1001 Nights (TV series)

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1001 Nights
Logo
Created by
Directed by
Voices of
Theme music composer
ComposerMichael Richard Plowman
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes52 (list of episodes)
Production
Producers
  • Aly Jetha
  • Shabnam Rezaei
Production companyBig Bad Boo
Original release
Network
ReleaseDecember 25, 2011 (2011-12-25) –
2012 (2012)

1001 Nights is a Canadian animated television series developed and produced at Big Bad Boo Studios in Vancouver, based on stories from One Thousand and One Nights.[1] The show is created and co-directed by Shabnam Rezaei and Aly Jetha.[2]

Borrowing from the original premise of the classical tales of One Thousand and One Nights, the TV series features Scheherazade, the storyteller, in a Persian court with her sister Donyazad, King Shahryar, Prince Shahzaman and a playful monkey named Maymoon. The show premiered on Teletoon in Canada on December 25, 2011, and on Radio Canada in French-speaking Canada. In the United States, the show premiered on Disney Channel on January 2, 2012. This is the first time a media company has serialized the books of One Thousand and One Nights into an animated TV series for children.

Premise[edit]

Another day at King Shahryar's court and another problem presents itself. Does Shahryar have a toothache? Is Maymoon "borrowing" Shahzaman's pistachios? Scheherazade always has a delightful story that will entertain and teach everyone a great lesson. She will often use the court characters in her stories. There are also a number of recurring characters such as Sinbad and Dina, Mujab and Samir and Harun al-Rashid. A red herring is presented in each episode such as a flying carpet which leaves room for the stories to continue.

Episodes[edit]

Season 1[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
US viewers
(millions)
1a1a"The Joke's on You"Chad Van De KeereVictor NicolleDecember 25, 2011 (2011-12-25)
1b1b"King Bitehard"Chad Van De KeereVictor NicolleDecember 25, 2011 (2011-12-25)
2a2a"Sinbad & the Valley of Serpents"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine KellieJanuary 1, 2012 (2012-01-01)
2b2b"Manjab's Just Desserts"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanJanuary 1, 2012 (2012-01-01)
3a3a"Princess Rou"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine-Kellie, Victor NicolleJanuary 8, 2012 (2012-01-08)
3b3b"What's Yours Is Mine"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine-Kellie, Victor NicolleJanuary 8, 2012 (2012-01-08) -->
4a4a"True Treasure"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanJanuary 15, 2012 (2012-01-15) -->
4b4b"Sinbad and the Cyclops"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanTBA
5a5a"Hunchback's Tale"Chad Van De KeereLarry Raskin, Randy Rogel, Colin YardleyTBA
5b5b"Agrabroka"Chad Van De KeereLarry Raskin, Randy Rogel, Colin YardleyTBA
6a6a"Give Until It Hurts"Chad Van De KeereEric Lewald, Julia Lewald, Victor NicolleTBA
6b6b"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"Chad Van De KeereEric Lewald, Julia Lewald, Victor NicolleTBA
7a7a"Keeping Up with the Jinns"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanTBA
7b7b"King for a Day"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanTBA
8a8a"Abu Sabir"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine-Kellie, Shabnam RezaeiTBA
8b8b"Bigger Badder Badr"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine-Kellie, Shabnam RezaeiTBA
9a9a"The Boy Who Cried Science"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Eric Lewald, Randy RogelTBA
9b9b"Prince Ahmad"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Eric Lewald, Randy RogelTBA
10a10a"It's a Steal"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Davila LeBlancTBA
10b10b"Which Way Is Up?"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Davila LeBlancTBA
11a11a"To Hatch a Thief"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Eric Lewald, Atul N. RaoTBA
11b11b"The Gift of Norooz"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Eric Lewald, Atul N. RaoTBA
12a12a"Creature Karma"Chad Van De KeereCharles Horn, Julia Lewald, Atul N. RaoTBA
12b12b"Just My Luck"Chad Van De KeereCharles Horn, Julia Lewald, Atul N. RaoTBA
13a13a"Details, Details..."Chad Van De KeereLarry Raskin, Shabnam Rezaei, Colin Yardley, Franklin YoungTBA
13b13b"Sinbad in Solitude"Chad Van De KeereLarry Raskin, Shabnam Rezaei, Colin Yardley, Franklin YoungTBA

