Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (also known as Foster's Home, or simply Foster's for short) is an American animated TV series created by Craig McCracken, best known as the creator of The Powerpuff Girls. The show premiered on August 13, 2004, and ended on May 3, 2009. Throughout its run, Foster's earned a bevy of awards and nominations, including 7 Emmy Awards and 5 Annie Awards out of 35 total nominations.
This show was being started as Craig McCracken was ready to cancel The Powerpuff Girls. Craig McCracken had used the Powerpuff Girls in several ways for Foster's Home, most notably the character of Mojo Jojo seen in the film House of Bloo's (Episode 1) as an "unimaginary friend", but we never saw Mojo Jojo's imagined copy ever again. The theme song can be briefly heard during "House of Bloo's: Part 1"'s end credits, while Bloo is watching TV in the top area on his bed. On Boomerang airings of the series, the theme song is shortened, but some episodes have the longer theme.
On July 18, 2022, it was announced a Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends reboot is currently in the works. Craig McCracken will be involved with it and the series will be produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It was originally going to be produced by Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/hanna-barbera-studios-rebooting-craig-mccracken-classics-the-powerpuff-girls-fosters-home-for-imaginary-friends/ The series will be titled Foster's Funtime for Imaginary Friendshttps://variety.com/2024/tv/global/regular-show-fosters-adventure-time-scooby-doo-1236034978/ (originally Foster’s Imaginary Nursery)https://twitter.com/CCNCartoonNews/status/1669480303755247618 Unlike the original series, it will be more aimed at a preschool demographic and will be CGI-animated. It will also have a new cast of characters with the only returning characters being Bloo and Madame Foster. There are not yet plans to release the series on Cartoonito.
== Overview ==
The series is set in an alternate reality in which childhood imaginary friends coexist with humans. In the show's universe, imaginary friends take physical form and become real as soon as children think them up. Once children outgrow them, friends are relocated to the titular orphanage, where they stay until other children adopt them. The home is run by the elderly Madame Foster, its lovable, kind founder; her imaginary friend Mr. Herriman, the strict rule-abider and business manager; and her granddaughter Frankie, who handles day-to-day operations.
== Production ==
The series was created by Craig McCracken, who had also created The Powerpuff Girls for Cartoon Network Studios. McCracken developed the idea for the series after adopting two dogs from an animal shelter with his then-fiancée Lauren Faust; he adapted the concept of pet adoption to that of imaginary friends. The show has an art style which is meant to evoke, according to McCracken, "that period of late 1960's psychedelia when Victorian stylings were coming into trippy poster designs". McCracken wanted Foster's to be similar to The Muppet Show, which he believed was a "fun, character driven show that the whole family could enjoy". It was announced in Cartoon Network's 2004 Upfront It was going to premiere on July 16, 2004 and It was pushed to August 13, 2004.
Animation for the show was done using a process involving Adobe software Illustrator, Flash, and After Effects. McCracken directed, executive produced and story edited the series. Most of the episodes were produced at the Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, California, while the rest were produced at Boulder Media in Dublin, Ireland. The theme song was composed by James L. Venable, who had originally collaborated with McCracken on The Powerpuff Girls. Craig described the music as "psychedelic ragtime". Additional music was composed by Venable and Jennifer Kes Remington.
Collette Sunderman was the casting and recording director for the show. Sean Marquette was cast as Mac, and Keith Ferguson was cast as Bloo. The Powerpuff Girls voice actors Tom Kane, Tom Kenny, and Tara Strong were cast in Foster's as Mr. Herriman, Eduardo, and Terrence, respectively. Grey DeLisle was cast as Frankie Foster, and Candi Milo was cast as Coco and Madame Foster. From Season 2 onwards, Milo also lent her voice to Cheese. DeLisle also voiced Goo after the character's debut in Season 3.
The series was officially announced at Cartoon Network's upfront in 2002 or 2003.
== Characters ==
Main article: Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends/Characters
== Series Overview ==
Season:	episodes:	premiere: 	finale:
1 	13 	August 13th, 2004 	October 22nd, 2004
2 	13 	January 21st, 2005	July 15th, 2005
3 	14 	July 22nd, 2005 	March 24th, 2006
4 	13 	April 28th, 2006 	November 24th, 2006
5 	13 	May 4th, 2007 	March 6th, 2008
6 	13 	March 13th, 2008 	May 3rd, 2009
Shorts 	18 	June 9th, 2006 	July 4th, 2007
== Episodes ==
Main article: Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends/Episodes
The show spanned 79 episodes and 6 seasons; it has also aired 18 shorts.
