20 episodes were made.[3] The series first previewed on the Nick Jr. Channel on June 15, 2015, before premiering on the main Nickelodeon network on June 29.[4]
Plot
The Fresh Beat Band, now a group of spies, solve wacky mysteries in their town using their individual talents and cool gadgets.
Characters
Main
Kiki (voiced by Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer) is the band's lead guitarist and lead singer who owns a local hair salon. She has a jetpack and a scooter.
Shout (voiced by Thomas Hobson) is the athletic keyboardist and leader of the spy team who is also the lifeguard at a nearby swimming pool. Whenever Reed sends the spies on a mission, Shout says "Time to spy it up!"
Marina (voiced by Tara Perry) is the brainy drummer of the spy team who is the chemist for a cupcake bakery. Her catchphrase is "Brainstorm!" which she says whenever she has an idea.
Twist (voiced by Jon Beavers) is the comedic disc jockey of the team whose day job is as the manager of the Pet Daycare Center. He uses a pogo stick as a vehicle.
Bo Monkey (voiced by Tom Kenny) is Twist's best friend, a monkey who helps him operate the pet center. He does not speak, but communicates through monkey noises that reflect his emotions.
Reed (voiced by Tom Kenny) is the team's "gadget guy" who wears glasses. He tends to suddenly appear out of nowhere, due to hiding in or behind various objects, which startles the other team members. He is the only recurring character from the original series to return.
Commissioner Goldstar (voiced by Keith Silverstein) is the friendly but hapless chief of police. He appears after the spies complete their missions, usually to congratulate the team on their successes.
Recurring
Lily (voiced by Heaven White) is Commissioner Goldstar's niece and a good friend of the Fresh Beats. She has a pet dog named Goldie and plays on Shout's baseball team.
Lil Piggie is a pig with a hot pink mohawk and one of the many animals living at Twist's pet center. He is a friend of the Fresh Beats.
Three Direction is a parody of the band One Direction.
Villains
Champ Von Champ Von Winnerchamp (voiced by Tom Kenny) is a muscular recurring villain who steals and cheats for various objects, such as trophies, wrestling belts and party supplies. He speaks with a German accent and is assisted by his own cheer squad for stealing stuff.
Captain Arrrgh (voiced by Tom Kenny) is a singing pirate who steals treasure with the help of his chicken, Poulet, and his second-in-command, First Mate.
Yi-Haw (voiced by Kate Higgins) is a cowgirl and outlaw who hopes to surpass her outlaw ancestor by stealing buildings from all over town.
Squee Z. Dumpkins (voiced by Tara Strong) is a famous internet celebrity known for her cuteness.
Production
The series was first announced in March 2014.[5] In August of the same year, it was announced that Nickelodeon was currently in production on the show and it was slated for a 2015 release.[6] From November 2014 until February 2015, several songs from Fresh Beat Band of Spies episodes were performed as part of "The Fresh Beat Band: Greatest Hits Live" tour; products such as posters and T-shirts featuring the cartoon Fresh Beat characters were sold at these concerts.[7]
The Fresh Beats must prove to Commissioner Goldstar and the rest of the city that they have been framed for two robberies by a group of villains, Rubberface Rudy (voiced by Khary Payton), Captain Arrrgh, Yi-Haw and Champ Von Champ Von Winnerchamp.
The spies find out that Commissioner Goldstar has been turned into a baby by Squee Z. Dumpkins. Will the band save the day or will the whole town be turned into babies? And when Bo finally found out that Twist, Shout, Kiki, Marina, Squee Z. Dumpkins, Reed, and everyone else has been turned into babies it was Squee Z. Dumpkins' little baby brother that has a ring the anyone into a baby. Bo explains why he did it because his sister doesn't want him to help so he start to get his revenge and teaches her a lesson. And when Bo got zapped by the baby ring that the baby was wearing, he woke up in a terrible nightmare and tells his parents about his nightmare and they found out why his little sister May was holding his stuffed banana and made him feel better. Bo gives May a Super Monkey when he was little and the two of them goes to bed with the stuffed toys.
Broadcast
Fresh Beat Band of Spies aired on both Nickelodeon and the Nick Jr. Channel in the United States. It previewed on the Nick Jr. Channel on June 15, 2015, before premiering on Nickelodeon on June 29.[4] The first eleven episodes were put on Nickelodeon's schedule throughout late July 2015,[4] but only the first four episodes ended up airing on the main network.[4]
Internationally, the series was first shown on Nickelodeon Canada on September 1, 2015. It also aired on Treehouse TV.[35] The series debuted on Nick Jr. in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on January 11, 2016,[36] in Italy on January 18, 2016,[37] in the Middle East and North Africa on January 25, 2016,[38] and in Australia on February 1, 2016.[39] The series premiered on Nick Jr. UK on February 6, 2016.[40]
Reception
Critical response
The series has received generally positive reviews from critics. Common Sense Media reviewer Emily Ashby gave the show four out of five stars, praising the show's use of "quirky villains" rather than "real scares."[41] In October 2015, USA Today listed the series as one of the twenty-five best family programs of the year.[42]
Accolades
The episode "Singing Pirate" was nominated for "Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production" in the 43rd Annie Awards.[43] The series was also the recipient of a 2019 Parents' Choice Award.[44]