Season 2[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
US viewers
(millions)
1a1a"The Tale of Taymour and Tiny"Chad Van De KeereVictor NicolleTBA
1b1b"The Boy and the Panther"Chad Van De KeereVictor NicolleTBA
2a2a"Abu Kassim's Smelly Shoes"Chad Van De KeereRandy RogelTBA
2b2b"Bandits of Basra"Chad Van De KeereRandy Rogel, Bill KoppTBA
3a3a"The Genie, the Fish, the Wolf and the Witch"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine-Kellie, Victor NicolleTBA
3b3b"The Forbidden City of Shenzhen"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine-Kellie, Victor NicolleTBA
4a4a"The Broken Jewel"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanTBA
4b4b"The Boy Who Became a Genie"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanTBA
5a5a"The Tale of the Mountain and the Valley"Chad Van De KeereLarry Raskin, Randy Rogel, Colin YardleyTBA
5b5b"Three Tales of a Daydreaming Boy"Chad Van De KeereLarry Raskin, Randy Rogel, Colin YardleyTBA
6a6a"The Riddle of the Ruined Tomb"Chad Van De KeereEric Lewald, Julia Lewald, Victor NicolleTBA
6b6b"The Merchant and the Pickpocket"Chad Van De KeereEric Lewald, Julia Lewald, Victor NicolleTBA
7a7a"Arman the Cheat"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanTBA
7b7b"Abu Hassan's Legendary Wedding"Chad Van De KeereSteven Sullivan, Ursula Ziegler-SullivanTBA
8a8a"The King Who Became a Slave"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine-Kellie, Shabnam RezaeiTBA
8b8b"The Spoon That Ruined Everything"Chad Van De KeereMichael Erskine-Kellie, Shabnam RezaeiTBA
9a9a"The King Who Outlawed Laughter"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Eric Lewald, Randy RogelTBA
9b9b"Sinbad and the Black Diamond"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Eric Lewald, Randy RogelTBA
10a10a"The Man Who Went Back in Time"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Davila LeBlancTBA
10b10b"The Schoolmaster"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Davila LeBlancTBA
11a11a"The Tale of the Haunted Palace"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Eric Lewald, Atul N. RaoTBA
11b11b"Habib and the Baby Genie"Chad Van De KeerePhilippe Ivanusic-Vallee, Eric Lewald, Atul N. RaoTBA
12a12a"Three Tales of a Daydreaming Girl"Chad Van De KeereCharles Horn, Julia Lewald, Atul N. RaoTBA
12b12b"Abu Mohammad Lazybones"Chad Van De KeereCharles Horn, Julia Lewald, Atul N. RaoTBA
13a13a"Sinbad Forever"Chad Van De KeereLarry Raskin, Shabnam Rezaei, Colin Yardley, Franklin YoungTBA
13b13b"One Thousand and One Nights"Chad Van De KeereLarry Raskin, Shabnam Rezaei, Colin Yardley, Franklin YoungTBA

Characters[edit]

Scheherazade[edit]

Voiced by Nicole Oliver

Confident and older than her years, Scheherazade is savvy, quick-witted, and no nonsense in her dealings with Donyazad and Shahzaman. She is the wife of King Shahryar. She serves the role of mother, educator and peace-keeper and it is through her that we are told many captivating stories. Scheherazade lives in the palace and is the daughter of Majid, Shahryar's vizier.

Shahryar[edit]

Voiced by Colin Murdock

Shahryar is slightly older than his wife Scheherazade, and has little experience or knowledge of what it takes to make a good king. He is unintentionally selfish, arrogant, pompous, and spoiled. He is also innocent and childlike because he is a prince who has been catered to his entire life. He says whatever is on his mind, no matter how bumbling or stupid it might sound. Often when Scheherazade is telling a story to the kids, Shahryar is listening in and will draw the wrong message.

Donyazad[edit]

Voiced by Tabitha St. Germain

Donyazad is Scheherazade's younger sister. She is ten years old, bright, independent, and feisty. She loves and respects her older sister who has essentially become her mother figure. Donyazad often tussles with Shahazman. Although they are not related, they have a typical brother-sister relationship. They are close to one another but are often at odds. Of the two, Donyazad is the smarter. She's also more sensitive and aware.

