Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot
| Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Genre |
Adventure Musical |
| Developed by | MoonScoop Group |
| Written by |
Amy Keating Rogers Cindy Morrow Chara Campanella Mike Yank |
| Directed by | Jeff Gordon |
| Voices of |
David Lodge Patty Mattson Doug Erholtz Stephanie Sheh Nayo Wallace Michael Sinterniklaas Michael Dean |
| Composer(s) |
Richard Evans Chip Whitewood |
| Country of origin |
United States Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 26 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Nicolas Atlan Jeffrey Conrad Mike Young |
| Producer(s) | Peter Anderson |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
American Greetings MoonScoop Group |
| Release | |
| Original network | The Hub |
| Original release | June 2 – December 8, 2012 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot, or simply known as Welcome to Care-a-Lot, is an American/Canadian CGI adventure musical animated TV series which is based on the "Care Bears" franchise in honor of their 30th anniversary.[1] It is produced by American Greetings Properties. Unlike its previous predecessor "Care Bears" shows, this is AG's first CGI animated "Care Bears" TV series, though several films in the franchise had been released in the format. The series premiered on June 2, 2012 on the Hub Network in the United States. Previews of each new episode were released weekly on an official channel on YouTube, along with occasional music video or other promotional releases.
The series lasted one season. Following the rebranding of The Hub as Discovery Family in the Fall of 2014, Netflix commissioned a continuation of Welcome to Care-a-Lot titled "Care Bears and Cousins," which premiered November 6, 2015. The new six-episode series continues the story of the cast of Welcome to Care-a-Lot and introduces four new series regulars, the titular cousins Brave Heart Lion, Bright Heart Raccoon, Lotsa Heart Elephant and Cozy Heart Penguin.
Synopsis
Set in Care-a-Lot, a magical land in the clouds, Tenderheart Bear, Cheer Bear, Grumpy Bear, Share Bear, Harmony Bear, Funshine Bear and new playful, curious cub Wonderheart Bear all go on adventures that emphasize messages of caring and sharing. Human children from Earth often visit Care-a-Lot and participate in new adventures and valuable lessons learned. The Care Bears' mischievous frenemy King Beastly often attempts to make trouble for the bears.
Characters
Main Care Bears
- Tenderheart Bear (voiced by David Lodge) - Tenderheart is the eldest and wisest of the Care Bears. Whether it's advice or understanding, a hug or a nudge, he knows just what kids need to help them share their feelings. His belly badge is perfect for the job: a red heart. He is Wonderheart Bear's uncle.
- Cheer Bear (voiced by Patty Mattson) - Cheer is the happiest bear in Care-a-Lot. She's proud for her go-for-it attitude, often makes up cheers right on the spot, and spreads joy. This is what said of her belly badge: a rainbow. She was once a member of the team, "Bear Power".
- Grumpy Bear (voiced by Doug Erholtz) - Even when not building something, Grumpy may be as his name, but he really does have a heart. He likes to remind kids who are having a bad day that they're always loved, just as it's said of a cloud and heart-shaped raindrops on his belly badge. He was once a member of the team, "Bear Power". He is a sports fan who enjoys watching the "Honey Bowl," and is a big eater.
- Bashful Heart Bear - The shyest of all Care Bears, he is sometimes seen in the background of episodes. He has sea green fur and a belly badge with a heart peeking out from behind a cloud with a rainbow extending outward.
- Share Bear (voiced by Stephanie Sheh) - If Share has it, she'll share it with anyone. Carefree and loving, Share is happiest whenever she's with her friends or baking. She loves sharing so much, which it's said of her belly badge: two crossed heart-shaped lollipops. She has a penchant for baking treats. She lives in a house in the Forest of Feelings.
- Harmony Bear (voiced by Nayo Wallace) - Harmony sings, acts, and plays every instrument. She is a natural leader who is all about encouraging others to do their best, especially through music, which is told of her belly badge: a single flower with different colored petals. Her belly badge has the power to magically fix broken instruments and also hear someone in trouble from a distance. She was once a member of the team "Bear Power".
- Funshine Bear (voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas) - Having fun is Funshine's number one thing. Nothing makes him happier than hanging out with friends or going on wild adventures. He makes the brightest of his days with sunny optimism and a flair for being fearless. His belly badge reflects this spirit: a smiling, blazing sun. He was once a member of the team, "Bear Power".
