Kiff (TV series)

Kiff is an animated musical comedy television series created by Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal and produced by Disney Television Animation in association with Titmouse, Inc. The series debuted on March 10, 2023, on Disney Channel, and received positive reviews from critics.
On June 13, 2023, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on March 15, 2025. A third season was announced on June 11, 2024 and officially renewed on February 6, 2025, ahead of the second season's premiere.
Set in Table Town, a mountainous island surrounded by animals and magical creatures, the series centers on the adventures of a young, optimistic, and happy-go-lucky anthropomorphic squirrel named Kiff, whose best intentions often lead to complete chaos, and her best friend Barry, a sweet and mellow rabbit. The two take the island by storm with their endless adventures and zest for life.
An animatic pilot episode was produced prior to the series' greenlight and was later reworked into the episode "Hat". During this period, the series had the working title Donk, and Kiff and Barry's names were Donk and Bunny Guinness, respectively. The pilot was leaked online in April 2024, alongside other pilots and production pieces from Disney and Cartoon Network.
A shorts compilation special titled Kiff's Animal Kingdom premiered on April 6, 2024 as part of the Shorts Spectacular series. The special follows Kiff presenting a presentation of the animals of Disney Channel through Chibi Tiny Tales, Theme Song Takeover, and How NOT to Draw shorts for her classroom science project.
A series of shorts where a certain character from a Disney property, mainly a Disney Channel show, would usually do certain shenanigans as they request from the animator or the artist.
Chibi Tiny Tales is a series of shorts that depict characters from various Disney Channel properties in chibi-style animation. In June 2023, the series began releasing shorts based around Kiff. Most shorts are crossovers with two or more Disney Channel series. Chibiverse, a spinoff to Chibi Tiny Tales, where Kiff characters usually appear in, is one example of crossovers.
An infrequent series that has Disney Channel characters singing parodies of existing songs. Part of the Broken Karaoke series that was started by fellow Disney Channel series Big City Greens. Most shorts are crossovers with two or more Disney Channel series.
As part of a promotional campaign, Disney Channel began airing the Disney Theme Song Takeover wherein supporting characters from different shows performed the theme song to the series they were in. A few shorts are crossovers with two or more Disney Channel series.
Short segments that originated from Big City Greens that feature Disney Channel characters or celebrities calling one another.
A shorts series centered on Kiff, Barry, Candle, Helen, and the rest of the school group going on a school field trip led by Principal Secretary to visit a history museum. The shorts are a loose follow up to a similar shorts series from Big City Greens. Following their YouTube release, Disney Channel and XD would air the shorts during a marathon titled The Round and Round Road Trip with Kiff.
In 2017, creators Nic Smal and Lucy Heavens first met each-other when they were animators for Triggerfish Animation Studios, as the duo claimed that they 'spoke the same comedy language'. Conception for the series began in December 2017, and was eventually optioned by Disney five months later. On June 17, 2021, during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, it was announced that Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal were developing the series, entitled Kiff. According to the duo, the series is inspired by their experiences growing up in Cape Town, while Heavens described it as a series "about a kid who lives with her parents and goes to school" whose comedy focuses on the world and characters featured. Senior vice-president for Disney Channel's animation Meredith Roberts said, "Lucy and Nic are a brilliant creative team who produced a fresh and funny series with vibrant visuals that help bring the friendship between a squirrel and a bunny to life in a unique way". The series is produced by Disney Television Animation and Titmouse, Inc., with Kent Osborne serving as co-producer and story editor, and Winnie Chaffee producing. It consists of 22-minute episodes, composed of two 11-minute segments. Edward Mejia, a Disney executive, oversees the series.
On June 13, 2023, Disney Television Animation announced that the series was renewed for a second season. A third season was announced on June 11, 2024.
The series features one original musical number per episode.
In addition to co-producing, Titmouse, Inc. also provides the animation for the series (with its overseas animation being provided by Yearim).
Kiff premiered simultaneously on Disney Channel and Disney XD on March 10, 2023, with the show's first six episodes releasing on Disney+ a day later. In June 2022, it was announced that the first season of the series would have 30 22-minute episodes.
Scott Tobias of The New York Times said that Kiff serves as a gateway to the gentle irreverence and surrealism found in animated favorites like Adventure Time and Phineas and Ferb. They described Kiff as a unique series that could appeal equally to parents and their young children. Joel Keller of Decider found Kiff to be a well-crafted buddy comedy. They noted that the humor in the series is character-driven and extends beyond typical children's comedy, while saying that the show also touches on relatable themes, such as Kiff's lack of understanding of family sharing. Keller appreciated the world-building in Kiff, and concluded that the series is enjoyable for both kids and parents, saying it offers surreal fun and smart humor that makes it a worthwhile watch.
Kristin Smith of Plugged In stated that Kiff effectively showcases themes of friendship, kindness, silliness, sacrifice, and love. They concluded that the series, while earning its rating for some angst and off-putting comments, is appreciated for its witty writing and ability to emphasize the value of childhood friendship. Tony Betti of LaughingPlace.com rated Kiff 4 out of 5 and asserted that it carries a nostalgic 90s tone, reminiscent of shows like Rocko’s Modern Life, with subversive humor that might go over the heads of younger viewers but resonate with adults. Betti found that the show’s bright, vivid visuals and simple shapes are eye-catching, while saying its witty storylines and relatable characters ensure lasting appeal. The inclusion of fictitious sponsors from Table Town during the title cards of each episode was also praised.
Tessa Smith of Mama's Geeky gave Kiff a score of four out of five and found it to be a good choice for a family-friendly show, delivering humor that resonates with both adults and children, praising the series for its fun, quirky style and distinctive animation. Smith asserted that while Kiff is less adult-oriented than Adventure Time and Regular Show, it still provides humor that entertains viewers of all ages, and also includes subtle life lessons about family, friendship, and honesty, integrated in a way that is not overly preachy. Ashley Moulton of Common Sense Media gave the series a grade of four out of five stars, praised the depiction of positive messages and role models, citing the presence of characters demonstrating kindness, and said, "Quirky buddy comedy celebrates kid friendships".