Zoboomafoo and you preview 1

An all-new series with a lemur [new generation], animals, dinosaurs, a new junction, and Kratt Bros fun. Enjoy this preview!

## Plot summary

Upon their arrival at Animal Junction, the Kratt brothers (Chris and Martin Kratt) and their pals lean out the window and call Zoboomafoo (or "Zoboo" for short, and occasionally "Zob") (portrayed by a CGI-version of Jovian), shown in a live-action segment as

an actual lemur leaping across a field to reach them. When the lemur reaches Animal Junction, the Kratt brothers offer him a snack before he talks, generally some lemur-appropriate food like garbanzo beans, sweet potato or mango slices, whereupon he burps, saying, "Excuse me," and then spins around on a turntable, shouting, *"Zoboomafoo-oo-oo-oo!"* at which point he becomes a talking lemur puppet (from Jim Henson's creature shop). This change enables Zoboo to lead into the main segment of the episode, which he begins by describing a "Mangatsika!" (a Malagasy word literally meaning "cold", but used in the series to mean "cool!") animal or dinosaur that he saw as he traveled to Animal Junction. As he describes the animal, a song is played wondering "Who Could It Be?" while a cartoon shows the characteristics of the "mystery animal or dinosaur." At the end of the song, Chris and Martin try to guess the animal Zoboo has described and the mystery is solved when the animal or dinosaur arrives at Animal Junction. Each episode has a theme: For example, baby animals, big dinosaurs, tyrannosaurs, owls, parrots, crocodiles, frightening animals or the importance of play. The arrival of the "mystery animal," generally used as exposition, leads Zoboo, Chris and Martin into a conversation about various aspects of said the particular animal. At least once every episode (twice in most episodes), Zoboo says that some event in Animal Junction reminds him of a time in Zobooland, where he tell stories about his best friends in Zobooland, such as Narchi (an anteater-like creature), Gooble (a rabbit-like creature that eats gooble-berries), Sen-sit (a lemur that typically plays around), Wiggy Waxwing, Green Puppy, Slimantha (a salamander-like creature), Crepe-Hoots-it [a owl], Snipper-bill [a white pelican-like bird], Topsy-turkey [a scatterbrained wild turkey], Squawky [a macaw-like parrot], Chris-o-raptor [a Velociraptor-like dinosaur], Martin-o-Dactyl [a Pteranodon-like pterosaur, Noggendrill (a mole-like creature that uses his drill-shaped horn), Snow Lemur (a lemur that lives on a mountain), Baby Zoboomafooasaurus and Zoboomafooasaurus (dinosaurs and pterosaurs, who appear in CGI, that the animals often play on), Buggly (a strange-beetle-like bug that Zoboo rides on), Fibby (a sea creature with several parts including a tentacle and a crab leg) and Cy (a levitating one-eyed squid introduced in the second season). These segments are animated, using clay animation and feature distinct voices for each character. After the first Zobooland story, Zoboo, Chris and Martin receives a letter from the birds and Animal Helpers, that the Thnark bot scans, who show children how to help animals, subsequently leading into Chris and Martin going out to visit creatures related to the theme (always began with a song sung by Zoboo called "Going to the Closet." In some episodes, Zoboo's friends sing it, instead of Zoboo (Pop Goes the Tiger, Dinosaurs are back, Who's that owl, and Flying Buddies)). At the end of each episode, Zoboo and the brothers sing "Animal Friends". Finally, Zoboo returns to his home in Madagascar. There are three episodes where Zoboo doesn't return home to Madagascar (Snow Day, Playtime, and Humans). Chris and Martin also leave Animal Junction to better demonstrate the theme of the day, traveling to a region, often in India or Africa, to visit the creatures there. Before the credits of each episode, kids show and tell the viewers about various animals and pets they have, and a disclaimer is played telling the viewers that they should be careful with the animals they meet.

### Running gags

The series has some forms of slapstick and situation comedy as well. It starts when Zoboo burps after eating a snack, saying, "Excuse me," and spins around on a turntable, shouting, *"Zoboomafoo-oo-oo-oo-oo!"* Running gags of the series include Chris and Martin (and sometimes, Zoboo) falling into a swimming pool, a mud puddle and even simply falling. The most prominent of these recurring jokes is the "closet" gag, reminiscent of Fibber McGee and Molly, only it involves a crammed closet that Chris and Martin open to gather needed items for exploration. As Zoboo sings a song about the brothers' preparations for a trip, Chris and Martin open the door. An avalanche of outdoor items and clothes fall on them, knocking them over and resulting in laughter. Then they emerge from the pile of gear, fully equipped for their trip. In the episode "Running," Chris and Martin open the closet, expecting to be buried under its contents, only to find it clean and organized. A form of slapstick comedy shown is when Zoboo, Jimmy Z or the brothers get hit by flying items, such as pies, balls, and even yarn thrown by animals. Also, just before the trip, there is always a bird that flies down towards Animal Junction, making Chris and Martin yell, "Incoming! Duck!" Very commonly is the bird an actual duck, like a wood duck, mallard, swan or goose. Often it's a great horned owl named Winky, a peregrine falcon named Sticky Feet, a white-backed vulture named Grimm, a Pterodactylus named Petra (in Dino mystery), a barn owl named Moon Face. Some of Zoboo's catchphrases include "Mangatsika!" (a Malagasy phrase meaning "cold" which was mistakenly used instead of "Milay" which is the Malagasy version of the English word "Cool!"), "I meant to do that!", "I can't believe my mind or rather I can't believe my own eyes!", "I'm vokey!" and "Hey! Hoot! Hubba hubba!".

### Animal Helpers

Another segment of the new series features a group of kids known as the "Animal Helpers," who send messages to the Kratt brothers at Animal/ Dinosaur Junction through a series of birds: a turkey vulture (named Tomato head), an barn owl (called Moon face), a white backed vulture named Grim, a Lanner falcon (named Sandstorm), a peregrine falcon (named Sticky feet), a great horned owl (called Blink), a saker falcon (named Ali-talons), a golden eagle (named Talon), a duck (one is named Danielle), a pterosaur called Petro the Pterodactylus (in Dino mystery), a Kookaburra (named Giggles), a snowy owl (called Snowball), a American crow (named Cornball), A raven (named Edgar), and several others.

The letters lead into short stories illustrating the Animal Helpers' interactions with the animals in their environments, performing small tasks such as placing a baby bird back in its nest, helping a young Velociraptor get back to his family (in Dino mystery) or leading a calf back to a mother cow. Thnark-bot scans messages and uploads them.

Zoboomafoo would also give the animals interesting names that have to do with their appearance, behavior, or personality. Examples include a baby Indian elephant named "Toothbrush" because of his bristly hair; a African gray parrot named "Chatter-beak" because of his talking, Scales the Green iguana because of his scaly skin, a young female chimpanzee named "Brainiac" because chimps are very intelligent; and two sloths named "Slow" and "Slower." among other animal species.