Emu

Description

Service production for ITV and Initial, an Endemol UK company.

Produced by the Gibson Group using all NZ-based directors, crew and cast (except 2 guest actors from the UK).  Emu puppetry and most of the writing done by New Zealanders. 

BLURB
Toby and Emu work in a Craft Café with Kelly.  Sam and Georgia are regular visitors. Leo Leach is the Council Inspector. Leo hates birds and would close the Café if he caught Emu there.  It is always a close call but Emu always manages to escape detection.

SYNOPSIS

Emu tells the story of best friends Toby and Emuís side-splitting adventures and slapstick silliness. 

The fun-filled series sees Toby and Emu set up a craft cafe for the summer where kids can discover their creativity as well as enjoy some healthy snacks. However, with Emu behind the scenes, glitter and glue there is plenty of opportunity for glorious mayhem and mess!

Toby and Emu love running the cafÈ and especially hanging out with new friends Georgia and Sam. Plus Toby really likes the craft teacher Kelly - so much so that Emu sometimes gets jealous. But everyone has to watch out when bird bashing council inspector, Leo Leach comes snooping around.

The gang have to be constantly on their guard for his surprise inspections. Luckily Emu's got some pretty clever tricks up his beak to save the day!

Toby, the son of the late and great Rod Hull is a trained actor has also appeared with Emu in two high profile pantomimes.

SERIES 2 SUMMARY

Best friends Toby and Emu are back and this time, Toby’s got a new job as cook at a cool kids craft cafe. Yummy food, sticky glue and loads of friends to hang out with – Emu’s in heaven!
 
If it’s messy and fun, then it’ll be happening at the craft cafe. Toby and Emu are in the kitchen, offering stacks of yummy drinks and healthy snacks to all the kids in the cafe. But definitely no Turkey Twizzlers – Emu would never serve up family.
 
Kelly, the cafe manager does all sorts of cool crafty stuff. She’s quirky and fun and Toby’s got a secret crush on her. And Kelly’s got a secret crush on Toby. Ahhhhh. These two would hang out a whole lot more if Emu didn’t make Kelly sneeze like crazy. Ahhhhh-honk!
 
Best mates Georgia and Sam can’t believe their luck when a blue bombshell like Emu moves into their favourite after school hang out. Now he’s arrived, noone knows what’s going to happen next - especially when there’s glue and glitter around!
 
Sometimes Toby’s Uncle Peter turns up unexpectedly and creates even more havoc with his wild tales of adventure and his crazy problem solving suggestions. Emu reckons Uncle Peter rocks. Toby needs a quiet lie down after one of his visits.
 
Everyone has to watch out when bird bashing council inspector, Leo Leach comes snooping around. He’s in charge of pest control; waste control; hygiene control. In fact, he’s a control freak. He’s got a nose for trouble and he’s convinced that Toby is hiding some illegal wildlife in the café. And Leo’s determined to sniff it out. The gang have to be constantly on their guard for his surprise inspections. Cos if there’s one feather out of place, then Toby and Emu will be out on their ear. Luckily Emu’s got some pretty clever tricks up his beak to save the day!
 
So strap yourself in and get ready for another round of Toby and Emu’s sidesplitting adventures and slapstick silliness. 

THE EPISODE STORYLINES
 
Episode 1
Apricot Antics
Toby and Emu have got a job interview. All Toby has to do is pass a taste test with his awesome apricot bars and he’s got a new job as cook at a cool kids cafe. Yummy food, sticky glue and loads of friends – perfect! Toby reckons he’ll have to keep Emu hidden from bird bashing, council inspector Leo Leach. But when Kelly the cafe manager spots Emu, she loves him. Even if she is allergic to him!
Kelly’s sneezes and Toby’s slip ups keep spoiling the precious apricot bars. And Leo keeps sniffing round and threatening to shut down the kitchen. Which means no cool cook’s job for Toby. Can Emu save the day?
 
