BB3B

BB3B

Company type	Television series
Industry	Animation, Children's entertainment
Founded	2005
Founder	Tell-Tale Productions
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, Australia
Products	Animated television series

BB3B is a British animated television series created by Tell-Tale Productions in 2005. The show consists of thirteen episodes, each lasting approximately 20 minutes, and was broadcast on CBBC in the United Kingdom as well as ABC Kids in Australia.

Developed by Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton, the creative minds behind Tweenies, Boo!, Fun Song Factory, and Jim Jam and Sunny, the series showcases characters brought to life through the artwork of children's book illustrator Mike Gordon.

Plot

The narrative centers on twins Lucy and Louie, who harbor suspicions about their newborn brother, Billy Bob—whose nickname BB3B stands for Billy Bob, the third baby. Convinced that he might be an extraterrestrial, the twins embark on various escapades aiming to confirm their suspicions and thwart a potential alien takeover.

Their babysitter, Chubba, a teenager with a fondness for pizza, often endorses their alien hypotheses, though he occasionally divulges their schemes to their parents. The storyline unfolds in Sunnyfield, a fictional American city, blending urban and suburban environments. Notably, the twins’ grandmother resides in a trailer situated within the family’s front yard.

Details

Each installment opens with the local postman attempting to deliver mail to the Jenkins household mailbox but encountering a bizarre force inside that either attacks him or transforms him—such as turning him into a fish. This postman sometimes makes additional appearances later in episodes, with his initial encounter preceding the opening credits.

Although set in the United States, the theme song reveals that the children’s grandmother originally relocated from Rochdale, Greater Manchester. She harbors an affection for their enigmatic neighbor, Mr. Wienburger, whose face remains unseen throughout the series—only glimpsed as a shadow or from behind.

The Sprogs are infant-like aliens characterized by emitting green noxious gas. While an actual invasion never transpires, elements of science fiction permeate the series as the postman reappears and the Sprogs appear to approach Earth; however, the twins’ alien invasion theories are mostly disproven.

A track by Bis accompanies the closing credits instead of serving as the opening theme.

Characters

Louie & Lucy

Louie and Lucy are young twins around five or six years old with a keen interest in science fiction and alien conflicts. They interpret their imaginative play as defending Earth from malevolent Sprog aliens—particularly targeting their baby brother. Lucy is usually dressed in a yellow top featuring a spiked sci-fi planet motif paired with a pink skirt; Louie wears a blue shirt adorned with a Saturn-like planet alongside jeans. Both have brown curly hair and are voiced by Teresa Gallagher and Colleen Daley respectively.

Billy Bob

Billy Bob is the infant brother whom the twins suspect to be a mind-controlling Sprog alien intent on conquering Earth. Referred to as The Sprog or BB3B by the children, their mother simply calls him Billy Bob or occasionally BB3B. He is consistently seen wearing a striped green shirt and diaper.

Jazz & Simon (parents)

Jazz and Simon juggle raising three young children while frequently appearing exhausted. Jazz is imaginative and regarded as the family’s stabilizing force but does not hold employment outside home life. Simon works as an architect, although his designs seldom come to fruition. The children jokingly claim their slow-moving parents resemble zombies under Billy Bob’s control. Jazz wears a green turtleneck sweater paired with a purple polka-dot skirt; Simon sports a red striped shirt with brown trousers. Their voices are provided by Regina Reagan and Gary Martin.

Nana

Nana, Simon’s mother, lives in a trailer located on the Jenkins’ front lawn. She emigrated from Rochdale, England, drives her Mini on the left side of the road, and is infatuated with Mr. Wienburger—their neighbor—going to considerable lengths to pursue him. Her style includes western attire complemented by country music preferences. Colleen Daley provides her voice.

Mr. Wienburger

Mr. Wienburger is the Jenkins family’s neighbor whose face remains unseen throughout the series. He appears to hold an important position and is well-known locally but tends to avoid Nana due to her persistent advances.

Chubba

Chubba is a teenage babysitter around 15 years old who frequently addresses others as "Dude." Enthusiastic about science fiction programs and films, punk music, pizza, and spending time with kids, he exhibits odd behavior when deprived of television for extended periods. He often shares information regardless of its accuracy. His real name is George; later episodes reveal he obtains employment at NASA in "BB Phone Home." His voice actor is Justin Fletcher.

Bis

The theme music for the series was delivered by the Scottish rock group Bis, which includes Steven Clark (known as Sci-fi Steven), John Clark (John Disco), and Amanda MacKinnon (Manda Rin), alongside a fictional drummer character. They made appearances in every episode except the premiere, performing songs that corresponded with each episode's storyline and were also featured during the end credits.

Throughout the series, Bis showcased their performances in a variety of unconventional settings, such as on rooftops, atop a moving truck, and submerged within an aquarium tank. Despite their presence, the show's characters neither acknowledged nor heard the band. Additionally, Bis gained recognition for creating and performing the ending theme for Cartoon Network's The Powerpuff Girls. The tracks from the series were subsequently compiled into their album titled "Music for Animations".