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{{Short description|American-Canadian children's animated series}} | |||
<!-- Please DO NOT add speculative information, such as PBS reairing the show in the future, as this constitutes original research. PBS has clearly stated in 2010 that they will no longer hold the license to the show (unless they decide otherwise). Any unsourced addition will be deemed as original research and will be removed with or without further notice. Thank you. --> | |||
{{Infobox television | |||
{{refimprove|date=November 2011}} | |||
| image = Dragon Tales logo.jpg | |||
{{infobox television | |||
| caption = | |||
| show_name=Dragon Tales | |||
| genre = ] | |||
| image=] | |||
| creator = {{Unbulleted list|]|]}} | |||
| format=], ] | |||
| developer = {{Unbulleted list|Jim Coane|]|Jeffrey Scott|Cliff Ruby|Elana Lesser}} | |||
| runtime=30 minutes per episode | |||
| director = {{Unbulleted list|Tim Eldred {{small|(S1)}}|Gloria Jenkins|Bob Hathcock|Curt Walstead|Phil Weinstein}} | |||
| country=] <br/> ] | |||
| voices = {{Unbulleted list|]|Danny McKinnon|]|]|Jason Michas|]|]|]|]|Aida Ortega}} | |||
| num_seasons=3 | |||
| theme_music_composer = {{Unbulleted list|Mary Wood|]|]}} | |||
| num_episodes=94<br>46 (segments) | |||
| composer = {{Unbulleted list|Joey Levine & Co.|Jim Latham|Brian Garland|Cheryl Hassen}} | |||
| network=] (USA) <br/> ] (Canada) | |||
| country = {{Unbulleted list|United States|Canada|<ref>{{cite web|title=American Animation Directory- KOKO Productions Inc.|url=http://www.animationdirectory.ca/component/task,search/subcategory,12/|quote=Award winning recording studio and production house. Selected animation credits: Ed Edd n Eddy, Dragon Tales, Johnny Test, Transformers, Bratz, Care Bears, He-Man, Krypto, Madeline, Martin Mystery, Strawberry Shortcake, Noddy. Features: Barbie (Island Princess, Christmas Carol, Thumbelina, Diamond Castle), My Scene, The Condor, The Chameleon, Edison & Leo, My Little Pony.|access-date=2017-06-16|archive-date=2019-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222154915/http://www.animationdirectory.ca/component/task,search/subcategory,12/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sesameworkshop.org/who-we-are|title=Dragon Tales – "A Magical World of Rainbow Rivers and Talking Trees", archive, on Sesame Workshop's official website|date=9 December 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216142549/http://www.dragontalestv.com/|title=Sony Pictures Television official Dragon Tales site|archive-date=February 16, 2013 |url=http://www.dragontalestv.com/}}</ref>}} | |||
| first_aired={{start date|1999|09|06}} | |||
| language = English | |||
| last_aired={{end date|2005|11|25}} | |||
| num_seasons = 3 | |||
| executive_producer=] (1999-2001) <br />] (1999-2003) <br />Jeff Kline (2001-2005) | |||
| num_episodes = 94 (155 original segments, 78 original episodes total)<ref name="tvcomepisodes">{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/dragon-tales/episodes/|title=TV.com – ''Dragon Tales'' episode listing|access-date=December 18, 2014|archive-date=December 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218190454/http://www.tv.com/shows/dragon-tales/episodes/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
| producer= Richard Raynis (1999-2001) <br> Jeff Kline (1999-2001) <br> ] <br> Cliff Ruby (1999-2001) <br> Elana Lesser (1999-2001) | |||
| opentheme = "Dragon Tales" performed by Mary Wood | |||
| developer=] <br> ] <br> Jeffrey Scott <br> Cliff Ruby <br> Elana Lesser | |||
| list_episodes = List of Dragon Tales episodes | |||
| theme_music_composer =Mary Wood, ], and ] | |||
| executive_producer = {{ubl|Jim Coane|Nina Elias-Bamberger|]|Jodi Nussbaum}} | |||
| composer = ] & Co.<br>Jim Latham<br>Brian Garland | |||
| producer = {{Unbulleted list|]|Jeff Kline|Ron Rodecker|Cliff Ruby|Elana Lesser|John Mariella|Cheryl Hassen|Pamela Aguilar}} | |||
| creator=] <br>] | |||
| runtime = 30 minutes (per episode) | |||
| director= Tim Eldred <br> Curt Walstead <br> Phil Weinstein <br> Michael Hack | |||
| company = ]<br>]<br>] (seasons 1–2)<br>] (season 3) | |||
| network = ]<br>] | |||
| voices=] <br> ] <br> Aida Ortega <small>(Season 3)</small> <br> ] <br> ] <br> ] <br> ] <br> ] <br> ] <br> ]}} | |||
| first_aired = {{Start date|1999|9|6}} | |||
| last_aired = {{End date|2005|4|11}} | |||
}} | |||
'''''Dragon Tales''''' is an |
'''''Dragon Tales''''' is an <!-- MOS:TVLEAD --> animated ] fantasy ] created by ] and ], developed by Coane, ], Jeffrey Scott, Cliff Ruby and Elana Lesser, and produced by the Children's Television Workshop (now known as ]), ] (now known as ]) and ]. The series focuses on the adventures of two siblings, Emmy and Max, and their dragon friends Cassie, Ord, and Zak and Wheezie. | ||
The series began broadcasting on ] on their newly-renamed ] block on September 6, 1999, with its final episode airing on April 11, 2005. The show aired reruns on the PBS Kids block (and sister channel ]) up until August 31, 2010, when it was dropped entirely from the lineup. ] was responsible for the animation for all seasons (] and ] only did animation for season 1), with the exception of ], which recorded the show along with BLT Productions. The ], the ], cereal company ] and greeting card manufacturer, ]<ref>{{Citation|title=Miss Lori & Hooper Preschool Close (2007 WFWA-TV)| date=16 September 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-OUzRU8BJQ|language=en|access-date=2019-09-08}}</ref> were responsible for funding. | |||
==Origin== | |||
''Dragon Tales'' is based on the characters created in 1965 by Laguna Beach, California artist and retired educator ].<ref>. 0-infoweb.newsbank.com.dbpcosdcsgt.co.san-diego.ca.us. Retrieved on 2011-10-13.</ref> In 1997, Jim Coane, then a producer at ], found the artwork and developed it into a television series with several writers. Coane then brought the project to ], where Marjorie Kalins helped him and Columbia TriStar Television obtain a grant from the ] and the ]. The grant proposal was written by Wesley Eure. Coane was the executive producer for the first two seasons. | |||
== |
==Premise and overview== | ||
{{Quote box | |||
The series focuses on the exploits of two siblings, Max and Emmy, in possession of an enchanted dragon scale capable of transporting them to a whimsical fantasy land inhabited by colorful anthropomorphic dragons upon their recitation of a rhyme. Befriended by four friendly talking dragons with distinctive personalities, Cassie, Ord, Zak, and Wheezie, they frequently travel to Dragon Land and assist their friends in fulfilling particular quests, assisting them in their daily problems, and learning important morals through their experiences with the educational whimsy of Dragon Land. | |||
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|quote = ''Dragon Tales'' has three primary educational goals. They are: | |||
*To encourage children to take on new or difficult challenges in their lives | |||
Designed to educate preschoolers mildly in Hispanic culture (because of the Spanish origins of a portion of the central characters), during the program's final seasons a new character named Enrique debuted, providing the series with a third protagonist. Surrounded by a variety of unique characters and faced with numerous differing situations, Emmy and Max commonly embark on adventures with their anthropomorphic friends, conquering fears or achieving goals in spite of any obstacles preventing them from doing so. | |||
*To help children recognize that there is more than one way to approach a challenge | |||
*To help children understand that to try and not succeed fully is a valuable and natural part of learning | |||
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|source = ''Dragon Tales'' official website Parents FAQ<ref name="faqparent">{{cite web|url=http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/faq_parent.html|access-date=December 29, 2014|title=Parents & Teachers - ''Dragon Tales'' - Frequently Asked Questions for Parents|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213070558/http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/faq_parent.html|archive-date=December 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
}} | |||
The series focuses on the adventures of six-year-old Emmy and four-year-old Max, two Mexican-American human siblings. Upon moving into their new house, they find an enchanted dragon scale which, upon reciting a special rhyme, can magically transport them to Dragon Land, a whimsical fantasy world inhabited by colorful dragons. Befriended by four dragons with distinctive personalities – the shy, yet intelligent and sweet-natured Cassie; the strong, yet fearful Ord; and polar opposite conjoined twins, neat-freak Zak and rambunctious Wheezie – Emmy and Max frequently travel to Dragon Land and help their friends in fulfilling particular quests, assisting them in their daily problems, and learning important morals through their experiences in Dragon Land. At the end of each episode, Emmy and Max hold hands and recite another special rhyme to return to Earth. | |||
The dragons also each have their own dragon badges worn around their necks that glow when they accomplish something they usually have trouble with. For example, Cassie's glows when she overcomes her anxiety, Ord's glows whenever he faces his fears, and Zak and Wheezie's glow when they overcome their differences and work together. | |||
To educate preschoolers mildly about Hispanic culture, a new character named Enrique was introduced during the show's third and final season, providing the series with a third protagonist.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dragons & diversity {{!}} The Spokesman-Review |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2005/mar/07/dragons-diversity/ |access-date=2022-06-13 |website=www.spokesman.com}}</ref> Surrounded by a variety of unique characters and faced with numerous differing situations, Emmy and Max commonly embark on adventures with their dragon friends, conquering fears or achieving goals despite any obstacles along the way. | |||
