When they scour the rubbish bins, gardens and garages of Muddlemere for food, Wendy the vixen, Grumpf the boar, Kevin the marten and many other wild animals come into conflict with the human residents and their pets. But it is the slow exotic Tortoise, neither pet nor wildlife, who gets caught up in the culture clash between humans and animals in each episode and always emerges as the unexpected hero.
Format:
26 x 24′
Genre/Subgenre:
Junior/Animation
Target Audience:
Kids 6–9
Technique:
2D Animation
Key Words:
Comedy, Culture Clash, Animals & Humans
TÖRTLE the TORTOISE – is the only „new guy“ in Muddlemere and the unexpected hero of the show. As an exotic fish out of water, no one sees him as serious competition or danger, so almost (!) everyone trusts him. Turtle is slow, which gives him time to think. He is cautious and reserved. When he is afraid, he starts counting, this calms him down. Born and raised in a pet shop, life in the wild does not come naturally to him. But he is an excellent listener with a great „animal-human understanding“. This makes him an ideal mediator. He is not the classic hero who actively drives the plot, but he pulls the strings and is the voice of reason. Wendy the vixen is his best friend, and if he’s in danger, she is there to help him.
WENDY the VIXEN – lives with TÖRTLE in an abandoned garden shed. She is a thoughtful but also very curious character. She is smart and clever. But she can also be a bit sneaky and is always looking out for her advantage. If someone talks nonsense, she lets them know it. So Wendy often comes across as stuck-up to others.
The raccoon sisters ABBY, BAILY and CALLY are triplets and speak as if they were one person. They are equally clever, adventurous and daring. They like to break rules. Especially the „Don’t break into houses!“ one. They cause a lot of damage to the human inhabitants of Muddlemere and thus unfortunately contribute to the bad image of wild animals.
The Grumpf Family – Grumpf the wild boar inspires respect in both humans and animals. He knows no fear – except fear for his wife BRUNELLA and their 5 freshlings, whom he loves above all else. He thinks he is the boss of the family, but in reality, Brunella wears the trousers. She is the only one who respects Grumpf. When he has to justify himself to her, he gets in a bad mood and digs up the Luttkewitz garden. Brunella is gentler than Grumpf but can become very resolute when she has to bring her husband to his senses.
HOCUS POCUS the SWAN – is the self-appointed chairman of the weekly meeting of the wildlife in Muddlemere. He is quite vain and believes that he alone is qualified to solve big problems. He avoids flying whenever possible because he knows he won’t cut an elegant figure when he lands.
MAISY the HOUSE CAT – is a proud and snooty feline. She knows and hears everything around her. As the spokesperson for all house cats, she takes part in the wildlife meetings, but behaves opportunistically and represents her own interests. The fact that her mistress Alina often leaves her alone doesn’t bother her. That way she can do whatever she wants.
Based on:
the original books “Törtel” by Wieland Freund
Executive Producers:
Gabriele M. Walther, Marcus Hamann
Producer:
Karen Mitrega
Producer ZDF:
Götz Brandt
Directors:
Hubert Weiland, Alexander Baert
A production of:
Caligari Film & Traffix Entertainment
In coproduction with:
ZDF, Belga Productions
Produced with the support of:
FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Wallimage (Wallonia), the Belgian Tax Shelter system of the Belgian Federal Government via Beside Tax Shelter and incentives for the Irish Film Industry provided by the Government of Ireland
© Caligari Film 2023
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