behr, an eternally optimistic, high-energy bear and his quirky group of animal friends and family reside. Based on the bestselling books by Todd Goldman and written by Goldman and Dave Schiff (That ’70s Show, Robot and Monster).