Family Channel Originals

Credits

Descriptions by
NakedTarzan01 and BenIsRandom

Captures by
NakedTarzan01

Editions by
BenIsRandom, Scj323347, and Lighteningdoc

Video captures courtesy of
Broken Saw, RyanVoProductions and Retrontario

This article is about the Canadian channel. For the American network of the same name from 1990-1998, see The Family Channel Originals.

Background

Family Channel is a Canadian children's/preteen-oriented TV channel launched on September 1, 1988. Until 1999, Family Channel's programming format mirrored that of then fellow US premium service, the Disney Channel. Family's programming lineup consisted mainly of domestic and foreign-imported live-action and animated series (with many of the imported series produced by The Walt Disney Company's television production units - Walt Disney Television and eventually Touchstone Television, now known as the now-defunct ABC Signature), feature films from the Disney film library (including only three Pixar films), classic films from other US and Canadian film studios, and specials (mostly concerts, documentaries and animated specials). The channel first aired its original programs in 1999 and was originally owned by Astral Media, which was acquired by DHX Media (now as WildBrain) in 2014 (after Astral Media was sold to Bell Media). In 2015, Family Channel lost the rights to broadcast Disney Channel's programs in Canada to rival broadcaster Corus Entertainment, which launched Canadian versions of Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD. The channel started airing TV shows and films from DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures (including Illumination), and Paramount Pictures in 2016, and 20th Century Studios films from 2015-21.

1st Logo (1990-September 30, 1999)

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Visuals: On a white background, there is a blue horizontal line with a red vertical rectangle below and a yellow sun in the middle. The words "Family Channel" are seen below the logo with "Family" in its script font. The logo resembles a window of the sun outside.

Variants:

• On numerous shows such as The Busy World of Richard Scarry as well as early seasons of Franklin and Ripley's Believe it or Not: The Animated Series, an in-credit version appears; a still in-credit version exists. This also happens on the final season of The Little Lulu Show.
• There is a variant where the text can be referred to as "Produced with the participation of Family Channel - Canada's Family Network". Sometimes, it is even shown either above the logo, or actually uses a tagline below it.
• On Musiquest, it is superimposed in the end credits with logo on a white background and a shadow being casted. "Canada's Family Network" is omitted.
• Sometimes, the word "Channel" is in a Helvetica Bold font.
• On Season 1 of Hoze Houndz, the logo fades in as the sun briefly "wobbles" half a bit after the end credits.

Technique: A still image, except for Hoze Houndz variant made with computer animation.

Audio: None or the end theme.

Availability: Seen on Family Channel originals from the 90's such as Ripley's Believe it or Not: The Animated Series, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, Franklin, among others.

2nd Logo (October 1, 1999-January 11, 2011)

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Visuals: On a black background, a teal circle with a white border and a black "f" inside it zooms in and flips a couple of times, forming dust. Then, the circle stops flipping and shakes, causing the dust to travel down below the circle and form the word "family" (in a Helvetica Extended Black font and in white) below the circle.

Trivia: The animated version of this logo debuted in 2003 (one year after Family's new rebrand began), while the still version debuted in 1999.

Variants:

• On some shows such as foreign airings of Franny's Feet and later Katie and Orbie episodes, an in-credit version appears; both animated and still in-credit versions exist.
• On a number of shows, a still version appears either as a closing logo or in-credit (examples include Henry's World and Hoze Houndz).
• A teal background version exists.
• On Season 7 of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, the logo is a bit narrower, and the "family" text is sky blue to match the logo.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: None or the end theme.

Audio Variant: On Connor Undercover and the Life with Derek TV movie Vacation with Derek, an electronic door-like sound is heard.

Availability:

• Seen on every original show aired on Family in Canada from 1999 until 2011.
• In the US, this logo appears on some shows such as Franny's Feet on Sprout (now known as Universal Kids), Radio Free Roscoe on The N, (now known as TeenNick) and Life With Derek on Disney Channel.
• It can also be seen on Connor Undercover, Henry's World, Wingin' It, Hoze Houndz, the final three seasons of Katie and Orbie, The Latest Buzz, King, Naturally, Sadie, Stella and Sam, The Secret World of Benjamin Bear, Mentors and Baxter, among others.
• It was also used as a station ID, which used after shows on Playhouse Disney Canada, Playhouse Disney Télé, Disney XD Canada, and Family Channel itself up until Family's logo changed in 2011.

3rd Logo (January 12, 2011-2018)

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Visuals: On a black background, a light blue sphere flies in from the right and stops at the middle. It then zooms out turns around to reveal a white "f" on the sphere. The logo also changes to a purple background. any multicoloured abstract shapes and spheres fly on screen as this happens. When the shapes and spheres fly in, the word "family" (in the same style as before) fades in below the sphere. The logo slowly zooms out until the logo is over.

Variants:

• In this logo's later years, the sphere would zoom out further and the byline "A DHX Media NETWORK" (with the DHX Media logo instead of the text "DHX Media") fades in below.
• A still version exists on a white background with the "family" text in black (an example is Mighty Mike).
• A still/in-credit variant exists, sometimes with blue text.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: The end theme.

Audio Variant: Sometimes, some water splashing sounds are heard, or none.

Availability: Though no longer current, it was seen on The Next Step on the Australian Disney Channel (CBBC airings of seasons 2-5 remove this logo), Space Ranger Roger, 2017-18 episodes of The Deep and the Canadian prints of Degrassi: Next Class. This logo is used in tandem with the next logo.

4th Logo (2015-2018)

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Visuals: The animation of the previous logo starts off the logo, however the sphere zooms out faster and further out, the "f" on the sphere looks bigger and it reveals a white background with some blue and white spheres floating in it. The word "family" (in the same font as before, but in light blue) fades in below the sphere. Below that, a black line draws itself. Another black line followed by the text "ORIGINAL SERIES" in light blue drops down from the line.

Technique: Like before, it's all done in computer animation.

Audio: A rhythmic, modernized synth tune.

Availability: This was seen at the beginning of every Family Channel original show of the era. This logo is used in tandem with the previous logo.

5th Logo (2018-)

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Visuals: On a cyan background, there is a yellow circle with a white letter "f" on it zooming in along with other coloured circles sliding the left or right, the black text "family" (in the same style as the previous logos) fades in (via a "sparkling" effect) and the logo shines.

Variants:

• A variant exists, with this logo being seen on a background of colourful circles and the words "ORIGINAL SERIES" below in blue and in a more-modern sans-serif font, seen on Lucas the Spider.
• Sometimes, the logo itself is blue and the circles behind it are eliminated.
• An in-credit version exists on Denis and Me.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: Usually some shining sounds or the end theme of the show.

Availability:

• Seen on post-2018 episodes of The Deep and season 6 of The Next Step (CBBC airings of season 6 of The Next Step remove this logo).
• It also appeared on new originals such as Chip and Potato on Netflix, Lucas the Spider on Cartoon Network, Cartoonito (US) and Family Jr., Summer Memories and Denis and Me.