Animated television series
Mecha Builders (also known as Sesame Street Mecha Builders) is a computer-animated children's television series and a spin-off of Sesame Street, that began production in May 2020.[1] The series is produced by Sesame Workshop and Guru Studio.[1][2]
The project was announced in October 2019.[3] Visual development was started remotely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series intended to add 80 staff as it entered production.[2]
The first episode premiered as a sneak peek on April 30, 2022 on Cartoon Network within its Cartoonito pre-school block, before officially premiering on May 9, 2022. The series is also available on the streaming service Max.[4] A sneak peek of the first episode was released on April 26, 2022.[5]
Plot
The series focuses on “mecha” versions of three legacy characters: Mecha Abby Cadabby, Mecha Elmo, and Mecha Cookie Monster, all reimagined as mechanical beings with the power to enlarge to giant size in addition to unique built-in tools and gadgets. The trio usually solve a problem using a three-step formula: plan, test, and solve. Later episodes would add a fourth main cast member in the form of Elmo's puppy Tango.
Much like the Muppet Babies reboot, the animated nature of the show's visual style allows more expression in the characters besides body language and opening mouths.
Characters
Main
- Mecha Abby Cadabby (voiced by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph) is one of the three Mecha Builders. Mecha Abby is the sole female of the main trio, and acts as the group's leader. Her gadgets include jet boosters in her wings, a flying hologram generator used to outline their plans, and she has the ability to stretch her arms to great lengths in order to reach faraway objects. She represents the planning aspect of the show's problem-solving formula.
- Mecha Elmo (voiced by Ryan Dillon) is one of the three Mecha Builders. Mecha Elmo has high technical powers and is able to assemble many of the devices the team needs (often with some help). His gadgets include wheels in his feet, a safety helmet and visor, and his forearms have the ability to morph his hands into any tool needed for the job, though he typically has to try more than once to get the correct tool. He represents the testing aspect of the show's problem-solving formula.
- Mecha Cookie Monster (voiced by David Rudman) is one of the three Mecha Builders. Mecha Cookie Monster is typically excited when it comes to food and while good-hearted tends to be both dimwitted and skeptical. His gadgets include springs in his feet, the ability to see things to identify, search, or scope out a situation (dubbed the "Goggly Vision"), and his right hand can morph into a large hammerhead (dubbed the "Handy Hammer Hand"), though both hands can also merge into a large rolling drum. He represents the solving aspect of the show's problem-solving formula. After a Mecha Builder shrinks (going "Mecha Tiny") or enlarges (going "Mecha Giant"), Mecha Cookie Monster's chest badge also displays the Cookie Clock, a timer that shows how much time the team has left before they return to normal size.
- Mecha Tango is a fourth Mecha Builder, and Mecha Elmo's pet puppy. Energetic and unable to communicate outside of dog noises, her abilities include super hearing, super sniffing, and her "Turbo Tail", in which her tail spins rapidly to allow her to fly.
Recurring Characters
- Izzy is a young girl who is often around much of the Mecha Builders' cases.
- Timmy is a young boy and also Izzy’s friend who is often around to help the Mecha Builders a lot in one episode he helped them
- Marwyn is a man who always in different food trucks who also helps out the Mecha Builders on rare occasions.
- Grandma is an old lady who is nice to the Mecha Builders. In one episode, she also has a twin sister.
- Ranger Nat is the park ranger of Treetop Woods. He sometimes needs help from the Mecha Builders, or assists them on problems around the park.
- Farmer McBarn is a farmer who lives in a farm. He's usually in farm related problems the Mecha Builders must solve.
- Zee is a space guy and Farmer McBarn’s Friend who helps Mecha Builders a lot.
- Roof is a train conductor who helps the Mecha Builders a lot and he also have his pet chicken with him as well.
- Berta is an forest ranger lady who a discovers the woods and helps Mecha Builders a lot.
- Sif is an astronaut lady who in the spacecraft and helps Mecha Builders a lot.
- Orie is an artist guy who likes making art stuff and helps Mecha Builders a lot.
- Billie is a Construction lady who likes to build stuff in the Construction yard and helps Mecha Builders a lot.
- Barb
- Martians
Additional voices include Alan Aisenberg, Dave Droxler, Krystina Alabado, Jaba Keh, Kaitlin Becker, Ezra Knight, Chris Cafero, Martin P. Robinson, Lilli Cooper, Chanel Umoh, Jorge Cordova, and Matt Vogel.
Broadcast
Canadian preschool channel Treehouse TV started airing Mecha Builders on May 15, 2022.
On January 10, 2023, Channel 5 acquired the UK broadcast rights to the series for their Milkshake! strand, within a Spring 2023 window. The UK broadcasts redub the secondary characters with British voice actors as part of an effort by Milkshake! to tell stories aimed at a British preschool audience.[11]
