Blue's Clues (U.S. Syndicated Children's Show)

Blue's Clues is an American children's television series that airs in syndication since September 2012. The original version premiered on Nickelodeon on September 8, 1996. Producers Angela Santomero,Todd Kessler and Traci Paige Johnson combined concepts from child development and early-childhood education with innovative animation and production techniques that helped their viewers learn. It was hosted originally by Steve Burns, who left in 2002 to pursue a music career, and was replaced by Donovan Patton. In 2012, Blues Clues returned to syndication. The host of this version is Ben, played by web host and former musician Ben Minnotte, replacing Joe due to him having to work at a Kroger grocery store. The animation for this version is made by Fresh TV (of Total Drama and Grojband fame) using the same technique as the original series (the animation is created from simple materials like fabric, paper, or pipe-cleaners, and then scanned into a computer so that they can be animated using inexpensive computer software such as Media 100, Ultimatte, Photoshop and After Effects, instead of being repeatedly redrawn as in traditional
 animation). The show follows an animated blue-spotted dog named Blue as she plays a game with the host and the viewers. Blue's Clues became the highest-rated show for preschoolers on American commercial television and was critical to Nickelodeon's growth. It has been called "one of the most successful, critically acclaimed, and ground-breaking preschool television series of all time." A spin-off called Blue's Room premiered in 2004.
The new series is produced by Lady Luck Productions and Nickelodeon Productions with distribution by Paramount Television with Ben and the other live-action characters having their scenes recorded at Circuit Studios outside Denver, Colorado.
== Format ==
The host, presents the audience with a puzzle involving Blue, the animated dog ... To help the audience unlock the puzzle, Blue leaves behind a series of clues, which are objects marked with one of her paw prints. In between the discovery of the clues, The host plays a series of games — mini-puzzles — with the audience that are thematically related to the overall puzzle ... As the show unfolds, Steve and Blue move from one animated set to another, jumping through magical doorways, leading viewers on a journey of discovery, until, at the end of the story, the host returns to the living room. There, at the climax of the show, he sits down in a comfortable chair to think — a chair known, of course, in the literal world of Blue's Clues, as the Thinking Chair. He puzzles over Blue's three clues and attempts to come up with the answer.
== Characters ==
=== Blue ===
Blue the dog (portrayed by Traci Paige Johnson) is the main protagonist of the Blue's Clues television series. She is a playful, energetic, and friendly little puppy who enjoys doing fun things with her friends. She is owned by Steve. She expresses this by leaving clues around the house so everyone can guess what she wants to do. Her basic mark for leaving clues is her blue pawprint. Blue likes to eat sandwiches and drink milk. She also possesses many other human characteristics. Every episode she initiates a game of Blue's Clues in which she leaves three blue paw print clues for Steve and the viewer to find in order to answer a question. Though Blue cannot speak like most of the characters, she seems to be able to communicate with others through barking. In Blue's First Holiday, it is revealed that Blue played her first game of Blue's Clues trying to find Joe's duck blanket. Blue is high-spirited and believes in making people find things out by themselves instead of being told an answer automatically. Blue was born on a farm with many other puppies. Blue is affectionate, friendly, compassionate, and playful. She can be shy and sometimes mischievous. When she can't explain something by her usual "bow-bow", she makes people find out for themselves, by playing Blue's Clues. Blue's Clues is her favorite game and is always ready to play it. Blue is very sensitive and intelligent, and she can get mad or sad whenever someone does not do what she intended them to do. Fortunately, she doesn't bite when upset, as she is very friendly.
=== Steve ===
Steve (played by Steve Burns) is the host of Blue's Clues for the first four seasons. He is replaced by Joe (played by Donovan Patton) in the fifth and sixth seasons, who, rather than wearing a green-striped shirt every day like Steve, wears a variety of different shirts. Steve is Blue's owner. Steve is always ready to play Blue's Clues and always needs the viewer to help to figure out problems and find clues. Steve likes anything that is green-striped, just like his shirt. Steve went to college on a hopscotch scholarship. He then became the captain of his Junior Varsity Hopscotch Team. He takes an astronomy class, a music class, and an art class. Steve enjoys finding clues when playing Blue's Clues, drawing clues also while playing Blue's Clues, imagining, helping others and discovering new things. He is hilarious, but will most likely forget things. He often needs assistance finding clues from the viewer and is very compassionate. He began getting depressed about not being able to find clues in Blue's Big Musical Movie, but, with the encouragement of the rest of the main characters, finally found the last clue all by himself (a drawer).