- Best Friend Bear (voiced by Olivia Hack) - A purple bear whose belly badge features a rainbow linking a star to a heart. She is part of a Belly Badge Bouts team in competition with Cheer, Funshine, Grumpy, Harmony and Share. Her role is credited as "Friend Bear," but her appearance and belly badge match that of the Best Friend Bear character seen in earlier incarnations of Care Bears, whereas Friend Bear was an orange bear with a flower belly badge.
- Wonderheart Bear (voiced by Michaela Dean) - Although being the youngest of the Care Bears, Wonderheart always want to take part in "big bears" adventures. She's playfully curious and never short on questions. Her belly badge features a heart within hearts motif, but she doesn't yet know its full power. She is often seen carrying a stuffed bunny named Floppy Bunny, and often hangs out with Share Bear. She is sometimes referred to by the nickname "Little Wonder."
Care Bear Cousins
- Brave Heart Lion (voiced by Braeden Fox) - Leader of the Cousins.
- Lotsa Heart Elephant (voiced by Olivia Hack) -
- Bright Heart Raccoon (voiced by Ryan Wiesbrock) - Master inventor of the Cousins.
- Cozy Heart Penguin (voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas) - Trills when she speaks.
Other Care Bears
- Amigo Bear (voiced by Mark Mercado) - A bear who speaks with a Spanish accent; he runs his own chili shack.
- Baby Hugs Bear and Baby Tugs Bear (voiced by Olivia Hack and Stephanie Sheh) - Two baby bears who are younger than Wonderheart Bear. They obtain their belly badge powers before Wonderheart. Hugs is magenta, and Tugs is light blue. They are members of the Cub Bouts, the junior division of the Belly Badge Bouts. Tugs's belly badge is a red heart inside a yellow star, while Hugs has a yellow star inside a pink heart, though these are not the belly badges that they possessed in earlier incarnations of the franchise.
- Bedtime Bear (voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas) - A bear who is active at night, but sleepy during the day. He appeared for the first time in a full speaking role in "Over Bearing". He visits Wonderheart Bear at night to help her sleep and performs a duet about sleep with Harmony Bear.
- Birthday Bear (voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas) - A bear who looks to celebrate birthdays.
- Champ Bear (voiced by Doug Erholtz) - A bear who at excels at sports, similar to Funshine Bear, he competes in the annual competition in "Shunshine."
- Friend Bear - An orange bear with two crossed sunflowers on her belly badge.
- Good Luck Bear (voiced by Peter Anderson, one of the show's producers) - A Care Bear that has an Irish accent. He is green and has a four leaf clover belly badge. His belly badge gives him the power to provide good luck to others, if only they can capture his attention. He is part of a Belly Badge Bouts team in competition with Cheer, Funshine, Grumpy, Harmony and Share. Once a member of the team, "Bear-a-Lots".
- Grams Bear (voiced by Jennifer Darling) - A turquoise grandmother Care Bear first seen in the original Care Bears series. She speaks with a stereotypical southern U.S. regional dialect and accent. Her belly badge has the power to restore other belly badges that are temporarily out of commission. She once helped Tenderheart Bear and appears to help his niece Wonderheart.
- Great Giving Bear (voiced by David Lodge) - A Care Bear who is the Care-a-Lot equivalent of Santa Claus; he gives gifts to anyone in Care-a-Lot who cares. His belly badge features a gift box with a heart inside. He has the ability to teleport and teaches it to Tenderheart.
- Hopeful Heart Bear - A pink bear with a pink heart encircled by multicolored rays of light on her belly badge.
- Laugh-a-Lot Bear (voiced by Stephanie Sheh) - A bear who enjoys laughter and making others laugh, seen only in a brief speaking role to date. Once a member of the team, "Bear-a-Lots".
- Love-a-Lot Bear (voiced by Nayo Wallace) - A bear who enjoys sharing love, her belly badge is two overlapping hearts - one red and one pink. She is part of a Belly Badge Bouts team in competition with Cheer, Funshine, Grumpy, Harmony and Share. Once a member of the team, "Bear-a-Lots".
- Secret Bear (voiced by Stephanie Sheh) - A care bear who's known for keeping secrets. She usually whispers when she speaks. She is magenta colored, and has a heart-shaped lock belly badge.
- Shiver Me Timbear (voiced by David Lodge) - A legendary pirate captain who is one of Tenderheart's Care Bear ancestors - he even looks like Tenderheart. His belly badge features a heart and crossbones.
- Surprise Bear (voiced by Melissa Mable) - Mentioned by Grumpy Bear.
