Ready Jet Go! Explained

Genre:
  • Educational
Creator:Craig Bartlett
Director:
  • Craig Bartlett
  • Rusty Tracy
  • Zac Palladino
Opentheme:"Ready Jet Go!"
Endtheme:"Ready Jet Go!" (instrumental)
Theme Music Composer:
Composer:Jim Lang
Country:United States
Canada
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:66
List Episodes:List of Ready Jet Go! episodes
Executive Producer:
Editor:
  • Ann Hoyt
  • Susan Edumunson
  • Tom Sanders
Company:
Network:PBS Kids
Last Aired:[1]

Ready Jet Go! is an animated educational children's television series produced by Wind Dancer Films. The series aired new episodes on PBS Kids from February 15, 2016 to May 6, 2019, although re-runs continue to this day. It was created by animator and Hey Arnold! creator Craig Bartlett,[2] and is produced in cooperation with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The show teaches science and astronomy.[3]

The show is aimed at children ages 3 to 8. On August 17, 2016, PBS Kids announced the renewal of the series for a second season, which premiered on April 2, 2018.[4]

Plot

Jet Propulsion and his family are from the fictional planet Bortron 7 which orbits around a red dwarf called Bortron. They live at Boxwood Terrace in Washington,[5] where they study human customs and Earth environments for a travel guide. Jet has made friends with neighborhood children, including Sydney, Mindy and Sean, whose parents work at the nearby Deep Space Array. The Propulsion's car turns into a flying saucer, which they frequently use to take the older children into space. Their alien identities are known to Sean, Mindy and Sydney, but they otherwise make some effort to conceal their origin.

At the end of each episode, scientist Amy Mainzer (also called Astronomer Amy) hosts educational interstitial segments: the segments are not included in the export version.

Episodes

See main article: List of Ready Jet Go! episodes.

Characters

Main

Bortronians

Earthies

Collective name for Earth natives used by the Bortronians.

Supporting

Bortronians

Earthies

Space Camp

Development

The idea for the show dates back to the late 1990s when Linda Simensky complained to Bartlett about how "nobody makes shows about two friends anymore."[5] From that idea, Bartlett came up with Lenny and Nate, a buddy comedy starring two eighth-graders, one of whom believes he is an alien.[30] Years later, while working on Dinosaur Train, Bartlett revamped the idea to be educationally appropriate for PBS, with a specific focus on space and earth science, after he worked on a project for NASA called the Shuttle Launch Experience. Lenny became Jet and Nate became Sean, while both characters were aged down from 13 to 10. The character of Sydney was added, and after testing the initial pilot of children, Mindy was added to appeal to a younger audience. The pilot was titled Jet Propulsion.

During production of the first season, PBS approved of everything that Bartlett and his team came up with, leaving no notes. However, during the second season, the team was approached by the Ready-to-Learn Act, thus bringing a new layer of oversight and executive meddling that made season 2 of the series "hard."[31]

Songs

Ready Jet Go! has many songs; some have no lyrics.