=== Joe ===
Joe (played by Donovan Patton) is Steve's younger brother. When Steve left for college, Joe stayed with Blue and became the new host of the show and Blue's caregiver. Joe loves squares, just like the ones on his shirt, and can't wait to play a game of Blue's Clues. Joe likes the colors orange and green and has a stuffed duck named Boris. Joe has a handy-dandy notebook like Steve. His square shirt comes in red, yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple.
=== Ben ===
Ben (played by Ben Minnotte) is Steve and Joe's cousin, who moved in after Joe left to work at the Kroger grocery store. Like Steve, he wears striped clothing (but the color changes by episode (like Joe's shirts)) and uses a notebook that looks exactly like Steve's (except the crayon wrapper colors changes by episode). His notebook was one of two made for him and Steve by their father when they were young.
=== Mailbox ===
Mailbox is a purple cheerful talking mailbox who lives at the foot of the pathway in front of Blue's house. He sits on a post, receives the mail, and delivers it when it comes. When he delivers the mail, he comes in through the living room window to the right of the Thinking Chair, on an "extendo" arm. Mailbox is a boy with a thick Brooklyn accent. He wants to be a comedian when he grows up. Although his stake is in the ground, he can still extend through windows, to the backyard, and pretty much anywhere else he wants. He loves delivering letters and telling jokes. He also likes to participate in treasure hunts that happen around the house while he holds the treasure. Steve, Joe, or Ben sing a special song before the mail arrives to their house. Mailbox likes to make others laugh. Mailbox is hard-working and usually delivers mail on time. The character is voiced by Seth O'Hickory.
=== Mr. Salt ===
Mr. Salt is a French salt shaker who provides Blue and her friends with some interesting activities and puzzles to figure out. He is almost always busy in the kitchen preparing snacks for snack time. The character has two children, a daughter named Paprika and a son named Cinnamon. Mr. Salt lives with them and Mrs. Pepper in the kitchen. The character often needs assistance from the host and the viewer when preparing meals. One of his greatest talents is cooking. He is also revealed to enjoy gardening and singing. Mr. Salt is very considerate and enjoys helping out. He often needs help from Steve, Blue, and the viewer in the kitchen when preparing dishes and taking care of his children, Paprika and Cinnamon. Though he occasionally makes mistakes, he is a helpful member of the house and a great friend to have around. He is one of the main protagonists in the Blue's Clues television series and has appeared in about every episode of the show. The character is voiced by Nick Balaban.
=== Mrs. Pepper ===
Mrs. Pepper is a French pepper shaker. She has two children: a daughter named Paprika and a son named Cinnamon. Mrs. Pepper lives in the kitchen and almost always needs help with shopping, finding things, and counting. Mrs. Pepper is Mr. Salt's wife. Mrs. Pepper has a mother, Grandma Cayenne, who is also Cinnamon and Paprika's grandmother. Mrs. Pepper is one of the oldest characters in the Blue's Clues house. She was an adult when all of the other characters (discluding Mr. Salt) were babies. Mrs. Pepper often points out things after they have already been seen. Mrs. Pepper is the only pepper shaker in her family. Her hobbies include swimming and making music, as well as cooking. Mrs. Pepper is usually taking care of her two young children, but when she has some time on her hands, Mrs. Pepper likes to swim and sing. The character is voiced by Penelope Jewkes during the first season and then by Spencer Kayden for the rest of the show's run. Since 2012 she has been voiced by Tara Strong.
=== Paprika ===
Paprika is a young saucy container. She is Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper's first baby and talks in a small squeaky voice. She has a little brother claimed Cinnamon. Paprika named him herself. Her two favorite drinks are milk and orange juice. When she was a baby, she had a pacifier, a rattle made from an orange, a bottle with a pink top, a yellow gummy bear for a teddy bear, and a peanut cradle. As a baby, whenever she wanted something to eat or drink, she would say "Paprika hungry". She acted and sounded like a baby in the first 3 seasons but in season 4, she acted older. Whenever Paprika walks, she makes a rattling sound. Paprika holds paprika inside of her. Her room is located inside the kitchcabinet. Paprika was born in the last episode of season one, Blue's News. Paprika becomes a big sister in the fourth season. She was voiced by Jenna Marie Castle (1996-2001) and then Corrine Hoffman (2001-2004). Since 2012 she has been voiced by Lisa Ng.
