Nanalan’ (partially lost Canadian children’s TV series; 2005-late 2000s)

From The Lost Media Wiki
Revision as of 23:18, 31 August 2024 by Shoelost (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search
Nanalan.jpeg

The cast as they appeared in the half-hour episodes. From bottom right: Mona, Nana Bea, Mr Wooka and Russell.

Status: Partially Lost

Nanalan’ is a 1999-2004 Canadian preschool TV series created by Jamie Shannon and Jason Hopley of the Grogs, a Canadian puppetry troupe. The show ran originally as 72 three-minute interstitial shorts produced for TreehouseTV in Canada and Nick Jr. in the US, and later 43 half-hour episodes for the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) and PBS Kids.

Production

The series features a unique mix of practical puppetry and 'cutouts on sticks', and stars an endlessly curious and imaginative 3-year-old toddler named Mona who is babysat each day by her adoring grandmother Nana Bea, with the help of Nana's terrier Russell.[1] The human puppets were heavily stylized toward the humorously grotesque in the distinctive Grogs style, with Mona's features consisting entirely of black button eyes, a wide mouth (often wide open) and two tiny pigtails on either side of her round head.

The shorts focus almost entirely on Mona's POV as she explores her Nana's backyard, with only occasional cameos from Nana herself - thus the dialogue consists almost entirely of the little girl's 'baby talk', simple phrases repeated several times and usually mispronounced (hence the series title, a Mona-esque contraction of 'Nana Land'). Plots centred around Mona and her faithful but mischievous canine sidekick (whom she calls 'Russer') having small adventures and making big discoveries about the natural world around them.

Despite some older viewers finding the show's surreal appearance and dialogue unsettling, these mini-episodes proved so popular with their target audience that Nanalan’ was developed into a half-hour series, debuting on CBC in September 2003[2]. This iteration not only featured more elaborate, conventionally attractive puppets and sets but noticeably upgraded Mona's verbal skills. To assist with this, episode plots now included much more interaction with Nana Bea, who besides teaching the gentle life lesson of the day could interpret and confirm what her tiny granddaughter - and of course 'Russer' - were trying to say.

The show also significantly expanded on Mona's world, including a first look inside Nana's house, appearances by Mona's mother (who is essentially a larger version of Mona's puppet with more elaborate clothes and hair) and visits to Nana's next-door neighbour Mr Wooka, himself an amateur puppeteer who puts on an impromptu show in each episode. The series now also included original songs and read-along segments intercut with the main plotlines.

Availability

The series has been removed from both the CBC and PBS official sites and has not had an official release since then. Nanalan' does, however, have an official YouTube channel, which is in the process of uploading many episodes of both versions.[3]

However, according to Jamie Shannon, they don't have access to the final short of the series, that being "Cow",[4] all that curently exists of it is a behind the scenes picture of the cow costume.

Pre-season 1

# Episode Title Status
1 Dragonfly Found
2 Bubble Found
3 Birdy Found
4 Scarf Found
5 Don't Cry Found
6 Caterpillar Found
7 Feed The Chipmunk Found
8 Lollipop Found
9 Leaf Raking Found
10 Flamingo Found
11 Frog Found
12 Sandbox Found
13 Over the Fence Found
14 Bee Found
15 Tube Found
16 Russell's Itch Found
17 Russell's Dinner Found
18 Russell's Balloon Found
19 Snake Found
20 Hula Hula Found
21 Spider Found
22 Butterfly Tag Found
23 Feather Found
24 Sneeze Found
25 Dinner Guest Found
26 Feeding The Birds Found
27 Blowing A Balloon Found
28 Frog Found
29 The Bath Found
30 Love Found
31 Nap Swap Found
32 Pea Pod Found
33 Ouch Found
34 Windy Day Found
35 Big Dog Found
36 Apple Found
37 Picnic Found
38 Birthday Found
39 New Friend Found
40 Clouds Found
41 Worm Found
42 Stretching Found
43 Potato Bug Found
44 Hose Found
45 First Snow Found
46 Stick Found
47 Puppet Found
48 Bent Flower Found
49 Carrot Found
50 Hot Day Found
51 Nana's Fish Found
52 Dance Found
53 Snowball Found
54 Garden Gnome Found
55 Costume Party Found
56 Secret Found
57 Out of the Pool Found
58 New Doll Found
59 Imitate Bugs Found
60 Mona Lisa Found
61 Save the Fish Found
62 Lightning Found
63 Patio Lanterns Found
64 Snow Person Found
65 Firefly Found
66 Whirlpool Found
67 Cocoon Found
68 Grey Day Found
69 Blanket Found
70 Maraca Found
71 Munk Love Found
72 Cow Lost

Season 0

Episode Title Status
Inside Nana's House Found

Season 1

# Episode Title Status
1 Lollipop Found
2 Sunshine Found
3 Big Girl Found
4 Rainy Day Found
5 Free Found (cropped 4:3)
6 Purple Juice Found
7 Snow Found
8 Chirp Found
9 PlayDay Found
10 Goodbye Found
11 Chipmunk In The House Found
12 Hummingbird Found
13 Love Found
14 Home Found
15 Birdsong Found

Season 2

# Episode Title Status
1 Hooray For You! Found
2 Smelly Smell Found
3 Brownies Found
4 Hootenanny Found
5 Under My Wing Found
6 Sick As A Dog Found
7 Nanalympics Found
8 Spring Found
9 Bee Sting Found
10 Purple Monster Found
11 Bubbles Found
12 Helpful Girl Found
13 Night Night Nana Found
14 Pumpkin Found
15 1-2-3 Apple Tree Found
16 Windy Day Found
17 Russell Did It Found
18 Treasure Found
19 Four-Part Harmony Found
20 Soft as Nana Found
21 Mud Puddle Found
22 Camp Wooka Found
23 Toad Meet Budgie Found
24 Mona a Go-Go Lost
25 New Friends Lost
26 Winter Wonderland Found

Gallery

Videos

ObscureMediaTV's video on the subject.

Images

External Links

References