{{short description|New Zealand children's television show}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox television | image = | caption = | alt_name = | genre = [[Children's television series]]<br />[[Television comedy|Comedy]] | creator = [[Martin Baynton]]<br />[[Richard Taylor (filmmaker)|Richard Taylor]] | developer = | writer = Terri Baynton<br />[[Peter Salmon (filmmaker)|Peter Salmon]]<br />Roxane Gaiadhar<br />Sacha Cotter<br />Sarah Harpur<br />Lauren Jackson | director = Matthew Darragh<br />Dries Naude | creative_director = | presenter = | voices = Ian Harcourt<br />Richard Saade<br />Debbie Fish<br />Liz Mullane<br />Jacob Rajan<br />Simon Leary<br />Emma Draper | narrator = [[Martin Baynton]] | theme_music_composer = David Long | open_theme = | end_theme = | composer = [[David Long (New Zealand musician)|David Long]] | country = New Zealand<br />China | language = English | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 52 | list_episodes = | executive_producer = [[Martin Baynton]]<br />[[Richard Taylor (filmmaker)|Richard Taylor]]<br />Clive Spink<br />Jianfeng Wen<br />Bing Wang<br />Lisa Chatfield | producer = Angela Littlejohn<br />Jan Haynes<br />Jane Robertson | editor = Owen Ferrier-Kerr | location = New Zealand<br />China | cinematography = | camera = | runtime = 11 minutes (television series) | company = [[Pukeko Pictures]]<br />Hengxin Shambala Kids Cultural Industry Development Co., Ltd. | channel = [[TVNZ]]<br />[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] | first_aired = {{Start date|2018|09|3|df=y}} | last_aired = {{End date|2019||}} | related = [[The WotWots]] }} '''''Kiddets''''' is a New Zealand-based [[children's television]] show which debuted in 2018 and sister series to [[The WotWots]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kidscreen.com/2015/11/25/the-wotwots-to-get-sister-series/|title=The WotWots to get sister series|access-date=18 October 2018}}</ref> Created by [[Martin Baynton]] and [[Richard Taylor (filmmaker)|Richard Taylor]], the series uses computer animation mixed with live-action clips to follow five alien friends as they learn about life in their playroom. It currently consists of one season and a total of 52 eleven-minute episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/pukekos-kiddets-take-off-in-australia-new-zealand/|title=Pukeko's 'Kiddets' Take Off in Australia & New Zealand|website=www.animationmagazine.net|language=en-US|access-date=18 October 2018|date=13 February 2018}}</ref>
== Plot == The show follows five young [[Extraterrestrial life|alien]] friends called "Kiddets" each with an area of interest and learning; Patches (health, wealth, and safety), Dapper (arts and culture), Bounce (mechanics), Stripes (leadership) and Luna (science). They are space cadets, explorers-in-training at a space academy on planet WotWot. They learn through play in their playroom that overlooks a space port floating above their planet and occasionally reach out for help from SpottyWot and DottyWot on planet Earth.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.toyhobbyretailer.com.au/licensing/cake-partners-with-pukkeko-pictures-to-launch-kiddets|title=Cake partners with Pukkeko Pictures to launch Kiddets – Toy & Hobby Retailer|access-date=18 October 2018|language=en|archive-date=26 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226234156/http://www.toyhobbyretailer.com.au/licensing/cake-partners-with-pukkeko-pictures-to-launch-kiddets|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Production == The spin-off series was announced in November 2015, when [[Pūkeko Pictures]], whom produced ''The WotWots'', had partnered with Chinese animation production studio Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company (now Hengxin Shambala Kids Cultural Industry Development Co., Ltd.) to produce a sister television series to ''The WotWots'' entitled ''Kiddets'' marking the first children's television series co-production between New Zealand and China with Pukeko Pictures' founder, and creators of ''The WotWots'' Martin Baynton and [[Richard Taylor (filmmaker)|Richard Taylor]] would serve as creators of the spin-off sister series.<ref>{{cite web|title=WotWots Spin-off from Pukeko & Chinese Animation Company|url=https://worldscreen.com/tvkids/wotwots-spin-off-from-pukeko-chinese-animation-company/|website=World Screen TV Kids|date=25 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.awn.com/news/pukeko-signs-co-production-deal-kiddets|title=Pukeko Signs Co-Production Deal for 'Kiddets'|work=Animation World Network|access-date=18 October 2018|language=en}}</ref>
On 2 October 2017, Pūkeko Pictures had partnered with British distribution company [[Cake Entertainment]] to handle worldwide distribution for Pukeko Pictures' spin-off series to ''The WotWots'' franchise ''Kiddets'' except for Australia, New Zealand and China.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cake picks up Pukeko’s Kiddets|url=https://www.c21media.net/news/cake-picks-up-pukekos-kiddets/|website=C21Media|first=John|last=Elmes|date=2 October 2017}}</ref>
The Kiddets characters and their space station are animated with occasional clips from [[The WotWots]] over live-action footage by the [[Weta Workshop]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wetanz.com/brands/the-wotwots|title=Weta Workshop {{!}} Weta Workshop – The WotWots|website=www.wetanz.com|access-date=18 October 2018}}</ref> the visual effects company founded by Taylor and Rodger, known for its work on the [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy]].
===Animation=== Unlike its parent series ''The WotWots'' which was animated at [[Wētā Workshop]], the spin-off preschool television series ''Kiddets'' was made at Hengxin Shambala's animation subsidiary, Blossom Pictures, who handled animation services for the spin-off series ''Kiddets'', however the spin-off series had used footage of its parent series ''The WotWots'' originally made at Wētā Workshop.<ref>{{cite web|title=Blossom Pictures|url=https://www.linkedin.com/company/blossom-pictures|website=LinkedIn}}</ref>
== Broadcast details == {| class="wikitable" |- ! Country !! Broadcaster !! Screen date |- | [[Australia]] || [[ABC1]], [[ABC2]], ABC Kids || 3 April 2018<ref>"[https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/02/kiddets-extends-wotwots-brand-on-abc-kids.html Kiddets extends WotWots brand on ABC KIDS"] ''TV Tonight'', 7 February 2018.</ref> |- | [[New Zealand]] || [[TVNZ 2]], TVNZ On-Demand, TVNZ HeiHei || 17 September 2018 |- | [[China]] || [[China Central Television]] || December 2018<ref>"[https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/pukeko-hengxin-shambalas-kiddets-touch-down-in-china/ Pukeko & Hengxin Shambala's 'Kiddets' Touch Down in China] ''Animation Magazine'', 5 December 2018</ref> |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.kiddets.fun/}}
[[Category:Animated preschool education television series]] [[Category:New Zealand preschool education television series]] [[Category:2010s preschool education television series]] [[Category:Television series with live action and animation]] [[Category:TVNZ 2 original programming]] [[Category:New Zealand children's television series]] [[Category:2018 New Zealand television series debuts]] [[Category:English-language New Zealand television shows]] [[Category:Animated television series about children]] [[Category:Animated television series about extraterrestrial life]] [[Category:Television series created by Martin Baynton]] [[Category:Television series created by Richard Taylor (filmmaker)]]