  1. Ready Jet Go! Theme Song[32]
  2. Commander Cressida Theme[33]
  3. How Come the Moon Has Craters?[34]
  4. Night of a Bazillion Stars[35]
  5. The Scientific Method Song[36]
  6. The Solar System Song[37]
  7. Venus! (Earth's Broiling Hot Twin)[38]
  8. Tiny Blue Dot[38]
  9. Intergalactic Travel Writers[38]
  10. The Milky Way
  11. What Goes Up (Must Come Down) aka The Gravity Song
  12. Enceladus vs. Europa aka Which Moon is Best?
  13. Computers[39] aka The Programming Ditty
  14. Let's Fly Our Little Saucer to the Moon
  15. The 3-Part Bortronian Meal aka Classic 3-Part Bortronian Meal
  16. My Name is Mindy
  17. Try Again
  18. Beep's a Rovin' Superstar aka Jet's Beep Song
  19. Cooking with Jet (no lyrics)
  20. Asteroid Belt (no lyrics)
  21. Building Boogie (no lyrics)
  22. So Many Moons aka 67 Moons
  23. Real Bortronian Deal
  24. Bortronian is What I Am!
  25. My Name is Jet
  26. Lone Star!
  27. I'm Not Afraid of Big Ideas
  28. A Scientific Town
  29. Is Your Planet Like My Planet?
  30. There's No Planet Like My Planet
  31. Take-off Ditty
  32. The Bortron Solar System Song
  33. That's How We Roll on Bortron 7
  34. Just Add Water
  35. It's a Neptune Kind of Day!
  36. Earthday Birthday
  37. You're Never Too Big for a Lullaby
  38. Dear Santa, From Little Billy
  39. Mindy's Toy-Building Ditty
  40. Solar System Saucer-Sleigh
  41. The Spirit of Christmas
  42. Dear Little Frozen Pluto
  43. A Star is Born!
  44. I'm Finally Five!
  45. The Outer Planets Song
  46. Ice Skating in July
  47. Heliocentric Ditty
  48. Total Eclipse of the Sun
  49. Space Racin'
  50. Grow Plant, Grow!
  51. Engineering Song
  52. Potatoes on Mars
  53. Potato Changes
  54. Get Growin'
  55. Every Day is Earth Day
  56. The Super Saucer Song
  57. Dear Great Galacto
  58. Brother From Another Sunspot Mother
  59. Super Hyperdrive
  60. It Takes a Team
  61. Space Hero

Broadcast

Due to the national success of Ready Jet Go!, the series has been distributed to countries around the world and dubbed into over 20 different languages, enabling it to become internationally successful as well.

In September 2016, the series premiered in Canada on Knowledge Network during the Knowledge Kids block. It also has aired on BBC Kids[40] there. In November of that same year, the series premiered in South Korea on EBS1.[41] The Korean dub of the show was the first foreign-language dub to be produced and aired.

On January 25, 2017, the series premiered in Israel on Educational 23,[42] and later on Kan Educational until November 14, 2020. On February 24 of that same year, the series premiered on Yle TV2 in Finland as part of Pikku Kakkonen, under the title Jetron matkaan.[43] Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese dubs later premiered on Nat Geo Kids that same year, with the Spanish dub premiering on July 1 and the Portuguese dub on September 20.

In January 2017, the series premiered on LTV1 in Latvia. The show is broadcast in English with one man translating all the characters’ lines to Latvian in the form of a voiceover. On April 13, 2019, the second season premiered.[44]

Beginning February 17, 2021, the series began broadcasting on television in Russia.[45] That same year, the series premiered June 28 on TV Derana in Sri Lanka with a Sinhala dub, and September 27 on Aqlvoy in Uzbekistan under the title Diqqat Jet Olg’a!

Reception

Critical reception

Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media rated it a 5/5, saying "Thoroughly engaging and packed with educational content, this exceptional series is a fun way for kids to learn about science and astronomy. Jet's excitement for the human experience is matched only by Sean and Sydney's eagerness to learn all about outer space; put the three of them together, and it's a true celebration of the joy of discovery. Whether it's executing a rescue mission for a Mars rover or combining daily chores with experiments in force, Jet and his friends have a lot to teach kids through their own experiences."[46]

Gina Catanzarite of Parent's Choice said "Although the vocabulary and science explanations may be beyond the scope of the youngest viewers, the premise, characters, interesting art direction and upbeat action should hold their attention. Older kids are more likely to grasp the facts and even if they don't remember them all, Ready Jet Go! will at the very least inspire curiosity, and plenty of questions when they take the time to gaze up at the skies above them."[47]

Ratings

The series has gained 34.3 million viewers, according to PBS, including 10.2 million on broadcast television. It outperformed channel average by 32% in its first three weeks. The series has also been streamed over 146 million times on the PBS Kids website and app since January 2016.[48]

