Tree Fu Tom: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|British animated television series}}

{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}

{{EngvarB|date=March 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

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| caption =

| creator = Daniel Bays

| voices = [[RobSophie RackstrawAldred]]<br />[[PhilDavid CornwellTennant]]<br />[[KeithTim WickhamWhitnall]]<br />[[JoannaSamantha Ruiz]]Dakin<br />[[TeresaSharon D. GallagherClarke]]

| starring = Adam Henderson

| genre = [[Adventure]]

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| runtime = 22–25 minutes

| country = United Kingdom

| company = [[FremantleMedia|FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment]] <br />[[Blue Zoo Animation Studio|Blue-Zoo Productions]]<br />[[CBeebies]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Milligan |first1=Mercedes |title=CBeebies Commissions 'Tree Fu Tom' Season 3 |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/cbeebies-commissions-tree-fu-tom-season-3/ |website=[[Animation Magazine]] |date=4 December 2014 |access-date=December 7, 2020}}</ref>

| network = [[CBeebies]]

| first_aired = {{start date|df=y|2012|3|5}}

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| writer = Daniel Bays<br />[[Douglas Wood (writer)|Douglas Wood]]<br />[[Ian Carney]]<br />Moya O'Shea<br />Darren Jones<br />Allan Plenderleith<br >Corey Powell<br >[[Richard Preddy]]<br />John Loy<br >Sindy McKay<br />[[Richard Dinnick]]

}}

'''''Tree Fu Tom''''' is a British [[live action|live-action]]/[[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] television series shown on [[BBC]] channels in the UK and [[Universal Kids]] and [[NBC]] in the USA. It is set in a miniature magical countryside and village area (Treetopolis) on the top a big tree in a British-type woodland. Many of its characters are [[anthropomorphised]] [[arthropod]]s, and it features species of insect that are raised and controlled like cattle on a ranch: [[aphid]]s, [[ladybird]]s, and a [[rhinoceros beetle]]. The programme is aimed at two- to six-year-olds.

72 episodes were produced across five series, premiering in 2012 and ending in 2016.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crump |first1=William D. |title=Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film |date=2019 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476672939 |page=295}}</ref>

The character of Twigs was recast from series 3 with [[David Tennant]] being replaced by [[Mark Bonnar]].

==Premise==

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==Characters==

'''Tom''' (voiced by [[RobSophie RackstrawAldred]] in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] and [[Lucien Dodge]] in the [[United States|US]], live actor Adam Henderson) is the main character, and the titular protagonist of the series. He uses a magical belt to transport into Treetopolis and cast spells with help from the 'big world'. Though he is usually the best at spells, he is a kind, optimistic and modest character and often has to turn to his friends for advice when things go wrong. His popular catchphrases are "Tree Fu Go!", "Oh My Trees!" and "Thanks for your help!" where he shows his viewers how to do the 'big world' magic spell segment.

'''Twigs''' (voiced by [[PhilDavid CornwellTennant]] in series 1-2, and [[Mark Bonnar]] in series 3-5) is a silly and energetic Scottish [[acorn]] [[Sprite (folklore)|sprite]] who is Tom's sidekick and best friend, and frenemy of Chezz, who he usually encounters conflict. His catchphrases are "I am a Genius", "We're Doomed!" and "Wowzers!". He even turns into an acorn when he's hiding.

'''Zigzoo''' (voiced by [[KeithTim WickhamWhitnall]] in series 1-4, and [[David Holt (voice actor)|David Holt]] in series 5) is an eccentric [[tree frog]] who is the local inventor at Treetopolis, though not all of his inventions work out quite as well as he (or others) hope. Though it has never officially been confessed, certain episodes seem to suggest he may have a crush on Ariela. One of his catchphrases is "Oh Ribbety Roo".

'''Squirmtum''' (voiced by [[RobTim RackstrawWhitnall]] in series 1-4, and [[Duncan Wisbey]] in series 5) is a pill [[woodlouse]] who is a miner of sap in the caverns and general-purpose workman, and not the most intelligent of creatures. He can curl into a ball, and in that form he can roll fast. He wears a miner's helmet with a firefly called Flicker as his helmet light. In later seasons, he's shown to frequently attend Tree Fu classes with Tom and Twigs, though he hasn't been shown to do the magic since the episode "Super Squirmtum".

