Hop (TV series)

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## *Hop*

***Hop*** is an upcoming animated preschool-adventure series created by Marc Brown, Peter K. Hirsch and Tolon Brown for Max. It is set to debut in 2024.

## Premise

Set in the aspirational community of Fair Village, Hop follows an eclectic group of besties whose comedic adventures teach preschoolers about embracing their own uniqueness. Led by Hop, an enthusiastic, empathetic frog with one leg shorter than the other, he and his quirky friends address kid-relatable problems with a healthy dose of laughter, silliness, and adventure. Every episode is grounded in emotional reality but soars into the world of fantasy, populated by dragons, trolls, talking banjos, and magic crayons. With a gentle balance of humor and heart, our heroes go on fun escapades to discover that they can overcome any obstacle with perseverance, creativity, and teamwork. Together, they show us the power of friendship and kindness as they navigate the mud puddles of life.

## Press Information

News of the series was first announced on June 12, 2023, Marc Brown, co-creator of *Hop*. Longtime partners Brown, Peter K. Hirsch and Tolon Brown created the series from producers Epic Story Media and Loomi Animation. Epic also has brought on board RespectAbility – the advocacy nonprofit organization fighting stigma and advancing opportunity for people with disabilities – to consult on the series.

“Even before Arthur ended, I was nurturing a new project about a little frog named Hop, for a younger audience,” said Brown. “As Hop’s world grew in my imagination, I drew inspiration from the great work my friend Fred Rogers had done. With *Arthur*, we occasionally introduced characters with disabilities, but they never became part of the ensemble cast in any meaningful way. But the characters in *Hop* reflect many kids who are underrepresented in the media. Some of our characters have disabilities but they never define who they are or what they can achieve. Kids are kids and each one is unique and filled with potential. And kids love to have fun, that’s what *Hop* is all about!”

“We’re extremely proud of our work and collaboration with industry experts on representing characters in an inclusive way,” said Ken Faier of Epic Story Media. “It is an honor to have developed with Marc, Peter and Tolon who know how to engage not only today’s youth but parents looking for quality content. We believe *Hop* will have longevity in the marketplace for many years to come.”

Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang added: “Marc is a legend in children’s programming, having created one of the most iconic television shows that has garnered almost every honor imaginable. *Hop* exudes everything families love about *Arthur,* but with a fresh cast of modern characters that authentically represent the sundry of little eyes watching TV.”

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Hop (voiced by David Connolly): An outgoing six-year-old frog with one leg shorter than the other, whose superpower is empathy. He lives on a houseboat with Penny and runs a retro-diner called the Lilypad that also functions as the gang’s clubhouse. A natural-born leader, Hop spearheads the group on their zany adventures and embodies what it means to be an accepting, caring and supportive friend.
* Penny (voiced by Misha Bakshi): Hop’s slightly older sibling. Silly, goofy and bubbling with enthusiastic energy, Penny often seems like they’re spinning out of the control. Penny is a source of broad physical comedy and with their quirky sense of humor and talking banjo, Penny is the lovable clown of the group.
* Hoot (voiced by Makeda Bromfield): The life of the party. Charming, scatterbrained, and a bit of a diva, Hoot is the character with *big* dreams and an even bigger heart. She lives on an organic farm with several disobedient chickens, a playful cow and an erudite talking car named Jinx. Hoot is an affectionate, whimsical spirit with a sixth sense for finding the fun in any task.
	+ Bromfield also voices Alfred Beaver, the youngest member of the group who loves to hang out with the Hoppers, even though his snooty older brother and sister disapprove of him associating with such frivolous characters, Alfred takes every opportunity he can to hang out with the Hoppers. Alfred is wide-eyed, open-hearted and irrepressibly eager to learn from Hop and try to do things on his own. Even though he’s very innocent, he’s no pushover, and Alfred takes on challenges with a heaping dose of grit and determination.
* Filipa (voiced by Charlotte Walker): A fiercely intelligent squirrel who lives in the woods in an elaborate treehouse which she built herself with the help of her magical crayon, Grape Lightning. She is precise, honest and always says exactly what’s on her mind. Although no one has ever diagnosed her, Filipa is neuro-divergent; a disdain for loud noises and big crowds comes along with her passionate creativity. However, the Hoppers accept her just the way she is, and in return she is the most loyal friend they could ever ask for.
* Benny (voiced by Jake Shannon): An alligator, who may look fearsome, but is the sweetest, shyest – and most neurotic – one of the group. He’s afraid of spiders, mayonnaise, small spaces, wide spaces and all spaces in between. But with the help of his friends, along with his knight-doll Brave Sir Ben, there’s no fear Benny cannot face — and even have fun while facing it! Benny loves reading and he’s a gifted inventor and storyteller, which is why he runs the local book-toy-and-game library.

## Trivia

* The series was announced on June 12, 2023.
* The series also marks Brown’s first television show following last year’s finale of the beloved *Arthur* series following its 25-season run on PBS.

## References

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1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 ‘Arthur’ Creator Marc Brown To Launch New Animated Preschool Series ‘Hop’ On Max
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 ‘Arthur’ Creator Marc Brown Brings ‘Hop’ to Max Pre-K Slate