As a series broadcast on PBS, the program has an educational focus, combining lessons of a pro-social nature with those of more general educational value. Educational themes covered included identifying shapes, learning words and letters in both English and Spanish, counting, and basic math. Social themes are also covered, such as good sportsmanship, the importance of being a good friend, overcoming obstacles such as jealousy or fears, and getting along with siblings. Many of the show's interstitial song segments, known as "Dragon Tunes," also covered such themes, such as "Make It Fun", which encourages viewers to not complain about having to do seemingly mundane chores such as washing dishes or helping parents with cooking meals, but instead, find ways to make them fun; and "Hum," which encourages those who had a fear of the dark or trying new things to hum softly to comfort themselves. Three stated goals of the program's educational philosophy are the encouragement of pursuing new experiences, finding ways to approach and learn from challenges, and that learning can come through trying and not succeeding entirely.<ref name="ephilosophy">{{cite web|url=http://pbskids.org/dragontales/parentsteachers/educational_philosophy.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070308175138/http://pbskids.org/dragontales/parentsteachers/educational_philosophy.html|archive-date=March 8, 2007|access-date=December 4, 2014|title=Parents & Teachers - ''Dragon Tales'' - Educational Philosophy}}</ref> Despite two of the show's human leads, Emmy and Enrique, being six years old, the show's described target audience was children closer to the age of four.<ref name="target">Scott, Jeffrey. (2002). ''How to Write for Animation''. New York: ]. {{ISBN|1-5856-7240-8}}. p. 126</ref> | |||
Another key topic of the program is the encouragement of honest expressions of emotion. In "Cassie, the Green-Eyed Dragon," Cassie feels jealous of her little brother, Finn, who gets everyone's attention when she takes him to school for "]." Discussing the matter with her best friend, Emmy, and her teacher, Quetzal, helps her to understand that jealousy is a natural feeling that everyone experiences sometimes, but that there are ways that she can appreciate her brother, while still feeling appreciated herself.<ref name="greeneyed">''Dragon Tales'' story - Season 2 - "Cassie, the Green-Eyed Dragon"</ref> In "Feliz Cumpleaños, Enrique," Enrique feels sad and homesick for his homeland of Colombia when his birthday celebrations in Dragon Land are not like the traditions of those back in his old home. He talks with Quetzal, who encourages him to cry, even though he had been told that crying was something a boy at his age was not supposed to do. After doing so, he feels better and can enjoy his party celebrations.<ref name="feliz">''Dragon Tales'' story - Season 3 - "Feliz Cumpleaños, Enrique"</ref> | |||
As with ], which is also produced by the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop), the program's creators encourage "co-viewing," the practice of parents or other caregivers watching the program along with their children and engaging in activities such as discussion, singing and dancing, and pretend play.<ref name="faqparent" /> The program's official website offers several activities and lesson plans to aid in these efforts.<ref name="activities">{{Cite web|url=http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/activities.html|title=''Dragon Tales'' - Parents & Teachers - Activities|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213071031/http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/activities.html|archive-date=December 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="lessonplans">{{Cite web|url=http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/lesson.html|title=''Dragon Tales'' - Parents & Teachers - Lesson Plans|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213065835/http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/lesson.html|archive-date=December 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
==Characters== | ==Characters== | ||
{{imageframe|width=330|content=] <br>]|caption=Protagonists Emmy and Max (top image) in a season 2 episode of Dragon Tales. Ord, Enrique, Max, Emmy, Zak and Wheezie, and Cassie in a season 3 episode (bottom image) of Dragon Tales.}} | {{imageframe|width=330|content=] <br>]|caption=Protagonists Emmy and Max (top image) in a season 2 episode of ''Dragon Tales'', "Lucky Stone" (2001). Ord, Enrique, Max, Emmy, Zak and Wheezie, and Cassie in a season 3 episode (bottom image) of ''Dragon Tales'', "Rise and Bloom" (2005).}} | ||
=== |
===Main=== | ||
Emmy |
* '''Emmy''' (voiced by ]) is a 6-year-old brunette girl and Max's older sister. She commonly appears as the leader of the group until she gave her position to Enrique while helping him get used to Dragon Land on his first day. She is known for saying "Definitely!" whenever a good ideas arises. Her best friend is Cassie.<ref name="chardesc">{{cite web|url=http://pbskids.org/dragontales/parentsteachers/character_descriptions.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070308175122/http://pbskids.org/dragontales/parentsteachers/character_descriptions.html|archive-date=March 8, 2007|access-date=December 4, 2014|title=Parents & Teachers - ''Dragon Tales'' - Character Descriptions}}</ref> | ||
* '''Max''' (voiced by Danny McKinnon) is a 4-year-old<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-09-24 |title=Behind The Voice Actors - Dragon Tales |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Dragon-Tales/side-by-side/ |access-date=2022-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924074134/http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Dragon-Tales/side-by-side/ |archive-date=2013-09-24 }}</ref> boy and Emmy's younger brother. His best friend is Ord.<ref name="chardesc" /><ref name="eurewebsite" /> | |||
* '''Enrique''' (voiced by Aida Ortega) is 8 years old, and is Emmy and Max's new next-door neighbor who moved from Colombia to the United States and also once lived in ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dragons & diversity {{!}} The Spokesman-Review|url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2005/mar/07/dragons-diversity/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=www.spokesman.com}}</ref> He is raised by his father and his grandmother.<ref name="officialfaq">{{cite web|url=http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/faq_general.html|access-date=March 7, 2017|title=Parents & Teachers - ''Dragon Tales'' - Frequently Asked Questions|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213062357/http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/faq_general.html|archive-date=December 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> He travels to Dragon Land with Emmy and Max when Max encourages Emmy to share their secret. | |||
* '''Cassie''' (voiced by ]) is a very intelligent, shy, cute, reserved, and sweet pink female dragon who is Emmy's best friend. She possesses a magical tendency to shrink when she is sad, or scared of speaking up.<ref name="ctwcassie">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ctw.org/preschool/dragontales/characters/0,4278,cassie,00.html|title=Dragontales - characters - "Meet Cassie!"|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000620023542/http://www.ctw.org/preschool/dragontales/characters/0,4278,cassie,00.html|archive-date=June 20, 2000|access-date=December 5, 2014}}</ref> | |||
* '''Ord''' (voiced by ]) is a large blue male dragon who is Max's best friend. He turns invisible when he is upset or frightened.<ref name="sproutchar">{{cite web|url=http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/character_descriptions.html|title=Sprout Online - ''Dragon Tales'' - Parents - "Who are the main characters in the series?"|access-date=March 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213025018/http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/parentsteachers/character_descriptions.html|archive-date=December 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
* '''Zak''' (voiced by Jason Michas) and '''Wheezie''' (voiced by ]) are ] green and purple dragons with opposite personalities; Zak is male, and Wheezie is female. Zak's catchphrase is "Take it easy, Wheezie!", which he often says to Wheezie moves around really fast, dragging him with her, and Wheezie's catchphrase is "Loooooove it!" when she loves something.<ref name="sproutchar" /> | |||
* '''Quetzal''' (voiced by ]) is an elderly yellow male dragon originally from Mexico who is the teacher at The School in the Sky where the young dragons attend.<ref name="sproutchar" /> | |||
=== |
===Recurring=== | ||
* '''Arlo''' (voiced by ]) is an orange male dragon who works at the Dragon Dump. He has a machine at the Dragon Dump which he calls his "lil' ol' recycler" that sorts out things that can be used again. | |||
* '''Dr. Booboogone''' (voiced by Shirley Milliner) is a veteran pink dragon who works as a doctor who helps dragons and other species who are sick or hurt. She wears a doctor's coat. | |||
* '''Captain Scallywag''' (voiced by ]) is a pirate who captains a flying ship. | |||
* '''Chilly''' (voiced by ]) is a living snowman who lives on top of the Stickleback Mountains with his snowdog Nippy. | |||
* '''Cyrus''' (voiced by ]) is a conniving lizard-like slinky snake, who serves as an antagonist in the show. | |||
* '''The Doodle Fairy''' is a ] with green skin and purple dress. She does not speak but can doodle. | |||
* '''Eunice''' (voiced by ]) is a ] who cannot see very well, so she wears glasses. | |||
* '''Finn''' (voiced by ]) is Cassie's younger brother. He is light blue, toddler-aged, loves his blankie, and is only just learning to fly. He is prone to throw tantrums when he gets upset.<ref name="iptv">{{cite web|url=http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/8242/dragon_tales/ep:309/episodes|title=IPTV - ''Dragon Tales'' - Finn's Blankie/Let's Dance (#309)|access-date=March 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216135452/http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/8242/dragon_tales/ep%3A309/episodes|archive-date=December 16, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
* '''The Giant of Nod''' (voiced by Blu Mankuma in his first appearance and ] in "Much Ado About Nodlings" onwards) is the leader of a group of ]-like creatures called the Nodlings. | |||
* '''Princess Kidoodle''' is the ruler of the Doodle Fairy Kingdom. She seems to be much older than any other doodle fairies. | |||
* '''Kiki''' (voiced by ]) is Cassie's baby sister. | |||
* '''Lorca''' (voiced by ]) is a disabled dragon and Max, Emmy, Zak, Wheezie, Ord and Cassie's friend. He was born without wings and can use a wheelchair because he was born this way and is incapable of flight. Despite his physical limitations, however, Lorca enjoys participating in adventures and sports activities and encourages his friends to think of new ways to do things.<ref name="AZPM">{{cite web|url=https://tv.azpm.org/schedules/episode/16448/|title=Arizona Public Media - Episode of Dragon Tales - "The Balancing Act/A Small Victory"|access-date=December 15, 2014}}</ref> | |||
* '''Norm''' (voiced by ]) is a friendly little gnome who loves to count. | |||
* '''Simon''' (voiced by ]) a gnome-like character who likes to play "Simon Says", his namesake game. | |||
