The show follows an underwater exploring crew made up of stylised anthropomorphic animals, a team of eight adventurers who live in an undersea base, the Octopod, from which they go on undersea adventures with the help of a fleet of aquatic vehicles. Although its technology is fictional, the exotic creatures and locations that the crew encounter are based on real marine animals in their natural habitats. The show's subject matter has been compared to that of Star Trek and Thunderbirds[1] blended with Jacques Cousteau.
The show was animated in Ireland by Brown Bag Films for its first four series.[2] The show was renewed for a fifth series in 2018, with Canada's Mainframe Studios taking over animation work.[3][4] A Netflix-original spinoff, subtitled Above & Beyond, was released in September 2021, and featured the Octonauts venturing onto more land-based habitats of the natural world.
In March 2023, five new episodes under the original Octonauts branding and format were released via the BBC iPlayer.
Characters
Left to right: Kwazii, Barnacles and Peso
Main characters
The Octonauts, consisting of the Octopod crew and captain, are the recurring main characters.
Barnacles is the brave polar bear captain of the Octonauts. He knows how to drive any vehicle and is strong enough to lift a giant clam. However, despite his bravery, it was revealed in The Caves of Sac Actun that he was claustrophobic. Catchphrases: "Octonauts, let's do this!", "Sound the Octo-Alert!", "Octonauts, to your stations!", "Octonauts, to the HQ / launch bay!" and "Hold on, this could get bumpy!".
A cat who speaks in a Cockney accent. Kwazii is a daredevil cat with a mysterious pirate past. He believes in many sea monsters such as the Nackerwhack, Tri-Toothed-Terror, Giant Shrimp Monster and Monster of Creepy Cove. He likes to drive fast in the Gup-B. In the episode "The Octonauts and the Giant Spider Crab", it reveals that he has a fear of spiders. Catchphrases: "Shiver me whiskers" and "Yeow!".
He is a penguin with a British accent (Spanish accent in the US version) and the medic of the Octonauts. He is not fond of scary situations, but if someone is hurt or in trouble he can be the bravest Octonaut of all. He has a younger brother called Pinto. Catchphrase: "Flappity flippers!".
A sea otter who speaks with a Scottish accent. Dr. Shellington is a biologist who assists the Octonauts on missions. He is not a very good driver and once crashed the GUP-D. Catchphrase: "Jumping jellyfish!" and "Fascinating".
A rabbit who speaks with a Southern-US accent. Tweak lives and works in the launch bay. She often invents things like the GUP-X, GUP-S, the Octo-Max suit and the Friend Finder she made for her friend, Sandy the leatherback sea turtle. She often refers to Captain Barnacles as "Cap". Catchphrases: "Right away, Cap!", "...faster than you can say 'buncha munchy crunchy carrots'!", and "Oh, me, oh, my!".
A dog who speaks with an Australian accent (American in the US version). Dashi is the photographer for the Octonauts and takes care of all the computers aboard the Octopod. She's also a professional surfer. Catchphrase: "Already on it, Captain!"
Tunip is half-tuna, half-turnip, but has the outward appearance of a harbour seal mixed with a turnip. He loves to make kelp cakes and work in the greenhouse. He often faints at shocking news. Tunip the Vegimal is the Octonauts' head cook and gardener. He is a Vegimal, a half-animal, half-vegetable creature capable of breathing on land as well as underwater. Tunip is very childish and innocent, always wanting to help the Octonauts in any way he can. He is the smallest main character in the Octonauts crew. Aside from cooking the meals, Tunip works in the garden, cultivating vegetables he can use to cook meals. His two favourite meals are fish biscuits and kelp cakes. Tunip, like all Vegimals, speaks Vegimalese. Since he was born, his first words were "Cheepa cheepa!, Cheepa cheepa!" and "Zuupa zuupa!"
Vegimals
Vegimals are half-animal, half-vegetable creatures. The vegimals were discovered by Shellington as eggs attached to the side of the Octopod. To protect them he brought them into his lab, where they hatched a few days later. After a few weeks, they established themselves as an integral part of the crew.[5][6] They primarily speak Vegimalese, a language made of chirps and warbles (heavily accented English with inter-mixed gibberish), though they also speak a limited amount of English (with an accent). Shellington is the only (non-vegimal) Octonaut who has some fluency in Vegimalese.
