Zoom (1999 TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zoom
Created by	Christopher Sarson
Developed by	WGBH Boston
Opening theme	"Come On and Zoom"
Ending theme	"Send It to Zoom" (Seasons 1–2 and 7) ”Come On and Zoom” (sometimes instrumental) "Send Us Z-Mail" (seasons 3–6)
Composer(s)	Manic Moose
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	7
No. of episodes	200
Production
Executive producer(s)	Kate Taylor
Producer(s)	Jonathan Meath Alan Catello Grazioso
Running time	26 minutes
Production company(s)	WGBH-TV
Release
Original network	PBS (January 4, 1999 – September 6, 1999) PBS Kids (September 6, 1999 – May 6, 2005)
Picture format	Closed-captioned, color
First shown in	United States
Original release	January 4, 1999 (1999-01-04) – May 6, 2005 (2005-05-06)
Chronology
Preceded by	Zoom (1972 TV series)

Zoom is an American live-action children's entertainment series for ages eight and up, created almost entirely by children. It originally aired on PBS from January 4, 1999 to May 6, 2005. It was a remake of the 1972 TV series of the same name. Both versions were produced by WGBH-TV in Boston. Zoom also aired on the Canadian version of Discovery Kids.

Description

Zoom made a comeback in 1999 in largely the same format, with many of the same games and continued to feature content and ideas submitted by viewers. This second Zoom series ran for seven seasons (1999–2005), each featuring seven children—32 in total—called "Zoomers". It completed taping a pilot episode in September 1995 with a different cast, which was circulated among funders by early 1997 and aired on television in November of that year. The show had auditions for its eighth season but on December 9, 2004, it was announced that the show had been cancelled after seven seasons. The cancellation was blamed on the rising competition of kids TV, which resulted in a noticeable decline in ratings for the show. The series finale aired on May 6, 2005 on most PBS member stations, without any reference of the show’s ending. Reruns aired on some PBS stations until fall 2007, when the show was pulled from the PBS lineup entirely.

Season overview

Cast members

Segments

• Zoom Sci: Experiments to explore. Sometimes this segment features brain teasers or observation surveys that require viewers to send in results.
• Zoom Along/Zoom Phenom: Observations or phenomenon discoveries.
• Zoom Zinger: Challenges or interesting tricks viewers share.
• Zoom Do: Creative handicrafts or activities.
• Zoom Game: Games and activities that are fun for a group. Zoomers sometimes form teams to compete with each other in relay races.
• Cafe Zoom and Zoom Znack: Simple recipes to make.
• Zoom Playhouse: Skits and dramas by viewers and portrayed by the Zoomers.
• Zoom Chat: Discussion on topics involving children's issues or questions from viewers.
• Zmail: Sharing of fan mail and answering questions from viewers.
• Zoom Reviews Books (seasons 3–5): Book reviews recommended by viewers.
• What Zup: Interviews from children that answer interesting questions.
• Zoom Vid: (seasons 1–5) Home videos and short films made by viewers.
• Zoom Guest: Special feature of children with unique talents or hobbies.
• ZoomA Cum Laude (seasons 1–2) and Zoom Into Action (seasons 3–7) pay tribute to children who volunteered in the community or done charitable deeds.
• Zoops: Viewers share their embarrassing moments. (Season 1-3) Blooper clips are sometimes shown here. (The embarrassing moments were dropped after season 3 and they were replaced with blooper clips from seasons 4–7.)
• Fannee Doolee: A segment that centered on a character who likes any person, place, thing or concept with double letters in it but hates its non-double-lettered equivalent.
• Ubbi Dubbi: Short skits that uses Ubbi Dubbi (adding the "ub" in every vowel sound in English.) Occasionally this segment is done like an advertisement.
• Zoom Tale(s) (seasons 1–5) Original stories written and illustrated by viewers.

Song list

1. Zoom Theme Song
2. Fannee Doolee Chant
3. Z-Mail (Send it to Zoom!)

Merchandise

Although the complete series was never released in any format, four videos were released based on the show:

1. Party with Zoom (June 22, 1999, ISBN: 157807200X)
2. The Zoomers Video Special: The Making of ZOOM! (June 22, 1999)
3. Zoom: America Kids Respond (October 9, 2001)
4. Zoom: America's Kids Remember (October 8, 2002)

Additionally, a two-disc set with four full episodes plus various footage from all six seasons of the 1970s version was released on October 28, 2008.

Four books by Amy E. Sklansky compiled from material submitted by viewers were published by Little, Brown and Company:

• Zoom Zingers (1999, ISBN: 0316952613)
• Zoom Fun With Friends (1999, ISBN: 0316952753)
• Zoomdos You Can Do! (2000, ISBN: 0316952761)
• Zoomfun Outside (2000, ISBN: 0316952788)