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Cyberchase is an educational television series for children aged 8 to 12, that teaches kids discrete mathematics. The show airs on PBS and
PBS Kids GO!PBS Kids GO! is an educational television brand used by PBS for programs intended for older children, rather than the original PBS Kids. It is primarily broadcast on PBS stations during the afternoons...
in the United States. Seasons one through five were produced by
Thirteen/WNETWNET, channel 13 , is a non-commercial television station licensed to Newark, New Jersey. With its signal covering the three-state New York metropolitan area, WNET is a flagship station of the Public Broadcasting Service and a primary provider of PBS programming...
New YorkNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
and
NelvanaNelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company, founded in 1971, known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
. As of season six Cyberchase is produced by Thirteen in association with Title Entertainment, Inc. and WNET.ORG. This television series premiered on January 21, 2002.
Plot
The show stars three
EarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun. It is the fifth largest of the eight planets in the solar system, and the largest of the terrestrial planets in the Solar System in terms of diameter, mass and density...
children —
Matt,
Jackie and
Inez — and
Digit, a "cyboid" (a
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
-like
cyborgA cyborg is a cybernetic organism . The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
). The three kids and Digit use their math and problem solving skills to stop the evil deeds of the
Hacker and his two
cyborgA cyborg is a cybernetic organism . The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
henchmen,
Buzz and
Delete.
The series takes place in
CyberspaceCyberspace is the global domain of electromagnetics as accessed and exploited through electronic technology and the modulation of electromagnetic energy to achieve a wide range of communication and control system capabilities...
, with
planetA planet , is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
-like bodies called "Cybersites." Each cybersite is inhabited by "Cyborgs" the virtual inhabitants of Cyberspace. Some are based on real-world places, such as ancient
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
and the
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Old WestThe American Old West comprises the history, geography, peoples, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the period of the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
, or fantasy worlds, such as
mythological GreeceGreek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
. The guardian of all Cyberspace is
Motherboard; her repairman is
Dr. Marbles.
Educational Philosophy
Cyberchase tries to show kids that math is everywhere and everyone can be good at it. The series encourages viewers to see, think, and do mathematics in their world. The show and supporting activities have been designed to support math education and reflect the curriculum standards of the
National Council of Teachers of MathematicsThe National Council of Teachers of Mathematics was founded in 1920. It has grown to be the world's largest organization concerned with mathematics education, having close to 100,000 members across the USA and Canada, and internationally....
. The show’s philosophy is to foster enthusiasm for math, to model mathematic reasoning, to help children improve their problem-solving skills and to inspire all children to approach math with confidence and a "can-do" attitude.
Season 1
In the pilot, "Lost My Marbles", Hacker infects Motherboard with a
computer virusA computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, adware, and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
. At a library on Earth, while looking at a computer, Matt, Jackie, and Inez are sucked through a dimensional portal into Cyberspace. In their first adventure, they go to an island to rescue Dr. Marbles. In subsequent adventures, they return to Cyberspace to thwart Hacker's evil plans, which vary from ruining Motherboard to trying to take over a Cybersite.
Throughout the season, the Cybersquad searched for a new encryptor chip for Motherboard. In episode 109, the kids nearly retrieved the encryptor chip, but lost it in a dust storm.
See a list of Season 1 episodes.
Season 2
This season is a continuation of the same basic plot of season one. However, the focus on the search for the Encryptor Chip is shown less as the season deals more with a new scenario; each episode involving Hacker seeking to take over a cybersite or all of Cyberspace, or plot a nefarious scheme in which he is wreaking chaos and havoc somewhere. In addition, a continued appearance of Wicked, a witch from the cybersite Happily-Ever-After' occurred, revealing her strong feeling towards Hacker, while Hacker only used her abilities as a witch to further his own evil tactics as seen in episode #211, although he did show mutual feelings towards her in episode #203, but once again, it became all about him and less about her, so in a way, the occurrences of episode #211 are Wicked's way of evening that score.
See a list of Season 2 episodes.
Season 3
In the third season, the kids met Slider, a rebel-style skateboarder who lives in the cybersite Radopolis. He first appears in the episode
The Borg of the Ring where he retrieved the
Totally Rad Ring of Radopolis from Hacker. The kids are told his father, Coop, had abandoned him. Coop was on a distant cyber-planet, but the kids didn't know that yet.