* '''Monsieur Marmadune''' (voiced by Cusse Mankuma) is the main ruler and keeper of Kingdom Come, who tells Ord that Kingdom Come is the happiest place a dragon could ever be. | |||
* '''Mr. Pop''' (voiced ]) is a gnome-like character that temporarily steals Wheezie's laugh with his sound switcher in "Wheezie's Last Laugh". | |||
* '''Mungus''' (voiced by ]) is a friendly ] who lives in a castle in the clouds. He knows many folks in Dragon Land since he can travel far and wide in just a few steps. | |||
* '''Polly Nimbus''' (voiced by ]) is the operator of the cloud factory, which controls Dragon Land's weather. | |||
* '''Priscilla''' (voiced by ]) is the manager at the Lost and Not-Yet-Found, who during her first appearance, was feeling embarrassed because her wings were bigger than those of other dragons. She eventually realized that there is nothing wrong with being different when she uses her big wings to help Mungus clean up his castle in a "different" way. | |||
* '''Sid Sycamore''' (voiced by ]) is a talking tree who loves telling jokes that relate to the concept of trees. | |||
* '''Spike''' (voiced by Danny McKinnon) is a brief student who loves his yo-yo but he can also act as a mean bully whenever he gets upset or lonely. He is paired up with Cassie when the group picks Dragon Plums. He bullies Cassie and when she gets upset about this, Quetzal advises her to be friends with Spike. Because Quetzal implied that Spike might only be a bully because he is upset and alone, much like how Cassie shrinks when she is shy, scared, or upset. | |||
* '''Windy''' (voiced by ] in Season 1 and ] in Seasons 2-3) is a little wind who likes to blow like her father. | |||
* '''Wyatt''' (voiced by ]) is a talking ] that immediately grants any wish for a single coin. He's old friends with Quetzal. | |||
* '''Emmy and Max's Mom''' (voiced by ]) & '''Dad''' (voiced by ]), who occasionally speak off-screen. | |||
== |
==Episodes== | ||
{{Main|List of Dragon Tales episodes}} | |||
Enrique, voiced by ], is six years old. He is Emmy and Max's new friend who moved from ] to the ]. He first appears in the beginning of Season 3 and travels to Dragon Land with the children. His recent experiences in South America provide more opportunities for the characters to demonstrate the meanings of new Spanish words, much like '']''. | |||
{{:List of Dragon Tales episodes}} | |||
''Dragon Tales'' aired a total of 94 episodes, 40 in its first season, 24 in its second season, and 30 in its third season. Each episode featured two original stories, aired back-to-back, split by the interstitial song segment "Dragon Tunes," all of which were eventually released on the show's music albums. Almost all episodes from the third season, however, generally contained at least one repeat of a story from the program's second season (As evidenced by the absence of Enrique.) and some were even repeats of material from that season and earlier material from the third season. In all, there were a total of 155 original stories. The show also had one special: ''Let's Start a Band'', released in 2003, was a musical feature in which the characters of the show were seen alongside real human children. | |||
He rides with Zak and Wheezie, the 2-headed dragon who rarely flew with any human friends prior to Enrique's debut. | |||
== |
== Development == | ||
''Dragon Tales'' is based on characters created in 1978<ref name="sesamearchive">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sesameworkshop.org/who-we-are|title=Who We Are | Sesame Workshop|website=www.sesameworkshop.org|date=9 December 2022 }}</ref> by ] artist and retired educator ]. Rodecker was recovering from a ] when he began sketching dragons as a means of symbolizing forces in life that were too big to control.<ref name="sesamearchive" /><ref>{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. 0-infoweb.newsbank.com.dbpcosdcsgt.co.san-diego.ca.us. Retrieved on 2011-10-13.</ref><ref name=DefunctTV>{{cite AV media |date= August 31, 2019|title= DefunctTV: The History of Dragon Tales|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzw-gXhcYW0|format= ]|publisher= ]}}</ref> In 1995, Jim Coane, then a producer at ], found the artwork and developed it into a television series with several writers. The project was considered something of a risky venture because it was not based on a well-known franchise like many children's television programs, such as '']'' or '']''. The series was immediately shipped to PBS member stations at the suggestion of PBS, but all originally passed at the time. | |||
Ord, voiced by ], is the blue male dragon who can turn invisible when he's scared. He is best friends with Max, who rides on his back. A running gag in the show features Ord making "Dragon Corn" by throwing purple popcorn kernels in the air and frying them with his fire breath. | |||
In October 1995, Jim Coane met Marjorie Kalins, senior VP of programming and production at Children's Television Workshop, and showed her the idea for the series. Kalins, who loved the idea, brought the series to Children's Television Workshop, which agreed to a partnership with the Columbia TriStar Television Group. Kalins helped him and Columbia TriStar Television obtain an $8.5 million grant from the ] and the ]. The grant proposal was written by former '']'' cast member and '']'' host ].<ref name="kidscreen">{{Cite web|url=http://kidscreen.com/1999/10/01/26892-19991001/|title=Dragon Tales|first=Theresa|last=Dillon|date=October 1, 1999|access-date=February 28, 2017|publisher=]}}</ref> Coane stated that there was never any consideration of trying to shop the program to a commercial broadcast network and that PBS was, in his mind, the only destination for the program.<ref name="Don't tell kids">{{cite news|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/715869/Dont-tell-kids-Dragon-Tales-is-a-show-thats-good-for-them.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926023126/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/715869/Dont-tell-kids-Dragon-Tales-is-a-show-thats-good-for-them.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 26, 2018|title=Don't tell kids 'Dragon Tales' is a show that's good for them|first=Scott|last=Pierce|newspaper=]|date=September 3, 1999|access-date=May 4, 2019}}</ref> As Columbia TriStar was the TV division of two major Hollywood ] ], which in turn are owned by the ] division of Japanese multinational conglomerate ], ''Dragon Tales'' became one of the few ] and ] programs to be co-produced by a major Hollywood studio's TV subsidiary; The other PBS shows were '']'' (made by ]), and '']'' (produced by ]). In 2002, CTTV was renamed to ], a company that would co-produce the third season of the program. | |||
===Cassie=== | |||
Cassie is a shy, demure, and sweet female dragon and Emmy's best friend. She possesses a magical tendency to shrink when unhappy, and may occasionally come across as slightly insecure and uncertain, and is prone to worrying. However, Cassie is distinguished by her maternal sweetness as a result of her responsibilities as an older sister and babysitter to a humongous myriad of younger siblings, and has been shown to be gifted with great singing and dancing abilities, as revealed in one episode. Cassie also is characterized by her color combination consisting of pink and yellow, albeit her body is spotted with blue speckles in some areas. She is voiced by ]. | |||
After a tour of the lot of ], Wesley Eure created the first treatment of the show, including the initial conception of the two-headed dragon Zak and Wheezie, back then known as "Snarf and Bugger." The series received a massive multi-million dollar grant from the federal government, beating out '']'' and '']'' for the request. As part of the conditions for the grant, Eure was required to create a companion series for the program, which he titled ''Show and Tell Me'', based on his own lecture series known as "Anyone Can Write a Book." Though the companion series was never actually created, Eure remains hopeful that it will one day be produced. Eure's name was not included in the initial credits for the series, forcing him to hire an attorney to ensure that he received credit.<ref name="eurewebsite">{{Cite web|url=http://www.wesleyeure.com/Wesley_Eure/Dragon_Tales.html|title=Dragon Tales - Wesley Eure|access-date=March 13, 2017|first=Wesley|last=Eure}}</ref> | |||
===Zak and Wheezie=== | |||
Following the development of a ] by Jeffrey Scott, with some tweaks by writers Cliff Ruby and Elana Lesser, the series was ordered for just over 60 eleven-minute episodes by PBS. Scott was assigned to write and edit half, with Ruby/Lesser assigned to the other half. At this point, the writing team was provided with a document titled "FUN AND LEARNING IN DRAGON LAND: A Writer's Guide to Dragon Tales Educational Content" which provided directives as to which curriculum should be included within the stories, such as "emotional challenges > understanding other people's emotions > recognizing and labeling feelings in others" and the statement that "CURRICULUM IS PARAMOUNT!" | |||
Zak & Wheezie, voiced by ] and ], are a ] dragon and are siblings; Zak (green) is the male, and Wheezie (purple) is the female. Zak prefers to pursue things in a logical manner. Wheezie is very messy, loud, and ignorant much to her brother's annoyance, and is perhaps known for saying, "Loooove it!", when she loves something. | |||
After the creation of the first script, all writing parties involved agreed that the scripts "weren't fun or funny, they were flat and boring." The writers successfully explained to the consultants, educators, and psychologists of PBS that children watch television to be entertained and must be entertained to be educated. They were then provided with a new directive, "Come up with entertaining stories and shoehorn in the curriculum wherever it fits!" Scott states that from the experience he learned an invaluable lesson about how to create a successful preschool series.<ref name="entertainfirst">{{Cite web|url=http://www.awn.com/blog/formula-successful-preschool-series-entertain-first-educate-last|title= FORMULA FOR A SUCCESSFUL PRESCHOOL SERIES: ENTERTAIN FIRST, EDUCATE LAST - A Dragon Tale: How an Emmy-nominated PBS preschool series almost died at birth...|first=Jeffrey|last=Scott|publisher=]|date=January 14, 2017|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref> ], ], ], ] (season 1 only), ], ] (season 3 only) and Lotto Animation contributed the animation for this series. ''Dragon Tales'' is one of the last major animation productions in the West to use ] (in season 1 only; the series switched to ] in season 2). | |||
Zak and Wheezie always fly with Enrique, although prior to his debut, Zak and Wheezie rarely flew with any of their human friends. | |||
==Broadcast history== | |||
