Big Thinkers! is an animated educational television series based on the short-lived video games by Humongous Entertainment, and a co-production between Magic World Productions, Wang Film Productions Company and RTV Family Entertainment which aired on RKO Network and Treehouse from 1999 until 2001. Due to not being part of the initial deal, it (much like Spy Fox) was not co-produced by Lancit Media Entertainment.
The series was created not only as part of a contract with Magic World to adapt Humongous Entertainment properties, but also to fulfill RKO's requirements to broadcast educational programming. Much like the games it's based on, the series did not last long.
Premise and format[]
The series revolves around Ben and Becky Brightly, two eccentric teenage siblings who live with their Grandma Belle inside a colorful house full of wonderful things. Like in the games, both siblings have the ability to shape-shift into just about anything at will, but there are also other residents of the house such as fellow Humongous characters Fatty Bear (who is depicted as a living toy in the Brightly playroom), Buzzy the Knowledge Bug from Junior Field Trips (who lives out in the backyard) and three pets who are a cat named Bonnie, a dog named Bertie and a goldfish named Bob.
Every episode involves an 11-minute story along with educational and song segments, mainly featuring Buzzy and the Brightly siblings themselves. Both the segments and episodes themselves occasionally utilize an "interactive" approach encouraging audience participation, akin to then-contemporary series Blue's Clues.
Cast and characters[]
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- Michael Shapiro as Ben Brightly, an excitable teenage male who tends to get very far ahead of himself and make mistakes a lot, but tries to be a good friend for others and teacher for the young audience regardless of his mishaps. Despite his outwardly childlike and enthusiastic disposition, he has a knack for using fancy words and alliterations.
- Karen Kay Cody as Becky Brightly, the twin sister of Ben, who is more level-headed and cautious but still loves fun and imagination, with a particular talent for singing among other things.
- Elizabeth Hanna as Grandma Belle, the grandmother of Ben and Becky who owns the house and is thus their guardian. She is kindly but also firm and wise, acting as the one to teach both her grandchildren and the others about what they're unaware of and the one to reprimand them if their mistakes get out of hand.
- Scott Burns as Fatty Bear, a sentient teddy bear who is kept in the Brightly playroom (explained in one episode to be Becky "toy-sitting" for her neighbors, and it's shown he otherwise belongs to Kayla from Fatty Bear's Birthday Surprise). Despite his name, he is physically active but doesn't always do the best job avoiding getting himself into trouble.
- Jim Cissell as Buzzy the Knowledge Bug, an insect who lives in Grandma Belle's backyard. He is spunky and knowledgeable but can be too much of a know-it-all sometimes.
- Alyson Court as Bonnie, a cat and one of Grandma Belle's pets. Though she's usually introverted, she isn't above occasionally causing mischief purely for its own sake, much to some of the others' chagrin but she cares about the other home residents deep down.
- Edward Glen as Bertie, a dog and one of Grandma Belle's pets. He is very easily distracted by anything that interests him and prone to acting on his impulses (such as sniffing and pursuing an object) as a result. He also tends to suffer from separation anxiety and doesn't like to be left alone for too long, but it also shows just how loyal he is to the Brightly household and its residents.
- John Stocker as Bob, a goldfish and the third of Grandma Belle's pets. Contrary to the myth, he is very good at remembering things but often tends to spin them in a personally biased manner.
- Jayne Eastwood as Aunt Brenda, the aunt of Ben and Becky who works as a farmer. She can be stuck-in-her-ways and tradition-obsessed but values hard work and especially family all the same.
- Colin O'Meara as Cousin Billy, an elder cousin of Ben and Becky who constantly travels around the world and is quite knowledgeable on both cultures and travel-related machinery.
Broadcast[]
The show was broadcast on Saturday mornings as part of RKO KidShow and later also in the daytime on weekdays from 1999 to 2001, then repackaged with Magic World's other Humongous cartoons (sans Spy Fox) into The Humongous Hour from 2000 until 2003. In Canada, Treehouse TV aired the series from its premiere in 1999 until sometime in 2006, particularly in weekday/weekend mornings and in evening hours.
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 Australia
|
ABC (ABC Kids) |
 Brazil
|
TV Cultura, Discovery Kids |
 Canada
|
Treehouse TV, Télépetite, TVO (TVOKids), TFO, Knowledge Network |
 Czech Republic
|
MiniChannel |
 Denmark
|
MiniChannel |
 France
|
France 5, TiJi, Playhouse Disney |
 Germany
|
Super RTL (Toggolino/Ravensburger TV), Playhouse Disney |
 Iceland
|
MiniChannel |
 Israel
|
Arutz Hop! |
 Italy
|
TVI 6 |
 Mexico
|
ZAZ, Discovery Kids, Canal Once |
 Netherlands
|
Blub! |
 Portugal
|
RTP2, Canal Panda |
 South Africa
|
SABC 2 |
 Spain
|
La 2, Canal Sur 2, K3 |
 United Kingdom
|
Channel 5 (Milkshake!), Tiny Pop |
 United States
|
RKO Network |
Home media[]
During 2000 and 2001, some videotapes were released jointly by RKO Home Entertainment and Lyrick Studios in the United States, with Talisman Pictures and Warner Home Video handling video releases in Canada.