New Animated Series from Nickelodeon Creator

The mind behind well-known Nickelodeon shows like A Rather Strange Person and Danny Phantom has ventured into the world of Christian animation. In the early 2000s, he developed a series and films aimed at teaching children biblical lessons through entertaining adventures.

“I really got to name something Best Thing Ever. It’s like Hollywood declaring it’s the best movie ever. But who knows? It just kind of popped into my head since our characters, Lenny and Lucy, are on a quest to find what is truly the best thing. Is it jelly beans? An iPhone? A pickleball?” said Butch Hartman, the creator and outspoken Christian, in a recent interview.

The animated series features characters Renny Lion and Lucy Ram exploring a miraculous garden, a space where the gospel thrives.

Hartman expressed that his main goal with the series is to deliver high-quality, faith-centered content for kids.

“After about 40 years in Hollywood, I always wanted to tap into the Christian market. There’s a significant need for quality entertainment for children,” he noted.

This vision led to the creation of the film titled The Biggest Thing Ever: Garden Cartoon Movie.

“I was just excited to create something. It’s a fun series that teaches the Bible to children, with catchy songs and engaging lessons combined with fun adventures and lovable characters. We thought, why not make a movie out of it?” Hartman shared.

He also acknowledged that his wife, Julianne, along with his talented team at Butch Hartman Studios, played a crucial role in making this show a reality.

“When you’re with a big company like Nickelodeon or Disney, they have everything set up for you. But starting your own venture means building everything from the ground up, from gathering equipment to forming an animation team,” he explained.

Hartman is hopeful that his work will resonate with parents looking for alternatives to typical entertainment filled with questionable content.

Reflecting on his own childhood, he mentioned that growing up without proper guidance led him to make many mistakes, and he believes that if he had access to content like this, things could have been different.

“As a kid, I didn’t know anything about Jesus. If I had a show like this to guide me, I might have avoided some of the foolish choices I’ve made,” he remarked.

Best Thing Ever is currently available for streaming and purchase on DVD.