===Quetzal=== | |||
=== Telecast === | |||
Quetzal, portrayed by ], is a dragon who is the teacher at The School in the Sky where young dragons attend. He has an ] brother named Fernando who works in his garden. Quetzal typically speaks with a Mexican accent, and is likely named for the Aztec deity ]. | |||
''Dragon Tales'' premiered on ] on September 6, 1999, with the episode "To Fly with Dragons/The Forest of Darkness". The installment introduced the characters of Max and Emmy to Dragon Land after discovering a magical dragon scale in their new home and to their new dragon friends. In the first half, they discovered Ord's missing tooth, while the adventures continued in the second story with Ord facing his fear of the dark. A total of forty episodes were aired in the first season, with the finale airing on April 28, 2000. The show also aired on the original ] until that network's closure in 2005. ''Dragon Tales'' was the only CTW show airing on the PBS Kids Channel due to competing network ] having the cable rights to air shows from the CTW's programming library (including its flagship series '']''). | |||
The show's second season premiered on June 4, 2001, and had 25 episodes. 20 of these episodes were broadcast from June 4, 2001 to September 14, 2001. The final installment of this set, "Just the Two of Us/Cowboy Max," was broadcast only in non-U.S. markets such as Guam and Canada and did not premiere to U.S. audiences until the program's third season, though "Cowboy Max" was released on DVD prior to this. Following this, no new episodes were aired until February 21, 2005, leading many long-time viewers to believe the program had been quietly canceled. {{citation needed|date=October 2024}} | |||
===Lorca=== | |||
Lorca, voiced by ], is Max, Emmy, Zak, Wheezie, Ord, and Cassie's friend. He is on a ] and is incapable of flight. | |||
The third season introduced the new character Enrique, an immigrant from Colombia, as well as an updated focus on folk songs and teaching of Spanish. The premiere installment, in two parts, showed Enrique being introduced to the sights and sounds of Dragon Lands, learning to fly on Zak & Wheezie, and having his first adventure. The second half appeared as "The Mystery of the Missing Knuckerholes" in some listings, but on the program was simply titled as Part 2 of the episode. Though 29 episodes were broadcast, including "Just the Two of Us/Cowboy Max," only one story from each was original, while the others were a repeat of a story from the second season. | |||
===Sid Sycamore=== | |||
Sid Sycamore, voiced by ], is a talking ] who loves telling jokes that relate to the concept of trees; the dragons' ] is attached to him. | |||
The series officially concluded on April 11, 2005 with segments "Flip Flop" and a repeat of "Just For Laughs" from the second season. ''Dragon Tales'' would continue to air in reruns on the PBS Kids block (and sister channel ]) until August 31, 2010. | |||
===Finn=== | |||
Finn, voiced by ], is Cassie's younger brother. He is light blue. | |||
The program's first musical album, ''Dragon Tunes'', was released on March 20, 2001 and featured the character themes of Cassie and Ord, as well as tunes such as "Betcha Can," the "Wiggle Song" and "Shake Your Dragon Tail."<ref name="tunes">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Tunes-Brian-Garland/dp/B00005A09V/ |title=Amazon - ''Dragon Tunes''|website=Amazon|access-date=November 26, 2014}}</ref> A second album, ''More Dragon Tunes'', was issued on February 15, 2005. This album introduced the character theme of Zak & Wheezie, as well as a number of new tunes introduced in the program's second and third seasons, including "Hola," "Make a New Friend" and remixes of two previous themes, "Shake Your Dragon Tail" and "Dance."<ref name="moretunes">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/More-Dragon-Tales/dp/B000765I90/ |title=Amazon - ''More Dragon Tunes''|publisher=publisher|access-date=November 26, 2014}}</ref> | |||
===Other characters=== | |||
Each of the following have appeared more than once: | |||
*'''Kiki''', Cassie's younger sister. Kiki is green. (Ellen Kennedy) | |||
* '''Cyrus''', a ]-like "slinky serpent"; he often tries to steal others' eggs to eat. (]) | |||
* '''The Giant of Nod''', leader of a group called the Nodlings. While much bigger than his fellow Nodlings, he is smaller than any of the main characters, but is enormously strong. (]) | |||
* '''Mungus''', a ] who lives in a castle in the clouds; he knows many folks in Dragon Land since he can travel far and wide in just a few steps. (]) | |||
* '''Polly Nimbus''', the operator of the ] Factory, which controls Dragon Land's weather. Her surname is a pun off of ]s. (Kathleen Barr) | |||
* '''Wyatt''', a talking ] that immediately grants any wish for a single coin. Often tells stereotypically bad ]s. He is old friends with Quetzal. Whenever coins pile up too high, he knows it is time for them to emptied and taken to the First Dragonland Bank. Earlier in the series, he was called Willy. (]) | |||
* '''Dr. Booboogone''', a veteran pink dragon who works as a ]. She wears a doctor's coat. (Shirley Milliner) | |||
* '''Captain Scallywag''', a pirate who captains a flying ]. (Scott McNeil) | |||
* '''Eunice''', a ]. She can't see very well, so she wears ]. (]) | |||
* '''Arlo''', a dragon who works at the Dragon Dump; he has a machine at the Dragon Dump which he calls his lil' ol' recycler that sorts out things that can be used again. (Scott McNeil) | |||
* '''Priscilla''', the manager at the lost and found, who during her first appearance, was feeling embarrassed because her wings (often called "feathers") were bigger than other dragon's. She eventually realized that boy dragons like girl dragons with big wings and raises her self-esteem. (]) | |||
* '''Emmy and Max's parents''', they are not seen in the series, but their voices are often heard off-screen in most episodes. They call out to Emmy and Max from downstairs at the beginning or end of an episode. Their mom is voiced by Kathleen Barr, and their dad is voiced by Eli Gabay.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ChantalStrand/status/372122403553284098|author=Chantal Strand|date=2013-08-26|accessdate=2013-08-26|title=I remember their Mom was played by Kathleen Barr, pretty sure Eli Gabbay played their Dad.}}</ref> | |||
== |
=== Other media === | ||
Throughout its history, a number of tie-in book releases were printed, some based on installments of the television program, others not. These included ''Cassie Loves a Parade'',<ref name="parade">{{cite book|title=Amazon - ''Cassie Loves a Parade''|isbn=0375805478|last1=Trimble|first1=Irene|last2=Carrau|first2=Bob|year=2000|publisher=CTW Books/Random House }}</ref> ''Ord Makes a Wish''<ref name="ordwish">{{cite book|title=Amazon - ''Ord Makes a Wish''|isbn=0375813381|last1=Snyder|first1=Margaret|last2=Rodecker|first2=Ron|year=2001|publisher=Random House }}</ref> and ''Taking Care of Quetzal''.<ref name="takingcare">{{cite book|title=Amazon - ''Taking Care of Quetzal''|isbn=0375812849|last1=Trimble|first1=Irene|last2=Rodecker|first2=Ron|year=2001|publisher=Random House }}</ref> | |||
*'''Dragon Beaver Dam''' – A dam where the dragonbeavers reside. | |||
*'''The School in the Sky''' – The school where the dragon children are taught by Quetzal. | |||
*'''Dr. BoobooGone's office''' – Where dragons go when sick or hurt. | |||
*'''Dragoon Lagoon''' – A large lagoon seen in many episodes. It is home to creatures called silliguanas and hissyfish. Iteven has a plug at the bottom just like a bathtub. | |||
*'''The Forest of Darkness''' – A large forest that holds trees with glowing stars, but is very dark. Ord is very afraid of this forest because of its darkness and other things that inhabit this strange Forest. | |||
*'''Turtle Rock''' – A rock that is shaped like a turtle. | |||
*'''Singing Springs''' – A gold fountain that plays music. It is seen in the opening and closing of the Dragon Tunes segment. | |||
*'''Rainbow Canyon''' – A canyon with pigments that make paint. When it rains, the pigments turn to mud. | |||
*'''The Cloud Factory''' – Where a dragon named Polly Nimbus manufactures rain clouds, snow clouds, etc., and ejects them into the sky as needed. | |||
*'''Snowy Summit''' – A frigid, snow-covered mountain range, where Chilly the Snowman and his snow puppy Nippy live. | |||
*'''Stickleback Mountains''' – Another mountain range, with colored sticks that have to be pulled out carefully. | |||
*'''Chile Valley''' – A valley with lots of tasty, yet spicy chilly peppers, which are red in color and resemble dragonberries. | |||
*'''Crystal Cave''' – A giant, crystallized cave where crystals are stored and special crystals dance, with the aid of water from Singing Springs, and some Dandelion fuzzies from the Dandelion Forest. | |||
*'''Crystal Fountain''' – A fountain inside Crystal Cave for cleaning. | |||
*'''Dandelion Forest''' – A forest made of ] that actually roar and growl and are as tall as trees just like real lions. Ord is so allergic to dandelions that when he sneezes in front of the dandelions, he usually does so with an incredible force that the dandelions lose their seeds and turn sad. | |||
*''' Wyatt the Wishing Well''' – A well where dragons or people can make wishes, which actually come true if they flip a coin into the well. The well is inhabited by a purple ] named Wyatt (named Willy in his first appearances) who laughs at lame jokes. | |||
*'''Marshmallow Marsh''' – A swamp full of sticky marshmallow goo, which is almost impossible to clean off and it is near Mushroom Meadow. | |||
*'''Rainbow Falls''' – A waterfall where there are always rainbows. | |||
*'''Dragon Land Laundry''' – A place where dragons do laundry. | |||
*'''Dragon Dump''' – The place where the citizens of Dragon Land send their garbage to be recycled or disposed of. It's run by a dragon named Arlo. | |||
*'''The Knuckerhole''', where Zak & Wheezie live. Of course, there are also lots of other knuckerholes all over Dragonland. | |||
*'''Mushroom Meadow''', a large field of mushrooms with "bouncy" tops. The dragons and the children often play there. | |||
*'''"Lost Forever" Hole''', a small tunnel formed by a river. According to Ord, any thing that flows on the river through the hole is "lost forever". Because it isn't really explored, it is unknown if this is true or not. | |||
*''' Treasure Trove''' a cave where dragons keep their treasure it's guarded by a magic door located in knuckerhole | |||
