Kids content is on the rise on Netflix, and the latest additions include seven new original series, aimed predominantly at teens and “tweens,” including animated as well as action comedies.
The first two new series build on Netflix’s partnership with LEGO, with new stories from the Bionicle and Friends franchises. LEGO Bionicle: The Journey to One, will feature the brand’s line of buildable action figures as they navigate the mythical island of Okoto. The evil Makuta is trying to cast the world into darkness, so six heroes, the Toa, are called upon to help save the island. The first season will include four episodes, to be released in the first quarter of 2016.
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LEGO Friends: The Power of Friendship ( second quarter of 2016) will feature characters for that line of construction toys. Kids will be able to tag along with five best friends, Stephanie, Emma, Olivia, Mia, and Andrea, as they partake in adventures in their hometown of Heartlake City; from summer camp to basketball, saving their webcast, or helping other friends. This show will also debut with four episodes.
Buddy Thunderstock (2017, 12 episodes) is a stop-motion action comedy from American Greetings Entertainment with Stoopid Buddy Stoodios that follows the adventures of a semi-truck racing dog named Buddy and his albino ferret mechanic. Think of it as dog meets race car, as the pair speeds around in the Greasepit.
As the first original animated series produced in Latin America, Las Leyendas (The Legends) is based on a successful trilogy of children’s films from the Mexican animation studio, Anima Estudios. Scheduled for a 2017 release with 13 episodes in season one, the show is set in the 1800s, where teenager Leo San Juan tries to deal with his ability to communicate with ghosts and monsters. The story involves another dimension, a group of misfits, and a magic ship as the boy travels through time to help fight off evil forces.
Dawn of the Croods is a new original family sitcom based on DreamWorks Animations characters, the Croods. Set to debut this Christmas Eve (December 24), it will see the return of Eep, Grug, Thunk, Ugga, Sandy and Gran as they encounter various “firsts” in the world, from schools to slumber parties, hiccups, and elections. This show will be available in all Netflix territories except Germany and Japan.
Glitter Force (December 18, 2015) from Saban Brands is an anime-inspired show that takes place in the magical kingdom of Jubiland, which is being invaded by an evil emperor and his band of fairytale villains. But when Candy, a tiny pixie, recruits five “tween” girls to form the Glittler Force, the emperor may just have met his match. All territories except Asia will get the 20 episodes of this show’s first season.
Temple Street Productions is offering Lost & Found Music Studios (Q1 2016), a series about a group of talented teenage musicians who struggle to find their authentic sound, and work to craft their music in a prestigious studio. How do they find love, inspiration, and redemption, as well as navigate the murky waters of the music industry? It will debut outside of Canada, the U.K., and Ireland wth 26 half-hour episodes.
All seven of these shows, once available, will be accessible through Netflix’s dedicated section for kids, and accessible on all devices through which Netflix can be watched. Parents can set up specific profiles for their kids, restricting adult content, but passing through kid-friendly shows.
According to Andy Yeatman, Director of Global Kids Content for Netflix, about half of Netflix’s 65 million members from around the world regularly watch kids content. No wonder the streaming site is leaning in on fresh content for the youngsters.