Episode 2
Run Emu Run
Toby thinks Emu is unfit, so he decides it’s time for a tough new exercise regime.  Plenty of jogging, stretches and star jumps will soon get Emu out of puff.  But Emu wants to show Toby that exercise can actually be fun as well as good for you. Can Toby keep up with the pace? 
 
Episode 3
Secret Birthday Cake
Toby and Kelly are doing some secret baking together and Emu is super jealous. But after he sets out to sabotage their cake project, he discovers it’s for his surprise birthday party. And now his cake is full of chilli powder and extra hot sauce!
 
Episode 4
Emu Pox
When Sam and Georgia get the chickenpox, anyone who hasn’t had the chickenpox before is banned from the cafe. And that means Emu. But it’s no fun playing on your own so Emu decides to come up with a plan to sneak inside. Even it means catching the chicken pox himself.
 
Episode 5
Mousetrap
Kelly spots a mouse and Emu and Toby are determined to catch it.  They sleep over in the café on mouse patrol. But during a pillow fight, glue gets spilled and Emu and Toby get stuck together. And then Kelly gets stuck to them.  And when Leo arrives, the situation gets even stickier!
 
Episode 6
Hide ‘n Shriek
It’s spooky dress-up day at the cafe but when Leo finds a problem in the venting system, he threatens to close down the kitchen.  Claiming he’s not afraid of the dark, Leo goes into the creepy vent to check out the problem. But he’s surprised by a ghost Emu down there who gives him a scary fright!
 
Episode 7
Nits to the Rescue
When Leo starts testing his new animal detector, Toby is worried.  Leo reckons Chad can hunt down any animal, insect or bird anywhere in the cafe. Which means no safe hiding places for Emu. How can Emu escape from Leo and Chad?
 
Episode 8
Bubble Trouble
Toby’s desperate to spend more time with Kelly, without all that sneezing. But Emu’s not so sure. He likes having Toby all to himself. Sam makes an amazing air filter that fixes Kelly’s Emu-itis allergy and Toby is thrilled. Until Emu decides that the machine has got to go!
 
Episode 9
Non-Imaginary Friend
When food mysteriously starts going missing in the cafe, Toby and Kelly decide that Emu has an imaginary friend with a very big appetite! But Sam and Georgia discover that Emu’s secret friend is a real live kitten. How are they going to hide Emu AND kitty from Leo in the no animals cafe?

Episode 10
To Catch an Emu
When Mrs Browne brings her nervous friend Mrs White to tea at the cafe, they are disgusted to find bird pecks on their food. Mrs White is afraid of birds. They call Leo who surrounds the cafe with a net of inspectors. Looks like Emu is going to need a pretty clever disguise to escape this time!
 
Episode 11
New Improved Emu
When Emu behaves badly, Mrs Browne threatens to have him sent away to Bird Behaviour Boot Camp. The gang are desperate to save him from six weeks on the naughty step and promise to train him with some good behaviour tricks themselves. But they soon find out that the new improved Emu isn’t much fun.
 
Episode 12
Hocus Pocus
Toby’s Uncle Peter is on a surprise visit to the cafe. He’s determined to fix the Leo problem, so Emu won’t have to hide anymore.  But when Peter’s magic chants go horribly wrong, Leo’s Emu phobia turns into Emu adoration! Can Emu’s quick thinking save him from a lifetime of Leo’s devotion?
 
Episode 13
Pulling Teeth 
When Georgia donates her tooth fairy money to the gang’s go-kart fund, Emu decides he’d like to do the same. Trouble is, he has no teeth to lose. Sam makes his feathered friend a fake tooth, but it gets stuck in Emu’s beak and no matter what they do, it just won’t budge.  Can Emu lose the tooth and earn his
 
Episode 14
Waiter There’s An Emu in My Soup
Leo invites his sister Letitia to the café. He’s hoping that the famous food critic will give it a terrible review and ruin the business.  A nervous Toby decides to serve up his Super Slurper Soup for his special guest. But the soup has a surprisingly feathery ingredient!
 