A special, ''Parent Tales from Dragon Tales'', was produced in association with the program. The program was stated to use "messages built into the children's series to inform parental challenges. From bedtime dramatics to tantrums and assorted other small-fry rebellions..." For the special, parents were given video cameras used to record problematic behavior, then counselors analyzed the video footage and provided specific tips to the parents, who all reported significantly improved behavior two months later. The researchers also discovered from their work on the series that children often think in pictures and that visual aids are often helpful.<ref name="notjustforkids">{{cite news|last=Mason|first=M.S.|date=June 15, 2001|title=These children's television shows aren't just for the kids.|newspaper=]|volume=93|issue=141}}</ref> | |||
==Episodes== | |||
''Main article: ]'' | |||
A ] special, ''Let's Start a Band!'', featuring the dragon characters blended with live humans in a musical show based on the program's "Dragon Tunes" segments, was released on March 2, 2003. | |||
Dragon Tales aired a total of 99 episodes, including the two special episodes "Let's Start a Band!" and "Big Big Friends Day." | |||
== |
==Music== | ||
''Dragon Tales'' featured an original score composed by Jim Latham and Brian Garland.<ref name="traverse">{{cite web|url=http://catalog.tadl.org/eg/opac/record/46716653?loc=22;query=Barr%20Kathleen;qtype=author|title=Traverse Area District Library - Catalog - 'Dragon Tales. Easy as 1, 2, 3' |access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref> Each episode also included an interstitial segment between story airings known as "Dragon Tunes," featuring a song either based on one of the characters of the show, or designed to teach a lesson, such as "Stretch!", which encouraged viewers to reach forward for their goals and "When You Make a New Friend," which espoused the joys of forming a new friendship. The songs were released on the albums ''Dragon Tunes''<ref name="tunes" /> and ''More Dragon Tunes''.<ref name="moretunes" /> | |||
On July 28, 2004 a tie-in video game titled ''Dragon Tales: Dragon Adventures'' was released for the ]. | |||
== |
==Reception== | ||
The series has received generally positive reviews, though its third season received mixed reception due to the introduction of Enrique. ] rated the show a four out of five stars, stating: "''Dragon Tales'' intends to positively impact a child's growth and development by encouraging a love of learning and helping children problem-solve and work through the challenges of growing up. The kids and dragons embark on different adventures and attend the School in the Sky, all while learning how to face their fears and handle new situations. The fun, nurturing, and sometimes challenging atmosphere of Dragon Land is a lot like preschool."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/dragon-tales|title=Dragon Tales - TV Review|date=May 10, 2006|website=www.commonsensemedia.org}}</ref> | |||
*2000 Parents' Choice Silver Award Winner<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=881&award=xx&from=Children%20Television%20Workshop|title=Dragon Tales|publisher=Parents' Choice|accessdate=November 11, 2011}}</ref> | |||
*2001 Parents' Choice Approved Award Winner (for "Dragon Tales: Dragon Tunes" CD)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=4284&award=xx&from=Kid%20Rhino|title=Dragon Tales: Dragon Tunes|publisher=Parents' Choice|accessdate=November 11, 2011}}</ref> | |||
===Awards=== | |||
*2003 Parents' Choice Silver Award Winner (for "Let's Start a Band" video)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=12308&award=xx&from=Sesame%20Workshop|title=Dragon Tales "Let's Start a Band"|publisher=Parents' Choice|accessdate=November 11, 2011}}</ref> | |||
* |
* 2000 ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=881&award=xx&from=Children%20Television%20Workshop|title=Dragon Tales|publisher=Parents' Choice|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213014058/http://parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=881&award=xx&from=Children%20Television%20Workshop|archive-date=13 December 2014|access-date=November 11, 2011}}</ref> | ||
* 2001 Parents' Choice Approved Award Winner (for "Dragon Tales: Dragon Tunes" CD)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=4284&award=xx&from=Kid%20Rhino|title=Dragon Tales: Dragon Tunes|publisher=Parents' Choice|access-date=November 11, 2011}}</ref> | |||
* 2003 Parents' Choice Silver Award Winner (for "Let's Start a Band" video)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=12308&award=xx&from=Sesame%20Workshop|title=Dragon Tales "Let's Start a Band"|publisher=Parents' Choice|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616153455/http://parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=12308&award=xx&from=Sesame%20Workshop|archive-date=16 June 2010|access-date=November 11, 2011}}</ref> | |||
* 2005 Parents' Choice Approved Award Winner (for "Dragon Tales: More Dragon Tunes" CD)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=17645&award=xx&from=Kid%20Rhino|title=Dragon Tales: More Dragon Tunes|publisher=Parents' Choice|access-date=November 11, 2011}}</ref> | |||
The series was nominated for three ]s for ] in 2001, 2002 and 2003, but did not win any. Jason Michas and Kathleen Barr also received ] nominations in 2000 for their performances of Zak and Wheezie respectively. | |||
== In other media == | |||
=== Video games === | |||
] | |||
On November 29, 2000, a video game based on the series, ''Dragon Tales: Dragon Seek'', was released for the ]. Published by ], the player takes control of either Emmy or Max as the player navigates them through Dragon Land playing hide and seek, searching for either Ord, Cassie, Zak and Wheezie, Monsieur Marmaduke or Captain Scallywag that are hiding in certain areas in each level, the player would also have a choice to pick what character they want to search for at the beginning.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/dragon-tales-dragon-seek/|title=Dragon Tales: Dragon Seek|website=GameSpot}}</ref> | |||
On December 16, 2000,<ref name="gamespotwings">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/dragon-tales-dragon-wings/|title=Dragon Tales: Dragon Wings|website=GameSpot}}</ref> another video game, ''Dragon Tales: Dragon Wings'', was issued for ]. Issued by ], the game allowed players to take on the role of a novice dragon that was learning the secrets of flight at Quetzal's School in the Sky. Players moved through 15 levels of obstacles available in three difficulty levels. Reviews were mixed at Amazon.com, with an overall rating of 3/5 stars from ten reviewers. Many praised the graphics and fun of the game, but also felt that the game was too challenging for most younger players and did not offer much educational value.<ref name="amazonwings">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Tales-Wings-Game-Boy-Color/dp/B00004SRFJ/ref=pd_sim_sbs_vg_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1NMWW7XBTKM4EJRC4DGG |title= Dragon Tales: Dragon Wings |work= amazon.com}}</ref> | |||
On July 28, 2001, a third video game titled ''Dragon Tales: Dragon Adventures'' was released for Game Boy Color. Also issued by NewKidCo, the game included journeys to familiar locations from the show including the Stickleback Mountains, the Singing Springs and Crystal Caverns. The game included multiple skill settings and the option to play as Cassie, Ord, Emmy or Max, the title having been issued before the addition of Enrique to the series.<ref name="dragonadventures">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Tales-Adventures-Game-Boy-Color/dp/B00005MOML/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1417813959&sr=1-2&keywords=dragon+tales%3A+dragon+adventures |title= Dragon Tales: Dragon Adventures |work= amazon.com}}</ref> A ] port of the game, issued by ], was released in 2004, which also makes Zak and Wheezie playable in that version. | |||
The show's official website also included a number of tie-in games, such as "Finn's Word Game" and "Dragonberry Surprise," though following the discontinuation of the site, such titles are no longer available.<ref name="sproutgames">{{cite web|url=http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/word_game/index.html |title= Finn's Word Game on the Sprout Online official site|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209161820/http://pbskids.sproutonline.me/dragontales/word_game/index.html|archive-date=December 9, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
In October 2004, ''Scholastic Parent & Child'' selected the CD-ROM game ''Learn & Fly With Dragons'' as teachers' pick for best new tech.<ref name="teacherspick">{{cite journal|last=Buckleitner|first=Warren|date=October 2004|title=Teachers' Picks: Best New Tech|journal=]|volume=12|issue=2}}</ref> | |||
===Marketing and merchandise=== | |||
In addition to the various books, music albums and video game releases, numerous merchandise items featuring the characters of ''Dragon Tales'' were made available for purchase throughout the program's run. A total of six different designs featuring scenes from the program were featured on ] jam jars.<ref name="welchs">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Tales-Welchs-Glass/dp/B00BSN0N0U |title= Dragon Tales #4 Welch's Glass - Emmy and Cassie at Rainbow River|work= amazon.com}}</ref> An official ] for the series titled ''Dragon Tales: A Dragon Land Adventure'', featured obstacles and memory games, with the goal of completing a puzzle. It was released by University Games and overall reviews were generally positive, though also expressed that the game was not very challenging.<ref name="boardgame">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/University-Games-Dragon-Tales-Game/dp/B00008CQM0/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1419365658&sr=1-1&keywords=dragon+tales |title= Dragon Tales: A Dragon Land Adventure |work= amazon.com}}</ref> Other merchandise released for the series included plush toys for most of the major characters, such as Cassie and Quetzal though Enrique, seen only in the program's third season, was never released in plush form and was largely absent from merchandise releases. As early as January 1996, ] reached an agreement for a line of plush, puzzles and board games related to the series to be released beginning in spring 2000.<ref name="kidscreen" /> | |||
For the program's video debut, multiple licensees, including Hasbro, Random House, ] and New Kid Toys promoted in tandem a "Dragon Tales Family Fun Getaway." Promoted via stickers on ''Dragon Tales'' merchandise and home video releases, the promotion was a contest with a grand prize of a four-day, three-night trip for four to San Diego, including a visit to the ].<ref name="blazes">{{cite magazine|last=McCormick|first=Moira|date=June 10, 2010|title=PBS Hit 'Dragon' Blazes on Tristar|magazine=]|volume=112|issue=24}}</ref> | |||
