Pinecone & Pony
Pinecone & Pony is a children's animated streaming television series produced by DreamWorks Animation and First Generation Films for Apple TV+. The series is loosely based on the children's book The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton.[1] The first season was released on April 8, 2022,[2][3] and the second season was released on February 3, 2023.[4]
| Pinecone & Pony | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Children's animated adventure |
| Based on | The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton |
| Developed by | Stephanie Kaliner |
| Directed by | Wayne-Michael Lee |
| Voices of |
|
| Theme music composer | Greg Alsop |
| Opening theme | "Warrior" |
| Composers |
|
| Country of origin | United States Canada |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 16 (31 segments) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Editor | Taneka Stotts |
| Production companies | DreamWorks Animation Television First Generation Films Atomic Cartoons |
| Release | |
| Original network | Apple TV+ |
| Picture format | 1080p |
| Original release | April 8, 2022 – present |
Premise
The series follows the adventures of Pinecone and her pony as they face trolls, giants, dragons and a dangerous rope bridge atop a valley.
Cast and characters
- Maria Nash as Pinecone
- Chase W. Dillon as Hawthorn
- Rachel House as Gladys
- Alicia Richardson as Queen Kimya
- Andy Hull as Arlo/Whomp
- Thom Allison as Greymoon
- Viola Abley as Annabelle
- Vienna Jackson as Oatcake
- River Novin as Peregrine
- Shiloh Obasi as Rhino
- Beatrice Schneider as Fauna
- Ser Anzoategui as Wren
- Emma Hunter as Magpie
- Scott Thompson as Thistle
- Karen Robinson as Magnolia
- Michela Mohamud as Beetle
- Johnathan Langdon as Rowan
- Grace Lynn Kung as June
- Julius Cho as Doraji
- Samiyah Crowfoot as Celestia
- John Michael Banovich as Nova
Episodes
Season 1 (2022)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Pwettiest Pony" "Try This Club on for Size" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Stephanie Kaliner Lakna Edilima | April 8, 2022 |
| 2 | 2 | "Lance or Not" "Treat Your Creature" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Jocelyn Geddie Evany Rosen | April 8, 2022 |
| 3 | 3 | "O Prickly, Where Art Thou?" "Big Trouble in Lil Labyrinth" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Jocelyn Geddie Taneka Stotts | April 8, 2022 |
| 4 | 4 | "This Calls for Courage" "The Straight and Arrow" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Taneka Stotts Stephanie Kaliner | April 8, 2022 |
| 5 | 5 | "It's a Pony Thing" "Hawthorn the Adventurer" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Lienne Sawatsky Pilot Viruet | April 8, 2022 |
| 6 | 6 | "In Plain Sight" "Belt or Bust" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Pilot Viruet Lakna Edilima | April 8, 2022 |
| 7 | 7 | "You're On!" "The Pony Express" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Kate Beaton Jocelyn Geddie | April 8, 2022 |
| 8 | 8 | "What Would Freda Do?" "A Token of Toughness" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Evany Rosen Gigi D.G. | April 8, 2022 |
Season 2 (2023)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | "Hero Soup" "Sleepless at the Sleepover" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Lienne Sawatsky Kate Beaton | February 3, 2023 |
| 10 | 2 | "The Harvest Spirit" "Speak From the Art" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Lakna Edilima Jocelyn Geddie | February 3, 2023 |
| 11 | 3 | "One Night Only" "Fountains of Youths" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Laurie Elliott Taneka Stotts | February 3, 2023 |
| 12 | 4 | "Good Night, Bad Knight" "A Life of Adventure" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Taneka Stotts Gigi D.G. | February 3, 2023 |
| 13 | 5 | "Pinecone and Horse" "Once in a Violetmoon" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Corey Liu Tally Yong Knoli | February 3, 2023 |
| 14 | 6 | "Festival of Might" "Sage Advice" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Evany Rosen Corey Liu | February 3, 2023 |