Episode 15
Full Moon Blues
It’s the night of the full moon and Toby warns everyone to protect Emu from the moonlight. Emu goes super silly if he gets moonstruck.  But when Toby is hit by a stray moonbeam, he suddenly flips into Emu-brain!  How can poor Emu and Kelly keep control of a super silly Toby?
 
Episode 16
Double Vision
It’s dress up day at the café and Georgia creates an amazing Emu costume.  It’s just like the real thing.  And when Leo comes snooping around, he thinks he sees two Emus causing chaos.  How can the gang persuade Leo that seeing is not always believing?!
 
Episode 17
Party Games: It’s Fun Open Day at the café and although Leo is off-duty, he wants to come along and win all the prizes.  Emu is disappointed. If Leo’s around to see everything, Emu has to hide. But Georgia has the perfect solution – blindfold games!  Starting with Pin the Tail on the Emu...!
 
Episode 18
Leo Cadges a Meal
Leo is being inspected for the inspector of the month award and he really wants to impress.  He knows there’s a bird in the café and he wants to catch it today and present it to the chief inspector of inspectors. Can Emu stay out of trouble this time?   
 
Episode 19
The Fancy Dress Party
It’s fancy dress day at the cafe and the gang are really excited about the party.  But when Mrs Browne and Leo invite themselves along unexpectedly, everyone’s disappointed. This means Emu can’t go. Can Emu find a fancy dress costume that will trick Leo?
Episode 20
Emus Can Fly
Emu discovers the shocking news that emus can’t fly. He’s determined to prove everyone wrong and be the first emu in history to float through the sky. All he’s got to do is work out how!
 
Episode 21
Loose Goose
When Toby makes an extra yummy cheesecake, he promises everyone a taste. But when he hears about a special baking contest, he decides to save his cake for the competition and locks it away.  Emu and the gang are desperate. How can they get a taste of that super delicious cheesecake?
 
Episode 22
Best Friends
When Leo arrives to check the cafe licence, Kelly is frantic. If she doesn’t find it for Leo’s inspection, she’ll be out of a job. And she won’t be able to hang out with Emu and Toby. Toby starts a major search. He can’t imagine the cafe without Kelly. But can Emu set aside his jealousy, find the licence and save the day? 
 
Episode 23
A Smashing Day
Toby and Emu feel really bad when they accidentally break Georgia’s painted plate. And instead of telling the truth, they set off to try and mend it before Kelly and Georgia find out.  But fixing the plate turns out to be harder than they thought.
 
Episode 24
Surprise 
With Kelly off sick, Uncle Peter offers to teach everyone magic.  But when Sam and Georgia vanish in Uncle Peter’s disappearing act and Leo decides to make a surprise safety inspection AND Mrs Browne arrives looking for Sam, things start to go horribly wrong. Toby’s frantic, but Emu and Peter are sure they can fix everything!
 
Episode 25
Emu on the Loose 
When Leo decides to stage a fire drill as an excuse to search the café, Emu has to find a new hiding place extra quick.  Without Toby and Kelly realising, Emu hides in Frooty Fred’s delivery van.  And it’s moving!  Can Toby and Kelly rescue Emu before Leo’s next fire practice?
 
 
Episode 26
Finale
Emu paints a funny picture of Leo for the cafe’s Bird Protection Fundraiser. And both Leo and Mrs Browne bid at the auction to see who can win his masterpiece. Of course, Emu is meant to hide out of their way. But can he resist being part of such a fun fundraiser?

Behind the scenes

Service production for ITV and Initial, an Endemol UK company.

Produced by the Gibson Group using all NZ-based directors, crew and cast (except 2 guest actors from the UK).  Emu puppetry and most of the writing done by New Zealanders. 