In 2001, ] ran a five-month ''Dragon Tales'' promotion with its apple juice packs. ''Dragon Tales'' character stickers were offered on 50 million packs. Additionally, 20 million bottles offered an instant win game with the top prize as a ''Dragon Tales'' themed party with the pink dragon Cassie and an additional 10,000 prizes of ''Dragon Tales'' books.<ref name="motts">{{cite magazine|last=Finnigan|first=David|date=December 11, 2000|title=Mott's Drinks Up With Sony's Dragon Tales|magazine=]|volume=41|issue=48}}</ref> | |||
===Live events=== | |||
] | |||
A ] stage show called ''Dragon Tales Live!'' features the characters and concepts of the show. It toured nationally in the United States. It featured performers playing the dragons in full body costumes and two real children in each production playing the roles of Max and Emmy. Shows included the "Missing Music Mystery",<ref name="missingmusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.dragontaleslive.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030405034521/http://www.dragontaleslive.com/|archive-date=April 5, 2003|title=''Dragon Tales Live!''|access-date=December 10, 2014}}</ref> "Journey to Crystal Cave" <ref name="crystalcave">{{cite web|url=https://www.questia.com/newspaper/1G1-98864639/sing-along-with-flying-dragons-pbs-series-inspires|title=''Sing along with Flying Dragons; PBS Series Inspires Live Stage Production''}}</ref> and "The Riddle of Rainbow River."<ref name="rainbowriver">{{cite web|url=http://www.dragontaleslive.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040611102840/http://www.dragontaleslive.com/|archive-date=June 11, 2004|title=''Dragon Tales Live!''|access-date=December 10, 2014}}</ref> | |||
''Dragon Tales Live!'' toured from January 2002<ref name="tourdates1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dragontaleslive.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020120222735/http://www.dragontaleslive.com/|archive-date=January 20, 2002|title=''Dragon Tales Live!''|access-date=December 10, 2014}}</ref> until at least March 2006.<ref name="tourdates2">{{cite web|url=http://www.dragontaleslive.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213034312/http://www.dragontaleslive.com/|archive-date=February 13, 2006|title=''Dragon Tales Live!''|access-date=December 10, 2014}}</ref> The program was never modified to include the character of Enrique, who was not added until the program's final season, one year before productions of the stage show ended. | |||
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Latest revision as of 03:36, 11 January 2025
American-Canadian children's animated seriesDragon Tales | |
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Genre | Fantasy |
Created by | |
Developed by |
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Directed by |
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Voices of |
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Theme music composer |
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Opening theme | "Dragon Tales" performed by Mary Wood |
Composers |
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Country of origin |
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Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 94 (155 original segments, 78 original episodes total) (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Running time | 30 minutes (per episode) |
Production companies | Sesame Workshop Adelaide Productions Columbia TriStar Television (seasons 1–2) Sony Pictures Television (season 3) |
Original release | |
Network | PBS Kids PBS Kids Sprout |
Release | September 6, 1999 (1999-09-06) – April 11, 2005 (2005-04-11) |
Dragon Tales is an animated educational fantasy children's television series created by Jim Coane and Ron Rodecker, developed by Coane, Wesley Eure, Jeffrey Scott, Cliff Ruby and Elana Lesser, and produced by the Children's Television Workshop (now known as Sesame Workshop), Columbia TriStar Television (now known as Sony Pictures Television) and Adelaide Productions. The series focuses on the adventures of two siblings, Emmy and Max, and their dragon friends Cassie, Ord, and Zak and Wheezie.
The series began broadcasting on PBS on their newly-renamed PBS Kids block on September 6, 1999, with its final episode airing on April 11, 2005. The show aired reruns on the PBS Kids block (and sister channel PBS Kids Sprout) up until August 31, 2010, when it was dropped entirely from the lineup. Yearim Productions was responsible for the animation for all seasons (Sunwoo Entertainment and Wang Film Productions only did animation for season 1), with the exception of Koko Enterprises, which recorded the show along with BLT Productions. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the United States Department of Education, cereal company Kellogg's and greeting card manufacturer, American Greetings were responsible for funding.
Premise and overview
Dragon Tales official website Parents FAQDragon Tales has three primary educational goals. They are:
- To encourage children to take on new or difficult challenges in their lives
- To help children recognize that there is more than one way to approach a challenge
- To help children understand that to try and not succeed fully is a valuable and natural part of learning
The series focuses on the adventures of six-year-old Emmy and four-year-old Max, two Mexican-American human siblings. Upon moving into their new house, they find an enchanted dragon scale which, upon reciting a special rhyme, can magically transport them to Dragon Land, a whimsical fantasy world inhabited by colorful dragons. Befriended by four dragons with distinctive personalities – the shy, yet intelligent and sweet-natured Cassie; the strong, yet fearful Ord; and polar opposite conjoined twins, neat-freak Zak and rambunctious Wheezie – Emmy and Max frequently travel to Dragon Land and help their friends in fulfilling particular quests, assisting them in their daily problems, and learning important morals through their experiences in Dragon Land. At the end of each episode, Emmy and Max hold hands and recite another special rhyme to return to Earth.
The dragons also each have their own dragon badges worn around their necks that glow when they accomplish something they usually have trouble with. For example, Cassie's glows when she overcomes her anxiety, Ord's glows whenever he faces his fears, and Zak and Wheezie's glow when they overcome their differences and work together.
To educate preschoolers mildly about Hispanic culture, a new character named Enrique was introduced during the show's third and final season, providing the series with a third protagonist. Surrounded by a variety of unique characters and faced with numerous differing situations, Emmy and Max commonly embark on adventures with their dragon friends, conquering fears or achieving goals despite any obstacles along the way.
As a series broadcast on PBS, the program has an educational focus, combining lessons of a pro-social nature with those of more general educational value. Educational themes covered included identifying shapes, learning words and letters in both English and Spanish, counting, and basic math. Social themes are also covered, such as good sportsmanship, the importance of being a good friend, overcoming obstacles such as jealousy or fears, and getting along with siblings. Many of the show's interstitial song segments, known as "Dragon Tunes," also covered such themes, such as "Make It Fun", which encourages viewers to not complain about having to do seemingly mundane chores such as washing dishes or helping parents with cooking meals, but instead, find ways to make them fun; and "Hum," which encourages those who had a fear of the dark or trying new things to hum softly to comfort themselves. Three stated goals of the program's educational philosophy are the encouragement of pursuing new experiences, finding ways to approach and learn from challenges, and that learning can come through trying and not succeeding entirely. Despite two of the show's human leads, Emmy and Enrique, being six years old, the show's described target audience was children closer to the age of four.
Another key topic of the program is the encouragement of honest expressions of emotion. In "Cassie, the Green-Eyed Dragon," Cassie feels jealous of her little brother, Finn, who gets everyone's attention when she takes him to school for "circle time." Discussing the matter with her best friend, Emmy, and her teacher, Quetzal, helps her to understand that jealousy is a natural feeling that everyone experiences sometimes, but that there are ways that she can appreciate her brother, while still feeling appreciated herself. In "Feliz Cumpleaños, Enrique," Enrique feels sad and homesick for his homeland of Colombia when his birthday celebrations in Dragon Land are not like the traditions of those back in his old home. He talks with Quetzal, who encourages him to cry, even though he had been told that crying was something a boy at his age was not supposed to do. After doing so, he feels better and can enjoy his party celebrations.
As with Sesame Street, which is also produced by the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop), the program's creators encourage "co-viewing," the practice of parents or other caregivers watching the program along with their children and engaging in activities such as discussion, singing and dancing, and pretend play. The program's official website offers several activities and lesson plans to aid in these efforts.
Characters
Protagonists Emmy and Max (top image) in a season 2 episode of Dragon Tales, "Lucky Stone" (2001). Ord, Enrique, Max, Emmy, Zak and Wheezie, and Cassie in a season 3 episode (bottom image) of Dragon Tales, "Rise and Bloom" (2005).
Main
- Emmy (voiced by Andrea Libman) is a 6-year-old brunette girl and Max's older sister. She commonly appears as the leader of the group until she gave her position to Enrique while helping him get used to Dragon Land on his first day. She is known for saying "Definitely!" whenever a good ideas arises. Her best friend is Cassie.
- Max (voiced by Danny McKinnon) is a 4-year-old boy and Emmy's younger brother. His best friend is Ord.
- Enrique (voiced by Aida Ortega) is 8 years old, and is Emmy and Max's new next-door neighbor who moved from Colombia to the United States and also once lived in Puerto Rico. He is raised by his father and his grandmother. He travels to Dragon Land with Emmy and Max when Max encourages Emmy to share their secret.
- Cassie (voiced by Chantal Strand) is a very intelligent, shy, cute, reserved, and sweet pink female dragon who is Emmy's best friend. She possesses a magical tendency to shrink when she is sad, or scared of speaking up.
- Ord (voiced by Ty Olsson) is a large blue male dragon who is Max's best friend. He turns invisible when he is upset or frightened.