| 15 | 7 | "Next in Line" "A Spell of Your Own" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Tally Yong Knoli Tristen Sutherland | February 3, 2023 |
| 16 | 8 | "The Sturdy Stone" | Wayne-Michael Lee | Stephanie Kaliner | February 3, 2023 |
Production
Cartoonist Kate Beaton published the webcomic Hark! A Vagrant from 2008 to 2018 with a variety of characters, one of which was a fat, farting pony.[5] This pony later played a central role in Beaton's 2015 children's book The Princess and the Pony; about a warrior princess named Princess Pinecone who receives a pony as a birthday gift.[6]
Beaton was approached several years later by First Generation Films, a production company out of Toronto, asking for the rights to the show to option it (in partnership with DreamWorks Animation) to different streaming services.[7] The show was eventually picked up by Apple TV+ as the platform began to roll out children's programming.[7]
Beaton is listed on the project as Executive Producer along with Christina Piovesan, Mackenzie Lush and showrunner Stephanie Kaliner.[6] While Beaton worked on the show from her home in Mabou, Nova Scotia, animation was handled by Atomic Cartoons of Ottawa.[6] The cast of included Maria Nash as the title character, Alicia Richardson, Andy Hull, Rachel House, Thom Allison, Chase W. Dillon and Viola Abley.[6][8] Following the release of Season 1, Back Lot Music released a new song called "Warrior" written by Greg Alsop and performed by Tasha Peter.[9]
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Canadian Screen Music Awards | Best Original Score for a Children's Program or Series | Caleb Chan and Brian Chan | Nominated | [10] |
| 2023 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Children's Programming | Pinecone & Pony | Nominated | [11] |
| Canadian Screen Awards | Best Directing in an Animated program or series | Wayne-Michael Lee for ("What Would Freda Do? / A Token of Toughness") | Nominated | [12] | |
| Best Original Music, Animation | Brian Chan and Caleb Chan, | Nominated | |||
| Best Writing in an Animated program or series | Stephanie Kaliner and Lakna Edirisinghe for ("The Pwettiest Pony / Try This Club On For Size") | Won |
References
- Milligan, Mercedes (March 17, 2022). "Trailer: Kate Beaton's 'Pinecone & Pony' Charges to Apple TV+".
- "Apple TV+ Releases 'Pinecone & Pony' Trailer". Animation World Network.
- "'Pinecone & Pony' Trailer Reveals a Family-Friendly Medieval Adventure". Collider. March 17, 2022.
- Shanfeld, Ethan (January 25, 2023). "Apple TV+ Sets 'Frog and Toad' Series, Announces Spring Kids and Family Slate (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
- Robinson, Tasha (17 March 2022). "Kate Beaton's Fat Pony now has its own animated series". Polygon. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- Cooke, Stephen. "Kate Beaton's artwork comes to life on Apple TV's Pinecone & Pony | SaltWire". Cape Breton Post. SaltWire Network. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- Beaton, Kate (21 March 2022). "Kate Beaton's kids' book is being made into an animated series". Information Morning with Steve Sutherland (Interview). Interviewed by Steve Sutherland. CBC Radio One Cape Breton. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- "Apple TV+ announces "Pinecone & Pony," new animated series for kids and families premiering Friday, April 8" (Press release). Apple TV+. March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- @BackLotMusic (8 April 2022). "Based on Kate Beaton's children's picture book "The Princess and the Pony," Pinecone & Pony is an adventure led by…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Howard Druckman, "INAUGURAL SONG & SCORE WEEK DELIVERS OPPORTUNITIES, AWARDS FOR MUSIC CREATORS". Words & Music, September 26, 2022.
- Complex, Valerie (January 18, 2023). "GLAAD Announces Nominees For The 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards". Deadline Hollywood.
- Etan Vlessing, "Canadian Screen Awards: TV Drama ‘The Porter’ Leads With 19 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter, February 22, 2023.