Little Bill

♥

This article is dedicated to Ruby Dee (October 27, 1922 - June 11, 2014), Gregory Hines (February 14, 1946 - August 9, 2003), Madeline Kahn (September 29, 1942 - December 3, 1999), Victor Argo (November 5, 1934 - April 7, 2004), and Clark Terry (December 14, 1920 - February 21, 2015). May they Rest in Peace.

Little Bill
"Hello friend."
Genre: Educational Running Time: 30 minutes Country: United States Release Date: November 28, 1999 - February 6, 2004 Network(s): Nickelodeon Created by: Bill Cosby Distributed by: MTV Networks Starring: Ruby Dee Gregory Hines Phylicia Rashad Rosie Perez Xavier Pritchett Monique Beasley Devon Malik Beckford (Season 1) Tyler James Williams (Season 2) Ayo Haynes (Season 1) Melanie Nicholls-King (Season 2) Nakia Williams (Season 1) Kianna Underwood (Season 2) Zach Tyler Eisen Eunice Cho Seasons: 4 Episodes: 52

Little Bill is an American animated children's television series based on Bill Cosby's Little Bill book series (illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood), set in Philadelphia (Bill Cosby's hometown). It was produced for Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block and was adapted for television by the show's head writer, Fracaswell Hyman. The stories feature Bill Jr. learning a lesson or moral, and every episode was developed through research and in consultation with a panel of educational consultants.

The show's debut was on November 28, 1999, and aired on CBS as part of Nick Jr. on CBS, from September 16, 2000, to September 7, 2002, then as part of Nick on CBS from August 2, 2003, to September 10, 2005. The final episode aired on February 6, 2004, and reruns returned, with the return of Nick Jr. on CBS, on September 17, 2005.

Little Bill was seen through until September 9, 2006. Sonia Manzano, best known for playing Maria Rodriguez on Sesame Street, was a frequent writer for the show.

Plot

Set in Philadelphia, the show centers on Little Bill Glover as he explores everyday life through his imagination. Little Bill lives with his parents, his great grandmother Alice (aka Alice the Great), his older sister April, and brother Bobby. At the end of every show, he breaks the fourth wall by summarizing his day to the audience before going to bed.

Why It's a "Hello Friend" to Us

1. Nice animation, especially for 1999 standards. In fact, it was made by using software done by Nick Digital.
2. Likeable and memorable characters, such as Little Bill (the titular character), Bobby, April, Brenda, Big Bill, Alice the Great, Andrew, Kiku, Fuchsia, Monty and Ms. Murray.
3. The voice acting is well done.
4. Very catchy and unforgettable theme song.
5. Very good and creative plots.
6. It stays faithful to the book series created by Bill Cosby, and it does a great job.
7. It has a variety of good morals here and there such as:
   • Making new friends
   • Using your imagination
   • Facing your fears
   • Telling the truth
   • Trying new things
8. Little Bill, who are you talking to?
9. Tons of good/memorable episodes to select from, such as:
   • The Treasure Hunt (which started the show on a high note)
   • The Best Way to Play
   • The Camp Out
   • Just a Baby
   • The Meanest Thing to Say
   • The Dollar
   • The Zoo
   • My Pet Elephant
   • Little Bill's Adventure with Captain Brainstorm
   • Rolling Along
   • The Snack Helper
   • Copy Cat
   • Monty Joins the Class
   • Merry Christmas, Little Bill (depending on your view)
   • Michael Sleeps Over
   • The Get Well Song
   • Little Bill's Giant Space Adventure
   • New Neighbors
   • The Early Bill
   • The New Babysitter
   • My Friend Isabel
   • New Foods
   • Elephant Tricks
   • The Best Book Ever!
   • Racing Time
   • Summertime in the Wintertime
   • Snowracers
   • The Incredible Shrinking Little Bill
   • The Musical Instrument
   • The Choir
   • The Skating Lesson
   • Private Time
   • Never (which ended the show on a high note)
10. Very good humor here and there, such as the character himself (Little Bill) and his fourth break in the wall at the end of each episode, summarizing his day to the audience before going to bed.
11. It is still one of the best shows to watch for people who grew up watching it on the Nick Jr. Block or Noggin.

Qualities That Won't Say "Hello Friend" No Mo

1. The characters, while being likable, can be unlikable at times, such as Little Bill, when he gets angry of something like crumpling Kiku's drawing ON PURPOSE in the infamous episode "When Friends Get Mad", whereas Kiku accidentally spills water on his picture.
   • April can also be unlikable, like in the episode "The Promise", whereas she gets mad at Little Bill for breaking her trophy and then making him cry.
2. There are a few bad episodes, such as "The Promise" and "When Friends Get Mad".
3. Just like Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, this show has clearly not aged well, especially considering Bill Cosby's sexual harassment/abuse allegations nowadays.

Trivia

• Due to Bill Cosby's sexual allegations, the show was removed from Nick Jr's schedule in 2014 in response to those said allegations, along with all his other sitcoms/shows. This is also likely the reason the show was never released on Paramount+, despite Bill Cosby being released from prison in October 2021 due to his old age.

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