Max & Ruby is a Canadian children's preschool animated series based on the book series by Rosemary Wells and produced by Nelvana Limited. The series follows two young rabbit siblings in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1988 and 1991, the books were adapted into short films. These shorts were later remade into episodes for the television series. Max & Ruby first aired in Canada on Treehouse TV on May 3, 2002. In the United States, the series first aired on Nickelodeon on the Nick Jr. block on October 21, 2002. 130 half-hour episodes were produced. The final episode aired on April 9, 2020.

Premise

Max & Ruby follows two young rabbits: Max, a rambunctious and achievement-determined three-year-old and his older sister Ruby, a seldom-patient, goal-oriented and sometimes, annoyingly-restrictive seven-year-old. The series takes place in a town called Eastbunny Hop, in a universe populated by bunnies and other creatures, in the 1940s and 1950s. According to Wells, the series shows the relationship between Ruby, Max and the universal nature of sibling relationships.

Episodes

The TV series premiered in 2002, but was preceded by a 1988 and 1991 short adapting the characters for the first times. The shorts were individually produced and later remade into broadcast episodes.

Characters

Main

Recurring

Production

Nelvana Limited produced the show in association with Silver Lining Productions for its first five seasons (in 2005, Silver Lining itself was acquired by Chorion). 9 Story Entertainment overtook producing the animation from Nelvana in season 3 (and continues animating the series for seasons 4 and 5 while Chorion co-produced at the same time); with season 6, Nelvana still handles production of the series and also for the rest of its run. Shortly after Chorion and its division Silver Lining Productions both close their doors when season 5 finished production, Atomic Cartoons overtook co-producing the series, season 6 of which premiered on September 18, 2016, with a new main voice cast and theme song, along with each episode now having 2 10-minute segments per half-hour, rather than having 3 7-minute segments as in the previous five seasons. In an interview with Nickelodeon, Wells has stated about Max and Ruby's unseen parents that "we don't see Max and Ruby's parents, because [she] believe[s] that kids resolve their issues and conflicts differently when they are on their own. The television series gives kids a sense about how these two siblings resolve their conflicts in a humorous and entertaining way." However, in season 6, the series finally introduced Max and Ruby's parents.

Telecast and home media

Max & Ruby first aired on Treehouse TV in Canada on May 3, 2002. In the United States, the series first aired on the Nick Jr. Channel on October 21, 2002. The series also featured a British English dub that first aired on Nick Jr. in the UK and Ireland in February 2003.

DVDs

United States

Paramount Home Entertainment is the DVD distributor for the series in the United States. As of March 29, 2012, 2.9 million DVD units of the series from Nickelodeon have been sold in the U.S. These DVDs (see below) only have episodes from the first five seasons.

Main series

Episodes on Nick Jr. compilation DVDs