1001 Nights (TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 1001 Nights
1001 Nights's logo
Created by	Aly Jetha Shabnam Rezaei
Directed by	Chad Van De Keere Eddie Soriano
Voices of	Nicole Oliver Tabitha St. Germain Colin Murdock Trevor Devall Cathy Weseluck Peter Kelamis Scott McNeil
Theme music composer	Randy Rogel Michael Richard Plowman
Composer(s)	Michael Richard Plowman
Country of origin	Canada
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	52 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)	Aly Jetha Shabnam Rezaei
Production company(s)	Big Bad Boo
Release
Original network	Teletoon (Canada) Radio Canada (Canada) Disney Channel (United States)
Original release	December 25, 2011 (2011-12-25) – 2012 (2012)

1001 Nights is a fun animated TV show from Canada. It was made by Big Bad Boo Studios in Vancouver. The show is based on the famous collection of stories called One Thousand and One Nights. Shabnam Rezaei and Aly Jetha created and helped direct the series.

The TV show uses the same main idea as the old One Thousand and One Nights tales. It features Scheherazade, who is the main storyteller. She lives in a Persian court with her sister Donyazad, King Shahryar, Prince Shahzaman, and a playful monkey named Maymoon. The show first aired in Canada on Teletoon on December 25, 2011. It also showed on Radio Canada for French-speaking audiences. In the United States, it started on Disney Channel on January 2, 2012. This series was the first time the One Thousand and One Nights books were made into an animated TV show for kids.

What the Show is About

Every day in King Shahryar's court, there's a new problem. Maybe King Shahryar has a toothache, or Maymoon the monkey is "borrowing" Prince Shahzaman's snacks. Luckily, Scheherazade always has a wonderful story to tell. Her stories entertain everyone and teach them important lessons. She often uses the characters from the court in her tales.

You'll also meet other characters who appear often, like Sinbad and Dina, Mujab and Samir, and Harun al-Rashid. Each episode often has a fun surprise, like a flying carpet. This allows the stories to keep going and going!

Meet the Characters

Scheherazade

Voiced by Nicole Oliver

Scheherazade is smart and confident. She's older than her sister and knows how to handle Donyazad and Shahzaman. She is King Shahryar's wife. Scheherazade acts like a mother, a teacher, and a peacemaker in the palace. She tells many exciting stories that teach lessons. She lives in the palace and is the daughter of Majid, the King's main advisor.

Shahryar

Voiced by Colin Murdock

King Shahryar is a bit older than Scheherazade. He doesn't really know how to be a good king. He can be selfish, proud, and spoiled without meaning to be. He's also a bit like a child because he's been a prince his whole life and always had everything done for him. He says whatever he thinks, even if it sounds silly. When Scheherazade tells a story, Shahryar often listens but sometimes gets the wrong idea from it.

Donyazad

Voiced by Tabitha St. Germain

Donyazad is Scheherazade's younger sister. She is ten years old, very bright, independent, and strong-willed. She loves and looks up to her older sister, who is like a mother to her. Donyazad often argues with Shahzaman. Even though they aren't related, they act like a typical brother and sister. They are close but often disagree. Donyazad is usually the smarter one. She is also more sensitive and aware of things.

Shahzaman

Voiced by Cathy Weseluck

Shahzaman is King Shahryar's eleven-year-old brother, which makes him a prince. He's a younger version of Shahryar, meaning he's also a bit spoiled and feels like he deserves everything. Even as a prince, he's like any other boy who loves sports, games, sweets, and playing. He often gets into trouble and constantly teases Donyazad. He loves playing pranks and can sometimes be insensitive to others' feelings. Still, he's lovable, and when they face problems, he and Donyazad make a great team.

Majid

Voiced by Peter Kelamis

Majid is King Shahryar's vizier, which means he's a very important advisor. He is also Scheherazade's father. He's about fifty years old and is supposed to be the wise man of the court. Majid often tries to calm Shahryar down when the king is having a tantrum. He tries to please Shahryar a lot. Scheherazade, however, is smarter and more subtle in her ways. She can often change Shahryar's behavior just by telling him a story. Majid is often afraid of his son-in-law, but Scheherazade has no problem standing up to him.

Maymoon

Voiced by Scott McNeil

Maymoon is a playful pet monkey who belongs to Shahzaman. He's mischievous, loving, and a regular part of the court. He often outsmarts King Shahryar. Like all the other characters, Maymoon is often used as a character in Scheherazade's stories.

Episodes

The show has 52 episodes spread across two seasons. Each episode tells a new and exciting story from Scheherazade.

Season 1

• "The Joke's on You"
• "King Bitehard"
• "Sinbad & the Valley of Serpents"
• "Manjab's Just Desserts"
• "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"

Season 2

• "The Tale of Taymour and Tiny"
• "The Boy and the Panther"
• "Abu Kassim's Smelly Shoes"
• "The Genie, the Fish, the Wolf and the Witch"
• "Sinbad and the Black Diamond"

Awards and Recognition

1001 Nights was nominated for many awards and won some too! Most of its awards were from the Leo Awards, which celebrate excellence in film and television in British Columbia, Canada.

In 2012, the show won three Leo Awards:

• Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series for the episode "Sinbad & The Black Diamond", won by Shabnam Rezaei.
• Best Animation Program or Series, won by producers Aly Jetha & Shabnam Rezaei.
• Best Overall Sound for the episode "Abu Hassan's Legendary Wedding".

In 2013, it won another Leo Award:

• Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series for the episode "The Tale of the Mountain & The Valley", won by Shabnam Rezaei and Aly Jetha.