Ribert and Robert's Wonderworld

Ribert and Robert's Wonderworld is a children's education animated/live-action hybrid television series that was created by Mike DeVitto. The series aired for seventy-eight episodes from 2005 to 2008.

Ribert and Robert's Wonderworld
GenreEducational
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes78
Production
Running time22 minutes
Original release
NetworkPBS
ReleaseSeptember 4, 2005 (2005-09-04) –
November 30, 2008 (2008-11-30)

Premise

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The series revolves around Ribert, a young animated toad that wears a cap and later a safety helmet, who wants to know "everything", and Robert, his human friend, as they spend each episode learning about different topics against the backdrop of a magical island amusement park, known as Wonderworld. The show's tagline is: The first show a kid can ride!

Format

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Each episode follows a general format, concentrating on a single topic. Ribert is curious by nature, and he "wants to know everything", according to a song at the start of each episode. Robert is his best friend and partner. He pilots the roller coaster car that Ribert and the viewers (known as Power Pals) ride as they learn about the day's topic.

Ribert tells Robert what he wants to learn about that day. Subjects have included birthdays, dinosaurs, "being safe" and "being a good friend". Robert turns on the roller coaster car, and Ribert and the viewers prepare for the journey.

The goal of each episode is to solve three "challenges" as the roller coaster car travels the track in the Wonderworld amusement park. Three times over the course of the episode, Robert asks the Power Pals a question, and once it is answered correctly, the Power Pals are given a "magic key". Each key has a human face painted in it, and the respective keys are called in order: Jen, Lee and Tiffany. When the roller coaster car arrives at a door, Ribert asks each "magic key" to open a door for him in song, and the viewers are treated to a visit by human "friends", who perform a skit or task describing the day's subject matter. One of the doors is usually occupied by Cousin Chris, who draws a picture related to the day's topic. After each presentation, Ribert and Robert discuss it together before the roller coaster car moves onto the next challenge.

After all three "magic keys" are obtained, a "secret word" is revealed that is in line with the day's subject. Clues to the "secret word" are provided to the Power Pals during the course of the episode. Upon the completion of the mission, Ribert and Robert bid farewell in song.

Broadcast

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The series was distributed in the United States by American Public Television to over 90 local PBS stations.[1] The first season premiered on September 4, 2005,[2] and the final season ended November 30, 2008. Reruns were available for broadcast through 2016.[3]

Episodes

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Season 1 (2005–06)

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Season # Episode # Title Original airdate Prod. code[2][4]
11"Ribert Wants to Know About Colors"September 4, 2005 (2005-09-04)101
22"Ribert Wants to Know About the First Day of School"September 11, 2005 (2005-09-11)102
33"Ribert Wants to Know About Numbers"September 18, 2005 (2005-09-18)103
44"Ribert Wants to Know About Going to the Doctor"September 25, 2005 (2005-09-25)104
55"Ribert Wants to Know About Bugs"October 2, 2005 (2005-10-02)105
66"Ribert Wants to Know About Being a Good Friend"October 9, 2005 (2005-10-09)106
77"Ribert Wants to Know About Dinosaurs"October 16, 2005 (2005-10-16)107
88"Ribert Wants to Know About Being a Good Sport"October 23, 2005 (2005-10-23)108
99"Ribert Wants to Know About Music"October 30, 2005 (2005-10-30)109
1010"Ribert Wants to Know About Being Afraid of the Dark"November 6, 2005 (2005-11-06)110
1111"Ribert Wants to Know About Family"November 13, 2005 (2005-11-13)111
1212"Ribert Wants to Know About Having Fun on a Rainy Day"November 20, 2005 (2005-11-20)112
1313"Ribert Wants to Know About Animals"November 27, 2005 (2005-11-27)113
141"Ribert Wants to Know About Games"December 4, 2005 (2005-12-04)201
152"Ribert Wants to Know About Pets"December 11, 2005 (2005-12-11)202
163"Ribert Wants to Know About Being Healthy"December 18, 2005 (2005-12-18)203
174"Ribert Wants to Know About Magic"December 25, 2005 (2005-12-25)204
185"Ribert Wants to Know About Outer Space"January 1, 2006 (2006-01-01)205
196"Ribert Wants to Know About Having Good Manners"January 8, 2006 (2006-01-08)206
207"Ribert Wants to Know About Dancing"January 15, 2006 (2006-01-15)207
218"Ribert Wants to Know About Building Things"January 22, 2006 (2006-01-22)208
229"Ribert Wants to Know About Art"January 29, 2006 (2006-01-29)209
2310"Ribert Wants to Know About Sharing"February 5, 2006 (2006-02-05)210
2411"Ribert Wants to Know About a New Brother or Sister"February 12, 2006 (2006-02-12)211
2512"Ribert Wants to Know About Science"February 19, 2006 (2006-02-19)212
2613"Ribert Wants to Know About Weather"February 26, 2006 (2006-02-26)213