- Sweet Dreams Bear (voiced by Olivia Hack) - A bear with a country accent and purplish fur, about the same shade as Harmony Bear's. She has the power to send down sweet dreams one by one to each Care Bear using her belly badge - a pink crescent moon nestled inside a cloud with a heart on it, which takes the form of a rainbow ray attached to a crescent moon. Her power can be drained by a naturally occurring phenomenon known as the "plainbow," but can be restored using other Care Bears's belly badge powers. Despite her special gift, she believes that all dreams, good or bad, are a natural part of the dreamscape. Her character was introduced in the previous series, Adventures in Care-a-Lot.
- Thanks-a-Lot Bear (voiced by Melissa Mable) - A care bear who is thankful for anything. Her catchphrase is "Thanks a lot!". She is ocean blue, and has a belly badge with a star riding on a rainbow.
- Wish Bear (voiced by Melissa Mable) - A bear who enjoys making and granting wishes, she is part of a Belly Badge Bouts team in competition with Cheer, Funshine, Grumpy, Harmony and Share. Once a member of the team, "Bear-a-Lots".
Care Kids
- Penny (voiced by Katherine Shepler) - A girl who loves high speed.
- Phoebe (voiced by Isabella Briscoe) - A shy girl with a talent for singing.
- Clem (voiced by Sean-Ryan Petersen) - A boy with anger issues, summoned to Care-a-Lot by Beastly.
- Hayden (voiced by Elle Labadie) - A young girl with an interest in baking. Loyal to Share Bear, she will keep quiet even if it means taking the blame for a friend's bad behavior. It is later revealed that she has a twin who is identical in appearance, though hardly identical in personality.
- Jayden (voiced by Katherine Shepler) - A twin of Hayden, she seems to be somewhat more sporty and is at times competitive with Hayden.
- Zack (voiced by Mason Malina) - A boy who is into extreme sports; he visits Care-a-Lot to compete in an annual competition.
- Riley (voiced by Katherine Shepler) - A girl who made things up.
- Olivia (voiced by Zoe Miner) - A girl who sometimes has trouble finding her courage.
- Joy (voiced by Rachel Albrecht) - A girl who is sad when her best friend moves away; she swears off friendship, but the Care Bears help her by empathizing with her feelings.
- Susan (voiced by Sami Staitman) - A girl with blonde hair who enjoys playing video games, but finds that work can be satisfying when she actually puts forth the effort.
- Kaylee (voiced by Olivia Hack) - A girl who moved to a new school from Hawaii. She plays the ukulele, but is being bullied by a girl named Madison.
- Madison (voiced by Chiara Zanni) - A girl who plays the guitar. When Kaylee joined her class in her school, she started bullying her because she felt jealous and felt that she had stolen her spotlight by playing the ukulele. Madison's voice actress, Chiara Zanni, was Wish Bear in the previous Care Bears series, Care Bears: Adventures in Care-a-Lot
- Peter (voiced by Sam Adler) - A boy who is known to always follow rules and who lives by the guidelines of a written rule book. When he arrives in Care-a-Lot, Funshine Bear and Grumpy Bear encourage him to cut loose and he becomes a rebellious spirit with the declared intent of breaking all of Care-a-Lot's rules. After getting into a troubling situation, he learns an important lesson.
- Aiden (voiced by Colin Depaula) - A boy who uses a wheelchair because his legs haven't worked since birth. He enjoys a variety of sporting activities and loves trying out new ones. He prefers for anyone who might have questions about him or his wheelchair to simply ask, rather than avoid him or keep silent.
- Isabella (voiced by Katherine Shepler) - A young girl who has issues with responsibility, and only learns about its importance by helping Wonderheart.
- Ethan (voiced by Sean-Ryan Petersen) - A Show child who arrives with the intent of helping with the Great Giving day pageant, but ends up causing rebellion and turning it into a one person show about himself.
- Hannah (voiced by Sami Staitman) - A girl who knows a lot about camping, but is scared of actually doing it herself, for a number of reasons. She eventually earns an honorary Care Camping stamp.
Others
- King Beastly (voiced by Doug Erholtz) - A mischievous and arrogant beast who wears a crown, he likes to cause trouble in Care-a-Lot, but has natural talent if allowed to shine.
- Beasties (voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas and Doug Erholtz) - Beastly's two minions.