Name
Taxonomy
Description
Albachoy
half-bok choy and half-albacore
Barrot
half-bass, half-carrot.
Although nervous, he can go super fast in an emergency.
Carprika
half-paprika and half-carp
Charchard
half-chard and half-char
Codish
half-cod, half-radish.
He is very clumsy and also causes accidents.
Grouber
half-grouper, half-tuber.
He is big and can eat almost anything.
Halibeet
half-beet and half-halibut
Maccoli
half-broccoli and half-mackerel
Perchkin
half-pumpkin and half-perch
Pikato
half-tomato and half-pike
Tominnow
half-minnow, half-tomato.
She is the littlest one, but she is also a daredevil.
As a pirate, his exploits are frequently talked about but he is assumed long dead until he finally makes an initial first appearance.[8] In real life, the pirate Calico Jack was the creator of the Jolly Roger, though the Octonauts character's name might also be an allusion to the Calico cat.
A young penguin who visits in season 1 – episode 24,[10] season 1 – episode 32[11] and Special 1.[12] He initially aspires to be a pirate, like Kwazii, but later decides he'd rather be a medic like Peso.
A propeller-powered vehicle and Captain Barnacles' favourite. It is occasionally modified by Tweak during the series:- 1) a turbo booster for greater speed ["Giant Whirlpool" (Season 1, episode 21)]; and 2) extra lights to help see in the midnight zone, which flash when the vehicle's power is running low ["Midnight Zone" (Season 1, episode 18)].
Kwazii's favourite. This vehicle is a turbo sub so is the fastest of all GUPs. When Kwazii loses this GUP, it is revealed that he painted the shark teeth. In some episodes, Kwazii continuously crashes the GUP-B, leading to occasional modification by Tweak during the series: 1) a set of fully adjustable pectoral fins and a tail fin, to enable it to emulate the flying fish's movements when launching itself out of the water; and 2) an eject button to escape from the GUP in an emergency.
3) a tiger shark camouflage mode to scare away other predators (since tiger sharks can eat almost anything).
Intro Credits, but substantively in "The Undersea Storm" (Season 1, episode 2)
GUP-C
This strong vehicle has a towline and is powerful enough to tow an elephant seal or the entire Octopod ["Narwhal" (Series 1, episode 17)]. It can also be used as an icebreaker when fitted with a special reinforced prow.
Intro Credits, but substantively in "The Orcas" (Season 1, episode 7)[20]
GUP-F
This was a pedal-powered metal-framed vehicle and the very first prototype GUP built. In its only appearance, in ["The Speedy Sailfish" (Season 1, episode 10)], it was used to round up the runaway GUPs A-E. It was destroyed by a hurricane and converted into an artificial reef ["The Artificial Reef" (Series 3, episode 4)]
This is a ship with "sturdy legs for walking on ground and a special tank for carrying large sea creatures". The GUP-G was built "to travel in water and on land, just like a salamander".
Appearing in the book entitled, "The Octonauts & the Growing Goldfish" (3 July 2014,[21][22] 25 August 2014[23] & 5 June 2018[24]). Also appearing in The Caves of Sac Actun (10th special).
GUP-H
This is a helicopter. It is used to soar above the sea and watch the animals hop in and out of the water.
This is a half-air-boat, half-tank vehicle that can float on the surface. It was used to save Tweak's hometown the Everglades from fire in "The Great Swamp Search" (9th Special).
Only in the Season 4 end credits & the toys made for the series.[27][28]
GUP-P
This is a first response emergency vehicle and medical station (complete with an X-Ray machine), allowing Kwazii to treat and transport sea creatures to safety. A beak-like hatch exists at the nose of the vehicle for capturing sea creatures being rescued by the vehicle.
Octonauts and the Great Barrier Reef (11th Special)
GUP-Q
This is an undersea exploration vehicle for search and rescue, especially in dark caves. It is structured like a hammerhead shark, featuring a flat head with searchlights for eyes.
