Poko

"Poko" is a stop motion children's show about a young boy, his pet dog and his toy monkey. Produced in Canada by [http://halifaxfilm.com/ Halifax Film] , a DHX Media Company, Poko began production in 2003 and is now in its third season. "Poko" is broadcast in Canada by the CBC and in Australia by ABC. It is narrated by actor and dancer Cory Bowles, who also appears in the popular Canadian comedy series Trailer Park Boys.

Characters

Poko is a little boy. Every day he plays in his bedroom, or out in his backyard. Poko, however, has a magic finger. When he says "Poko pippity pop!" he can draw objects, which then become real, by tracing in the air with his finger. Poko often encounters obstacles and gets cranky or upset, but then cheers up with the help of an unseen narrator.

Minus is Poko's pet dog. He is very playful, and often causes trouble. Although he can't always understand what is going on, he sometimes shows much more human-like behaviour, such as being able to walk on his hind feet, play soccer, or dance. He is named for his ability to erase Poko's creations from existence (when they aren't needed anymore or he doesn't like them) by using his nose like an eraser. His silly antics often cause Poko to chuckle and say "Silly Minus!"

Mr. Murphy, Poko's stuffed toy monkey, usually just sits around. He can sometimes be seen to have moved his hands (such as to shrug, or cover his eyes), but is never seen actually moving.

In the second season, two new characters were added. Bibi is a young girl and a new friend of Poko. She comes over sometimes to have a play date with Poko. Bibi can use her magic sticker book in a way that resembles Poko's ability, by opening the book to a sticker of an object and then making that object real. Lambert is Bibi's stuffed toy lamb.

Main episodes

There are two episodes in each show. The first one is indoors, after Poko wakes up. The second is outdoors, in the garden. In both, Poko encounters a problem, but usually overcomes it after observing a smaller creature (such as a bird, ladybug, worm, etc.) solving a similar problem.

Also beneficial to children, the narrator helps Poko to name and understand his feelings, and find appropriate ways to deal with them: for example, on some occasions, when Poko has become angry at Minus, he has gone and given a blast on his tuba to release his frustration. Another common solution is for Poko to give Mr.Murphy a hug. In this way, the show suggests positive methods of dealing with problems.When this happens they usually sing..."hug a monkey...hug him tight...hug him till you feel alright"

In the second season, a new segment was added called "Poko's Playhouse", in which Poko and Minus perform for a stuffed toy audience on a "Grand Ole Opry" type play-stage, with children singing a background song.

Play sequence

These are 30 second (approx.) shorts where Poko and Minus (and sometimes Mr.Murphy) play against a monocolour background (suggesting they are no longer in the house, or in an imaginary location). They may be swimming, surfing, riding an imaginary Roller coaster, or doing other activities.

Mighty Murph

In the middle of each show in season one, Poko reads a Mighty Murph story. Each one is made using Macromedia Flash, in cartoon style, and involves a baby Mr. Murphy in some dilemma, such as being hungry, or having nowhere to play. He then imagines he is Mighty Murph, and flies around to find a solution to his problem. His search is fruitless, and he realizes the best place is just where he is, as his own self with his mother. The stories are told by the narrator.

how structure

The show follows the same sequence every time:

*Title sequence
*Poko wakes up
*Indoor episode
*Play sequence
*Mighty Murph story (season one); Poko's Playhouse (season two);
*Play sequence
*Outdoors episode
*Play sequence
*Ending sequence

Awards

*Gemini - Best Pre-School Program (2004)
*ACT Award - Grand Prize (2007)
*ACT Award - Animation Age 3-5 (2007)

External links

* [http://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc/pokopippitypop.html Poko Pippity Pop - Kids' CBC Web Game]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/parents/poko.html Poko on Kids' CBC - for parents]
* [http://www.halifaxfilm.com/productions/poko POKO on Halifax Film's website]