- Zak (voiced by Jason Michas) and Wheezie (voiced by Kathleen Barr) are conjoined twin green and purple dragons with opposite personalities; Zak is male, and Wheezie is female. Zak's catchphrase is "Take it easy, Wheezie!", which he often says to Wheezie moves around really fast, dragging him with her, and Wheezie's catchphrase is "Loooooove it!" when she loves something.
- Quetzal (voiced by Eli Gabay) is an elderly yellow male dragon originally from Mexico who is the teacher at The School in the Sky where the young dragons attend.
Recurring
- Arlo (voiced by Scott McNeil) is an orange male dragon who works at the Dragon Dump. He has a machine at the Dragon Dump which he calls his "lil' ol' recycler" that sorts out things that can be used again.
- Dr. Booboogone (voiced by Shirley Milliner) is a veteran pink dragon who works as a doctor who helps dragons and other species who are sick or hurt. She wears a doctor's coat.
- Captain Scallywag (voiced by Scott McNeil) is a pirate who captains a flying ship.
- Chilly (voiced by French Tickner) is a living snowman who lives on top of the Stickleback Mountains with his snowdog Nippy.
- Cyrus (voiced by Ian James Corlett) is a conniving lizard-like slinky snake, who serves as an antagonist in the show.
- The Doodle Fairy is a fairy with green skin and purple dress. She does not speak but can doodle.
- Eunice (voiced by Janyse Jaud) is a winged unicorn who cannot see very well, so she wears glasses.
- Finn (voiced by Ellen Kennedy) is Cassie's younger brother. He is light blue, toddler-aged, loves his blankie, and is only just learning to fly. He is prone to throw tantrums when he gets upset.
- The Giant of Nod (voiced by Blu Mankuma in his first appearance and Paul Dobson in "Much Ado About Nodlings" onwards) is the leader of a group of gnome-like creatures called the Nodlings.
- Princess Kidoodle is the ruler of the Doodle Fairy Kingdom. She seems to be much older than any other doodle fairies.
- Kiki (voiced by Ellen Kennedy) is Cassie's baby sister.
- Lorca (voiced by Lenore Zann) is a disabled dragon and Max, Emmy, Zak, Wheezie, Ord and Cassie's friend. He was born without wings and can use a wheelchair because he was born this way and is incapable of flight. Despite his physical limitations, however, Lorca enjoys participating in adventures and sports activities and encourages his friends to think of new ways to do things.
- Norm (voiced by Stevie Vallance) is a friendly little gnome who loves to count.
- Simon (voiced by Ian James Corlett) a gnome-like character who likes to play "Simon Says", his namesake game.
- Monsieur Marmadune (voiced by Cusse Mankuma) is the main ruler and keeper of Kingdom Come, who tells Ord that Kingdom Come is the happiest place a dragon could ever be.
- Mr. Pop (voiced Ian James Corlett) is a gnome-like character that temporarily steals Wheezie's laugh with his sound switcher in "Wheezie's Last Laugh".
- Mungus (voiced by Garry Chalk) is a friendly giant who lives in a castle in the clouds. He knows many folks in Dragon Land since he can travel far and wide in just a few steps.
- Polly Nimbus (voiced by Kathleen Barr) is the operator of the cloud factory, which controls Dragon Land's weather.
- Priscilla (voiced by Erin Fitzgerald) is the manager at the Lost and Not-Yet-Found, who during her first appearance, was feeling embarrassed because her wings were bigger than those of other dragons. She eventually realized that there is nothing wrong with being different when she uses her big wings to help Mungus clean up his castle in a "different" way.
- Sid Sycamore (voiced by Scott McNeil) is a talking tree who loves telling jokes that relate to the concept of trees.
- Spike (voiced by Danny McKinnon) is a brief student who loves his yo-yo but he can also act as a mean bully whenever he gets upset or lonely. He is paired up with Cassie when the group picks Dragon Plums. He bullies Cassie and when she gets upset about this, Quetzal advises her to be friends with Spike. Because Quetzal implied that Spike might only be a bully because he is upset and alone, much like how Cassie shrinks when she is shy, scared, or upset.
- Windy (voiced by Erin Fitzgerald in Season 1 and Maggie Blue O'Hara in Seasons 2-3) is a little wind who likes to blow like her father.
- Wyatt (voiced by Doug Parker) is a talking wishing well that immediately grants any wish for a single coin. He's old friends with Quetzal.
- Emmy and Max's Mom (voiced by Kathleen Barr) & Dad (voiced by Eli Gabay), who occasionally speak off-screen.
Episodes
Main article: List of Dragon Tales episodesSeason | Episodes | Originally released | ||
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First released | Last released | |||
1 | 40 | September 6, 1999 (1999-09-06) | April 28, 2000 (2000-04-28) | |
2 | 24 | June 4, 2001 (2001-06-04) | October 8, 2002 (2002-10-08) | |
3 | 30 | February 21, 2005 (2005-02-21) | April 11, 2005 (2005-04-11) |
Dragon Tales aired a total of 94 episodes, 40 in its first season, 24 in its second season, and 30 in its third season. Each episode featured two original stories, aired back-to-back, split by the interstitial song segment "Dragon Tunes," all of which were eventually released on the show's music albums. Almost all episodes from the third season, however, generally contained at least one repeat of a story from the program's second season (As evidenced by the absence of Enrique.) and some were even repeats of material from that season and earlier material from the third season. In all, there were a total of 155 original stories. The show also had one special: Let's Start a Band, released in 2003, was a musical feature in which the characters of the show were seen alongside real human children.
Development
Dragon Tales is based on characters created in 1978 by Laguna Beach, California artist and retired educator Ron Rodecker. Rodecker was recovering from a coronary artery bypass graft when he began sketching dragons as a means of symbolizing forces in life that were too big to control. In 1995, Jim Coane, then a producer at Columbia TriStar Television, found the artwork and developed it into a television series with several writers. The project was considered something of a risky venture because it was not based on a well-known franchise like many children's television programs, such as Arthur or Paddington Bear. The series was immediately shipped to PBS member stations at the suggestion of PBS, but all originally passed at the time.
In October 1995, Jim Coane met Marjorie Kalins, senior VP of programming and production at Children's Television Workshop, and showed her the idea for the series. Kalins, who loved the idea, brought the series to Children's Television Workshop, which agreed to a partnership with the Columbia TriStar Television Group. Kalins helped him and Columbia TriStar Television obtain an $8.5 million grant from the Department of Education and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The grant proposal was written by former Days of Our Lives cast member and Finders Keepers host Wesley Eure. Coane stated that there was never any consideration of trying to shop the program to a commercial broadcast network and that PBS was, in his mind, the only destination for the program. As Columbia TriStar was the TV division of two major Hollywood film studios, which in turn are owned by the Sony Pictures Entertainment division of Japanese multinational conglomerate Sony, Dragon Tales became one of the few PBS Kids and Sprout programs to be co-produced by a major Hollywood studio's TV subsidiary; The other PBS shows were Bill Nye the Science Guy (made by Walt Disney Television), and Curious George (produced by Universal Television). In 2002, CTTV was renamed to Sony Pictures Television, a company that would co-produce the third season of the program.
After a tour of the lot of Sony Pictures Studios, Wesley Eure created the first treatment of the show, including the initial conception of the two-headed dragon Zak and Wheezie, back then known as "Snarf and Bugger." The series received a massive multi-million dollar grant from the federal government, beating out The Muppets and Sesame Street for the request. As part of the conditions for the grant, Eure was required to create a companion series for the program, which he titled Show and Tell Me, based on his own lecture series known as "Anyone Can Write a Book." Though the companion series was never actually created, Eure remains hopeful that it will one day be produced. Eure's name was not included in the initial credits for the series, forcing him to hire an attorney to ensure that he received credit.
Following the development of a show bible by Jeffrey Scott, with some tweaks by writers Cliff Ruby and Elana Lesser, the series was ordered for just over 60 eleven-minute episodes by PBS. Scott was assigned to write and edit half, with Ruby/Lesser assigned to the other half. At this point, the writing team was provided with a document titled "FUN AND LEARNING IN DRAGON LAND: A Writer's Guide to Dragon Tales Educational Content" which provided directives as to which curriculum should be included within the stories, such as "emotional challenges > understanding other people's emotions > recognizing and labeling feelings in others" and the statement that "CURRICULUM IS PARAMOUNT!"
After the creation of the first script, all writing parties involved agreed that the scripts "weren't fun or funny, they were flat and boring." The writers successfully explained to the consultants, educators, and psychologists of PBS that children watch television to be entertained and must be entertained to be educated. They were then provided with a new directive, "Come up with entertaining stories and shoehorn in the curriculum wherever it fits!" Scott states that from the experience he learned an invaluable lesson about how to create a successful preschool series. Dong Woo Animation, Rough Draft Korea, Sunwoo Entertainment, Wang Film Productions (season 1 only), Yearim, Siriol Productions (season 3 only) and Lotto Animation contributed the animation for this series. Dragon Tales is one of the last major animation productions in the West to use cel animation (in season 1 only; the series switched to digital ink and paint in season 2).
Broadcast history
Telecast
Dragon Tales premiered on PBS Kids on September 6, 1999, with the episode "To Fly with Dragons/The Forest of Darkness". The installment introduced the characters of Max and Emmy to Dragon Land after discovering a magical dragon scale in their new home and to their new dragon friends. In the first half, they discovered Ord's missing tooth, while the adventures continued in the second story with Ord facing his fear of the dark. A total of forty episodes were aired in the first season, with the finale airing on April 28, 2000. The show also aired on the original PBS Kids Channel until that network's closure in 2005. Dragon Tales was the only CTW show airing on the PBS Kids Channel due to competing network Noggin having the cable rights to air shows from the CTW's programming library (including its flagship series Sesame Street).
