Mecha Builders Explained

Genre:	Superhero
Based On:
Developer:	Joe Fallon
Director:	Yurie Rocha
Voices:	Leslie Carrara-Rudolph Ryan Dillon David Rudman
Theme Music Composer:	Bud'da
Country:	United States Canada
Language:	English
Num Series:	1
Num Episodes:	26
Runtime:	22 minutes

Mecha Builders (also known as Sesame Street: Mecha Builders) is an animated children's television series and a spin-off of Sesame Street that began production in May 2020.^[1] The series is produced by Sesame Workshop and Guru Studio.^[2]

The project was announced in October 2019.^[3] Visual development was started remotely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series intended to add 80 staff as it entered production.

The first of the two stories comprising the first episode was released on April 26, 2022, on the Sesame Street YouTube channel.^[4] The series premiered on May 9, 2022, on Cartoon Network, within its Cartoonito pre-school block.^[5] The series was later available on the streaming service Max.

Plot

The series focuses on "mecha" versions of three legacy characters: Mecha Abby Cadabby, Mecha Elmo, and Mecha Cookie Monster, all reimagined as mechanical beings with the power to enlarge to giant size in addition to unique built-in tools and gadgets. The trio usually solve a problem using a three-step formula: plan, test, and solve. Later episodes would add a fourth main cast member in the form of Elmo's puppy Tango.

Much like the Muppet Babies reboot, the animated nature of the show's visual style allows more expression in the characters besides body language and opening mouths.

Characters

Main

• Mecha Abby Cadabby (voiced by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph) is one of the three Mecha Builders. Mecha Abby is the sole female of the main trio, and acts as the group's leader. Her gadgets include jet boosters in her wings, a flying hologram generator used to outline their plans, and she has the ability to stretch her arms to great lengths in order to reach faraway objects. She represents the planning aspect of the show's problem-solving formula.
• Mecha Elmo (voiced by Ryan Dillon) is one of the three Mecha Builders. Mecha Elmo has high technical powers and is able to assemble many of the devices the team needs (often with some help). His gadgets include wheels in his feet, a safety helmet and visor, and his forearms have the ability to morph his hands into any tool needed for the job, though he typically has to try more than once to get the correct tool. He represents the testing aspect of the show's problem-solving formula.
• Mecha Cookie Monster (voiced by David Rudman) is one of the three Mecha Builders. Mecha Cookie Monster is typically excited when it comes to food and while good-hearted tends to be both dimwitted and skeptical. His gadgets include springs in his feet, the ability to see things to identify, search, or scope out a situation (dubbed the "Goggly Vision"), and his right hand can morph into a large hammerhead (dubbed the "Handy Hammer Hand"), though both hands can also merge into a large rolling drum. He represents the solving aspect of the show's problem-solving formula. After a Mecha Builder shrinks (going "Mecha Tiny") or enlarges (going "Mecha Giant"), Mecha Cookie Monster's chest badge also displays the Cookie Clock, a timer that shows how much time the team has left before they return to normal size.
• Mecha Tango is a fourth Mecha Builder, and Mecha Elmo's pet puppy. Energetic and unable to communicate outside of dog noises, her abilities include "super-hearing", "super-sniffing" and her "Turbo Tail", in which her tail spins rapidly to allow her to fly.

Recurring

• Izzy is a young girl who is often around much of the Mecha Builders' cases.
• Timmy is a young boy and also Izzy's friend who is often around to help the Mecha Builders a lot. In one episode, he helped them using his own "superpowers".
• Marwyn is a man who is always in different food trucks. He also helps out the Mecha Builders on rare occasions.
• Grandma is an old lady who is nice to the Mecha Builders. In one episode, she also has a twin sister.
• Ranger Nat is the park ranger of Treetop Woods. He sometimes needs help from the Mecha Builders, or assists them with problems around the park.
• Farmer MacBarm is a farmer who lives on a farm. He's usually in farm related problems the Mecha Builders must solve.
• Zee is a space guy and Farmer MacBarm's friend who helps the Mecha Builders a lot.
• Roof is a train conductor who helps the Mecha Builders a lot and he has his pet chicken with him as well.
• Berta is an forest ranger lady who explores the woods and helps the Mecha Builders a lot.
• Sif is an astronaut lady who uses the spacecraft and helps the Mecha Builders a lot.
• Orie is an artist guy who likes making art stuff and helps the Mecha Builders a lot.
• Billie is a construction lady who likes to build stuff in the construction yard and helps Mecha Builders a lot.
• Barb
• Martians

Additional voices include Alan Aisenberg, Dave Droxler, Krystina Alabado, Jaba Keh, Kaitlin Becker, Ezra Knight, Chris Cafero, Martin P. Robinson, Lilli Cooper, Chanel Umoh, Jorge Cordova, and Matt Vogel.

Broadcast

The series airs in Canada on Treehouse TV.

On January 10, 2023, Channel 5 acquired the UK broadcast rights to the series for their Milkshake! strand, within a Spring 2023 window. The UK broadcasts redub the secondary characters with British voice actors as part of an effort by Milkshake! to tell stories aimed at a British preschool audience.^[6]

On May 13, 2024, the series began airing in the United States on the PBS Kids channel.^[7]

Home media

Shout! Factory released all twenty-six episodes on DVD on April 9, 2024.^[8]

Notes and References

1. News: Milligan . Mercedes . Sesame Workshop, Guru Studio Team for Animated 'Sesame Street' Spin-Off . 12 May 2020 . Animation Magazine . 12 May 2020 . Calabasas CA . 12 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200512145145/https://www.animationmagazine.net/streaming/sesame-workshop-guru-studio-team-for-animated-sesame-street-spin-off/ . live .
2. News: De Wit . Alex Dudok . Quarantine Chronicles: How Guru's New 'Sesame Street' Robot Series Is Entering Production Mid-Lockdown . 13 February 2022 . Cartoon Brew . 28 May 2020.
3. News: Anderton . Ethan . 'Sesame Street' Heads to HBO Max with Deal for Five New Seasons, Four Spin-Off Shows & More . 12 May 2020 . Slashfilm . 3 October 2019 . 12 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200512145848/https://www.slashfilm.com/hbo-max-sesame-street-deal/#more-580443 . live .
4. Web site: 26 April 2022 . Gear up for 'Sesame Street Mecha Builders' with Sneak Peek Episode . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220426172045/https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv-streaming/gear-up-for-sesame-street-mecha-builders-with-sneak-peek-episode/ . 26 April 2022 . 26 April 2022.
5. Web site: Steinberg . Brian . March 8, 2022 . WarnerMedia, Sesame Workshop Expand Content Alliance to Fight Kids' Streaming Wars . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220308130244/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/warnermedia-sesame-workshop-streaming-wars-1235198295/ . March 8, 2022 . March 8, 2022 . Variety.
6. Web site: Channel 5's Milkshake! Picks up Sesame Street animated spin-off Mecha Builders . 2023-01-10 . 2023-01-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230110192336/https://www.c21media.net/news/channel-5s-milkshake-picks-up-sesame-street-animated-spin-off-mecha-builders/ . live .
7. Web site: WOSU Week Schedule - KIDS . pw.myersinfosys.com . 29 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240729214937/https://pw.myersinfosys.com/wosu/week?channel=34.4&date=2024-05-09&nocache=ayw5i&provider=&time_zone=America%2FNew_York . 29 July 2024.
8. Web site: Sesame Street Mecha Builders: The Complete Series. 2024-04-04. 2024-03-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20240330010352/https://shoutfactory.com/products/sesame-street-mecha-builders-the-complete-series. live.