Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum explained

Genre:Children's television series
Director:Cory Bobiak
Open Theme:"Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum Theme"
End Theme:"Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum Theme" (instrumental)
Composer:Meiro Stamm
Language:English
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:50
Producer:Jennifer Bradley
Editor:Meghan Read
Tom Hastings
Runtime:22 minutes (11 minutes)
Network:PBS Kids (U.S.)
TVOKids (Canada)
Company:9 Story Media Group
Brown Bag Films

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum is an animated children's television series that premiered on November 11, 2019, on PBS Kids.[1] The series is produced by 9 Story Media Group. It is based on the children's book series written by Brad Meltzer and Chris Eliopoulos, named Ordinary People Change the World.[2] The series involves Xavier Riddle with his sister Yadina, and their friends Brad and Berby, at the Secret Museum, and help from historical heroes, who are depicted in the series as children.[3]

Premise

The series involves a Peruvian-American boy named Xavier Riddle, his sister Yadina Riddle (alongside her stuffed turtle Dr. Zoom) and their best friend Brad. In each episode, a problem or difficulty is encountered. They go to the Secret Museum to time travel to the past to observe, interact, and learn from the historical heroes. They then return to the present and use their experience to solve the problem.[4]

Characters

Main

Supporting

Production

Brad Meltzer wrote the book Ordinary People Change the World and began a series based on the book named the Ordinary People series in 2014 with I Am Abraham Lincoln, I Am Amelia Earhart, I Am Rosa Parks, and I Am Albert Einstein.[5]

The series is produced by 9 Story Media Group's animation division, Brown Bag Films. 9 Story's Chief Creative Officer Angela Santomero states that Xavier Riddle lets kids know they have "the curiosity and adventurous spirit to change the world". Meltzer added to that statement: "When my own kids watch this series, I get to see them realize that there’s extraordinary within the ordinary."[6]

Episodes

Each episode of Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum runs for half an hour. They consist of two 11-minute stories based on famous historical heroes around the world in the past.[7] However, airings on streaming services such as Globoplay in Brazil split the episodes into segments, with each 11-minute story isolated. There may be an interstitial segment between the two main stories, in which Berby, and either Xavier, Yadina, Brad, or Dr. Zoom, are shown doing something fun together.

Shorts (2022)

These shorts were first released exclusively on the PBS Kids video app. They later aired in between episodes in season 2.

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie: I Am Madam President

A TV special titled Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie: I Am Madam President aired on March 16, 2020.[8] [9] In the special, Yadina, who dreams of becoming president one day, realizes all the presidents were men. She questions if she can still be president, even though it is something no girl has done yet. The trio visit the Secret Museum, where a five-part star is shown to them. They travel to different periods in time, where they meet women who are attempting to do something that has never been done before. Yadina learns from them on what is needed to do something that has never been done before, as she attempts to complete the star. She meets Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Amelia Earhart, Junko Tabei, Sally Ride and herself as an adult.[10] Amelia Earhart is the only historical figure to be featured in both the movie and an episode.

Broadcast

The series premiered on PBS Kids in United States on November 12, 2019. It premiered on TVOKids in Canada on December 10, 2019.[11] It airs on Super3, a Catalan-language children's channel in Spain.[12] Season 2 released on January 15, 2024.

