Dr. Seuss TV Shows Coming to Netflix in Wake of Recent Controversies
Netflix is teaming up with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to adopt five of the author's best-known books, the streamer announced Tuesday. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, and Horton Hears a Who! will be turned into series, while The Sneetches will be developed into a special. None of the projects are related to the six books Dr. Seuss Enterprises took out of print due to racist imagery last year.
The adaptation of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish will be a series featuring seven-minute episodes and two-minute music videos produced using traditional animation. Each episode follows the adventures of two fish named Red and Blue who get themselves into funny situations. Like the original book, the stories are meant to help preschool viewers build their vocabulary.
The Sneetches will be adapted into a 45-minute, CGI-animated special. The story centers on the Sneetches society, which is split between those with Star-Bellies and those with Moon-Bellies. Two young Sneetches become friends and develop a relationship, showing that differences should be celebrated.
Although Horton Hears a Who! has been successfully adapted before, the beloved story will be the basis for a series of 11-minute episodes on Netflix. Thidwick The Big-Hearted Moose will be adapted into a 45-minute special, while Wacky Wednesday gets the series treatment with 11-minute episodes. Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy, Shimmer & Shine, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood) will serve as showrunner for all five new series.
"Dr. Seuss Enterprises is proud of the collaborative relationship we share with Netflix," Dr. Seuss Enterprises CEO Susan Brandt said in a statement. "We are always looking for new and engaging ways to share our stories, characters, and messages with the next generation of fans, and Netflix has a unique ability to create original, delightful adaptations of our timeless classics with an emphasis on imagination, fun, and education. Our partnership has been very prosperous thus far with our award-winning animated series Green Eggs and Ham. We hope to continue that success with our upcoming projects."
Netflix and Dr. Seuss Enterprises already teamed up for the successful Green Eggs and Ham series. The show launched in 2019 and a second season debuts on April 8. The new season is based on The Butter Battle Book. Last year, the show won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special.
Of course, none of the new shows are based on the six Dr. Seuss titles Dr. Seuss Enterprises took out of print in March 2021 that feature racist imagery. And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, McElligot's Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat's Quizzer are all no longer being printed. "Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises' catalog represents and supports all communities and families," a representative said last year. "Dr. Seuss Enterprises listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics, and specialists in the field as part of our review process. We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalog of titles."