Awards and nominations

Film

In 2021, two years after the show's final episode aired, Bartlett confirmed that new songs were being recorded for the series.[57] A year later, he confirmed on The Arun Mehta Show podcast that the songs were for an 80-minute Ready Jet Go! movie in production for Universal Pictures. The film was in animation up until October 2022, and entered post-production in spring 2023.[58] The movie, entitled Ready Jet Go!: Space Camp, premiered on July 20, 2023, serving as the series finale.[59]

The plot of the movie revolves around Jet and the rest of Team Propulsion heading to Space Camp. However, Sunspot develops an allergic reaction, prompting the team to go on an intergalactic adventure to find the cure and return to Space Camp before Mitchell finds out.[60] [61]

Games

PBS Kids and Two Moos created ten online games based on the show:

  1. Sydney's Astro-Tracker[62]
  2. Mindy's Constellation Exploration[63]
  3. Sean's Rescue Quest[64]
  4. Jet's Planet Pinball
  5. Jet's Rocket Ship Creator
  6. Mission Earth
  7. Mindy's Moonball
  8. Jet's Bot Builder
  9. Rover Maker[65]
  10. Cooking School[66]

Also on iTunes:

  1. Space Explorer[67] released 7 April 2016

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Preschool Series News and Galore. www.facebook.com.
  2. Web site: Ready Jet Go! - PBS KIDS. Pbskids.org. 2016-06-11.
  3. Book: Perlmutter . David . The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows . 2018 . Rowman & Littlefield . 978-1538103739 . 491.
  4. Web site: READY JET GO! Season Two Blasts Off April 2 on PBS With Girl-Empowering Episodes. BroadwayWorld.com. 12 February 2019.
  5. Web site: Seattle native returns to the small screen with 'Ready Jet Go!' on PBS. February 15, 2016. The Seattle Times.
  6. Web site: Jet Propulsion . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  7. https://web.archive.org/web/20160119145523/http://pbskids.org/readyjetgo/credits.html
  8. Web site: Ready Jet Go! - PBS KIDS. Pbskids.org. 12 February 2019.
  9. Web site: Sunspot . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  10. . Eye in the Sky . Space Scout Sean Rafferty reporting for duty .. I'm here to pick up Sunspot Propulsion for his first official Space Scout event..
  11. Web site: Sunspot Talking . . 12 April 2016 . 2016-09-01.
  12. Web site: Carrot . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  13. Web site: Celery . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  14. Web site: Sydney . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  15. Web site: Ready, Jet, Go! - A Hammer And A Feather/ Commander Mum : ABC iview. https://archive.today/20170827043420/http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/ready-jet-go/ZW0675A040S00%23pageloaded. dead. 27 August 2017. 27 August 2017. Archive.fo. 12 February 2019.
  16. Web site: Sean . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  17. Web site: Mindy . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  18. . I'm Mindy Melendez, hey let's be friend-ez.
  19. Ready Jet Go . Space Junk.
  20. Ready Jet Go . Earth Mission to the Moon.
  21. Ready Jet Go . Sunspot and the Great Red Spot.
  22. Ready Jet Go . Mindy's Weather Report.
  23. Ready Jet Go . What's a Satellite?.
  24. . Project Pluto.
  25. . Jet's First Halloween Part 2.
  26. Ready Jet Go . Project Pluto.
  27. Ready Jet Go . The Grandest Canyon.
  28. Web site: Beep . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  29. Web site: Make Your Own Beep Space Rover . Pbskids.org . 2016-06-11.