The most dramatic event in the season happened in a two part miniseries called
The Snelfu Snafu. While Slider was searching for his father, he stumbled across the location of the elusive encryptor chip. When he alerted the cybersquad, they soon discovered it was in the hands of an auctioneer. The kids eventually earned enough snelfus to win it, but they discovered the chip was infected to drain Motherboard, replacing her with Hacker. The kids were then placed in the dungeon at the new Hacker Control Central; when they escaped they searched for the encryptor chip (because Motherboard was trapped in it). Upon finding it, they also rescued Dr. Marbles. However, when they attempted to put the chip in the circuits, the hardware rejected it because Hacker blocked the switch. Dr. Marbles was forced to reboot Motherboard destroying the chip in the process. Also, Hacker rejects Wicked, setting the stage for some of the future episodes.
See a list of Season 3 episodes.
Season 4
In season four, Hacker attempts another scheme at bring chaos to
CyberspaceCyberspace is the global domain of electromagnetics as accessed and exploited through electronic technology and the modulation of electromagnetic energy to achieve a wide range of communication and control system capabilities...
. He steals the
Electric Eel of Aquari-yum as a power source, and the
Pedestal of Penguia as a relay for the power-flow, and combines these items with other gizmos and gadgets to form the Transformitron, a device with the capability of transforming anyone into anything. After taking the NIC (Network Interface Card) from Slider's dad Coop, and kidnapping Slider, the device was complete. However, the CyberSquad was able to thwart Hacker's plans again by dismantling the device so it could not be used again and allowing the effects of the Transformatron to wear off.
See a list of Season 4 episodes.
Season 5
During this season, they had a special two hour program called
Cyberchase: My Big Idea! This program dealt entirely around the theme of inventions. Four back to back episodes (episodes #502-#505) were shown, each dealing with a different topic about inventions. The program was hosted by Bianca and Harry from
Cyberchase For Real! and in between episodes, they talked about inventions that were made by kids, and showed clips of kids who had made inventions of their own. This was also the first series without the late actor
Len CarlsonLen Carlson was a Canadian and American voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, and was also a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s. He was the voice of Bert Raccoon in The Raccoons, Professor Coldheart in the early Care Bears series by DiC...
voicing
BuzzA buzz can be a rapidly oscillating two-tone noise caused by vibration or other source, such as that produced by bees or wasps. It can also refer to a generally excited hubbub, or background noise — see for example marketing buzz....
. The episode "EcoHaven Ooze" is dedicated to him.
See a list of Season 5 episodes.
Season 6
Season 6 begins with episode "Digit's B-Day Surprise" and the kids have an idea to celebrate: a surprise party, but they pretend to forget all about his b-day. A disappointed Digit then runs into Hacker, who wants to reprogram him to gain access to Motherboard. Meanwhile the kids have a chocolate Digit sculpture, and they need to cross the desert in order to get it to the party. Soon, they discover that wearing wet bandanas can get it there without melting it.
This is the first season to be animated in
Adobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform originally acquired by Macromedia and currently developed and distributed by Adobe Systems. Since its introduction in 1996, Flash has become a popular method for adding animation and interactivity to web pages...
.
See a list of Season 6 episodes.
Season 7
Season 7 started with "Weather Watchers". It was launched April 21, 2009. There were to be 4 episodes about it. In the first two episodes, "For Real" segments included Janice Huff, a meteorologist with New York's WNBC-TV who played "Stormy Gale" in episodes 701-702. This also included Episode 601.
See a list of Season 7 episodes.
"For Real"
{{main|List of Cyberchase "For Real" Segments}}
Each Cyberchase episode is followed by "Cyberchase For Real", a live-action educational supplement linking concepts learned in the show to real life experiences. The actors
Bianca ( Bianca DeGroat) and
Harry (Matthew Wilson) are in their twenties, but amusingly act in a manner similar to the age of the target audience. "For Real" is produced by WNET on location in and around
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
after production is completed on the animated segments. These "For Real" segments are broadcast exclusively on PBS in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where the program runs longer "For Real" segments can also be viewed at
Cyberchase Online.
Cybersites
{{main|List of cybersites}}
There are several cybersites shown throughout the seasons. Each one has its own unique qualities which are dealt with through the elementary mathematics concept within the show, but also through various cultural references or even historical references.