BLURB
Toby and Emu work in a Craft Café with Kelly.  Sam and Georgia are regular visitors. Leo Leach is the Council Inspector. Leo hates birds and would close the Café if he caught Emu there.  It is always a close call but Emu always manages to escape detection.

SYNOPSIS

Emu tells the story of best friends Toby and Emuís side-splitting adventures and slapstick silliness. 

The fun-filled series sees Toby and Emu set up a craft cafe for the summer where kids can discover their creativity as well as enjoy some healthy snacks. However, with Emu behind the scenes, glitter and glue there is plenty of opportunity for glorious mayhem and mess!

Toby and Emu love running the cafÈ and especially hanging out with new friends Georgia and Sam. Plus Toby really likes the craft teacher Kelly - so much so that Emu sometimes gets jealous. But everyone has to watch out when bird bashing council inspector, Leo Leach comes snooping around.

The gang have to be constantly on their guard for his surprise inspections. Luckily Emu's got some pretty clever tricks up his beak to save the day!

Toby, the son of the late and great Rod Hull is a trained actor has also appeared with Emu in two high profile pantomimes.

SERIES 2 SUMMARY

Best friends Toby and Emu are back and this time, Toby’s got a new job as cook at a cool kids craft cafe. Yummy food, sticky glue and loads of friends to hang out with – Emu’s in heaven!
 
If it’s messy and fun, then it’ll be happening at the craft cafe. Toby and Emu are in the kitchen, offering stacks of yummy drinks and healthy snacks to all the kids in the cafe. But definitely no Turkey Twizzlers – Emu would never serve up family.
 
Kelly, the cafe manager does all sorts of cool crafty stuff. She’s quirky and fun and Toby’s got a secret crush on her. And Kelly’s got a secret crush on Toby. Ahhhhh. These two would hang out a whole lot more if Emu didn’t make Kelly sneeze like crazy. Ahhhhh-honk!
 
Best mates Georgia and Sam can’t believe their luck when a blue bombshell like Emu moves into their favourite after school hang out. Now he’s arrived, noone knows what’s going to happen next - especially when there’s glue and glitter around!
 
Sometimes Toby’s Uncle Peter turns up unexpectedly and creates even more havoc with his wild tales of adventure and his crazy problem solving suggestions. Emu reckons Uncle Peter rocks. Toby needs a quiet lie down after one of his visits.
 
Everyone has to watch out when bird bashing council inspector, Leo Leach comes snooping around. He’s in charge of pest control; waste control; hygiene control. In fact, he’s a control freak. He’s got a nose for trouble and he’s convinced that Toby is hiding some illegal wildlife in the café. And Leo’s determined to sniff it out. The gang have to be constantly on their guard for his surprise inspections. Cos if there’s one feather out of place, then Toby and Emu will be out on their ear. Luckily Emu’s got some pretty clever tricks up his beak to save the day!
 
So strap yourself in and get ready for another round of Toby and Emu’s sidesplitting adventures and slapstick silliness. 

THE EPISODE STORYLINES
 
Episode 1
Apricot Antics
Toby and Emu have got a job interview. All Toby has to do is pass a taste test with his awesome apricot bars and he’s got a new job as cook at a cool kids cafe. Yummy food, sticky glue and loads of friends – perfect! Toby reckons he’ll have to keep Emu hidden from bird bashing, council inspector Leo Leach. But when Kelly the cafe manager spots Emu, she loves him. Even if she is allergic to him!
Kelly’s sneezes and Toby’s slip ups keep spoiling the precious apricot bars. And Leo keeps sniffing round and threatening to shut down the kitchen. Which means no cool cook’s job for Toby. Can Emu save the day?
 
Episode 2
Run Emu Run
Toby thinks Emu is unfit, so he decides it’s time for a tough new exercise regime.  Plenty of jogging, stretches and star jumps will soon get Emu out of puff.  But Emu wants to show Toby that exercise can actually be fun as well as good for you. Can Toby keep up with the pace? 
 