The show's second season premiered on June 4, 2001, and had 25 episodes. 20 of these episodes were broadcast from June 4, 2001 to September 14, 2001. The final installment of this set, "Just the Two of Us/Cowboy Max," was broadcast only in non-U.S. markets such as Guam and Canada and did not premiere to U.S. audiences until the program's third season, though "Cowboy Max" was released on DVD prior to this. Following this, no new episodes were aired until February 21, 2005, leading many long-time viewers to believe the program had been quietly canceled.
The third season introduced the new character Enrique, an immigrant from Colombia, as well as an updated focus on folk songs and teaching of Spanish. The premiere installment, in two parts, showed Enrique being introduced to the sights and sounds of Dragon Lands, learning to fly on Zak & Wheezie, and having his first adventure. The second half appeared as "The Mystery of the Missing Knuckerholes" in some listings, but on the program was simply titled as Part 2 of the episode. Though 29 episodes were broadcast, including "Just the Two of Us/Cowboy Max," only one story from each was original, while the others were a repeat of a story from the second season.
The series officially concluded on April 11, 2005 with segments "Flip Flop" and a repeat of "Just For Laughs" from the second season. Dragon Tales would continue to air in reruns on the PBS Kids block (and sister channel PBS Kids Sprout) until August 31, 2010.
The program's first musical album, Dragon Tunes, was released on March 20, 2001 and featured the character themes of Cassie and Ord, as well as tunes such as "Betcha Can," the "Wiggle Song" and "Shake Your Dragon Tail." A second album, More Dragon Tunes, was issued on February 15, 2005. This album introduced the character theme of Zak & Wheezie, as well as a number of new tunes introduced in the program's second and third seasons, including "Hola," "Make a New Friend" and remixes of two previous themes, "Shake Your Dragon Tail" and "Dance."
Other media
Throughout its history, a number of tie-in book releases were printed, some based on installments of the television program, others not. These included Cassie Loves a Parade, Ord Makes a Wish and Taking Care of Quetzal.
A special, Parent Tales from Dragon Tales, was produced in association with the program. The program was stated to use "messages built into the children's series to inform parental challenges. From bedtime dramatics to tantrums and assorted other small-fry rebellions..." For the special, parents were given video cameras used to record problematic behavior, then counselors analyzed the video footage and provided specific tips to the parents, who all reported significantly improved behavior two months later. The researchers also discovered from their work on the series that children often think in pictures and that visual aids are often helpful.
A direct-to-video special, Let's Start a Band!, featuring the dragon characters blended with live humans in a musical show based on the program's "Dragon Tunes" segments, was released on March 2, 2003.
Music
Dragon Tales featured an original score composed by Jim Latham and Brian Garland. Each episode also included an interstitial segment between story airings known as "Dragon Tunes," featuring a song either based on one of the characters of the show, or designed to teach a lesson, such as "Stretch!", which encouraged viewers to reach forward for their goals and "When You Make a New Friend," which espoused the joys of forming a new friendship. The songs were released on the albums Dragon Tunes and More Dragon Tunes.
Reception
The series has received generally positive reviews, though its third season received mixed reception due to the introduction of Enrique. Common Sense Media rated the show a four out of five stars, stating: "Dragon Tales intends to positively impact a child's growth and development by encouraging a love of learning and helping children problem-solve and work through the challenges of growing up. The kids and dragons embark on different adventures and attend the School in the Sky, all while learning how to face their fears and handle new situations. The fun, nurturing, and sometimes challenging atmosphere of Dragon Land is a lot like preschool."
Awards
- 2000 Parents' Choice Silver Award Winner
- 2001 Parents' Choice Approved Award Winner (for "Dragon Tales: Dragon Tunes" CD)
- 2003 Parents' Choice Silver Award Winner (for "Let's Start a Band" video)
- 2005 Parents' Choice Approved Award Winner (for "Dragon Tales: More Dragon Tunes" CD)
The series was nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Animated Program in 2001, 2002 and 2003, but did not win any. Jason Michas and Kathleen Barr also received Annie Award nominations in 2000 for their performances of Zak and Wheezie respectively.
In other media
Video games
On November 29, 2000, a video game based on the series, Dragon Tales: Dragon Seek, was released for the PlayStation. Published by NewKidCo, the player takes control of either Emmy or Max as the player navigates them through Dragon Land playing hide and seek, searching for either Ord, Cassie, Zak and Wheezie, Monsieur Marmaduke or Captain Scallywag that are hiding in certain areas in each level, the player would also have a choice to pick what character they want to search for at the beginning.
On December 16, 2000, another video game, Dragon Tales: Dragon Wings, was issued for Game Boy Color. Issued by NewKidCo, the game allowed players to take on the role of a novice dragon that was learning the secrets of flight at Quetzal's School in the Sky. Players moved through 15 levels of obstacles available in three difficulty levels. Reviews were mixed at Amazon.com, with an overall rating of 3/5 stars from ten reviewers. Many praised the graphics and fun of the game, but also felt that the game was too challenging for most younger players and did not offer much educational value.
On July 28, 2001, a third video game titled Dragon Tales: Dragon Adventures was released for Game Boy Color. Also issued by NewKidCo, the game included journeys to familiar locations from the show including the Stickleback Mountains, the Singing Springs and Crystal Caverns. The game included multiple skill settings and the option to play as Cassie, Ord, Emmy or Max, the title having been issued before the addition of Enrique to the series. A Game Boy Advance port of the game, issued by Global Star Software, was released in 2004, which also makes Zak and Wheezie playable in that version.
The show's official website also included a number of tie-in games, such as "Finn's Word Game" and "Dragonberry Surprise," though following the discontinuation of the site, such titles are no longer available.
In October 2004, Scholastic Parent & Child selected the CD-ROM game Learn & Fly With Dragons as teachers' pick for best new tech.
Marketing and merchandise
In addition to the various books, music albums and video game releases, numerous merchandise items featuring the characters of Dragon Tales were made available for purchase throughout the program's run. A total of six different designs featuring scenes from the program were featured on Welch's jam jars. An official board game for the series titled Dragon Tales: A Dragon Land Adventure, featured obstacles and memory games, with the goal of completing a puzzle. It was released by University Games and overall reviews were generally positive, though also expressed that the game was not very challenging. Other merchandise released for the series included plush toys for most of the major characters, such as Cassie and Quetzal though Enrique, seen only in the program's third season, was never released in plush form and was largely absent from merchandise releases. As early as January 1996, Hasbro reached an agreement for a line of plush, puzzles and board games related to the series to be released beginning in spring 2000.
For the program's video debut, multiple licensees, including Hasbro, Random House, Sony PlayStation and New Kid Toys promoted in tandem a "Dragon Tales Family Fun Getaway." Promoted via stickers on Dragon Tales merchandise and home video releases, the promotion was a contest with a grand prize of a four-day, three-night trip for four to San Diego, including a visit to the San Diego Zoo.
In 2001, Mott's ran a five-month Dragon Tales promotion with its apple juice packs. Dragon Tales character stickers were offered on 50 million packs. Additionally, 20 million bottles offered an instant win game with the top prize as a Dragon Tales themed party with the pink dragon Cassie and an additional 10,000 prizes of Dragon Tales books.
Live events
A musical stage show called Dragon Tales Live! features the characters and concepts of the show. It toured nationally in the United States. It featured performers playing the dragons in full body costumes and two real children in each production playing the roles of Max and Emmy. Shows included the "Missing Music Mystery", "Journey to Crystal Cave" and "The Riddle of Rainbow River."
Dragon Tales Live! toured from January 2002 until at least March 2006. The program was never modified to include the character of Enrique, who was not added until the program's final season, one year before productions of the stage show ended.
References
- "American Animation Directory- KOKO Productions Inc". Archived from the original on 2019-12-22. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
Award winning recording studio and production house. Selected animation credits: Ed Edd n Eddy, Dragon Tales, Johnny Test, Transformers, Bratz, Care Bears, He-Man, Krypto, Madeline, Martin Mystery, Strawberry Shortcake, Noddy. Features: Barbie (Island Princess, Christmas Carol, Thumbelina, Diamond Castle), My Scene, The Condor, The Chameleon, Edison & Leo, My Little Pony.
- "Dragon Tales – "A Magical World of Rainbow Rivers and Talking Trees", archive, on Sesame Workshop's official website". 9 December 2022.
- "Sony Pictures Television official Dragon Tales site". Archived from the original on February 16, 2013.
- "TV.com – Dragon Tales episode listing". Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
- Miss Lori & Hooper Preschool Close (2007 WFWA-TV), 16 September 2017, retrieved 2019-09-08
- ^ "Parents & Teachers - Dragon Tales - Frequently Asked Questions for Parents". Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- "Dragons & diversity | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
- "Parents & Teachers - Dragon Tales - Educational Philosophy". Archived from the original on March 8, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- Scott, Jeffrey. (2002). How to Write for Animation. New York: Overlook Hardcover. ISBN 1-5856-7240-8. p. 126
- Dragon Tales story - Season 2 - "Cassie, the Green-Eyed Dragon"
- Dragon Tales story - Season 3 - "Feliz Cumpleaños, Enrique"
- "Dragon Tales - Parents & Teachers - Activities". Archived from the original on December 13, 2014.
- "Dragon Tales - Parents & Teachers - Lesson Plans". Archived from the original on December 13, 2014.
- ^ "Parents & Teachers - Dragon Tales - Character Descriptions". Archived from the original on March 8, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- "Behind The Voice Actors - Dragon Tales". 2013-09-24. Archived from the original on 2013-09-24. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
- ^ Eure, Wesley. "Dragon Tales - Wesley Eure". Retrieved March 13, 2017.
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External links
- Dragon Tales at IMDb
- Parent Tales from Dragon Tales on the official PBS website (Internet Archive)
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