While the first 4 seasons were produced in a fullscreen format, the series' 5th and 6th seasons were officially produced in a widescreen format (which were cropped in a fullscreen format during its original broadcast), as revealed in HBO Max.
== Merchandising and Media ==
=== Video Games ===
There are two video games based on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. The first has the same name as the show and was developed by Crave Entertainment for the Game Boy Advance. It was released on October 17, 2006. In the game, players control Mac or Bloo while collecting items to complete objectives. Jack Devries of IGN rated it a 5.5 out of 10, stating that it "falls short" and is "skippable". The second game, titled Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: Imagination Invaders, was released on November 12, 2007, for the Nintendo DS by Midway. In the game, the player controls Bloo, who performs tasks and completes quests while fighting against "Space Nut Boogies". Devries rated it 4 out of 10, calling it "terrible to play" and "completely worthless". Characters from the show also appear on the games Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion and FusionFall.
On May 15, 2006, Cartoon Network introduced an online game, Big Fat Awesome House Party, which allowed players to create an online friend to join Bloo and the others in a one-year game online, earning points that would give them gifts, cards and other on-line "merchandise" for their albums. A player's friend, made from one of over 900,000 possible characters, could wind up in a future episode of Foster's. Over 13 million users were registered to play the game after its launch in May 2006. Because of its success and popularity, Cartoon Network announced in May 2007 that the game would continue for 6 more months, into November 2007.
== Home Media ==
DVD releases:
* The Complete Season 1 (March 6th, 2007)
* The Complete Season 2 (September 11th, 2007)
* Season 3 (November 12th, 2014)
* The Complete Series (October 18th, 2022)
All 6 seasons are available on iTunes and Amazon Prime. Only 1 episode, A Lost Claus, is omitted from the digital purchasing as according to the production code, it isn’t an official listed episode.
The show's second season was available on Netflix until March 2015.
All 6 seasons were added to Hulu in May 2015 until its removal from the service on October 1, 2022.
The show was available to watch on HBO Max (now Max) from May 2020 until it was removed in May 2023.
== Appearances in Other Projects ==
A Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends parody appeared in The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy episode, Reap Walking. Wilt made a cameo in the short, Dream Date. Mac and Bloo appeared as cardboards cutouts in the episode, Billy and Mandy Moon the Moon.
Mac and Goo made brief cameo appearances in the Codename: Kids Next Door and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy crossover special, The Grim Adventures of the KND, where they appeared popping out of the Delightful Reaper. Mac and Bloo appeared later during the end credits with a mini crossover of Samurai Jack titled Samurai Mac, with Mac as Jack and Bloo as Aku.
Mac, Bloo, and Frankie made brief cameos in The Powerpuff Girls (1998) 10th anniversary special, The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!
Bloo made an appearance in the MAD episode, Once Upon a Toon.
In the Steven Universe crossover episode, Say Uncle, Mac's name made an appearance on a list from Uncle Grandpa.
Mac appeared in the Uncle Grandpa episode, Pizza Eve.
Bloo made a cameo in a "Getting the Blues" poster in the Villainous pilot episode, The Dreadful Dawn. Terrence appeared in the special, The Lost Cases of Beach City. Frankie made a cameo in the episode, BH's Bizarre Bad-Venture.
The series was acknowledged in the Cartoon Network 30th Anniversary video in October 2022.
Frankie made a cameo as stone in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode, Crossover Nexus.
== Trivia ==
* The TV movie, Destination: Imagination, despite being produced in widescreen, Cartoon Network had never released it on its original aspect ratio, not even on the former streaming service, HBO Max, or the Complete Series DVD set from 2022.
* This was the first Cartoon Network series for two things:
** To premiere during the CN City era.
** To premiere under the 2004 logo rebrand.
*Series creator, Craig McCracken, wanted to Bloo to have character development throughout the show, but Cartoon Network said no to that so the series wouldn't have multiple story arcs.
*The first episode and three part TV movie, House of Bloo's, and the two part special, Good Wilt Hunting, are on different formats on cable TV and home media. The original full length version of House of Bloo's only aired on cable TV, while the split part version is on home media (iTunes, Amazon Prime, DVD, and formerly HBO Max), as for the original full length version itself, it was on HBO Max in Latin America. The original double length version of Good Wilt Hunting also aired on cable TV only, while the split part version is on home media like the one from House of Bloo's.
