The Amazing World of Gumball

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The Amazing World of Gumball
The Amazing World of Gumball logo.png
Created by Ben Bocquelet
Directed by Mic Graves
Voices of <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Composer(s) Ben Locket
Country of origin United Kingdom
United States
Ireland
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 144 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Producer(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Joanna Beresford
    (Season 1)
  • Sarah Fell
    (Season 2 – present)
Running time 11 minutes[1]
Production company(s) Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe
Boulder Media Limited
Studio SOI
Dandelion Studios
Release
Original network Cartoon Network
Picture format 1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Original release May 3, 2011 (2011-05-03)[2] –
present
External links
Website

The Amazing World of Gumball (known also as Gumball) is a British-American-Irish children's animated television series created by Ben Bocquelet for Cartoon Network. Produced primarily by Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe, it first aired on May 3, 2011.[2] The series revolves around the life of Gumball Watterson, a 12-year-old[3] cat who attends middle school in the fictional city of Elmore. Accompanied by his adoptive goldfish brother Darwin, he frequently finds himself involved in various shenanigans around the city, during which he interacts with his other family members—sister Anais and parents Nicole and Richard—and an extended supporting cast of characters.

Bocquelet based several of the series' characters on rejected characters from his previous commercial work and making its premise a mixture of "family shows and school shows", which Cartoon Network was heavily interested in. He pitched The Amazing World of Gumball to the network and Turner Broadcasting executive Daniel Lennard subsequently greenlit production of the series. It is the first series to be produced by Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe, and is currently co-produced with Studio SOI and Great Marlborough Productions. One unique feature of the series is its lack of stylistic unity. Characters are designed, filmed, and animated using different styles and techniques (stylised traditional animation, puppetry, photo-realistic CGI, stop motion, Flash animation, live action, etc.)[4]

Production

When Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe was created in 2007, Ben Bocquelet was hired to help people pitch their projects to the network. However, when the studio decided to have its employees all pitch their own ideas,[5] he decided to take some rejected characters he had created for commercials and put them together in one series set in a school.[6] Daniel Lennard, vice president of Original Series and Development at Turner Broadcasting System Europe, was impressed by the premise and approved production of the series.[7] The first series to be produced by Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe,[8] thirty-six episodes were produced for its first season in collaboration with Studio SOI, Dublin-based Boulder Media Limited,[9][10] and Dandelion Studios.[11]

Premise

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The series revolves around the life of a 12-year-old cat named Gumball Watterson (Logan Grove, seasons 1–2 and season 3 episode: "The Kids"; Jacob Hopkins, rest of season 3–present) and his frequent shenanigans in the fictional American city of Elmore, accompanied by his adopted goldfish brother/best friend Darwin (Kwesi Boakye, season 1–2 and season 3 episode: "The Kids"; Terrell Ransom, Jr., rest of season 3–present). Gumball's other family members—his intellectual sister Anais (Kyla Rae Kowalewski) and stay-at-home father Richard (Dan Russell), both rabbits, and workaholic mother Nicole (Teresa Gallagher), a cat—often find themselves involved in Gumball's exploits. Gumball attends school with his siblings at Elmore Junior High, where throughout the series he interacts with his various middle school classmates, most prominently his crush Penny Fitzgerald (also Gallagher).

Episodes

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Season Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
Pilot May 8, 2008 (2008-05-08)
1 36 May 3, 2011 (2011-05-03) March 13, 2012 (2012-03-13)
2 40 August 7, 2012 (2012-08-07) December 3, 2013 (2013-12-03)
3 40 June 5, 2014 (2014-06-05) August 6, 2015 (2015-08-06)
4 40 July 7, 2015 (2015-07-07) TBA

The first season of The Amazing World of Gumball premiered on May 3, 2011 with the episode "The DVD" and ended on March 13, 2012, with "The Fight".[12] A 40-episode second season was announced on March 17, 2011, prior to the premiere of the series' first season.[13] Speaking of the renewal, executive producer Daniel Lennard stated: "Commissioning a second series before the first show has aired shows our absolute commitment and belief in the series and we're hoping audiences the world over will embrace this show as much as we have."[13] The Amazing World of Gumball was renewed for a third season consisting of 40 episodes in October 2012. In February 2013, the series was put on hiatus, but returned in June 2013.[14]

Crossover

On September 17, 2015, series creator Ben Bocquelet announced on his Twitter page that a crossover episode with another Cartoon Network show would air as part of Season 5.[15]

Comic

On June 18, 2014, a comic book adaptation of the series, written by Frank Gibson, was released. Art for the collection of works is handled by Boom! Studios.[16]