Season 2 (2006–07)

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Season # Episode # Title Original airdate Prod. code[5]
271"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Beach"September 3, 2006 (2006-09-03)301
282"Ribert Wants to Know About: Arts and Crafts"September 10, 2006 (2006-09-10)302
293"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Earth"September 17, 2006 (2006-09-17)303
304"Ribert Wants to Know About: History"September 24, 2006 (2006-09-24)304
315"Ribert Wants to Know About: Hobbies"October 1, 2006 (2006-10-01)305
326"Ribert Wants to Know About: Meeting New People"October 8, 2006 (2006-10-08)306
337"Ribert Wants to Know About: Moving"October 15, 2006 (2006-10-15)307
348"Ribert Wants to Know About: When I Grow Up"October 22, 2006 (2006-10-22)308
359"Ribert Wants to Know About: Having Fun Outside"October 29, 2006 (2006-10-29)309
3610"Ribert Wants to Know About: Travel"November 5, 2006 (2006-11-05)310
3711"Ribert Wants to Know About: Writing Stories"November 12, 2006 (2006-11-12)311
3812"Ribert Wants to Know About: Playing Safely"November 19, 2006 (2006-11-19)312
3913"Ribert Wants to Know About: Reading"November 26, 2006 (2006-11-26)313
4014"Ribert Wants to Know About: Birthdays"December 3, 2006 (2006-12-03)314
4115"Ribert Wants to Know About: Nature"December 10, 2006 (2006-12-10)315
4216"Ribert Wants to Know About: Imagination"December 17, 2006 (2006-12-17)316
4317"Ribert Wants to Know About: Math"December 24, 2006 (2006-12-24)317
4418"Ribert Wants to Know About: Rhyming"December 31, 2006 (2006-12-31)318
4519"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Sun"January 7, 2007 (2007-01-07)319
4620"Ribert Wants to Know About: Books"January 14, 2007 (2007-01-14)320
4721"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Calendar"January 21, 2007 (2007-01-21)321
4822"Ribert Wants to Know About: Shapes"January 28, 2007 (2007-01-28)322
4923"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Desert"February 4, 2007 (2007-02-04)323
5024"Ribert Wants to Know About: Teachers"February 11, 2007 (2007-02-11)324
5125"Ribert Wants to Know About: Geography"February 18, 2007 (2007-02-18)325
5226"Ribert Wants to Know About: Drawing"February 25, 2007 (2007-02-25)326

Season 3 (2007)

