Harriet the Spy is an American animated television series for Apple TV+, loosely based on the book of the same name by Louise Fitzhugh. The series premiered on November 19, 2021. Season 2 premiered on May 5, 2023.[1]
| Harriet the Spy | |
|---|---|
| Based on | Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh |
| Developed by | Will McRobb |
| Directed by | Allison Craig |
| Voices of | |
| Theme music composer | Courtney Barnett |
| Composer | Anna Waronker |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 20 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Sidney Clifton |
| Editor | Greg Buracker |
| Running time | 23–24 minutes |
| Production companies | Postworks New York The Jim Henson Company Wellsville Pictures Titmouse, Inc. |
| Original release | |
| Network | Apple TV+ |
| Release | November 19, 2021 – May 5, 2023 |
Cast and characters
edit- Beanie Feldstein as Harriet M. Welsch[2][3]
- Jane Lynch as Catherine Myrtle "Willa" Galliano ("Ole Golly")[2][4]
- Lacey Chabert as Marion Hawthorne[2][5]
- Kimberly Brooks as Janie Gibbs,[2][6] Mrs. Gibbs (Janie's mom)[7]
- Crispin Freeman as Mr. Welsch (Harriet's dad)[7]
- Grey Griffin as Mrs. Welsch (Harriet's mom),[7] Beth Ellen Hansen
- Bumper Robinson as Mr. Gibbs (Janie's dad)[7]
- Charlie Schlatter as Simon "Sport" Rocque[8][9]
Production
editIn August 2020, it was announced that Apple TV+ had given a series order to an animated television adaptation of the novel Harriet the Spy. The series is produced by The Jim Henson Company and Rehab Entertainment with Will McRobb as writer, Sidney Clifton as producer and Terissa Kelton and John W. Hyde as executive producer. It would star Beanie Feldstein as Harriet, Jane Lynch as Ole Golly, and Lacey Chabert as Marion Hawthorne.[10] A trailer was released on October 12, 2021.[11] 5 episodes aired on November 19, 2021, and 5 more aired on May 20, 2022. Season 2 was released on May 5, 2023.[1]
In April 2023, it was announced that Michelle Trachtenberg, who had previously played the titular character in the 1996 film, would be guest starring.[12]
Episodes
editSeries overview
editSeason 1 (2021–2022)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | "I Am a Terrible Spy" | Allison Craig | Will McRobb | November 19, 2021 | |||||||
|
Harriet's ambition to know and see everything may change reclusive Agatha K. Plumber's life for the better. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Coat Vote" | Allison Craig | Will McRobb | November 19, 2021 | |||||||
|
Harriet's new coat is perfect for her – and Marion Hawthorne, apparently. But who will win the school's vote? | ||||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Cross My Heart and Hope Not to Dance" | Allison Craig | Levi Abrino | November 19, 2021 | |||||||
|
Janie and Harriet vow never to go to dancing school, but Harriet doesn't know that Janie actually likes dancing. | ||||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Hermit the Spy" | Allison Craig | Charley Feldman | November 19, 2021 | |||||||
|
After an awful day, Harriet wants some alone time. Watching Mr. Withers' 26 cats is just what she needs... or is it? | ||||||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "The Origin of M" | Allison Craig | Haley Mancini | November 19, 2021 | |||||||
|
Harriet learns about her middle initial and questions who she is. Her nanny, Ole Golly, teaches Harriet a valuable lesson about identity. | ||||||||||||
| Part 2 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Face the Music" | Allison Craig | Lorraine DeGraffenreidt | May 20, 2022 | |||||||
|
Janie and Harriet get to meet their favorite singer, only to discover a shocking truth about his music. | ||||||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "The Rarest Bird" | Allison Craig | Levi Abrino | May 20, 2022 | |||||||
|
Harriet really wants to win a photo competition, but it means teaming up with someone she doesn't see eye to eye with: her mom. | ||||||||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Stuffy Lovers" | Allison Craig | Will McRobb | May 20, 2022 | |||||||
|
Sport and Harriet think it's time to get rid of their beloved stuffies, but change their minds – and the narrative – thanks to Marion's sneaky reporting. | ||||||||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Spy V. Spy" | Allison Craig | Haley Mancini | May 20, 2022 | |||||||
|
Harriet adds the Garcia family to her spy route... and discovers that someone is spying on her. | ||||||||||||
| 10 | 10 | "To My Future Self" | Allison Craig | Levi Abrino | May 20, 2022 | |||||||
|
On her birthday, Ole Golly revisits a list of everything she wanted to do by the age of thirty-five, and Harriet is determined to help her complete it. | ||||||||||||
Season 2 (2023)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [13] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "General Mouthwashington" | Allison Craig | Levi Abrino and Lorraine deGraffenreidt | May 5, 2023 | |
