''Craig of the Creek'' is an American
animated television series
An animated series is a set of Animation, animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can ...
created by Matt Burnett and Ben Levin for
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
. The show's pilot episode debuted directly on the
official app on December 1, 2017. The series premiered online on February 19, 2018, with a double-premiere event airing on March 30, 2018.
On February 17, 2021, the series was renewed for a fourth season which premiered on October 25, 2021.
On January 19, 2022, the series was renewed for a fifth season, set to premiere in early 2023.
Additionally, a spin-off for
Cartoonito
Cartoonito is a brand name used by Warner Bros. Discovery for a collection of television networks and programming blocks that target preschool-age children. The name combines the "cartoon" with the Spanish suffix "ito", meaning "small".
As of 2 ...
, ''Jessica's Big Little World'',
and an origin film titled ''Craig of the Creek: The Movie'',
are currently in production.
In October 2022, it was announced that the fifth season of the series would be cut in half by
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at 230 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was formed after the spin-off of WarnerMedia by AT&T, and its merger with Di ...
.
In December 2022, it was announced the show's final episode had been written, and that seven episodes were cut from the fifth season.
The series has received positive reviews from critics. Its friendship, diversity and
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is a ...
themes have attracted a broad fanbase.
Synopsis
In the fictional suburban
Baltimore/DC area town of Herkleton,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, a boy named Craig Williams and his two friends, Kelsey Pokoly and John Paul "J.P." Mercer, have their many adventures in the titular creek, described as a kid utopia of untamed wilderness in which tribes of children reign over tree forts and dirt bike ramps.
Characters
Main
* Craig Williams (voiced by Philip Solomon) – A 10-year-old boy who enjoys playing at the creek with his friends, Kelsey and J.P. He is a natural leader and always tries to help other kids when they need it the most. He has a colorful family that has been the focus of several episodes (such as King Of Camping). Craig typically carries a homemade staff and a purse, each holding sentimental value. In "Escape from Family Dinner", it is shown that Craig takes advanced math and admits that he likes the class. He also takes on the role of a
cartographer
Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an im ...
as he is constantly making additions to his detailed map of the Creek.
* Kelsey Pokoly (voiced by Georgie Kidder (pilot, season 1, episodes 1–3),
Noël Wells
Noël Kristi Wells (born December 23, 1986) is an American actress, comedian, impressionist, writer, director, singer, and musician. Wells is known for her television roles as Rachel Silva in the Netflix comedy-drama ''Master of None'' (20152017), ...
(season 1, episode 4–present)) – A ginger-haired, 9-year-old girl who is one of Craig's close friends. She is always seen wearing a purple cape and has a pet
budgerigar
The budgerigar ( ; ''Melopsittacus undulatus''), also known as the common parakeet or shell parakeet, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot usually nicknamed the budgie ( ), or in American English, the parakeet. Budgies are the only spe ...
(which she identifies as a falcon) named Mortimor who is usually perched on top of her head. She typically carries a homemade
PVC pipe sword which she proudly made herself partly with the help of a blacksmith. She and her family are implied to be
Hungarian in "The Invitation" and "The Last Kid in the Creek" due to her knowledge of
Hungarian cuisine
Hungarian or Magyar cuisine is the cuisine characteristic of the nation of Hungary and its primary ethnic group, the Magyars. Traditional Hungarian dishes are primarily based on meats, seasonal vegetables, fruits, bread, and dairy products. ...
; Pokoly, her family name, is likely derived from the Hungarian word
pokoli, meaning "hellish". She is adventurous, loves books, and tends to be overly dramatic. She often internally narrates her life, for which others are completely aware. She is raised by her single
widower
A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died.
Terminology
The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word can s ...
father. In "Doorway to Helen", it is revealed that Kelsey is Jewish, and in "Fire and Ice" it is revealed that she is a
lesbian
A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
.
* John Paul "J.P." Mercer (voiced by H. Michael Croner) – A tall 11-year-old boy who is another one of Craig's close friends. He wears an oversized red hockey jersey. While not shown to be very bright, he is imaginative and kind to those around him. He is prone to getting very dirty and injuring himself. "J.P." is short for John Paul, as revealed in "You're It". In "Under the Overpass", Craig stated that he and Kelsey "found" J.P. in a previous adventure.
Craig's family
* Jessica Williams (voiced by Dharma Brown (pilot) and Lucia Cunningham (series)) – Craig's 6-year-old younger sister who typically likes to keep everything in check by describing her actions out loud. She is very smart for her age, detail-oriented, and already shows an interest in the
stock market
A stock market, equity market, or share market is the aggregation of buyers and sellers of stocks (also called shares), which represent ownership claims on businesses; these may include ''securities'' listed on a public stock exchange, as ...