Episode 3
Secret Birthday Cake
Toby and Kelly are doing some secret baking together and Emu is super jealous. But after he sets out to sabotage their cake project, he discovers it’s for his surprise birthday party. And now his cake is full of chilli powder and extra hot sauce!
 
Episode 4
Emu Pox
When Sam and Georgia get the chickenpox, anyone who hasn’t had the chickenpox before is banned from the cafe. And that means Emu. But it’s no fun playing on your own so Emu decides to come up with a plan to sneak inside. Even it means catching the chicken pox himself.
 
Episode 5
Mousetrap
Kelly spots a mouse and Emu and Toby are determined to catch it.  They sleep over in the café on mouse patrol. But during a pillow fight, glue gets spilled and Emu and Toby get stuck together. And then Kelly gets stuck to them.  And when Leo arrives, the situation gets even stickier!
 
Episode 6
Hide ‘n Shriek
It’s spooky dress-up day at the cafe but when Leo finds a problem in the venting system, he threatens to close down the kitchen.  Claiming he’s not afraid of the dark, Leo goes into the creepy vent to check out the problem. But he’s surprised by a ghost Emu down there who gives him a scary fright!
 
Episode 7
Nits to the Rescue
When Leo starts testing his new animal detector, Toby is worried.  Leo reckons Chad can hunt down any animal, insect or bird anywhere in the cafe. Which means no safe hiding places for Emu. How can Emu escape from Leo and Chad?
 
Episode 8
Bubble Trouble
Toby’s desperate to spend more time with Kelly, without all that sneezing. But Emu’s not so sure. He likes having Toby all to himself. Sam makes an amazing air filter that fixes Kelly’s Emu-itis allergy and Toby is thrilled. Until Emu decides that the machine has got to go!
 
Episode 9
Non-Imaginary Friend
When food mysteriously starts going missing in the cafe, Toby and Kelly decide that Emu has an imaginary friend with a very big appetite! But Sam and Georgia discover that Emu’s secret friend is a real live kitten. How are they going to hide Emu AND kitty from Leo in the no animals cafe?

Episode 10
To Catch an Emu
When Mrs Browne brings her nervous friend Mrs White to tea at the cafe, they are disgusted to find bird pecks on their food. Mrs White is afraid of birds. They call Leo who surrounds the cafe with a net of inspectors. Looks like Emu is going to need a pretty clever disguise to escape this time!
 
Episode 11
New Improved Emu
When Emu behaves badly, Mrs Browne threatens to have him sent away to Bird Behaviour Boot Camp. The gang are desperate to save him from six weeks on the naughty step and promise to train him with some good behaviour tricks themselves. But they soon find out that the new improved Emu isn’t much fun.
 
Episode 12
Hocus Pocus
Toby’s Uncle Peter is on a surprise visit to the cafe. He’s determined to fix the Leo problem, so Emu won’t have to hide anymore.  But when Peter’s magic chants go horribly wrong, Leo’s Emu phobia turns into Emu adoration! Can Emu’s quick thinking save him from a lifetime of Leo’s devotion?
 
Episode 13
Pulling Teeth 
When Georgia donates her tooth fairy money to the gang’s go-kart fund, Emu decides he’d like to do the same. Trouble is, he has no teeth to lose. Sam makes his feathered friend a fake tooth, but it gets stuck in Emu’s beak and no matter what they do, it just won’t budge.  Can Emu lose the tooth and earn his
 
Episode 14
Waiter There’s An Emu in My Soup
Leo invites his sister Letitia to the café. He’s hoping that the famous food critic will give it a terrible review and ruin the business.  A nervous Toby decides to serve up his Super Slurper Soup for his special guest. But the soup has a surprisingly feathery ingredient!
 