Episodes
The series premiered on June 2, 2012 on The Hub in the United States. A 30-second preview was posted on YouTube on May 2, 2012.[2]
Movie
Care Bears: A Belly Badge for Wonderheart the Movie came out on DVD on August 6, 2013. Though marketed as a direct-to-video feature-length film, the release was not a newly produced movie, but rather a compilation of three previous installments of the television series featuring the character Wonderheart Bear, edited to run in sequence at feature length.[3]
Cast
- Michaela Dean as Wonderheart Bear
- Doug Erholtz as Grumpy Bear, Champ Bear, Beastly, Beastie 2
- David Lodge as Tenderheart Bear, Great Giving Bear, Shiver Me Timbear
- Patty Mattson as Cheer Bear
- Stephanie Sheh as Share Bear, Baby Hugs Bear, Secret Bear, Laugh-a-Lot Bear
- Katherine Shepler as Penny, Jayden, Riley, Isabella
- Michael Sinterniklaas as Funshine Bear, Bedtime Bear, Birthday Bear, Beastie 1
- Nayo Wallace as Harmony Bear, Love-a-Lot Bear
- Melissa Mable as Thanks-a-Lot Bear, Surprise Bear
- Peter Anderson as Good Luck Bear
- Olivia Hack as Best Friend Bear, Baby Tugs Bear, Sweet Dreams Bear
- Jennifer Darling as Grams Bear
Crew
- Michael Hack - Voice Director
- Joseph Garcia - Storyboard Artist
- Mark Maxey - Storyboard Artist
- Arun Roshan Jacob - line producer
- Liz Young - supervising producer
Toyline
Partnering with Hasbro, AG released a toy line based on the series in 2013.[4] In the Spring of 2015, Just Play released a line of Care Bears plush (8" bean bag plush, 12" medium plush packaged with DVDs featuring episodes of "Welcome to Care-a-Lot," 16" jumbo plush, and Sing-along animatronic plush), action figure five-packs, and blind bag series figurines based on the characters and style guide of Welcome to Care-a-Lot. Just Play will continue the license with more products, adding characters from "Care Bears and Cousins" in Spring 2016.
Reception
The premiere of the series, along with Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters, saw The Hub earn its best performances amongst targeted demographics in six months.[5][6] In an early review of the series, Blogfully.net stated that "If you’ve never seen a Care Bear’s [sic] episode on the Hub, you’re missing out."[7]
Cartoon Brew reported that "The Hub's earlier series, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, sparked an unlikely following among adult males, otherwise known as the Brony phenomenon, but one fandom isn’t enough for the Hub. They think their Care Bears show needs an adult male fanbase, too, and they’re shamelessly encouraging it themselves."[8] Comics Alliance also said that "In case you're wondering, "Belly-Bros" is a term offered by the Hub as a potential name for the legions of male fans who'll enjoy this new Care Bears series as much as they do Friendship is Magic. If you're not feeling it, however, they're also suggesting "Care-Dudes," which sounds more like the way that William S. Preston would describe someone who works in an assisted living facility."[9] In a statement in response to these articles, The Hub's Crystal Williams said, "...I came across your story on Cartoon Brew titled “The Hub Hopes Men Will Start Calling Themselves “Belly Bros” and “Care Dudes.” In response, I wanted to let you know that this was an unapproved and unsanctioned pitch by our PR agency...The Hub TV Network nor American Greetings Properties had any knowledge of the pitch angle. It is not our intention to compare Care Bears to My Little Pony and/or the Brony community."[10]
References
- ↑ "'Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot' Premieres June 2 on the HUB Network". Retrieved 2012-05-01.
- ↑ "Care Bears: Welcome To Care-A-Lot - Sneak Peek!".
- ↑
- ↑ "'Care Bears: Welcome To Care-a-Lot' Toyline Set For 2013 Release". Retrieved 2012-05-01.
- ↑ "Premieres of Original Series 'Care Bears: Welcome to Care-A-Lot' and 'Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters' Power 'The Hub' To Best Performance in Six Months". Retrieved 2012-07-08.
- ↑ "The Hub TV Network Earns Best Quarterly and Monthly Audience Deliveries in History of Network". Retrieved 2012-07-08.
- ↑ "Care Bears: Welcome To Care-a-Lot (Viewing party)". Retrieved 2012-07-08.
- ↑ "The Hub Hopes Men Will Start Calling Themselves "Belly Bros" and "Care Dudes"". Retrieved 2012-06-20.
- ↑ "'Care Bears' Getting a CG Animated Revival on The Hub This Summer". Retrieved 2012-06-20.
- ↑ "The Hub No Longer Encourages "Belly Bros" and "Care Dudes"". Retrieved 2012-06-20.
External links
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