Yo Gabba Gabba

''Yo Gabba Gabba!'' is a children's musical television series created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. The series is about five costumed toys come-to-life and their friend DJ Lance Rock ( Lance Robertson). It is co-produced by Magic Store Productions and WildBrain. Its first episode premiered on Nickelodeon on August 20, 2007, as a part of its Nick Jr. block. Its original run ended on November 12, 2015.

A single topic is addressed in each episode (such as "Adventure", "Friends", or "Dance") through songs and short storylines. Additionally, the show teaches children life and social skills, such as sharing and trying different foods. It also encourages viewers to move along with and dance with the characters in the program. The show is noted for its indie-culture guest stars and bands, and for drawing visual inspiration from 8-bit video games and ''H.R. Pufnstuf'', among other television shows. Created by Christian Jacobs (lead singer of the Aquabats) and Scott Schultz, the show's learning process has parents, older siblings, and younger children watch the show together rather than letting it act as a babysitter. The television program spawned a touring live stage show, several toys, and branded clothing.

On September 10, 2021, WildBrain announced that the series would be revived for 20 new episodes, which will be produced in collaboration between WildBrain and Yo Gabba Gabba LLC (the co-owners of the ''Yo Gabba Gabba!'' brand). The new episodes will premiere on Apple TV+, which also acquired the previous episodes and specials for its service.

Overview

Hosted by a musician named DJ Lance Rock, the series features live-action segments featuring 5 costumed toys: Muno (a red cyclops), Foofa (a pink flower bubble), Brobee (a green broccoli bee/monster), Toodee (a blue cat-dragon), and Plex (a yellow robot). In between the main segments are many short animated sketches and songs.

Among the varied animation sequences during the show was "Super Martian Robot Girl", designed by indie cartoonists Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer. The title character of the segment was voiced by Ariela Barer in season one and Caroline Jacobs in season three.

Kidrobot made the toy models of the characters that appear at the beginning and end of each episode. The title of the show pays homage to " Gabba Gabba Hey" by the punk rock band Ramones.

History

''Yo Gabba Gabba!'' was developed by two Southern California fathers and punk rockers, Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz, who first started working together as teenagers, producing and directing skateboarding videos. Their goal was to design a kids' show that was entertaining while featuring real artists and real performers. Both had no past experience writing scripts for television, let alone children's broadcasting or education. In developing the show they took inspiration from a number of classic children's series including ''Sesame Street'', ''The Electric Company'', ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'', ''Zoom'', as well as Sid and Marty Krofft puppet shows ''The Banana Splits'' and '' H. R. Pufnstuf''.

In 1999, after becoming parents, Jacobs and Schultz started playing around with ideas for children's television and produced a pilot independently financed by small loans from friends and family. ''Yo Gabba Gabba!'' did not get much attention until it started circulating on the Internet. Jared Hess, the director of ''Napoleon Dynamite'' and ''Nacho Libre'', saw the pilot online and recommended it to Brown Johnson, the executive vice president and executive creative director of Nickelodeon Preschool.

Episode format

All episodes follow a similar format. In the opening scene of the episode, DJ Lance is shown walking on a plain white background while holding a silver radio with colorful buttons. He then arrives at a table with four different colored lands and a silver design underneath it. He then places down the boombox, and then he shouts "YOOOO Gabba Gabba!" and opens the boombox, and inside it are five toys: Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex. He places down the toys one-by-one, and then they become alive.

The episode features four main segments (shortened to three after the first season) that are connected to each other as a plot. They involve DJ Lance and the Gabba gang doing an activity. After each main segment, a short clip is shown that shows a child dancing around. The child says his or her name, followed by "I like to dance!".

Between the main segments, there is another segment called "The Super Music Friends Show", which features a performance by an artist or a band about the episode's theme. Other small segments include "Mark's Magic Pictures" and "Biz's Beat of the Day".

Near the end of each episode, DJ Lance and the Gabba gang do a mix-like song about what had occurred during the main segments. After it is finished, DJ Lance thanks to the children at home for playing along and shouts "YOOOO Gabba Gabba!" once again. Then Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex turn back into toys. One-by-one, DJ Lance puts them back in the boombox, closes it, and then walks off carrying it, thus ending each episode.

Cast and characters

* DJ Lance Rock – Lance Robertson (voice dubbed by Ortis Deley in the UK version): a human DJ who is the friend of the Gabba gang and the show's host. He likes to fly.
* Muno – voiced by Adam Deibert (Bob Golding in the UK version): a friendly red cyclops who is the main character. He is the tallest, is somewhat clumsy and has a close friend with Foofa. Muno is also the band's guitarist. He lives in a rock-filled summer-themed place called "Muno Land". His hobbies are playing his guitar, seeing bugs, skateboarding, and building blocks. His realm resembles the desert and he has a pet horse. During Super Bowl XLIV, he appeared in a 2010 commercial for the Kia Sorento.
* Foofa – voiced by Emma Jacobs (Teresa Gallagher in the UK version): a pink flower bubble character who is cute and happy. She likes flowers, rainbows, dolphins, and unicorns. She lives in a spring-themed place called "Foofa Land". She is the band's tambourinist. Her realm is a spring meadow. Her hobbies are watering flowers, whistling, playing her tambourine, and riding her bike.
* Plex – voiced by Christian Jacobs (Simon Feilder in the UK version): a yellow robot who is intelligent and the oldest of the Gabba gang. He is described as being smart and as the leader of Gabba Land. Plex often teaches lessons to his friends and is a father figure to the gang. He can also use his special ray to bring things into existence and transport living things. He is the band's keyboardist who plays the keytar. He has no realm in particular, though he seems to have a "docking station" between Foofa and Brobee's realms. His hobbies are driving his car, playing his keytar, and opening his compartment.
* Brobee – voiced by Amos Watene (Simon Feilder in the UK version): a short, green broccoli bee monster and the youngest of the Gabba gang. He lives in an autumn-themed place called "Brobee Land". He is the band's drummer. He is the one of the characters whose facial expression changes depending on the situation; his normal face turning into a frown, and vice versa. He is often subjected to trying different foods. His realm is a large autumn forest.
* Toodee – voiced by Erin Pearce (Jonell Elliot in the UK version): a blue arctic cat-dragon who loves to have fun. She has a close friend with Plex and is also the band's bassist. She lives in an arctic winter-themed realm called "Toodee Land". Her hobbies are ice skating, playing her bass, surfboarding, and tap-dancing.
* Gooble (supporting character) – voiced by Joel Fox: a white ghost who is always very sad and lives in a place known as "Gooble Land".
* Super Martian Robot Girl – voiced by Ariela Barer in season one: a green and pink superhero who appears in her title segment from season one. She returned as a guest in season three and was voiced by Caroline Jacobs.
* Mark Mothersbaugh (supporting character): a member of Devo who draws pictures in his segment "Mark's Magic Pictures" that become alive.
* Biz Markie, a rapper and DJ who makes beatboxing in his segment "Biz's Beat of the Day".

Guest stars

Yo Gabba Gabba! featured hundreds of guest stars:

* Mos Def
* Bootsy Collins
* Ladytron
* The Killers
* Enon
* The Clientele
* Jimmy Eat World
* Solange Knowles
* Taking Back Sunday
* Datarock
* The Aquabats
* Devo
* Anne Heche
* Joy Zipper

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