This vehicle (pronounced GUP-ARRRR by Kwazii) is designed for rescue missions in and out of water. It possesses a dorsal fin and wings that are lower for hydroplane mode. It can deploy rescue buoys.
This is a propeller-powered amphibious Antarctic exploration vehicle, which can split into 2 sections, like the GUP-X. The main body of the vehicle is an underwater Octo-Shuttle, which has 2 pairs of continuous track wheels for travelling on the Ocean floor, an antifreeze system to prevent the ship from freezing over (modelled on arctic fish which have antifreeze in their blood), a research lab, a sleeping quarters, and even a hot cocoa machine. The detachable cockpit forms an above-water snowmobile called the Octo-Sled, with a tusk-like ice-penetrating heated drill at its nose, and an extendable rescue line. Accessories for this GUP include an ice-proof camera.
This is a rescue rover, which travels on the seafloor, on rotating tread wheels, scouring the ocean floor for waste recycling. The Gup-T Rescue Rover is equipped with two sea slime cannons, containing a special sanitising slime that the Octonauts use to break down harmful pollutants in the ocean and rescue contaminated creatures. It has middle and rear doors that open to safely transport wounded creatures.
This is an agile vehicle that can travel fast and also stand in patrol position, giving the crew a better view for scanning and spotting creatures in trouble.
This is a vehicle designed by the Vegimals and made from improvised materials.
Train
A Very Vegimal Christmas (5th Special)
GUP-W
This is a mobile emergency medical centre, specially designed to help treat the world's endangered coral reefs and their inhabitants. The front can open, creating a ramp that can also function as a launch bay for other GUP vehicles. It is used by Peso to rescue injured creatures, which are stored in a rescue tank.
Octonauts and the Great Barrier Reef (11th Special)
GUP-X
This is an armoured, powerful and sturdy tracked vehicle presented to Captain Barnacles as a Christmas present from Tweak. It can split into three sections; for instance, a glider, the 'Octo-Ski' and its central main section with the caterpillar tracks.
The vehicle is a deep sea excavation vehicle for working around the Deep Sea Octolab in the Mariana Trench. It has long arms, ideal for hauling, lifting and even scooping up sea materials, including slimy rocks.
A specialised vehicle meant for work in volcanic environments and combined from 5 smaller Z-GUPs. It is also capable of assuming a humanoid robot configuration for a limited amount of time.
This is a moveable base from which the deepest parts of the ocean can be studied. It is dome-shaped and stands on springy legs to cope with subterranean tremors.
—
The Mariana Trench Adventure (4th Special)
Octo Servicing Station
This is a vehicle servicing scaffold constructed on the seabed. It is used to refurbish the Octopod and manufacture the GUP K and GUP H.
—
Season 4 and The Great Arctic Adventure (7th Special)
Books
The original books were first published in the US by Immedium in 2006 and were republished in the UK by HarperCollins in 2009. Six titles by Meomi have been published:
The Octonauts & the Only Lonely Monster, about an Architeuthis (Giant Squid).
The Octonauts & the Sea of Shade, about a world where everyone's shadows have gone missing.
The Octonauts & the Frown Fish, about a glum-looking catfish.
The Octonauts & the Great Ghost Reef, about coral bleaching.
The Octonauts Explore the Great Big Ocean, about the search for Tunip the Vegimal's home.
The Octonauts & the Growing Goldfish, about Dunkie, a giant goldfish who won't stop growing.
A series of shorter books based on individual episodes from the TV series is being published by Simon & Schuster.
These titles can be distinguished by the "As seen on TV" label on the covers and are not written or illustrated by Meomi.[36] The books have the same titles as the episodes they are based on.
TV series
In 2010, The Octonauts was adapted into a 52-episode CGI animated television series co-produced by Chorion and Brown Bag Films. It first aired in the UK on 4 October 2010 on CBeebies, a BBC television channel for children under 7. The first series ended in February 2011 but continued to be aired as repeats. A second series of 22 episodes commenced in November 2012.