=== Tickety Tock ===
Tickety Tock, or just Tickety, is a young alarm clock. In most episodes her 12 mark is a different symbol. She is a pink girl clock who lives in Blue's bedroom on the nightstand. Tickety is learning to count, and loves to ring her bells. She is a caring, forgiving clock. Unlike most of the others, Tickety will accept losing a game or forgetting her lines in a play. Tickety loves to sing, but she loves ringing her bells best, as mentioned before. Tickety is a playful alarm clock. She often has problems with her clock hands but she helps remind everybody of important times. She loves tall things, counting polka dots and dancing to all kinds of music. Tickety is forgiving and very thoughtful. The character is voiced by Kathryn Avery and Kelly Nigh. She is voiced by Taylor Momsen in 2012-present.
===Slippery Soap===
Slippery Soap, or simply Slippery, is a lavender bar of soap who lives in the bathroom of Blue's house. He loves to play in the bubbles in the tub and is always slipping and sliding around. Steve calls him "Slip" in short. Unlike usual soap bars, Slippery can talk and has arms. Instead of using legs to move, Slippery slides around on bubbles. He dreams of becoming the captain of a boat. Slippery loves to play with his friends. In his early childhood, he slept with Baby Tickety as well as playing with her almost all the time. Slippery is not included in much of each episode, mostly appearing singing and dancing with the cast at the beginning. Slippery's hobbies include sliding around, blowing bubbles, and making snowmen. The character is voiced by Cody Ross Pitts (1996-2001), Patrick Van Wagnen (2001-2004), & Sean Hanley (2004). He is voiced by Frank Welker impersonating Cody Ross Pitts' performance in 2012-present.
===Shovel===
Shovel is Pail's playful and friendly brother. He is colored yellow with a red mouth. He plays with Pail most of the time. Shovel likes to dig in the dirt and sand. He is often blamed by Pail for actions he did not do. The character is rarely shown without Pail and he really cares about his sister. Shovel is sometimes forgetful and often doesn't take what others say seriously. He is a main protagonist of the Blue's Clues television series and is normally shown on the left side of Blue's house with Pail at the beginnings of episodes. Shovel is often found outside playing in the sandbox. He gets jealous whenever Pail hangs out with someone other than him because he is used to playing with Pail alone. Shovel is quite gullible and wishes to become a veterinarian, which he calls an "animal doctor", along with Pail when he grows up. It is revealed that he was scared of dinosaurs but Pail and Steve helped calm his fears by identifying similarities and differences. The character was originated / played by Stephen Schmidt and Jonathan Press, and is played in 2012-present by Chloë Grace Moretz, Bryn McAuley, and Michael Cera.
===Pail===
Pail is Shovel's thoughtful and kind sister. She is colored red with a yellow mouth. She lives in the backyard and goes almost everywhere and does almost everything with Shovel. Pail has another friend named Sifter. Pail often gets mad at Shovel for something she did but thinks that it's okay to make him take the blame. Pail is the sister of Shovel and is often outside in the sandbox filling herself with sand. She enjoys making sandcastles and usually gives a hand to Steve when he is looking for Blue's Clues. She has an active imagination and wants to become a vet when she is an adult along with her brother. The character was originated / played by Mara Claffy (aka Marshall Claffy), Olivia Zaro, Julia Wetherell, & Nicole Gibson, and in the 2012-present series she is voiced by Denise Oliver.
===Sidetable Drawer===
Sidetable Drawer is a red-and-orange drawer who lives in the living room to the left of the Thinking Chair. She usually has a telephone on top of her, unless she is in another room. Sidetable is the keeper of Steve's and Joe's Handy Dandy Notebooks. The character is very talented when it comes to singing, as shown in Blue's Big Musical Movie. She can be shy at times, but will always try to help her friends. She usually acts as a supporting character only seen at the beginning of episodes except on a few rare occasions when she walks out of the living room where she is normally. The character is voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz in the 2012-present series with Sidetable's original voice, Aleisha LaNaé Allen, handling singing duties (LaNaé also does voicing duties if Chloë Grace Moretz is off shooting a movie). She normally contains, as revealed in "Points of View", a flashlight, crayons, keys, a magnifying glass, and, of course, the Handy Dandy Notebook.
