Mio Mao
Mio Mao | |
---|---|
Polish DVD cover | |
Genre | Claymation, family, preschool, children's series |
Written by | Francesco Misseri |
Directed by | Francesco Misseri |
Voices of | Derek Griffiths |
Theme music composer | Piero Barbetti |
Opening theme | Mio Mao |
Ending theme | Mio Mao |
Country of origin | Italy |
Original language(s) |
Italian English Japanese more |
No. of series | 4 |
No. of episodes | 98 |
Production | |
Running time | 5 minutes 6 seconds |
Production company(s) |
L+H Films (1971) Misseri Studios, Mad Mouse Movies & Channel 5 (2003) |
Release | |
Original network |
Milkshake! (UK) Babyfirst TV |
Picture format | 480i |
Audio format | Dolby Digital 5.1 |
Original release | 1974 – 2006 |
External links | |
Website |
Mio Mao (pronounced me-o mow), also known as Mio and Mao, is an Italian-British children's TV show produced by Misseri Studios & Mad Mouse Productions, L+H Films (for the original 1974 series), and Channel 5 (for the 2005 and 2009 series). The series was produced using Claymation animation.
The first series of Mio Mao was aired from 1974 to 1976. New episodes were produced in late 2005 in association with Channel 5, followed by yet another series of episodes in 2009. The music was composed by Piero Barbetti.
In the United Kingdom, the episodes are narrated and the characters are voiced by Derek Griffiths and shown on Channel 5, and its sister channel, 5*. Although occasional episodes are listed separately in TV guides, many are also shown as part of Channel 5's Milkshake programme. The show is now available through the Demand 5 online viewing service. In 1993, the programme was shown in the UK on Channel 4's early morning Take 5 line-up.
Currently the episodes are shown in the US on the BabyFirstTV channel.
Plot
Each episode is approximately five minutes long and focuses on two playful kittens named Mio (female/white) and Mao (male/red), as they discover a variety of animals and objects hidden within their garden. The name Mao may derive from the Mandarin Chinese for cat, Māo.
The kittens go to investigate alone, and return scared, before watching from a distance and finding that the scary item was either a friendly animal or a fun object.
List of episodes
1971-1976 series episodes
Episode | Airdate | Notes |
---|---|---|
The Ants | 7 May 1971 | |
The Armadillo | 1972 | Lost |
The Bat | 1973 | New version broadcast on BabyFirst TV on 21 February 2012 |
The Beaver | 1975 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirst TV on 12 February 2012 |
The Bee Hive | 1974 | |
The Bull | 1972 | Lost |
The Camel | 1975 | Lost |
The Caterpillar | 1975 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirst TV on 28 February 2012.* Also note that, for some reason, Mio and Mao's voices are replaced by the sounds of an electric "wah-wah" style guitar. |
The Chameleon | 1973 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 5 February 2012 |
The Chicken | 1974 | Lost |
The Cicada | 1975 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV and BabyTV on 5 February 2012 |
The Cow | 1972 | Newer updated version rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 23 February 2012 |
The Crab | 1971 | Newer updated version broadcast on BabyFirstTV on 12 March 2012 |
The Crocodile | 1976 | Newer updated version rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 11 March 2012 |
The Crow | 1975 | Lost |
The Deer | 1973 | Lost |
The Dinosaur | 1974 | Lost |
The Dog | 22 November 1974 | |
The Dolphin | 1972 Lost | |
The Dormouse | 1974 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV and BabyTV on 25 March 2012 |
The Duck | 1975 | Lost |
The Egg | 20 December 1974 | This was the first Mio Mao episode ever produced. Also, Mio and Mao's voices were both done by a male voice actor |
The Elephant | 29 November 1976 | |
The Hare | 1973 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirst TV on 13 February 2012 |
The Hedgehog | 27 December 1976 | (Originally aired on 27 December 1976) |
The Hippopotamus | 1972 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 26 March 2012 |
The Kangaroo | 1976 | An updated version was rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 1 February 2012 |
The Koala | 1972 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 1 February 2012 |
The Little Lamb | 1976 | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 2 February 2012 |
The Lizard | Lost | |
The Ladybird/Ladybug | Newer updated broadcast on BabyFirstTV on 31 January 2012 | |
The Lion | Lost | |
The Mole | 15 November 1974 | |
The Monkey | 4 January 1975 | |
The Frog | Lost | |
The Ostrich | Lost | |
The Owl | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 11 February 2012 | |
The Peacock | 8 November 1974 | |
The Piglet | Newer updated version broadcast on BabyFirstTV on 7 March 2012 | |
The Polyp/Octopus | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 7 February 2012 | |
The Snake | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 26 March 2012 | |
The Spider | 13 December 1973 | |
The Shell | Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 28 March 2012 | |
The Tortoise | Updated version broadcast on BabyfirstTV on 22 March 2012 |
2003-2006 series episodes |
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The Anteater |
The Bee Hive (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Bat (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Chestnut |
The Cow (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Clew |
The Crab (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Cricket (Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 15 February 2012.) |
The Crocodile (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Donkey (Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV) |
The Dragonfly (Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 8 April 2012.) |
The Fox |
The Flamingo |
The Ladybird/Ladybug (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Little Bear (Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV and BabyTV on 13 March 2012.) |
The Mushroom |
The Genie |
The Goat |
The Ghost |
The Glew |
The Hornet (Rebroadcast on BabyFirstTV on 22 February 2012.) |
The Kangaroo (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Kingfisher |
The Koala (Remake of the original 1970's version.) |
The Mushroom |
The Parrot (A cockatoo appears in this episode as well.) |
The Peacock |
The Pelican |
The Penguin |
The Piglet (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Polar Bear |
The Rabbit |
The Reindeer |
The Raccoon [Misspelled as "Racoon"] (Originally titled "The 'Coon", but the title was changed when the episode aired in the United States.) |
The Rhinoceros |
The Rooster |
The Seal |
The Seed |
The Shell |
The Skye Terrier |
The Sloth |
The Snail |
The Snake |
The Snowman |
The Squirrel |
The Swan |
The Tadpole |
The Tap |
The Television |
The Tortoise (Remake of the original 1970s version.) |
The Train |
The Turkey |
The UFO |
The Unicorn |
The Vacuum |
The Vulture |
The Whale |
The Wolf |
The Worm |
The Woodpecker |
The Xmas Tree |
♙Broadcast history
Broadcast history
Australia
Italy
UK
- Milkshake!
- Channel 4 (season 1)
France
- Canal J (season 1)
Finland
United States Of America
- BabyFirstTV (season 1 & 2)
Asia
- JimJam (season 2)
Poland
Turkey
Japan
- NHK (Okaasan to Issho) (1978)
- Cartoon Network (2000's)
Czech republic
- JimJam (season 1)
Indonesia
- Spacetoon (2011)
Arab world
- Spacetoon (2016)