Reception

Critical reception

In a favourable review, Brian Lowry of Variety described the series as "mostly a really clever spin on domestic chaos" and "first-rate silliness."[17] Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly was also positive, writing: "There are few examples of mainstream children's programming as wildly imaginative, as visually and narratively daring, as The Amazing World of Gumball."[18] Reviews from the Daily Mail praised The Amazing World of Gumball as a "gloriously surreal chunk of fast and funny telly"[19] and "the kind of clever children's comedy that parents can also enjoy."[20]

The A.V. Club's Noel Murray graded the DVD release of the series' first 12 episodes a B+, writing that "what sets [The Amazing World of Gumball] apart from the many other super-silly, semi-anarchic cartoons on cable these days is that it features such a well-developed world, where even with the eclectic character designs, there are recognisable traits and tendencies."[21] Wired writer Z noted that the series "manages to have genuine heart even as the plots themselves transition from well-worn TV tropes to all out madness."[22]

Ratings

The May 3, 2011, series premiere of The Amazing World of Gumball was watched by 2.120 million viewers in the United States.[23]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result
2011 Annecy International Animated Film Festival Best Television Production[24] "The Quest" Won
British Academy Children's Awards Animation[25] The Amazing World of Gumball Won
Writer[25] Jon Foster and James Lamont Won
Royal Television Society Awards Children's Programme[26] "The Quest" Nominated
2012 Annie Awards Best Animated Television Production for Children[27] The Amazing World of Gumball Won
Directing in a Television Production[27] Ben Bocquelet and Mic Graves Nominated
Music in a Television Production[27] Ben Locket Nominated
Voice Acting in a Television Production[27] Logan Grove Nominated
ASTRA Awards Most Outstanding Children's Program or Event[28] The Amazing World of Gumball Won
British Academy Children's Awards Animation[29] The Amazing World of Gumball Won
BAFTA Kids' Vote – Television[29] The Amazing World of Gumball Nominated
Writer[29] Ben Bocquelet, Jon Foster and James Lamont Won
Broadcast Awards Best Children's Programme[30] The Amazing World of Gumball Nominated
International Emmy Kids Awards Kids – Animation[31] The Amazing World of Gumball Won
Irish Film & Television Awards Children's/Youth Programme[32] The Amazing World of Gumball Nominated
2013 Annie Awards Best Animated Television Production For Children "The Job" Nominated
British Academy Children's Awards Animation[33] The Amazing World of Gumball Nominated
BAFTA Kids' Vote – Television[33] The Amazing World of Gumball Nominated
Writer[33] The Amazing World of Gumball writing staff
(Ben Bocquelet, Jon Brittain, Tom Crowley, Jon Foster,
Mic Graves, Chris Garbutt, James Lamont and Tobi Wilson)
Won
2014 British Academy Children's Awards Animation[34] The Amazing World of Gumball Nominated
BAFTA Kids' Vote – Television[34] The Amazing World of Gumball Nominated
Writer [34] The Amazing World of Gumball writing staff Nominated
Hall of Game Awards Best Cartoon Boogie Richard Watterson Won
2015 British Academy Children's Awards Animation[35] The Amazing World of Gumball Won
2016 British Animation Awards Best children’s series and Children’s choice Award[36] The Amazing World of Gumball: The Shell Won
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Cartoon[37] The Amazing World of Gumball Nominated

Possible film

In an interview with The Times Magazine, series creator Ben Bocquelet mentioned plans for a feature film based off the series.[38] While a synopsis and release date are unknown, it can be presumed that the film will be worked on by the crew working on the show (including Bocquelet himself).

Home media

Region Set title Season(s) Aspect ratio Episode count Time length Release date
1 The DVD[39] 1 16:9 12 132 minutes August 28, 2012 (re-released on October 7, 2014)
1 The Mystery[40] 1 16:9 12 132 minutes January 15, 2013
1 The Party[41] 1 16:9 12 132 minutes August 13, 2013
1 The Amazing World of Gumball: Volume 4[42] 2 16:9 12 144 minutes November 4, 2014

Broadcast

The first and second seasons have been released on Cartoon Network channels in over 126 countries, with the third season rolling out through 2014.[43]

On December 1, 2014, The Amazing World of Gumball began airing on Boomerang in the United States, alongside its broadcasts on Cartoon Network.[44]

References

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  4. Interview with Ben Bocquelet in Toonzone
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  15. https://mobile.twitter.com/benbocquelet/status/644526986308780032
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  38. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/tv-radio/article4599656.ece
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External links