Reception

Critical response

Joyce Slaton of Common Sense Media gave Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum a mixed review. She stated that "the show makes many historical inaccuracies, which makes it odd for a TV show that wants to make history come back alive for kids." She also stated that "the show's tendency to play too fast and loose with the historical facts is confusing, and that 'Go for it!' is an unlikely motto for Amelia Earhart, who disappeared in 1937 and didn't complete her solo Atlantic flight as a grade school student, as Xavier depicts." George Washington Carver did have a secret garden as a child, in which he learned important lessons that impacted his career in botany. But, as Slaton states, "it's a real stretch to imagine him having to defend plants from renegade soccer players in 19th century Missouri," and that "the show seems to overlook his importance as an activist for ex-slaves and champion of sustainable agriculture, instead boiling his messages down to 'take care of plants and you'll take care of the earth.'" [13]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee ResultRef.
Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool ChildrenXavier Riddle and the Secret Museum[14]
2020Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated ProgramCory Bobiak, Steven Boeckler and Susan Hart[15] [16]
2020TCA AwardsOutstanding Achievement in Youth ProgrammingXavier Riddle and the Secret Museum[17]
Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool ChildrenXavier Riddle and the Secret Museum[18]
Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Special Class Daytime Animated Program Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I Am Madam President[19]
2021Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Directing Team for a Preschool Animated ProgramXavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
2021TCA AwardsOutstanding Achievement in Youth ProgrammingXavier Riddle and the Secret Museum[20]
Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool ChildrenXavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
Outstanding Preschool Animated SeriesXavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

References

Attribution:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: PBS KIDS Announces New Series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, Premiering November 11, 2019. PBS. February 1, 2019.
  2. Web site: Brad Meltzer on Finding Heroes for "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum". TV Shows. en. 2019-11-22.
  3. Web site: 'Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum' premieres on PBS Kids.. Columnist. Francine Brokaw Community. Daily Herald. en. 2019-11-22. 2020-01-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200111043727/https://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/columnists/francine-brokaw/xavier-riddle-and-the-secret-museum-premieres-on-pbs-kids/article_df934e49-abc3-5ed3-955f-b934dc9fca39.html. dead.
  4. Web site: A New PBS Show That Lets Kids Learn from the Example of Historical Heroes. 2019-11-07. WTTW Chicago. en-US. 2019-11-22.
  5. Web site: Brad Meltzer's kid-friendly history comes to PBS. Tampa Bay Times. en. 2019-11-22.
  6. Web site: 'Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum' Streams on PBS Kids Platforms. Siegel. Fern. The Streamable. 13 November 2019 . en. 2019-11-22.
  7. Web site: This Adorable PBS Show Will Teach Your Kids About Golda Meir. 2019-11-20. Kveller. en. 2019-12-11.
  8. Web site: Rick's Review: Brad Meltzer makes history fun with 'Xavier Riddle' on PBS. March 12, 2020.
  9. Web site: Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie. 26 February 2020.
  10. Web site: Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie: I Am Madam President - TV Review. April 2, 2020. www.commonsensemedia.org.
  11. Web site: Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (@XavierRiddleHQ) Twitter. twitter.com. en. 2019-12-16.
  12. Web site: Xavier Enigma i el museu secret. CCMA. 6 April 2023 .
  13. Web site: Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - TV Review. 2019-11-19. www.commonsensemedia.org. en. 2020-02-04.
  14. Web site: Mercedes Milligan . 47th Annie Awards Nominations Announced . . 2019-12-02 . 2019-12-31.
  15. Web site: Daytime Emmy Nominees: 'Elena of Avalor,' 'Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure' Lead Toon Contenders. Mercedes. Milligan. May 21, 2020.
  16. Web site: Daytime Emmy Awards: 'Dragon Prince,' 'Ask the Storybots' & 'Last Kids on Earth' Win Key Animation Categories for Netflix. Mercedes. Milligan. July 26, 2020.
  17. Web site: TCA Awards: Watchmen, Unbelievable and Schitt's Creek Lead Nominations . TVLine . Matt Webb . Mitovich . July 9, 2020 . July 10, 2020.
  18. Web site: Mercedes Milligan . Soul / Wolfwalkers / HildaFESTIVALS AND EVENTSNORTH AMERICA Annie Awards: 'Soul,' 'Wolfwalkers' & 'Hilda' Score Most Wins . . 2021-04-17 . 2021-04-17.
  19. Web site: TV Academy Announces Animation/Children's Emmy Nominations. Ramin. Zahed. June 28, 2021.
  20. Web site: Turchiano. Danielle. 'Ted Lasso' Scores the Most 2021 TCA Awards Nominations. Variety. July 19, 2021. July 15, 2021.

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