EXCLUSIVE

Written by Jonathan Kavalos
Those meddling kids! Fans of Cartoon Network know the network has spent some extensive efforts accommodating their older views with all new Adult Swim and Toonami programming, but what about the children? Finally there is a show that introduces you to five new kids, picked by kids!  As some may recall, Cartoon Network held their second annual “The Big Pick”, which featured a collection of original cartoon shorts. It was then up to the viewers to pick the best “pilot” to be turned into a full series! The winner was a short titled The Kids Next Door, and featured five bumbling kids attempting to sneak into the public pool during adult swim (ironic, isn't it?). Codename: Kids Next Door won the majority vote, and became the newest Cartoon Cartoon set to air this December.

"It's so exciting to see it all come together," says creator of Codename: Kids Next Door, Mr. Warburton, "The Big Pick weekend was one of the most nerve-racking weekends of my life. And now look at all the ads for the show on Cartoon Network; kidsnextdoor.com with all the KND games, etc. It's a bit overwhelming." Seeing his creation all over the place has been a bit surreal to Warburton as well.

"I went to see harry potter last weekend and there were tons of people walking around with popcorn buckets with the Kids Next Door on them!  I mean, how cool is THAT!?!? I can't wait until they make Kids Next Door G-Toons [see Cartoon Orbit] either...I love all that collectible card game stuff."

Don't be fooled by the flashy gadgets though, Codename: Kids Next Door is a character driven series, complete with quirky, yet distinct personalities. As everyone knows, spies often have their own code names, and these kids are no exception. Time for a role call:

Enter: Numbuh One (alias Nigel Uno)
Numbuh One is unquestionably the leader of the Kids Next Door, embodying this revolutionary group's principles. With a defined British accent, and wild monologues, Numbuh One leads the group with full bravado. Without him, the other four could easily be distracted by “normal” childhood diversions -- ice cream, games, toys. With Numbuh One in charge, the Kids Next Door work as a well oiled machine. Voiced by Ben Diskin.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Enter: Numbuh Two (alias Hoagie P. Gilligan, Jr.)
Numbuh Two is the gear head of the group. ‘Hoagie’ is a wiz at putting together spare parts to create wacky inventions. While he’s devoted to Numbuh One's leadership, he often asks too many questions. He's so excitable, that sometimes he forgets to breathe. When he’s not rigging up some flying machine, Numbuh Two is trying to impress the ladies with his clumsy, overzealous chivalry. Voiced by Ben Diskin.
 
 
 
 
 

Enter: Numbuh Three (alias Kuki Sanban)
Numbuh Three brings cheer, happiness, and the sunny disposition to the group. While this gal may be happy, her short attention span makes her a bad spy. Weather it is a shiny object or a pretty flower, Kuki's fascination with “pretty things” has put several of the KND's missions in jeopardy. What she lacks in speech, she makes up in volume, by blurting out thoughts randomly. Voiced by Lauren Tom.
 
 
 
 
 

Enter: Numbuh Four (alias Wallabee Beatles)
This short and surly member is considered the enforcer of the clan. Numbuh Four is a tough talking Australian, that often talks before thinking what comes out of his mouth. With aspirations to be a professional wrestler, Numbuh Four also claims to have super powers (none of which have been verified). Although his diminutive stature might send the wrong message, Numbuh Four's punch-first policy has never steered him wrong...much. Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.
 
 
 
 
 

Enter: Numbuh Five (alias Abigail “Abby” Lincoln)
This girl plays it cool and keeps it ‘real’. Abby probably has the most common sense of the group, and consistently drives Numbuh One nuts, with her no-nonsense attitude. Her specialty is intelligence, and often sets out to infiltrate adult outposts to collect information. Voiced by Cree Summer.
 
 
 
 

When asked about the transition between the pilot to the series, Mr. Warburton commented, "The biggest change I made from the pilot to series was the ability to collect a super powered team of artists, writers, and production people who could really go to town! They're really the ones that make all of it happen. On the pilot, I had to figure out almost everything myself."

Mr. Warburton also went on to add, "The series will give us time to really explore the characters and the global Kids Next Door operation! One of the coolest thing about making a series is that I'm always learning. No show is ever going to be perfect, so we're constantly trying to make it better and betterer (super special made up word). I really envy and admire Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack) and Craig McCracken (The Powerpuff Girls) because they've made so many cartoons, both their own, and other people's. Nothing beats experience like that!"

Luckily enough, I was able to sneak a peek at the upcoming series with an advanced screening of the show. While I won't include spoilers of the series, I will give you a taste of what is to come. Rest assured, that I will only disclose information from the first 2 minutes of each cartoon, nothing more. Read at your own risk...
 

Episode #3
- “Operation: I-S.C.R.E.A.M.”: An opening sequence shows a fast paced chase scene along steep cliff tops, Numbuh One and Numbuh Five have secured their magnetic shoes to the roof of the pink ice cream truck. The ice cream man clenches to the giant plastic ice cream cone while the kids ask for information. Inside, Numbuh Four steers the vessel while Numbuh Three is helping herself to some soft serve. Behind the truck is a slew of other ice cream trucks, complete with angry ice cream men. A quick drive off the cliff leads the truck to......well, just watch and see.

-  “Operation: C.A.N.N.O.N.”: When Numbuh One takes leave to accompany his parents to “Hap Happy Land”, the rest of the gang is open to attacks from former enemies after no one turns on the Spanker Spotter Defense Grid (usually switched on by Numbuh One). With enemies such as the Proper Patrol attacking the club house, its up to the remaining four kids to fend for themselves.

Hopefully, I have whet your appetite enough to have you watch the premiere of Codename: Kids Next Door, on December 6th, 2002, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT) and an encore at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), only on Cartoon Network!

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