Set
in a fantastical living room with more doors than walls, The Upside Down Show
stars David and Shane, two brothers who live with their fun-loving sidekick Puppet,
their invisible pet fly Fido, and the Shmuzzies, adorable fluff balls who speak
Shmuzzish and love to rhyme. Each episode begins as the brothers hand
an imaginary remote control to the viewers at home so they can control
the duos physical motion by fast forwarding, rewinding or pausing their
movement.
Breaking
'the fourth wall' of the television set, the brothers encourage their audience
to participate in their antics and accompany them on their excursions. Every week,
the duo embarks on a journey to explore new infinite worlds like the Very Hairy
Room, Wind Room or Puppy Room, and everyday destinations like the beach, the airport
or the movies. But Shane and David need help from their friends and viewers at
home, as they dont know where their destination is or how to get there!
They
take detours through magical doors in their apartment which allow the brothers
-- and the preschoolers playing along -- to investigate the world around them.
Nick says that
The Upside Down Show provides a fresh new way for preschoolers to interact
by learning critical thinking skills, rich vocabulary and relational concepts
and life skills through pretend play. The series elevates the concept of imaginative
play to a new platform in which children build valuable reasoning skills, develop
creative problem solving abilities and enhance their understanding of and joy
in the world around them.
The
remote control featured on the series becomes a fun tool to help children learn
unique vocabulary and relational concepts, as well as to play along with these
completely original, imaginary stories.
The
following preschool platforms will also kick off the launch of The Upside Down
Show:
Noggin.com
is also streaming a sneak peek clip from the premiere episode.
Nickelodeon
Preschool Television executive creative director Brown Johnson says, David
and Shane may be the two funniest men on the planet. They are silly, spontaneous,
ridiculous, amazing and on the perfect wavelength for preschoolers.
The
Brothers make ordinary things extraordinary -- from taking a trip to the art museum
or the beach to visiting wacky places like the sticky room, the no-room room,
or the sandwich room, where they achieve total sandwich. They make
me laugh every time!
Sesame
Workshop executive VP, creative director Liz
Nealon says, Were very excited about the debut of The Upside Down
Show, which is very different than other preschool shows. Pairing the irresistible
antics of the Umbilical Brothers with the Workshops understanding that young
children learn best through imaginative play has created a special kind of alchemy.
"We've
worked hard to make sure that this offbeat and funny show also serves up serious
school readiness teaching and reinforcing cognitive thinking and language
skills, and fostering a sense of mastery and self-confidence, all while keeping
kids laughing and engaged.
In
the first episode Art Museum Shane creates an artistic masterpiece to hang
on the refrigerator, until he and David discover they dont actually have
a refrigerator! At the suggestion of their neighbor Mrs. Foil and with help from
Puppet and their pet fly Fido, The Brothers look for an art museum to hang the
piece of art. Along the way, Shane and David get stuck in the Sticky Room, lost
in the Fog Room, and meet a young talented finger painter in the Museum of Finger
Painting. The Brothers introduce Pause, Rewind, Fast
Forward and Instant Replay buttons on the imaginary remote,
and the viewers at home press the Humongous and Minute
buttons to help Shane and David reach their final destination.
In
the second episode Farm Shane and David have a band called The Talking
Airheads, which features Shane on guitar; David on drums and a cowbell; Fido the
fly on trumpet; and The Shmuzzies on the Marimba. But the band faces a setback
when Davids cowbell -- which happens to be attached to an imaginary cow
named Clarabelle disappears! On their journey to find the cow, The Brothers
spend time in the Great Big Bell Room, fish for the cowbell in the Boat Out At
Sea Room and go for a ride in the Bicycle Room. Viewers help Shane and David along
by pressing the Seesaw and Steady buttons on the remote
control.
Noggins's
site will feature a variety of content to complement the premiere of The Upside
Down Show, including an online game where preschoolers can personalize an imaginary
play experience with Shane and David by creating their own interactive video.
The site will also feature downloadable clips from the series and several activities
including The Upside Down Show printables, crafts, E-cards and more. Nick Jr.s
award-winning website (www.nickjr.com) will also launch The Upside Down Show interactive
game and activities, in addition to featuring a dedicated playlist of clips from
series on Nick Jr. Video.