The Third Generation

 

Madeline Fretz - If you're a Sprout fan, chances are, you know that the channel launched on September 26th, 2005, five months after launching on Comcast on Demand. Ten years later, the channel rebranded with many changes.

Many PBS and HiT Entertainment shows from launch day were dropped in favor of new shows. It was around the time that Sprout would focus more on original programming.

Nina's World, a Sprout Original series, made its debut on September 26th, 2015, Sprout's tenth anniversary, alongside Maya the Bee and Sydney Sailboat. Other shows included Floogals, Terrific Trucks, Doozers, YaYa and Zouk, Noddy: Toyland Detective, The Furchester Hotel, Dot., Space Racers, The Jungle Bunch, The Land Before Time, The Ollie and Moon Show, Ranger Rob, Topsy and Tim, Masha and the Bear, Kody Kapow, School of Roars, and Sprout House. Olivia, Charlie and Lola, and Ollie! The Boy Who Became What He Ate premiered on Universal Kids' Sprout block in 2017.

The Sunny Side Up Show became Sunny Side Up and changed settings from the Sunshine Barn to a snazzy city loft with plenty of touch screens. The last show in the Barn was the 18th, and there was a "road trip" arc until the 26th. Rita Moreno, who voiced Abuela on Nina's World guest starred that day, and other celebrity guests have included Jordan Smith, Jennifer Nettles and Alvyia Alyn Lind, Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton, Margot Lee Shetterly, Luke Wilson, Justin Timberlake and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jack Black and Kate Hudson, and Bobby Monyihan. Star power, huh?

Shortly before the launch of the third generation, Alyssa Milano became Sprout's new "mom-bassador" and the face of Kindness Counts, and appeared on The Sunny Side Up Show. The channel's new slogan was to be "free to grow," and sleek, minimalist idents and bumpers featured real kids and minimalist crafts.

It was during the third generation that Deirdre Brennan, who became Sprout's general manager in early 2017, announced plans to launch Universal Kids, which took over Sprout's channel space in 2017.

The Third generation was a time of ups and downs for Sprout - mostly ups. Like it or hate it, it's definetly(sp?) something important in Sprout's history. Peace!