Zoom (1999 TV series)
Zoom | |
---|---|
Created by | Christopher Sarson |
Developed by | WGBH Boston |
Opening theme | "Come On And Zoom" |
Ending theme |
"Send it to Zoom" (seasons 1–2 and 7) "Send us Z-Mail" (seasons 3–6) |
Country of origin | United States (1999–2007) |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 7 |
No. of episodes | 200 |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Kate Taylor |
Producer(s) | Jonathan Meath[1][2] |
Location(s) | Boston, Massachusetts |
Running time | approx. 30 minutes[3] |
Production company(s) | WGBH-TV |
Release | |
Original network |
PBS Kids (1999-2004) PBS Kids GO! (2004-2007) |
Picture format | Closed-Captioned, Color |
Audio format | Mono |
First shown in | United States |
Original release | January 4, 1999 – May 6, 2005 |
Chronology | |
Preceded by | Zoom (1972 TV series) |
External links | |
Website |
Zoom is an American television program for ages eight and up, created almost entirely by children. It originally aired on PBS from January 4, 1999 to May 6, 2005. It was a remake of a 1972 TV series by the same name. Both versions were produced by WGBH-TV in Boston. Reruns were aired until around early 2007. Zoom also aired on Discovery Kids in Canada.
Description
Zoom made a comeback in 1999 in largely the same format, with many of the same games and continued to feature content and ideas submitted by viewers. This second Zoom series ran for seven seasons (1999–2005) and featured 32 Zoomers but was not renewed after the 2005 season due to falling ratings blamed on the increased competition in children's programming.[4]
Cast members
ZOOM | Cast Member 1 | Cast Member 2 | Cast Member 3 | Cast Member 4 | Cast Member 5 | Cast Member 6 | Cast Member 7 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season 1 (1999) | Zoe Costello | Jared Nathan | Keiko Yoshida | Pablo Velez, Jr. | Alisa Besher | David Toropov | Lynese Browder |
Season 2 (2000) | Ray MacMore | Caroline Botelho | Claudio Schwartz | Alisa Besher | Jessica "Jessie" Ogungbadero | Kenny Yates | Zoe Costello |
Season 3 (2001) | Frances Domond | Kenny Yates | Rachel Redd | Eric Rollins | Kaleigh Cronin | Buzz Barrette | Caroline Botelho |
Season 4 (2002) | Aline Toupi | Garrett DiBona | Rachel Redd | Matthew "Matt" Runyon | Estuardo Alvizures | Kaleigh Cronin | Caroline Botelho |
Season 5 (2003) | Caroline Botelho | Aline Toupi | Estuardo Alvizures | Garrett DiBona | Mike Hansen | Kortney Sumner | Elena "Shing Ying" Shieh |
Season 6 (2004) | Mike Hansen | Kortney Sumner | Francesco Tena | Cara Harvey | Kyle Larrow | Maya Morales | Elena "Shing Ying" Shieh |
Season 7 (2005) | Nick Henry | Taylor Garron | Francesco Tena | Noreen Raja | Emily Marshall | Kyle Larrow | Elena "Shing Ying" Shieh |
Season overview
Season | Episodes | Originally Aired (U.S. Dates) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First Aired | Last Aired | |||
1 | 40 | January 4, 1999 | January 3, 2000 | |
2 | 40 | January 4, 2000 | April 24, 2000 | |
3 | 40 | January 1, 2001 | April 11, 2001 | |
4 | 20 | January 25, 2002 | June 7, 2002 | |
5 | 20 | March 31, 2003 | July 18, 2003 | |
6 | 20 | April 19, 2004 | June 7, 2004 | |
7 | 20 | April 4, 2005 | May 6, 2005 |
Segments
- Zoom Sci: features experiments to explore. Sometimes this segment features brain teasers or observation surveys that require viewers to send in results.
- Zoom Phenom: (Zoom Along in season 1) Observations or phenomenon discoveries
- Zoom Zinger: Challenges or interesting tricks viewers share.
- Zoom Do: Creative handicrafts or activities
- Zoom Game: Games and activities that are fun for a group. Zoomers sometimes form teams to compete with each other in relay races.
- Cafe Zoom and Zoom Znack (season 3–7): Simple recipes to make.
- Zoom Playhouse: Skits and dramas by viewers and portrayed by the Zoomers.
- Zoom Chat: Discussion on topics involving children's issues or questions from viewers.
- Zmail: Sharing of fan mail and answering questions from viewers.
- Zoom Reviews Books (season 3–5): Book reviews recommended by viewers.
- What Zup: Interviews from children that answer interesting questions.
- Zoom Vid (seasons 1–5) Home videos and short films made by viewers.
- Zoom Guest Special feature of children with unique talents or hobbies.
- Zooma cum Laude (season 1–2) and Zoom Into Action (season 3–7) pays tribute to children who volunteered in the community or done charitable deeds.
- Zoops: Viewers share their embarrassing moments. Blooper clips are sometimes shown here.
- Fannee Doolee centered on a character who likes any person, place, thing or concept with double letters in it but hates its non-double-lettered equivalent.
- Ubbi Dubbi Short skits that uses Ubbi Dubbi (adding the "ub" in every vowel sound in English.) Occasionally this segment is done like an advertisement.
- Zoom Tales (seasons 1–5) Original stories written and illustrated by viewers.
Merchandise
Four videos were released based on the show: Party with Zoom (June 22, 1999, ISBN 157807200X), The Zoomers Video Special: The Making of ZOOM! (January 11, 2000), America Kids Respond (March 20, 2001), and Zoom: America's Kids Remember (October 8, 2002). Additionally, a two-disc set with four full episodes plus various footage from all six seasons of the 1970s version was released on October 28, 2008.[5]
Four books by Amy E. Sklansky compiled from material submitted by viewers were published by Little, Brown and Company:
- Zoom Zingers (1999, ISBN 0316952613)
- Zoom Fun With Friends (1999, ISBN 0316952753)
- Zoomdos You Can Do! (2000, ISBN 0316952761)
- Zoomfun Outside (2000, ISBN 0316952788)
See also
- Studio See (another PBS children's program that used content from viewers)
- Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman (successor to ZOOM, by producer Kate Taylor and WGBH. Season 7, ZOOM cast member, Taylor Garron was a contestant in the show's very first season.)
References
- ↑ "About This Person: Jonathan Meath". The New York Times: Movies & TV. 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
Jonathan Meath Filmography: Zoom (TV Series)
- ↑ "Jonathan Meath". Yahoo! TV. 2010-11-13. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
The Making of Zoom. Producer. Zoom. Senior producer.
- ↑ Zoom, Internet Movie Database, September 5, 2014
- ↑ "Children's show 'Zoom' a victim of ratings drop". Boston Globe. December 9, 2004.
- ↑ Zoom - Cover art and contents for Zoom - Back to the '70s 2-DVD set, tvshowsondvd.com, October 7, 2008
External links
- Zoom at the Internet Movie Database
- Zoom at TV.com
- Articles
- The Boston Globe: "Children's Show ZOOM a victim of ratings drop," at the Wayback Machine (archived April 30, 2009) story about the 2006 cancellation of Zoom
- "Zoom: America's kids respond"
- Media