Between Maids

***Between Maids*** is an American live action children's television series based on the puppetry segments from KIDS on Nick Jr., created by Julie Mallory and Greg Muzik. The programme is centred on four infant characters, known as the "Between Maids", playing, singing and dancing in a fictional nursery in Richmond. They are cared for by two adult Between Maids and two armadillos.

118 episodes were broadcast between September 27th, 2009 and February 29th, 2012. In 2000, the show won a Daytime Emmy award for Best Preschool Live Action series. The series premiered on Nick Jr. (formerly Noggin). It was also shown on CBeebies in the United Kingdom and in other countries worldwide.

## Overview and History

The idea for the show came from Julie Mallory and Greg Muzik, a pair with a track record of being involved in Nickelodeon children's programming. Together with Brown Johnson and Helen Cadwallader, they set up Secret Smile Productions at a Film Studio in Richmond. Greg Muzik met Mallory, a puppeteer, writer and director, during the latter. Together they started producing two of the *Yo Awesome Awesome!* strands before forming their own production companies Secret Smile Productions and, more recently, Wish Films. They also created KIDS, Tammy, Nick Jr House, *Jim Jam and Sunny*, *Romp n' Roll at Home* and *The Nick Jr. Sharing Show*.

*Between Maids* is a production of Secret Smile Productions in association with Nickelodeon. Animation for the show was produced by A Productions, an animation studio based in Chesterfield, Virginia, with Ealing Animation providing some animation in a few early episodes. Computer animation for the series was provided by *Clockwork Digital*, who also animated Sunny, the Pterodactyl who appears in some later episodes.

The programme is set in a nursery in Richmond attended by the four Between Maids themselves: Brayden, Sean, Erica, and the youngest, Maddie. They are in the care of two adults, Alec and Emily, and two armadillos, Tammy and her cousin Izzles.

The show includes a "Between Maaid Clock", with five circular lights arranged in a pentagonal shape with the lights denoting "News Time" (Circle Time in United Kingdom) – Orange, "Messy Time" – Blue, "Song Time" – Yellow, "Telly Time" (Video Time in United Kingdom) – Green and "Story Time" – Red. "Surprise Time" is a special time determined when all five lights glow. A button at the centre of the clock (Purple) is pressed to select the activity that will be undertaken next.

## Cast

The Between Maids consist of Madeline Fretz, Brayden Blackburn, Erica O'Barr, Sean Fujiwara, Tammy the Armadillo (Julie Mallory), Izzles the Armadillo (Cindy Robinson), Alec Baldwin, and Emily Blunt. Other characters have appeared occasionally, including Sean's uncle, Mickey, his father, Brayden's mother, Erica's grandmother and father and Maddie's mother. There have also been several animated characters. The four main characters appeared in the first episode "The Friends in the Band", which aired on September 27th, 2009. Unless otherwise indicated, all the following actors and voice talent were in the show from 2009 until its last episode, "What Makes Summer?" in February 2012.

## Episodes

The *Between Maids* aired its first episode *The Friends in the Band* on September 27, 2009 on the newly rebranded Nick Jr. channel and last aired on February 29, 2012 with *What Makes Summer?*. In total, there are 118 episodes in a span of 4 seasons. There have been special episodes, such as a series of *Be Safe with the Between Maids* and expanded 40 minute episodes.

## Segments

* Song Time
* Story Time - A kid narrates a story
* Messy Time
* Surprise Time
* Circle Time
* Video Time
* Jingles - An animated song sung by a guest artist.
* Cool Tricks - A kid or adult demonstrates his or her talent.
* Numbers - A child counts things leading up to 10.
* Funny Faces - Emily Blunt teaches the viewers funny faces.
* The Alec Dance - Alec Baldwin teaches the viewers a new dance.
* Colors with Maddie - Maddie asks the viewers to help her identify a certain color.
* Learn with Sean - Sean teaches the viewers 5 simple steps.
* Sounds with Erica - Erica asks the viewers to help her identify different sounds.
* Play Pretend with Brayden - Brayden pretends to be something and asks the viewer to identify what it is.
* Games with Izzles - Izzles asks the viewer to help her play a different game.

## Broadcast

* Nick Jr (US) - September 27, 2009 - March 1, 2012
* ABC Kids – July 4th, 2010 – 27 June 2013
* TV Asahi (Japan) – 2011–2012
* Boomerang (Thailand) – 2012–2015
* Russia-1 (Russia) – 2012–2014
* Network 2 (*The Den*) (Ireland)
* TV2 (New Zealand)
* Prime (New Zealand)
* SVT Barnkanalen (Sweden)
* e.tv (South Africa)
* Kids Central (Singapore)
* TV2 (Malaysia)
* Dubai 33 (U.A.E.)
* e-Junior (U.A.E.)
* MBC 3 (Middle East)
* Nickelodeon (Middle East)
* SBC (Seychelles)
* Channel 2 (Zimbabwe)
* TVB Pearl (Hong Kong)
* TVM (Malta)
* TV Africa (Ghana)