'''Ariela''' (voiced by [[JoannaSamantha Ruiz]]Dakin) is the alpha female character, a beautiful but feisty [[butterfly]] in charge of the Branch Ranch at Treetopolis, generally does not accept help from others, is shown to be impatient in some episodes, and likes to get her own way; but she is always there when her friends need her. She is beautiful, sassy, tomboyish and polite. She is highly competitive and rather impatient. She appears to have the closest relationship with Zigzoo – who invents many gadgets for her ranch throughout the episodes. Also, she cares deeply about her ranch animals, mostly consisting of various beetles and ladybirds.

'''Rickety McGlum''' (voiced by [[PhilTim Whitnall]] Cornwellin series 1-4, and [[Duncan Wisbey]] in series 5) is an elderly spider of Treetopolis; he used to be thought of as scary, but is now a close friend to Tom and his friends. He is additionally a Squizzle expert and trainer, a former race car driver (the car in question being named the Turborantula) and leader of the Tree Fu Rangers. He is the grandfather of '''Racquette.'''

'''Treetog the Tree Spirit''' (voiced byand [[Teresalive Gallagher]],acted live actorby [[Sharon D. Clarke]]) is the plump friendly leader of Treetopolis. She acts as the schoolteacher as well, teaching the young sprite creatures and Tom traditional tree fu spells.

The '''Mushas''' ('''Puffy''' and '''Stink'''): sister and brother respectively, forever arguing, and the main antagonists, two naughty animated [[toadstool]]-type fungi who cause trouble, though occasionally, Puffy seems to be the true antagonist. Sometimes, however, they're both shown to need saving. Puffy is voiced by [[TeresaSophie GallagherAldred]] while Stink is voiced by [[KeithTim WickhamWhitnall]] (series 1-4) and [[Duncan Wisbey]] (series 5).

'''Sprites''' include '''Chezz''', '''Bertie''', '''Hazel''', '''Lavender''', '''Sweetpea''' and '''Goose''' throughout the first series. These were only background characters, but they began to make more frequent appearances in the latter series. '''Chezz''' (voiced by [[RobTim RackstrawWhitnall]] in series 1-4, and [[David Holt (voice actor)|David Holt]] in series 5) in particular is a very arrogant, badge-obsessed [[Aesculus hippocastanum|conker]] sprite with [[Rhotacism (speech impediment)|rhoticism]], who likes to show off. Despite having mild respect for Tom, Chezz is usually arguing or attempting to compete with Twigs – often teasing him over his smaller size.

'''Muru''' (voiced by [[PhilDavid CornwellHolt (voice actor)|David Holt]]) is an enigmatic, Spanish, [[praying mantis]] introduced as part of the new 2016 (or season 5) cast, red magic teacher and friend of Tom. He has a magical stick that is able to rewind and fast forward time. He uses an extension of tree fu magic (red magic) that allows the user to take on attributes of a big-world animal such as the speed of a cheetah or strength of an elephant. He uses a magic red crystal (where red magic gets its name from) which has all the animal spells upon it. He also has the ability to teleport.

'''Racquette''' (voiced by [[TeresaSophie GallagherAldred]]) is a troublesome female spiderling with a strong northern accent like Rickety, and is Rickety's granddaughter. Although she loves and respects her granddad, she wishes he would allow her to adventure, believing him to be dull and overly cautious. She can be quite headstrong, though she usually realises when she makes a mistake. When bored or upset, she begins to spin webs in her hands. Spiders in this scenario appear to have a web spinning method similar to [[Spider-Man]], where it comes from their wrists.

'''Rootle and Shade''': shy brother and sister dark sprites that live in the deep root caverns. They were afraid that the light would turn them to jelly. Unlike the normal sprites, they lack wings and have snail shells on their heads. Their ears and eyes are much larger than those of the other sprites. '''Rootle''' has an odd impediment where he switches the first letters of characters names around (Twom and Tigs, Pink and Stuffy, though he does not do this with Shade).

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===Series 5 (8 February – 3 October 2016)===

*Episode 53: "Stuck"

Spells: Super Lifto Super Freeze

*Episode 54: "Ranger Tom and the Musha Rangers"

Spells: Super Freeze Super Funnel

*Episode 55: "Flicker Goes Out"

Spells: Super Lifto

*Episode 56: "It's a Kind of Magic"

*Episode 57: "Dark Sprites"

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[[Category:Animated television series about insects]]

[[Category:Animated television series about frogs]]

[[Category:Television series about size change]]

[[Category:Television shows about miniature people]]

[[Category:BBC children's television shows]]

[[Category:British children's animated action television series]]

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[[Category:British preschool education television series]]

[[Category:British television series with live action and animation]]

[[Category:CBeebies original programming]]

[[Category:British English-language television shows]]

[[Category:NBC animated television series]]