== Gallery ==
File:Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends HBO Max cover.jpeg|HBO Max cover
File:Foster'sHomeVolume6AppleTVcover.jpg|Volume 6 Apple TV cover
File:Download (2).jpeg|Hulu cover
File:Foster'sHomeforImaginaryFriendsSeason1DVD.jpeg|Season 1 DVD release
File:Foster'sHomeforImaginaryFriendsSeason2DVD.jpeg|Season 2 DVD release
File:Foster'sSeason2DVDbackcover.jpeg|The Complete Season 2 DVD
File:Foster'sSeason1DVD2019reprint.jpeg|Season 1 DVD 2019 re-print
File:FostersHomeforImaginaryFriendsCN30thAnniversaryiTunesCover.jpg|The Complete Series Cartoon Network 30th Anniversary iTunes cover
File:Foster'sHomeCompleteSeriesDVDSet.jpeg|Complete series DVD release
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends The Complete Series DVD.jpg|early version of the complete series DVD set.
File:Mac and Bloo in Punch Time Explosion.png|Mac and Bloo in Punch Time Explosion
File:Mac, Bloo, and Edwardo Funko Pops.webp|Mac, Bloo and Eduardo Funko Pops
File:Mac, Bloo, and Edwardo Funko Pops Promo.jpeg|Mac, Bloo, and Eduardo Funko Pops promo
File:Mac, Bloo, and Cheese in Cartoon Network’s 20th anniversary music video.jpeg|Mac, Bloo, and Cheese in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary music video
File:Bloo and Cheese in Cartoon Network’s 20th anniversary poster.jpeg|Bloo and Cheese in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary poster
File:Coco in Cartoon Network’s 20th anniversary poster.jpeg|Coco in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary poster
File:Goo in Cartoon Network’s 20th anniversary poster.jpeg|Goo in Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary poster
File:Frankie as stone in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode, Crossover Nexus.jpeg|Frankie as stone in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode, Crossover Nexus
File:Foster'sGameBoyAdvancevideogame.jpeg|2006 video game adaptation cover
File:Foster'sImaginationInvadersvideogame.jpeg|Imagination Invaders video game cover
File:BlooBingBangBoingball.jpeg|Bloo Bing Bang Boing ball
File:TroubleMakin'Blooregardtoy.jpeg|Trouble Makin' Blooregard RC toy
File:Invaded Foster's Home.jpg|Cartoon Network Invaded promo
File:MacandBlooPTEXLModel.jpeg|Mac and Bloo's models from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:MacandBlooPTEXLcostumes.jpeg|Mac and Bloo's costumes from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:WiltPTEXLmodel.jpeg|Wilt's model from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:EduardoPTEXLmodel.jpeg|Eduardo's model from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:CocoPTEXLmodel.jpeg|Coco's model from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:CheesePTEXLModel.jpeg|Cheese's model from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:MadameFosterPTEXLmodel.jpeg|Madam Foster's model from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:MacFusionFallbiographypicture.jpeg|Mac's biography picture from FusionFall
File:BlooFusionFallbiographypicture.jpeg|Bloo's biography picture from FusionFall
File:WiltFusionFallbiographypicture.jpeg|Wilt's biography picture from FusionFall
File:EduardoFusionFallbiographypicture.jpeg|Eduardo's biography picture from FusionFall
File:CocoFusionFallbiographypicture.jpeg|Coco's biography's picture from FusionFall
File:Macnanoicon.jpeg|Mac's nano icon in FusionFall
File:Bloonanoicon.jpeg|Bloo's nano icon in FusionFall
File:WiltNanoicon.jpeg|Wilt's nano icon in FusionFall
File:Eduardonanoicon.jpeg|Eduardo's nano icon in FusinFall
File:Coconanoicon.jpeg|Coco's nano icon in FusionFall
File:BlooMcDonald'sPencilToy.jpeg|Bloo pencil toy from McDonald's
File:WiltMcDonald'spenciltoy.jpeg|Wilt pencil toy from McDonald's
File:BlooCNMatchLand.jpeg|Bloo as he appears in Cartoon Network: Match Land
File:WiltBingBangBoingball.jpeg|Bing Bang Boing Ball of Wilt
File:EduardoBingBangBoingBall.jpeg|Bing Bang Boing Ball of Eduardo
File:DareOffDuosEduardo.jpeg|Dare off Duos Eduardo
File:SmackandYakBloo.jpeg|Smack and Yak plush of Bloo
File:FlingDingsBlooandWilt.jpeg|Fling Dings slingshot of Bloo and Wilt
File:WackyWobblerBobblehead.jpeg|Wacky Wobbler Bobblehead of Bloo
File:PowepuffGirlsRule!MacandBloocameo.jpeg|Mac and Bloo's cameo in The Powerpuff Girls (1998) 10th Anniversary special, The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!
