LazyTown (Icelandic: Latibær; Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈlatʰiˌpaiːr̥]) is an Icelandic children's television series created by and starring aerobics champion Magnús Scheving, who portrays the character Sportacus. Originally produced in English, it has been broadcast in dozens of languages globally. Designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, the series was based on Scheving's stage play Áfram Latibær!, itself adapted from a book that Scheving wrote in 1995. The series was commissioned by Nickelodeon in early 2003, following the production of two stage plays and a test pilot. Originally performed in American English, it was later dubbed into thirty different languages and broadcast in over 180 countries around the world. It combines live action, puppetry and computer animation, making it one of the most expensive children's shows, with the cost per episode being over five times that of the average children's show. The first two seasons, consisting of fifty-two episodes, were produced from 2004 to 2007. LazyTown originally aired on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block in the United States and the United Kingdom and RÚV in Iceland. In 2011, Turner Broadcasting System Europe acquired LazyTown Entertainment and commissioned the third and fourth seasons. Consisting of twenty-six episodes, they premiered in 2013 on Turner's Cartoonito and later on Viacom's Channel 5, for a total of seventy-eight episodes and four seasons. LazyTown was also aired in the United States on the NBCU-owned PBS Kids Sprout channel after it acquired the rights to the show. Various spin-offs were created, including stage productions and LazyTown Extra, a short-form series for younger children.
Plot The series focuses on a town called LazyTown, where the residents spend most of their time being inactive and unmotivated. With help from hero Sportacus and newcomer Stephanie, they learn how to become more active and lead healthier lifestyles. They are opposed by the villainous Robbie Rotten, who prefers to lead a sluggish life and devises schemes to make LazyTown lazy. However, his plans, which, ironically, involve him becoming physically active, are never foolproof and always fail. Each of the children that Stephanie befriends embodies negative traits. Ziggy has an unbalanced diet with a lack of fruits and vegetables, Pixel is very reclusive and spends too much time on his computer, Stingy is self-centered, selfish and possessive, and Trixie is a troublemaker with little respect for rules and other people. As the series progresses, the characters become less lazy in favor of a healthier lifestyle. The program features a predominantly Eurodance soundtrack. Each episode features at least one original song and concludes with a performance of "Bing Bang", sung by Stephanie. Many tracks are reworked versions of songs from the original Icelandic plays.
Characters
Live action Sportacus, Icelandic: Íþróttaálfurinn, lit. 'the athletic elf', (portrayed by Magnús Scheving), is the hero of LazyTown and the male protagonist of the series, who has a rivalry with Robbie Rotten and is dedicated to exercise and healthy eating. He lives in a futuristic airship above LazyTown and is alerted to people who need help when the crystal on the chest of his costume glows. He is empowered by fruits and vegetables, which he calls "sports candy", but loses his powers after eating junk food, which can only be restored by eating healthy food. In the third season, he gains new equipment, including a backpack that is integrated into his outfit and contains food and sports equipment. His crystal also flashes red when his energy is low. Stephanie, Icelandic: Solla Stirða, lit. 'Solla inflexible', (portrayed by Shelby Young in the unaired pilot, Julianna Rose Mauriello in series 1–2 and Chloe Lang in series 3–4), is an athletic, energetic, tomboyish, kind, optimistic, but shy and sassy, pink-clad 8-year-old girl and aspiring dancer and the female protagonist of the series. Upon moving to LazyTown to live with Mayor Meanswell, she is surprised by Ziggy, Pixel, Stingy and Trixie's laziness and tries to convince them to try healthier activities while dealing with Robbie Rotten's schemes. Robbie Rotten, Icelandic: Glanni Glæpur, lit. 'reckless crime' (portrayed by the late Stefán Karl Stefánsson), is the villain of LazyTown and the main antagonist of the series, who devises schemes to keep the citizens of LazyTown lazy and discourage their active lifestyles. He despises Sportacus, and several of his schemes involve trying to get rid of him fails for multiple times. Ironically, he puts so much effort into his schemes that he is one of LazyTown's most active citizens.
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