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Season # Episode # Title Original airdate Prod. code
531"Ribert Wants to Know About: Reptiles"September 2, 2007 (2007-09-02)401
542"Ribert Wants to Know About: Camping"September 9, 2007 (2007-09-09)402
553"Ribert Wants to Know About: City"September 16, 2007 (2007-09-16)403
564"Ribert Wants to Know About: Winter"September 23, 2007 (2007-09-23)404
575"Ribert Wants to Know About: Fire Safety"September 30, 2007 (2007-09-30)405
586"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Farm"October 7, 2007 (2007-10-07)406
597"Ribert Wants to Know About: Ocean Life"October 14, 2007 (2007-10-14)407
608"Ribert Wants to Know About: Feelings"October 21, 2007 (2007-10-21)408
619"Ribert Wants to Know About: Planes, Trains and Automobiles"October 28, 2007 (2007-10-28)409
6210"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Moon"November 4, 2007 (2007-11-04)410
6311"Ribert Wants to Know About: Big & Little"November 11, 2007 (2007-11-11)411
6412"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Rainforest"November 18, 2007 (2007-11-18)412
6513"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Garden"November 25, 2007 (2007-11-25)413

Season 4 (2008)

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Season # Episode # Title Original airdate Prod. code[3]
661"Ribert Wants to Know About: Fairytales"September 7, 2008 (2008-09-07)501
672"Ribert Wants to Know About: Community Helpers"September 14, 2008 (2008-09-14)502
683"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Dentist"September 21, 2008 (2008-09-21)503
694"Ribert Wants to Know About: Inventions"September 28, 2008 (2008-09-28)504
705"Ribert Wants to Know About: Fruits and Vegetables"October 5, 2008 (2008-10-05)505
716"Ribert Wants to Know About: Microscopes and Telescopes"October 12, 2008 (2008-10-12)506
727"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Five Senses"October 19, 2008 (2008-10-19)507
738"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Playground"October 26, 2008 (2008-10-26)508
749"Ribert Wants to Know About: Baby Animals"November 2, 2008 (2008-11-02)509
7510"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Summer"November 9, 2008 (2008-11-09)510
7611"Ribert Wants to Know About: Opposites"November 16, 2008 (2008-11-16)511
7712"Ribert Wants to Know About: The Zoo"November 23, 2008 (2008-11-23)512
7813"Ribert Wants to Know About: Computers"November 30, 2008 (2008-11-30)513


Cast

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  • Ribert - voiced by Jessikah Lopez
  • Robert - James Bondy
  • Cousin Chris - Chris Allard
  • Magic Matt (magician) - Matt Roberts
  • Dara Duck - Dara Bourne
  • Leeny (the story performer) - Leeny Del Seamonds
  • Vanessa (dance partner) - Vanessa Logan
  • Joan and Friends - Joan Kennedy, Jeffery McIlwain, Con Fullam, Grace Katherine Stacey
  • Professor Expound - Mark Scalia
  • Erin (the game girl) - Erin Horne
  • Kids' voices - Luis Branco, Jr., Rachel Estremera and Nicole Branco
  • Nonni - CJ Gagliola Hughes

Principal crew

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  • Created, Produced and Directed by Mike DeVitto
  • Written by Mike DeVitto and Jenn DeVitto
  • Executive Producers - Mike DeVitto, Con Fullam and Greg Gormican
  • Music and Sound - Michael McInnis
  • Live-Action Supervision - Jamie Norton and Mike DeVitto
  • Technical Director - Jim Grotto
  • Animation Director - Jamie Norton and Melissa Napier
  • Creative Director - Chris Allard
  • Design and Support - Dick Campbell and Dennis Gilbert
  • Sound recorded at Michael McInnis Productions, Portland, Maine
  • Songs by Paul Conway Fullam and Michael McInnis
  • Presented by Deos Animation Studios and American Public Television
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References

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  1. ^ Pollock, Christine L., ed. (28 March 2006). "Ribert and Robert's WonderWorld". The Newsstand (3b). Santa Fe, NM: Ranny Levy. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b "RIBERT & ROBERT'S WONDERWORLD | American Public Television". aptonline.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b "RIBERT & ROBERT'S WONDERWORLD V | American Public Television". aptonline.org. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  4. ^ "RIBERT & ROBERT'S WONDERWORLD II | American Public Television". aptonline.org. Archived from the original on 14 February 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  5. ^ "RIBERT & ROBERT'S WONDERWORLD III | American Public Television". aptonline.org. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2024.