==Recurring characters==
===Magenta===
Magenta is Blue's best friend, who is identical to her with the exception of a magenta fur coat. She is frequently seen amongst Blue's classmates and visited Blue's home for a play-date in one episode, and often is seen as an attendant at gatherings or special friends taking place at Blue's residence. She later acquires a pair of purple eyeglasses in one episode, which she also keeps for the remainder of the series.
Magenta is shyer than Blue.
===Periwinkle===
Periwinkle is a precocious, impish, energetic male kitten from the city. He's also one of Blue's neighbors, and is often called "Peri" in short by Steve. Periwinkle loves to do magic tricks, put on shows, build forts, and do things on a grand scale. He's very outgoing and likes to collects things. Periwinkle talks (unlike Blue and Magenta). Periwinkle is old friends with Plum, a purple bird that lives in the city, and goes to school with Blue, Magenta, and many recurring characters. The character is voiced by Bradley Bowen and Kenny Kim.
===Cinnamon===
Cinnamon is a baby cinnamon shaker. Cinnamon is the only son of Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper. He was named by his big sister, Paprika. He was named in Paprika's quote, "He looks like a cinnamon." Cinnamon cannot speak but manages to make squeaks and simple sounds. He was born in the seventh episode of season four. Cinnamon's birth was such a large event in Blue's Clues history, there were five episodes (What's New, Blue?, Blue's New Place, Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper Day!, The Baby's Here!, and Making Changes) dedicated to his arrival that all aired in the fourth season. Cinnamon was portrayed by Annalivia Balaban (Nick Balaban's daughter).
===Felt Friends===
The Felt Friends are a variety of children (many of their names start with the letter F) who are made entirely of felt shapes. They appear in almost every Blue's Clues episode, normally as cameo characters in the background. In several episodes, Steve (or Joe) and Blue skidoo into their picture frame residence and help them with a problem. They were usually voiced by Kathryn Avery, Cody Ross Pitts, and Brandon Goncalves.
===Green Puppy===
Green Puppy is one of Blue's acquaintances and schoolmates; a mint green puppy who, unlike the other puppies featured in the series, is depicted with visible teeth incisors. She communicates through low, gruff barks and is portrayed as having much shorter ears as opposed to the lop-eared Magenta and Blue, and mainly serves as a minor recurring character throughout the series. She appeared in Blue's Big Musical.
===Orange Kitten===
Orange Kitten is a young cat currently attending Miss Marigold's preschool class along with Blue, Magenta, Purple Kangaroo, Green Puppy, and Periwinkle, conveniently named after her color and species. The character is one of Blue's best friends. She has appeared in several episodes of the Blue's Clues television series and is classified a recurring character in the show. Her first appearance was in Blue's Sad Day. It is revealed in "Blue's Big Holiday", that she is of Jewish heritage, while she and her owner, Sam are probably celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah together. The character is voiced by Caitlin Hale.
===Purple Kangaroo===
Purple Kangaroo is one of Blue's friends from her preschool. He is a young lavender-colored kangaroo currently attending Miss Marigold's preschool class. He is one of Blue's best friends. The character appears several times in episodes of the Blue's Clues television series, most notably at preschool along with Blue, Magenta, Green Puppy, Orange Kitten, and Periwinkle. The character is voiced by Alexander Claffy.
===Snail===
Snail is a pink snail hidden in many scenes, usually behind something or in a location no viewer of the show would look. The snail appears three times in each episode, but is not considered a true character. She owns a small skateboard, which she used to make a special appearance in the Blue's Clues movie, Blue's Big Musical Movie. Its educational purpose is to create an extra locating or spotting challenge for older kids who view the show.
==Production==
Due to budget issues, the reproduction and original Handy Dandy Notebook toys found on eBay were used in early episodes. Notably in the episode "The Clue Finders", four party favor "Joe" notebooks are used, and some episodes used a 1998 Dry-Erase notebook, while a reproduction notebook was used in most early episodes.
Category:Syndication
Category:Syndicated programmes
Category:Kids shows
Category:Nickelodeon