  30. CMA Live: Craig Bartlett [PART 1]]. YouTube. 21:22. May 9, 2018. December 19, 2022.
  31. Cirimele. Anna. 2018-05-04. Elements of an Educational Television Series: Analyzing Successful Television Show Curriculum and Formatting . . 2023-01-05.
  32. Web site: Ready Jet Go! Song . Pbskids.org . 2022-12-22.
  33. Web site: Commander Cressida Theme . Pbskids.org . 2022-12-22.
  34. Web site: How Come the Moon Has Craters . Pbskids.org . 2022-12-22.
  35. Web site: Night of a Bazillion Stars . Pbskids.org . 2022-12-22.
  36. Web site: The Scientific Method Song . Pbskids.org . 2022-12-22.
  37. Web site: The Solar System Song . Pbskids.org . 2022-12-22.
  38. Ready Jet Go . Tiny Blue Dot.
  39. Ready Jet Go . Face on the Fritz.
  40. Web site: CAKE goes global with Ready Jet Go!.
  41. Web site: 우주탐험가 젯 (우주탐험가 젯). home.ebs.co.kr.
  42. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: היכון הכן טוס . YouTube. 25 January 2017 .
  43. Web site: Lähde Jetron matkaan Pikku Kakkosessa!. yle.fi. 24 February 2017 .
  44. Web site: TV PIRMIZRĀDE! Animācijas seriāls. "Uzmanību, gatavību, kosmosā! 2" 1. Sērija. 13 April 2019.
  45. Web site: "На старт, внимание, взлёт!". Премьера!. kapitan.tv.
  46. Web site: Ready Jet Go! - TV Review. 2016-02-15. www.commonsensemedia.org. en. 2023-01-05.
  47. Web site: Catanzarite. Gina. 2017. Ready Jet Go! - Spring 2017 Television. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170205182250/http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=34853&StepNum=1&award=aw. February 5, 2017. parents-choice.org.
  48. Web site: Ready Jet Go!. Cake Entertainment.
  49. Web site: Navigate The Stars with Jet . twobulls.com . 12 May 2023.
  50. Web site: TV Reviews - Kids TV - Common Sense Media. Commonsensemedia.org. 12 February 2019.
  51. Web site: 2017 Nominations. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170130190410/http://youngartistawards.org/nominees. January 30, 2017. youngartistawards.org.
  52. Web site: 2017 Cynopsis Kids !magination Awards - Results. 2017-09-16. www.cynopsis.com. en. 2023-01-05.
  53. Web site: 2018 Cynopsis Kids Imagination Awards - Cynopsis Media. 2018-09-25. www.cynopsis.com. en. 2023-01-05.
  54. Web site: EMA Awards 2018 -- Environmental Media Association. 2018-05-22. www.green4ema.org. en. 2023-01-05.
  55. Web site: Ready Jet Go! Space Scouts App . webbyawards.com . 12 May 2023.
  56. Web site: Nickelodeon, Sprout lead Kidscreen Awards finalists . Kidscreen.com . 13 May 2023.
  57. Web site: Craig Bartlett on Instagram: "I get to record Jet songs this week with my old pals @ashperson and @jimlangmusic! Excelsior!!".
  58. 26th Hey Arnold! Anniversary Show with Craig Bartlett!. Apple Podcasts. 40:44. October 7, 2022. October 22, 2022.
  59. Web site: Schedule Program - WGTE Public Media . WGTE . 1 May 2023.
  60. Web site: READY JET GO!: SPACE CAMP . WHRO TV and Radio Schedules . 3 June 2023.
  61. Web site: Next on PBS Kids . SCETV . 3 June 2023.
  62. Web site: Ready Jet Go! . Games . Sydney's Astro Tracker - PBS KIDS. Pbskids.org. 2016-06-11.
  63. Web site: Ready Jet Go! . Games . Mindy's Constellation Exploration - PBS KIDS. Pbskids.org. 2016-06-11.
  64. Web site: Ready Jet Go! . Games . Sean's Rescue Quest - PBS KIDS. Pbskids.org. 2016-06-11.
  65. Web site: Ready Jet Go! . Games . Rover Maker - PBS KIDS. Pbskids.org.
  66. Web site: Ready Jet Go!. Games. Cooking School - PBS KIDS. Pbskids.org.
  67. Web site: Ready Jet Go! Space Explorer on the App Store. Pbskids.org. 2016-06-11.