File:EduardoTitansVinylFigure.jpeg|Titans Vinyl Figure of Eduardo
File:MacTheGrimAdventuresoftheKND.jpeg|Mac's cameo in The Grim Adventures of the KND
File:Foster'sLeapstergame.jpeg|Leap Frog Leapster game
File:Foster'sLeapsterActivitystorybook.jpeg|The Golden Paddleball LeapFrog Activity Storybook
File:FrankieFosterFusionFall.jpeg|Frankie as she appears in FusionFall
File:CheeseFusionFall.jpeg|Cheese as he appears in FusionFall
File:BloonanoFusionFallbiography.jpeg|Bloo's nano's biography page from FusionFall
File:Bloo as a Toonix.png|Bloo Toonix
File:PicsArt 07-03-06.41.00.jpg|Cheese Toonix
File:Foster'sHomejigsawpuzzle.jpeg|Jigsaw Puzzle
File:Foster'sHomeLet'sBowl!book.jpeg|Let's Bowl! book
File:Foster'sHomeGameBoyAdvancegamecartridge.jpeg|video game adaptation GameBoy Advance cartridge
File:Foster'sHomeSeason1DVDbackcover.jpeg|The Complete Season 1 DVD back cover
File:Foster'sHomeCompleteSeriesDVDsetbackcover.jpeg|The Complete Series DVD back cover
File:Foster'sShowandTellSurprisebook.jpeg|Show and Tell Surprise book
File:Foster'sFriendsAreForever.jpeg|Friends Are Forever book
File:Foster'sHomeforImaginaryFriendsMadmanEntertainmentpromo.jpeg|Madman Entertainment promo
File:MacmessageboxiconFusionFall.jpeg|Mac's message box icon from FusionFall
File:BlooFusionFallmessageboxicon.jpeg|Bloo's message box icon from FusionFall
File:WiltFusionFallmessageboxicon.jpeg|Wilt's message box icon from FusionFall
File:EduardoFusionFallmessageboxicon.jpeg|Eduardo's message box icon from FusionFall
File:CocoFusionFallmessageboxicon.jpeg|Coco's message box icon from FusionFall
File:ImaginationInvadersGamecard.jpeg|Imagination Invaders game card
File:ImaginationInvadersbackcover.jpeg|Imagination Invaders back cover
File:Foster'svideogamebackcover.jpeg|video game adaptation back cover
File:FrankieFusionFallmessageboxicon.jpeg|Frankie's message box icon from FusionFall
File:CheeseFusionFallmessageboxicon.jpeg|Cheese's message box icon from FusionFall
File:Foster'sHomesquareAmazonPrimecover.jpeg
File:Foster'sFigurines.jpeg|Figurines
File:I pooted promotional poster (2006).JPG|promo poster of Cheese from the Yes! era
File:Foster'sHomeFusionFall.jpeg|Foster's mansion as it appears in FusionFall
File:Foster'sCompleteSeason1FirstDisc.jpeg|Disc 1 of The Complete Season 1 DVD set
File:Foster'sCompleteSeason1DVDDisc1.jpeg|Disc 2 of The Complete Season 1 DVD set
File:Foster'sCompleteSeason2DVDDisc1.jpeg|Disc 1 of The Complete Season 2 DVD set
File:Foster'sCompleteSeason2DVDDisc2.jpeg|Disc 2 of The Complete Season 2 DVD set
File:Insert.jpg|The Complete Season 1 DVD set booklet
File:Foster'sCompleteSeriesDVDbookletSeasons1-4.jpeg|The Complete Series DVD set booklet showing Seasons 1-4
File:Foster'sCompleteSeriesDVDbookletSeasons5and6.jpeg|The Complete Series DVD set booklet showing Seasons 5 and 6
File:Mr.HerrimanmessageboxiconFusionFall.jpeg|Mr.Herriman's message box icon in FusionFall
File:Eduardobuttonpin.jpeg|Eduardo button pin
File:MacandBlooCollectiblepin.jpeg|Mac and Bloo collectible pin
File:Foster'sSeason1DVD2019reprintbackcover.jpeg|The Complete Season 1 DVD 2019 reprint back cover
File:Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.png|Now/Then icon of Bloo from the City era