Museum Tour
A touring museum exhibition,
Cyberchase—The Chase is On! is based on the television series. It was developed by the
Children's Museum of HoustonThe Children's Museum of Houston is a children's museum located in the Houston Museum District in Houston, Texas. The museum welcomes more than 750,000 people annually, making it the highest-attended youth museum for its size in the USA...
where it was on view from September 28, 1996, through May 13, 2000. The exhibition is currently touring children's museums and science museums across the UK.
[Children's Museum Houston]
Cultural References
- Several episodes of Cyberchase are a spoof
A parody , in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of Harry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter, together with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his friends from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
called Sharri Spotter. The head wizard Professor Stumblesnore is a spoof of Professor Dumbledore, and the wizard school that Sharri goes to is called Frogsnorts, a spoof of Hogwarts{{in-universe|date=August 2009}}{{in-universe|date=August 2009}}{{in-universe|date=August 2009}}{{in-universe|date=August 2009}}{{in-universe|date=August 2009}}{{in-universe|date=August 2009}}{{Infobox Harry Potter school...
.
- The 19th century mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and/or research is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with particular problems related to logic, space, transformations, numbers and more general ideas which encompass these concepts...
and early computer programmer, Lady Ada LovelaceAugusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace , born Augusta Ada Byron, was the only legitimate child of poet Lord Byron...
, is a character in the Valentine's DayValentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the English-speaking countries, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering...
episode "Hugs and Witches." She is voiced by Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
founding cast member Jane CurtinJane Therese Curtin is an American actress and comedienne.First coming to prominence as an original cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1975, she would go on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series on the 1980s sitcom Kate & Allie. Curtin later starred in the...
.
- "Chewcroca," a dinosaur
{{Otheruses}}{{pp-semi-protected|small=yes}}{{Otheruses}}{{pp-semi-protected|small=yes}}{{Taxobox|name = Dinosaurs|fossil_range = {{Fossil range|230|65|earliest=230|latest=0|PS=
Descendant taxon Aves survives to present.}}|image = field_dinos_2.jpg...
, is a reference to ChewbaccaChewbacca, nicknamed Chewie, is a Wookiee character in Star Wars franchise. In the series' narrative chronology, he appears in the films Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the...
, a hairy creature from Star WarsStar Wars is an epic space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas. The first film in the franchise was originally released on May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two immediate sequels, released at three-year intervals...
.
- The episode, "The Wedding Scammer" parodies The Today Show weddings and features the voice of The Today Shows weatherman Al Roker
Albert Lincoln "Al" Roker, Jr. is an American television broadcaster, best known as the weather anchor for NBC's Today show. On July 20, 2009, he began co-hosting his new morning show Wake Up with Al on The Weather Channel, which airs weekdays from 6am to 7am ET, one hour away from Today show...
.
- The episode "The Borg of the Ring" is a spoof off the popular book and movie series, The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel written by philologist and Oxford University professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
.
- Science Fiction television shows are often the subject of parody here. Various objects and/or devices are notably similar to things seen in the Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment series.The original Star Trek was an American television series, created by Gene Roddenberry, which debuted in 1966 and ran for three seasons, following the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Federation...
television franchise. The kid named "Slider," is probably a nod to the SlidersSliders is an American science fiction television series that ran for five seasons from 1995 to 2000. The series focuses on a group of travelers who "slide" between parallel worlds by use of a wormhole referred to as an "Einstein-Rosen-Podolsky bridge."...
series.
- The episode "A World Without Zero" parodies various celebrities.
Funders
- National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
(2002-Present)
- Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress and largely funded by the United States Federal Government to promote public broadcasting...
(2002-Present)
- The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations are a group of charitable foundations established by American industrialist Arthur Vining Davis, onetime Alcoa president and Florida land developer.-History:...
(2002-2003) (Season 1 only)
- The Kettering Family Foundation (2002-2006)
- Volckhausen Family (2002-Present)
- Intel Corporation
Intel is the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. The company is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers. Intel was founded on July 18, 1968, as Integrated Electronics Corporation and based in Santa Clara,...
(2004-2007)
- Jif peanut butter (2004-2005)
- Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services firms in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with PricewaterhouseCoopers , Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and KPMG...
(2006-Present)
- Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth largest defense contractor in the world in 2008, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over 122,000...
(2006-Present)
- Viewers Like You
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television service with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. However, its operations are largely funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting...
(2002-Present)
- Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman (Weather Watchers) (2009-present?)
Official sites