Whoopi's Littleburg is an American musical children's television series originally airing on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. It was created by Johnny Belt and Robert Scull, who would later go on to create Bubble Guppies and Butterbean's Cafe. the latter of whom co-directed the show along with Tim Hill. The show uses a blend of puppetry and live-action characters. The series focuses on a five-year-old piglet named Spencer, who has recently moved to the town of Littleburg. Young children and puppets make up the majority of the population and hold the community's jobs, and very few adult characters are seen. The only major adult characters are Spencer's mother and Mayor Whoopi Goldberg, whose behavior resembles that of a preschool teacher. The setting was modeled after a nursery school classroom. Multiple original songs are woven into each story, normally in conjunction with the episode's moral. Whoopi Goldberg, Dr. John, and Guy Davis composed the theme music.
Characters
Main
Spencer - A light-pink pig and the newest Littleburg citizen. He is five years old.
Mayor Whoopi - Spencer's tour guide around Littleburg, and the only major human character in the series.
TJ - A light-purple cat who is Spencer's closest friend. She is six years old.
Mrs. Peg Piggle - Spencer's mother, who teaches him about the town through song.
Whoopi's Littleburg was first announced at Nickelodeon's upfront presentation on March 24, 2003. In June, it joined the channel's 2004–05 programming slate. It was advertised as a series of specials. Episodes were aired sporadically throughout 2004, with reruns shown once weekly. During its run, VITAC representatives deemed Littleburg "educational enough" to receive free closed captioning and subtitling. In 2006, the series' soundtrack was released to Nick Jr. Radio, a webcasting station featuring songs from preschool-oriented programs.
Reception
The series received positive reviews from critics, many of which praised its music and appeal towards multiple age groups. The Hollywood Reporters Marilyn Moss stated that Whoopi's Littleburg was "a lively and educational adventure into a friendly television space" and that the series was "likely to attract a wide audience." Writing for The New York Times, Kathryn Shattuck called the series a "saga of empowerment" and dubbed the series' songs "fanciful." Lynne Heffley of the Los Angeles Times praised the show's music, saying that it "is a standout component, woven deftly throughout." In his review for The Christian Science Monitor, M.S. Mason noted that "this amusing, sweet-natured show for tiny tots will earn kudos from parents as well. Whoopi Goldberg has a wonderful ability to make kids giggle with the aid of puppets." Jacqueline Cutler of the Hays Daily News lauded Goldberg's performance in particular and felt that "Goldberg emanates no-nonsense warmth. When she talks to the puppets, she neither camps it up or talks down, and that even approach makes the show work."