.
* Bernard Williams (voiced by
Phil LaMarr
Phillip LaMarr (born January 24, 1967) is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter. LaMarr was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV''. His voice acting roles in animated series include J ...
) – Craig's smart, no-nonsense, and sometimes snobby, teenage older brother. He looks down on Craig and his misadventures at the creek. He is obsessed with getting good grades and getting into an
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight schools ...
school. He values love and the importance of homework.
* Duane Williams (voiced by
Terry Crews
Terry Alan Crews (born July 30, 1968) is an American actor, television host, and former American footballer. He played Julius Rock in the UPN/ CW sitcom ''Everybody Hates Chris'', which aired from 2005 to 2009, and portrayed Terry Jeffords ...
) — Craig's understanding father who works as a
computer programmer
A computer programmer, sometimes referred to as a software developer, a software engineer, a programmer or a coder, is a person who creates computer programs — often for larger computer software.
A programmer is someone who writes/creates ...
. He sometimes plays retro video games with Craig. He loves dad jokes.
* Nicole Williams (voiced by
Kimberly Hébert Gregory
Kimberly Hébert Gregory ( née Hébert; born December 7, 1972) is an American actress. She began her career in theatre before her breakthrough role as Dr. Belinda Brown in the HBO comedy series ''Vice Principals'' in 2016.Meriah Dot"Vice Princip ...
) – Craig's loving mother who works as a
school counselor
A school counselor is a professional who works in primary (elementary and middle) schools or secondary schools to provide academic, career, college access/affordability/admission, and social-emotional competencies to all students through a school ...
and cares deeply for her children. She is a graduate of
Howard University
Howard University (Howard) is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commissi ...
.
*Earl Williams (voiced by LaMarr (pilot) and
Phil Morris (series)) – Craig's grandfather and Duane's father. Craig looks up to him and has inherited his adventurous spirit.
* JoJo Williams (voiced by Saundra McClain) – Craig's grandmother and Duane's mother who is a city councilwoman and was a
civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
activist back in the 1960s.
Music
The show's music is composed by
Jeff Rosenstock
Jeffrey Ernest Rosenstock (born September 7, 1982) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter from Long Island, New York. He is known for his former bands Bomb the Music Industry! and The Arrogant Sons of Bitches, as well ...
, who specializes in the
ska
Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
genre. Ben Levin and Matt Burnett are both fans of ska, which is why they wanted Rosenstock for the job.
Episodes
Production
Development
The greenlit announcement publicly made on March 30, 2017 alongside other shows such as ''
Apple & Onion'' and ''
Summer Camp Island
''Summer Camp Island'' is an American animated television series created by Julia Pott for Cartoon Network. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, it premiered on July 7, 2018.
The series depicts the episodic adventures of Oscar and Hedgehog, bot ...
''. Matt Burnett also stated on his Twitter account that he and his team had recently begun production around that time.
In August 2021, Trammell told ''
Insider
''Insider'', previously named ''Business Insider'' (''BI''), is an American financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Insider''s parent company Insider Inc. has been owned by the German publ ...
'' that the show's writing room is full of more than 40 people "all with different backgrounds and different experiences, who are willing to share those experiences."
He also said the show is different from shows where there is only one person of color in the writing room, stating that since their writing room is open "it never feels like you're the one representative."
LGBT representation
In April 2018, two
lesbian
A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
characters were confirmed. In their debut episode, "The Curse", Tabitha refuses to go college and wants to spend time with Courtney. Courtney blushes, and they are holding hands in the end.
In "The Haunted Dollhouse", they have feelings for each other, which is confirmed, and they kiss.
In December 2019, it was confirmed that the show had a
non-binary
Non-binary and genderqueer are umbrella terms for gender identities that are not solely male or femaleidentities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically ...
character, named Angel José. Their voice actor, Angel Lorenzana, who also uses they/them pronouns, an agender storyboard artist for the show, confirmed this. In later tweets, they added that their "cartoon self" used they/them before themselves, gave a shout out to the show's crew, and said that while this is a small contribution to LGBTQ+ representation, they hope "fans can take comfort knowing that there's also non-binary people working behind the scenes" on every of the show's episodes. Some praised the show for the number of non-binary characters, comparing it to the apparent number of “non-binary characters” in ''
Steven Universe
''Steven Universe'' is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe ( Zach Callison), who lives with the Crystal Gems—magical, mineral ...
