(SCMP) Over the hills and far away, the Teletubbies have come back to play – in mainland China.
New episodes of the popular show aimed at preschoolers will be available in Putonghua on streaming platforms iQIYI and Youku from Thursday.
The programme quickly became part of the global cultural fabric after its launch in 1997, with the bumbling antics and rhyming chatter of Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po enthralling children, while often antagonising any adult within earshot.
The Teletubbies arrived in China in 2002 as the first Western-made show aimed at children. It was known as Tianxian Baobao or “Antenna Babies”, a reference to the distinct shapes atop the heads of the characters, who were renamed Dingding, Dixi, Lala and Po.
The four return in the new season but to a show updated in look and feel, according to Canadian firm DHX Media, which owns the show and is selling the 60 new episodes to markets around the world.
“China is a major market for the new Teletubbies as we continue the global roll-out of the brand,” said Josh Scherba, executive vice-president of distribution and content.
The company is predicting significant market potential for the series in China, with its 226 million children under the age of 14.
Season one would be shown first on iQIYI and Youku, while season two would follow at a later date, DHX Media said. Youku is owned by e-commerce giant Alibaba, which also owns the South China Morning Post, while iQIYI is owned by Chinese search engine Baidu.
“The show will be available across all devices, building on the tremendous legacy that these four lovable characters have in China,” Scherba said.
The original run was as divisive as it was popular. According to DHX Media, the show “inspires confidence and curiosity, and nurtures childhood development”, but parents have criticised the show for its “mindless” content and questioned its educational value.
News that the rebooted show would be made available for the Chinese population prompted consolations from Western social media users.
“Looks like we’re punishing China,” wrote one Facebook user.
“I’m sorry China! You’re getting the worst of Canada and England,” wrote another.
The Teletubbies ran in Britain until 2001 and was eventually seen in more than 120 countries. The revamped seasons aired in Britain in 2015 and in the United Sates on Nickelodeon in May last year and have been picked up by 24 broadcasters worldwide.
Source: South China Morning Post by Julia Hollingsworth