File:Wiltcollectiblepin.jpeg|Wilt collectible pin
File:Cheesecollectiblepin.jpeg|Cheese collectible pin
File:FrankieFostercollectiblepin.jpeg|Frankie Foster collectible pin
File:Foster'sYouTubelivestreamthumbnailhighresolution.jpeg|thumbnail of the show's YouTube livestream on the official Cartoon Network YouTube channel to celebrate its 20th anniversary
File:Foster'sSeason3DVD.jpeg|Season 3 DVD from Warner Archive
File:Foster'sSeason1AmazonPrimecover.jpeg|Season 1 Amazon Prime cover
File:IMG 4833.jpg|Destination Imagination HBO Max cover
File:Foster'sHomeDIHorizontalHBOMaxcover.jpg .jpeg|Destination Imagination horizontal HBO Max cover
File:Foster'sHomeHouseOfBloosHorizontalHBOMaxcover..jpeg|House of Bloo's horizontal HBO Max cover (in Latin America only)
File:Foster'sAdvertismentposter.jpeg
File:Foster'sCNStudiosPromoDVD.jpeg|Cartoon Network Studios Promo DVD
File:Bloo Yes Icon.PNG|Bloo's Now/Then icon from the Yes! era
File:MacFusionFallmodel.jpeg|Model of Mac's appearance from FusionFall
File:BlooFusionFallmodel.jpeg|Model of Bloo's appearance from FusionFall
File:MacnanoFusionFallmodel.jpeg|The Mac nano's model from FusionFall
File:WiltFusionFallmodel.jpeg|Model of Wilt's appearance from FusionFall
File:EduardoFusionFallmodel.jpeg|Model of Eduardo's appearance from FusionFall
File:EduardoNanoFusionFallmodel.jpeg|The Eduardo nano's model from FusionFall
File:CocoFusionFallmodel.jpeg|Model of Coco's appearance from FusionFall
File:CoconanoFusionFallmodel.jpeg|The Coco nano's model from FusionFall
File:Fall era show icon - Blooregard Q. Kazoo (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends).PNG|Bloo's icon from the Fall era
File:Foster'sHulucover.jpeg|2015 Hulu cover
File:FrankieFosterFusionFallmodel.jpeg|Model of Frankie's appearance from FusionFall
File:CheeseNanoFusionFallicon.jpeg|The Cheese nano's icon from FusionFall
File:Foster'sPromotionalDVDpackage.jpeg|Promotional DVD package
File:Foster'sPromotionalDVDpackagebackcover.jpeg|Promotional DVD back package
File:Foster'sHomeThanksgivingMacy'sParadefloat.jpeg|Thanksgiving Macy's Parade float
File:CheeseFusionFallmodel.jpeg|Model of Cheese's appearance from FusionFall
File:CheeseNanoFusionFallmodel.jpeg|The Cheese Nano's model from FusionFall
File:Bloo 3.0.gif|Bloo's Check it 3.0 animation (from outside the U.S.)
File:MacandBlooCNPTEXLicon.jpeg|Mac and Bloo's icon from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:WiltUnusedPTEXLicon.jpeg|Wilt's unused icon from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL
File:Foster'sBurgerKingflyer.jpeg|Burger King kids meal flyer
File:Foster'sBurgerKingToys.jpeg|Burger King toys
File:Foster'sBurgerKingPhamplet.jpeg|Burger King Kids meal pamphlet
File:Foster'sImaginationInvadersAdposter.jpeg|Imagination Invaders Ad poster
File:Foster'sDidjgamecover.jpeg|Didj game cover
File:MacBlooandEduardostatue.jpeg|Mac, Bloo, and Eduardo statue
File:FrankieMadameFosterandMr.Herrimanstatue.jpeg|Frankie, Madame Foster, and Mr.Herriman statue
File:WiltandCocostatue.jpeg|Wilt and Coco statue
== References ==
da:Fosters hjem for fantasivenner
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