Episode 15
Full Moon Blues
It’s the night of the full moon and Toby warns everyone to protect Emu from the moonlight. Emu goes super silly if he gets moonstruck.  But when Toby is hit by a stray moonbeam, he suddenly flips into Emu-brain!  How can poor Emu and Kelly keep control of a super silly Toby?
 
Episode 16
Double Vision
It’s dress up day at the café and Georgia creates an amazing Emu costume.  It’s just like the real thing.  And when Leo comes snooping around, he thinks he sees two Emus causing chaos.  How can the gang persuade Leo that seeing is not always believing?!
 
Episode 17
Party Games: It’s Fun Open Day at the café and although Leo is off-duty, he wants to come along and win all the prizes.  Emu is disappointed. If Leo’s around to see everything, Emu has to hide. But Georgia has the perfect solution – blindfold games!  Starting with Pin the Tail on the Emu...!
 
Episode 18
Leo Cadges a Meal
Leo is being inspected for the inspector of the month award and he really wants to impress.  He knows there’s a bird in the café and he wants to catch it today and present it to the chief inspector of inspectors. Can Emu stay out of trouble this time?   
 
Episode 19
The Fancy Dress Party
It’s fancy dress day at the cafe and the gang are really excited about the party.  But when Mrs Browne and Leo invite themselves along unexpectedly, everyone’s disappointed. This means Emu can’t go. Can Emu find a fancy dress costume that will trick Leo?
Episode 20
Emus Can Fly
Emu discovers the shocking news that emus can’t fly. He’s determined to prove everyone wrong and be the first emu in history to float through the sky. All he’s got to do is work out how!
 
Episode 21
Loose Goose
When Toby makes an extra yummy cheesecake, he promises everyone a taste. But when he hears about a special baking contest, he decides to save his cake for the competition and locks it away.  Emu and the gang are desperate. How can they get a taste of that super delicious cheesecake?
 
Episode 22
Best Friends
When Leo arrives to check the cafe licence, Kelly is frantic. If she doesn’t find it for Leo’s inspection, she’ll be out of a job. And she won’t be able to hang out with Emu and Toby. Toby starts a major search. He can’t imagine the cafe without Kelly. But can Emu set aside his jealousy, find the licence and save the day? 
 
Episode 23
A Smashing Day
Toby and Emu feel really bad when they accidentally break Georgia’s painted plate. And instead of telling the truth, they set off to try and mend it before Kelly and Georgia find out.  But fixing the plate turns out to be harder than they thought.
 
Episode 24
Surprise 
With Kelly off sick, Uncle Peter offers to teach everyone magic.  But when Sam and Georgia vanish in Uncle Peter’s disappearing act and Leo decides to make a surprise safety inspection AND Mrs Browne arrives looking for Sam, things start to go horribly wrong. Toby’s frantic, but Emu and Peter are sure they can fix everything!
 
Episode 25
Emu on the Loose 
When Leo decides to stage a fire drill as an excuse to search the café, Emu has to find a new hiding place extra quick.  Without Toby and Kelly realising, Emu hides in Frooty Fred’s delivery van.  And it’s moving!  Can Toby and Kelly rescue Emu before Leo’s next fire practice?
 
 
Episode 26
Finale
Emu paints a funny picture of Leo for the cafe’s Bird Protection Fundraiser. And both Leo and Mrs Browne bid at the auction to see who can win his masterpiece. Of course, Emu is meant to hide out of their way. But can he resist being part of such a fun fundraiser?

Technical Specifications

TV Production

Production Year 2009

12 x 30 minutes

26 Episodes 

Children's television

Transmission date 13 September 2009

Service production for ITV and Initial, an Endemol UK company.

Executive Producer Christopher Pilkington (Initial)

Produced by the Gibson Group using all NZ-based directors, crew and cast (except 2 guest actors from the UK).  Emu puppetry and most of the writing done by New Zealanders.