|
When Harriet loses her last – and favorite – baby tooth, she struggles with saying goodbye to her babyhood. | ||||||
| 12 | 2 | "It's My Party and I'll Spy If I Want To" | Allison Craig | Charley Feldman | May 5, 2023 | |
|
Harriet wants to learn more about the Robinsons, the most boring people on her spy route, but is relegated to the kids' party instead of mingling with the adults. | ||||||
| 13 | 3 | "World of Tomorrow" | Allison Craig | Halle Stanford and Charley Feldman | May 5, 2023 | |
|
At the 1964 World's Fair, Harriet gets separated from her class after she thinks a boy takes a photograph of her. | ||||||
| 14 | 4 | "Lucky Penny" | Allison Craig | Haley Mancini | May 5, 2023 | |
|
When Sport is reluctant to use his lucky penny to help them beat Marion to win a super ball, their friendship is put to the test. | ||||||
| 15 | 5 | "Ole Golly in Love" | Allison Craig | Aminta Goyel | May 5, 2023 | |
|
Harriet spies on Mr Waldenstein, Ole Golly's boyfriend, and tries to reveal that there's a Mrs Waldenstein in his life. | ||||||
| 16 | 6 | "The Walrus and the Carpenter" | Allison Craig | Haley Mancini | May 5, 2023 | |
|
After Marion proposes the fall play to be about the various dishes at Thanksgiving dinner, Harriet indirectly leads an unrising for all the side dishes. | ||||||
| 17 | 7 | "The Age of Harriet" | Allison Craig | Will McRobb | May 5, 2023 | |
|
Marion finds Harriet's spy notebook, and reads it out all the mean comments about their classmates. | ||||||
| 18 | 8 | "Everybody Hates Me" | Allison Craig | Haley Mancini | May 5, 2023 | |
|
Harriet's classmates form the Anti-Spy club, letting everyone know that she's spying on everyone. | ||||||
| 19 | 9 | "I Am the Onion" | Allison Craig | Charley Feldman | May 5, 2023 | |
|
Inspired by a TV show, Harriet is put on trial to defend all her statements in her notebook. | ||||||
| 20 | 10 | "Harriet the Writer" | Allison Craig | Haley Mancini | May 5, 2023 | |
|
Ole Golly mails a letter to Harriet with some advice on how to repair her friendships. | ||||||
Reception
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2022) |
The series received a mixed reception. Ashley Moulton of Common Sense Media described the series as a "so-so TV adaptation of classic kid sleuth story." She also said that Harriet "was never meant to be a role model" but has some qualities which are admirable and pointed to a "fair amount of consumerism", arguing that the "charm of the book" doesn't quite translate to the series, and that those into "sleuth stories" should read the original instead.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b Shanfeld, Ethan (January 25, 2023). "Apple TV+ Sets 'Frog and Toad' Series, Announces Spring Kids and Family Slate (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Harriet The Spy — Five Things You Didn't Know with the Cast | Apple TV+. Apple TV. Nov 27, 2021.
- ^ "I Am A Terrible Spy". Harriet the Spy. Season 1. Episode 1. Nov 19, 2021. Event occurs at 1:34-1:36. Apple TV+. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ "The Origin of M". Harriet the Spy. Season 1. Episode 5. Nov 19, 2021. Event occurs at 18:25-18:49. Apple TV+. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ "I Am A Terrible Spy". Harriet the Spy. Season 1. Episode 1. Nov 19, 2021. Event occurs at 5:06-5:07. Apple TV+. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ "I Am A Terrible Spy". Harriet the Spy. Season 1. Episode 1. Nov 19, 2021. Event occurs at 4:31-4:33. Apple TV+. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Harriet the Spy, IMDb, 2021-11-19, retrieved 2022-05-12
- ^ "Harriet the Spy | Apple TV+". Apple TV+. 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
- ^ "I Am A Terrible Spy". Harriet the Spy. Season 1. Episode 1. Nov 19, 2021. Event occurs at 4:45-4:46. Apple TV+. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ Rosario, Alexandra Del (2020-08-12). "'Harriet The Spy' Kids Animated Series Starring Beanie Feldstein, Jane Lynch & Lacey Chabert Ordered By Apple". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ Peterson, Mike (2021-10-13). "Apple TV+ animated series 'Harriet the Spy' to debut Nov. 19". AppleInsider. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ Miligan, Mercedes (April 26, 2023). "Trailer: 'Harriet the Spy' S2 Arrives on Apple TV+ May 5, Guest Starring Michelle Trachtenberg". Animation Magazine. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ "Shows A-Z – Harriet the Spy on Apple+". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ Moulton, Ashley (March 2, 2022). "Harriet the Spy Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
External links
edit
Wikiquote has quotations related to Harriet the Spy (TV series).
- Harriet the Spy
on Apple TV+ - Harriet the Spy at IMDb
- Harriet the Spy at Metacritic
- Harriet the Spy at Rotten Tomatoes
