Synopsis of Saturday Morning Show

"Over the hills and far away,
Teletubbies come to play."

And so they did, finally arriving in America after taking their native England by storm. This show, especially created to educate 2-5 year olds, featured four gibberish-talking, life-loving creatures with TV sets in their bellies, hence the name Teletubbies.

The show was created by Anne Wood and Andy Davenport with a definitive goal in mind. They wanted a show that would, according to a press release, "help prepare children for their forthcoming school life [and] make them feel confident and relaxed, and ready to learn." Extensive research, including the use of ongoing focus groups, guided the series' development.

Particularly concerned that the show be a marriage between imagination and technology, Wood and Davenport created a Teletubbyland where simple toys, like rubber balls and scooters, existed alongside some more complex gadgets of the modern day. Examples included not only the TV screens in their tummies, which brought scenes of children from the real world, but also the vacuum cleaner Noo-Noo, who had a mind of her own as she cleaned up spilled custard and Tubby toast crumbs (the Tubby staples).

Each Teletubby was defined by size, color, accessory, and personality. Tinky Winky, the purple one, was also the largest, and he never went anywhere without his pink handbag. Dipsy, the green one, was the second biggest, walking around sporting a zebra-striped hat. If the hat didn't give him away, then his refrain "Eh-Oh!" ("Hello" in Teletubbian), did.

The tagalong of the group was little yellow Laa-Laa, known for her constant singing and her love for her bouncing ball. Po, the red one, was the smallest Teletubby, but also the most adventurous, often taking off on her scooter to have time to herself.

When the show arrived stateside to be broadcast on PBS, some changes were made to adapt the series for American audiences. Some of the key voices, including the narrator's, were redubbed by American actors. The Teletubbies, though, didn't have to change one bit. "Eh-Oh" is still "Eh-Oh" in any language.

Release History

1997 BBC/PBS

TV Sub Categories

live-action
sci-fi/fantasy

TV Studio

Ragdoll Productions (UK)

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