The Octonauts had its US premiere on the Disney Channel on 9 January 2012[37][38] In September 2014, Silvergate Media announced its sale of season 4 to the Disney Channel, to be aired in 2015.[39][40] Many of the characters' voices were redubbed to give them American accents—Hispanic in the case of Peso and Pinto—although Captain Barnacles, Kwazii and Professor Inkling retained their original British voices.[41] Another notable difference between the British version and the US version is the absence of the "Creature Report" feature at the end of each episode. This educational and melodic recap of the adventure is missing from the UK version, but is available to view in Britain through Netflix, which streams the American version.
In Australia, in 2014, the Octonauts became the second most-watched children's TV show in the country, seen daily on ABC2 by 257,000 viewers nationally.[42] By season 4, the Octonauts had been picked up in more than 100 countries, including RTÉ Two (Ireland), Treehouse TV (Canada), ABC Television (Australia), TF1 (France), SuperRTL (Germany), CCTV (China), Karusel (Russia), Disney Junior (Spain, Portugal), and SVT (Sweden).[43]
The series was made with the help of marine biologists Dr. Lara A. Ferry-Graham and Dr. Michael H. Graham, who had previously worked on Finding Nemo.[1]
The TV show is episodic, with each 11-minute episode seeing them encountering an unusual but real sea creature as they explore strange underwater worlds. Often they must discover a vital biological or behavioral fact about that creature to rescue it or themselves from danger. The stories usually feature three main characters: Captain Barnacles, Kwazii, and Peso, with the other five Octonauts acting in supporting roles.
The opening theme tune finishes with the chant "Explore! – Rescue! – Protect!", the Octonauts' motto.
Creature Reports are one-minute, musical, poem-like sequences that recap the facts learned about the sea creature that the Octonauts encountered in the associated episode. In the UK, these were shown as separately scheduled items, but in the American version, they were used after each regular episode. The exception is the episode of "The Surfing Snails", where it was replaced with a surf rock song called, "Surf's Up, Bubbles Up (Ready to Ride)".
The Creature Report's addictive, repetitive nature has been postulated to have psychological benefits. For children, it provides a sense of predictability that promotes good feelings and mental balance. For adults, it provides a sense of virtual participation via the principle of involuntary musical imagery.[45]
The initial working title of the 2017 American Superhero film "Thor: Ragnarok" was "Creature Report", a reference to the Octonauts,[46][47] which acted as the movie production's code word.[48]
Video services
Seasons of The Octonauts are available on variety of streaming and direct purchase video services.
The TV series was well received when shown on CBeebies in the UK and by ABC in Australia. According to the authors' website, it was the No. 1 pre-school age show in the UK, and the first pre-school show to be ranked in the top ten by older audiences (aged 3–4 and up).[59] The show was the top-ranked ABC programme for 5- to 12-year-olds in January 2011 in Australia, with the ABC calling its first month an "unprecedented success online and on-air".[60]The Octonauts DVD boxset was the 4th best-selling Children's TV DVD at Amazon UK as of 7 April 2013.[61]
In 2020, two new movies were released on Netflix: on August 14, The Octonauts Movie: The Caves of Sac Actun[67] (which takes place in a cenote in Mexico) and on October 13, The Octonauts & the Great Barrier Reef (a musical).[68] In 2021, The Octonauts Movie: The Ring of Fire was released March 30 on Netflix in the United States.[69][70]
The Octonauts brand has been licensed by the production company for numerous spin-off activities. These include Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure, a themed rollercoaster within the CBeebies Land of Alton Towers theme park and themed bedrooms with the CBeebies Land Hotel. There is also a travelling live show called Octonauts Live, which has toured in the U.S.[71] and other countries.
An Octonauts app was launched for iOS on 17 November 2016, produced in partnership with Night and Day Studios.[72]
A spin off series, titled Octonauts: Above and Beyond, premiered on September 7, 2021, with the full first episode being released on YouTube on August 25.[73][74][75] Rather than an aquatic setting, Above and Beyond features the crew exploring and assisting in natural habitats such as forests and deserts; essentially all terrestrial habitats.
In 2024, a new spin-off set in China aired exclusively on Chinese broadcast stations, with no news for an international release date.
^Meomi: Vicki Wong & Michael C. Murphy (25 August 2014). The Octonauts & the Growing Goldfish. HarperCollins (UK) Children's Books. ISBN978-0-00-748115-6. Amazon-ASIN=0007481152.
