Disney Junior will debut the first six episodes of fairytale-inspired “Goldie & Bear” on the popular WATCH Disney Junior platforms, beginning Saturday, September 12,with one new episode premiering on the WATCH Disney Junior app and WATCH Disney Junior.com each Monday from September 21 through October 12. Set in the magical world of Fairy Tale Forest, the animated series for kids age 2-7 reunites Goldie and Bear, after the renowned porridge incident featured in “Goldilocks and The Three Bears.” The series premieres in November on Disney Channel and Disney Junior.
Reflecting Disney’s deep roots in storytelling that resonates across generations, “Goldie & Bear” captures the timeless appeal of sharing stories through fairytales, folktales and nursery rhymes.Each episode features two 11-minute stories that showcase the new, unexpected friendship between Goldie and Bear as they seek out fun and adventure along with their friends and neighbors, all of whom are drawn from beloved storybook characters. Whether it’s helping the Big Bad Wolf learn to consider others before blowing down their houses, helping Jack and Jill get up that hill, orrescuing accident-prone Humpty Dumpty after his great fall, Goldie and Bear enjoy living in a fairytale world filled with real-life situations, humorous mishaps and heartfelt moments.
Beginning where the classic tales leave off, “Goldie & Bear”celebrates the distinct personalities of Goldie, Bear and their quirky pals, and encourages children to develop their own enchanting friendships. The series is populated with a diverse cast of storybook characters who model friendship, community, respect for individuality, resilience in the face of adversity and compassion for others, and is meant to spark conversations among kids and parents about the narratives and morals highlighted by Goldie and Bear’s unlikely friendship and their comedic interactions in Fairy Tale Forest.
Maria Tatar, chair of Harvard University’s program in Folklore and Mythology and series consultant, advising on storytelling, fairytales and folklore, said, “When we are stumped, a story often provides the answer – not in the form of a one-liner but in a conversation about the things that mattered to us in the tale.”
DisneyJunior.com and WATCH Disney Junior will roll out a suite of more than 20 “Goldie & Bear” micro-games throughout the fall, with the first six debuting with the series. Housed in a storybook containing an interactive map of Fairy Tale Forest, each game centers on a classic fairy tale or nursery rhyme character.
“Goldie & Bear” stars Natalie Lander (“The Middle”) as Goldie and Georgie Kidder (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”) as Bear. Recurring guest stars include Lesley Nicol (“Downton Abbey”) as Fairy Godmother, Isabella Day (“Cristela”) as little witch Rosita, Debby Ryan (“Jessie”) as Thumbelina and Miles Brown and Marsai Martin (“black-ish”) as Jack & Jill. “Goldie & Bear” was developed for television and is co-executive produced by Jorge Aguirre (“Giants Beware!” graphic novel series); Chris Gilligan (“Frankenweenie”) is executive producer and director; Joe Ansolabehere (“Recess”) is story editor and Rob Cantor (from the band Tally Hall) is songwriter.