'', where every Gem is “non-binary” (Though the Gems are biologically genderless and all use female pronouns)
Other LGBTQ characters appear in the show like J.P.'s openly lesbian older sister, Laura. In the episode "Jextra Perrestrial", She is shown to be in a same-sex relationship with a girl named Kat. Laura is voiced by openly lesbian comedian
Fortune Feimster
Emily Fortune Feimster (; born July 1, 1980) is an American writer, comedian, and actress. Having made her television debut on NBC's ''Last Comic Standing'' in 2010, Feimster starred as Colette on '' The Mindy Project'' (2015–2017). In July 2 ...
. Raj and Shawn, Honeysuckle Rangers from a neighborhood nearby, are implied to have feelings for each other in several episodes. Raj is voiced by openly gay actor
Parvesh Cheena
Parvesh Singh Cheena (born July 22, 1979) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Gupta in the TV series ''Outsourced'' and as Sunil Odhav on ''Crazy Ex-Girlfriend''. He also voices Bodhi in ''T.O.T.S.''
Early life
Cheena was ...
. Also, the episode "Cousin of the Creek", Jasmine tells her cousin "I'm texting my girlfriend, mind your business."
The season 4 episode "Fire and Ice" focuses on Kelsey and Stacks' relationship as they confessed their love to each other. At the end of another season 4 episode, "Silver Fist Returns", Cat Burglar (Secret Keeper) is revealed to be gay and has a crush on George of The Tea Timers. George blushes and asks him out and he accepts, making them officially a couple. Secret Keeper is voiced by non-binary actor
Cole Escola
Cole Escola (born November 25, 1986) is an American comedian, actor, and singer. They are best known for their cabaret work and their appearances on the television series '' Jeffery & Cole Casserole'' (2009–2010), ''Difficult People'' (2015– ...
.
Broadcast
On July 15, 2019, it was announced that the series was renewed for a third season which premiered on June 21, 2020. It was later renewed for a fourth season on February 17, 2021, which premiered on October 25, 2021,
and a fifth season on January 19, 2022, which is expected to premiere in early 2023.
In October 2022, it was announced that the fifth season will be cut in half by
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at 230 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was formed after the spin-off of WarnerMedia by AT&T, and its merger with Di ...
.
On May 2, 2022, the show also began airing reruns on Cartoon Network's sister channel,
Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...
.
The show left Boomerang on October 28, 2022, along with Teen Titans Go!, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Total Dramarama, as those shows still air on Cartoon Network.
International broadcast
The series made its international debut on
Teletoon
Teletoon (stylized as TELETOON) is a Canadian English-language specialty channel owned by Teletoon Canada, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. Its name is a portmanteau of "television" and " cartoon". The channel primarily broadcasts ...
in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
on May 3, 2018. In most countries in Europe and Latin America, it airs on Cartoon Network.
Home media
Reception
The series was received positively. Emily Ashby of
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children. described the series as "appealing" with its "affirming messages." She also argued that the series had recurring themes of "creativity, joy, adventure, individuality, and self-discovery".
Awards and nominations
Spin-off
On February 17, 2021, it was announced that a preschool spin-off series centered on Craig's little sister Jessica was in development. Titled ''Jessica's Big Little World'', the new series is set to air as part of Cartoon Network's
Cartoonito
Cartoonito is a brand name used by Warner Bros. Discovery for a collection of television networks and programming blocks that target preschool-age children. The name combines the "cartoon" with the Spanish suffix "ito", meaning "small".
As of 2 ...
preschool block.
On January 19, 2022, it was announced that the series would premiere in 2023.
In October 2022, it was announced that the first season of the spin-off will be cut in half by
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at 230 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was formed after the spin-off of WarnerMedia by AT&T, and its merger with Di ...
.
Series ending
In December 2022, it was announced the series finished production and seven episodes were cut from the fifth season.
Film
An origin film, ''Craig of the Creek: The Movie'', was announced on January 19, 2022 and set to release in 2023.
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Cartoon, Animation, Television, Cartoon Network, LGBTQ
2018 American television series debuts
2010s American LGBT-related animated television series
2020s American LGBT-related animated television series
2010s American LGBT-related comedy television series
2020s American LGBT-related comedy television series
2010s American animated television series
2020s American animated television series
2010s American black cartoons
2020s American black cartoons
American children's animated adventure television series
American children's animated comedy television series
Animated television series about children
Cartoon Network original programming
Television series by Cartoon Network Studios
English-language television shows
Television shows set in Maryland
Disability in television