From the vision of “Arthur” creator Marc Brown comes an all-new animated children’s series called “Hop,” which will spotlight the importance of embracing kindness, acceptance and working together. The preschool show will land on Max on April 4 in the United States.
“I am beyond excited to finally share ‘Hop’ April 4th on Max,” Brown said in a statement. “I believe we’ve created a safe, inviting show that will challenge our viewers to understand and appreciate people who are not like them, and to encourage children to act with tolerance and kindness. This show is a labor of love, and I hope it brings joy and inspiration to children and families everywhere.”
The show was created by Brown, and fellow “Arthur” alums Peter K. Hirsch and Tolon Brown. It’s produced by Epic Story Media and is animated by Loomi Animation. The series will feature characters who all are coping with some form of a disability, “helping kids relate to, and better understand, others — challenges that are often reflected in the show.”
Here’s Max’s full synopsis of the show:
“Hop” follows an eclectic group of besties whose comedic adventures teach preschoolers to embrace their own, and others’, uniqueness. Led by Hop, an enthusiastic, empathetic frog with one leg shorter than the other, he and his quirky friends address kid-relatable challenges with a healthy dose of laughter, silliness and adventure. Set in the aspirational community of Fair Village, every episode is grounded in emotional reality but soars into the world of fantasy, populated by dragons, trolls and talking banjos. With a gentle balance of humor and heart, our heroes promise to captivate audiences with delightful journeys filled with friendship, valuable life lessons and endless possibilities.
“Working with Marc, Peter and Tolon has been an absolute pleasure. Their commitment to inclusive story-telling and their skill at leading our entire creative team has been inspiring for everyone. I am especially proud of the authentic casting and the diverse writers and creative team we brought together for this series,” Ken Faier, founder of Epic Story Media, said. “Our goal has always been to make epic content for kids with the world’s best creators. It’s a wonderful achievement and we are thrilled to be working with the team at Max and Warner Bros. Discovery. More announcements from around the world to come!”
“Hop” premieres Thursday, April 4 on Max with six half-hour episodes. The season will consist of 26 episodes in total.
