64 Zoo Lane (French: 64, rue du Zoo) is a children's animated series created by Belgian-born English author An Vrombaut. The series is co-produced by French animation studio Millimages and British-based Zoo Lane Productions in association with ZDF and ZDF Enterprises (series 1–2). La Cinquième, The Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Co. (series 2), Sofica Cofanim and CBeebies (series 3–4), with the participation of France 5 (series 3)/France Televisions (series 4). The first two seasons aired from 1999 to 2003. After a seven-year hiatus, the series returned in 2010 for another two seasons, ending in 2013. A total of 104 episodes were produced.

Synopsis

The series follows a 7-year-old girl named Lucy who lives next door to a zoo at 64 Zoo Lane. Each night, she is told a story by the animals. Characters include Georgina the Giraffe, Nelson the Elephant, Tickles and Giggles the Monkeys, Boris the Bear, and Molly the Hippopotamus. The programme emphasizes friendship and responsibility. At the story's end, friendly morals are discussed, then bedtime is declared. Georgina deposits Lucy into bed via the bedroom window (later episodes show Lucy yawning and then sleeping soundly in bed; in the original episodes she would be lulled to sleep by the storytelling itself). Opportunities for learning: exploring language and vocabulary are enhanced by the use of intonation and expression in the character's voices and the themes of the animals' stories support social and emotional issues, including friendships and helping and caring for others. The creator of the TV series, An Vrombaut, also wrote and illustrated six 64 Zoo Lane picture books based on stories from the TV series.

Episodes

Characters

Main characters

African characters

North American characters

South American characters

Australian characters

North Pole characters

Overseas characters

Asiatic characters

Broadcast

The series has aired on CBBC, Disney Channel, CBeebies and Sky Kids in the UK. Internationally, the series was aired on Fox Family (now Freeform), Noggin (now Nick Jr.) and Sprout in the United States, ABC for Kids in Australia, and France 5 in France. In Canada, TFO still airs it. It is part of the Club Junior lineup. On April 26, 2012, BBC Worldwide acquired the worldwide licensing rights to the series outside France from Millimages.

Home media

France

DVDs of the series have been released by companies like France Télévisions Distribution (through Warner Home Video) and Millimages themselves (through Paramount Home Entertainment).

United Kingdom

A VHS release from Buena Vista Home Entertainment was planned for release in 2001, but was cancelled for unknown reasons. In 2004, Maverick Entertainment signed a UK home video agreement with Millimages, and released three VHS/DVDs of the series. On August 26, 2013, Abbey Home Media released a DVD called "The Story of the Jungle Ball", containing nine episodes from the fourth season.

United States

From 2008-2009, PorchLight Home Entertainment released three DVDs of the series, each containing 8 episodes.