Shahzaman[edit]

Voiced by Cathy Weseluck

Shahzaman is Shahryar's eleven-year-old brother and therefore, he is a prince. He is a younger version of Shahryar, i.e. spoiled with a sense of entitlement. Even though he's a prince, he is like any other boy who loves sports, games, sweets, and play time. He gets into mischief and he endlessly teases Donyazad. He's a practical joker and often insensitive to other people's feelings. Still, he's loveable and when faced with issues, he and Donyazad make a good team.

Majid[edit]

Voiced by Peter Kelamis

Majid is Shahryar's vizier, i.e. high counselor. He is also Scheherazade's father. He is about fifty years old and supposedly the wise and learned man of the court. Majid frequently finds himself trying to calm Shahryar down when the king is throwing a temper tantrum. He is sycophantic towards Shahryar whereas Scheherazade is smarter and subtler in her approach. She's often able to change Shahryar's behaviour just by telling him a story. Whereas Majid is often afraid of his son-in-law, Scheherazade has no trouble standing up to him.

Maymoon[edit]

Voiced by Scott McNeil

Maymoon is a mischievous pet monkey who belongs to Shahzaman. He is playful and loving and is a regular member of the court. He often outwits Shahryar and like all the other characters is used often as a character in Scheherazade's stories.

Production history[edit]

The idea for the show came to co-creator Shabnam Rezaei in a dream. Her father read stories from One Thousand and One Nights in her native country Iran. Together with partner Aly Jetha, Series and Creative Director Chad Van De Keere, story editor Randy Rogel as well as the Big Bad Boo team, they formulated the 1001 Nights TV series, which would be appropriate for a modern audience.[3]

Reception[edit]

1001 Nights came in the # 1 show at the 2011 at the Mip Junior awards among 1027 other children's properties. It was a finalist in the 2010 Mip Junior Licensing Challenge and # 6 in the Top 30 that year.[4]

Awards and nominations (2010)[edit]

1001 Nights was nominated for four awards in 2010.[5]

Year Association Award Category Notes Result
2010 Leo Awards Best Animation Program or Series Nominated
2010 Leo Awards Best Direction/Storyboarding in an Animation Program or Series Chad Van De Keere for episode "What's Yours Is Mine" Nominated
2010 Leo Awards Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series For episode "What's Yours Is Mine" Nominated
2010 Leo Awards Best Overall Sound in an Animation Program or Series For episode "Sinbad and the Valley of Serpents" Nominated

Awards and nominations (2011)[edit]

1001 Nights was nominated for two awards in 2011.[6]

Year Association Award Category Notes Result
2011 Leo Awards Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series For episode "Sinbad in Solitude" Nominated
2011 Leo Awards Best Direction/Storyboarding in an Animation Program or Series Chad Van De Keere for episode "The Boy Who Cried Science" Nominated

Awards and nominations (2012)[edit]

1001 Nights was nominated and won three Leo Awards in 2012.[7]

Year Association Award Category Notes Result
2012 Leo Awards Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series Shabnam Rezaei for episode "Sinbad & The Black Diamond" Won
2012 Leo Awards Best Animation Program or Series Producers Aly Jetha & Shabnam Rezaei Won
2012 Leo Awards Best Overall Sound For episode "Abu Hassan's Legendary Wedding" Won

Awards and nominations (2013)[edit]

1001 Nights was nominated for two Leo Awards and won one in 2013.[8]

Year Association Award Category Notes Result
2013 Leo Awards Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series Shabnam Rezaei and Aly Jetha for episode "The Tale of the Mountain & The Valley" Won
2013 Leo Awards Best Animation Program or Series Producers Aly Jetha & Shabnam Rezaei Nominated

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Shabnam Rezaei & Aly Jetha, Founders of Vancouver-based Big Bad Boo Studios". Animation Magazine Article by Ramin Zahed. June 10, 2010. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  2. ^ "1001 Nights Official Main Title Song". Big Bad Boo. November 9, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  3. ^ "PBS Series on World Literature 1001 Nights". PBS Documentary on World Literature 1001 Nights. June 4, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  4. ^ "Big Bad Boo's 1001 Nights is Top Show at Mip Junior". Animation Magazine Article by Ramin Zahed. October 5, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  5. ^ Leo Awards Nominee List 2010. Leo Awards Official Website. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  6. ^ Leo Awards Nominee List 2011 Archived November 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Leo Awards Official Website. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  7. ^ Leo Awards Winners List 2012. Leo Awards Official Website. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  8. ^ Leo Awards Winners List 2013. Leo Awards Official Website. Retrieved June 19, 2013.

External links[edit]