Boffins (TV series)

Boffins

Company type	Television program
Industry	Children's educational television
Founded	1993
Founder	John Patterson, Ian Munro
Area served	Australia, international (Singapore, Malaysia, Israel, Brunei, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Canada, Middle East, Africa)
Products	Children's educational television series
Parent	Film Australia

Boffins (also referred to as The Boffins) is a children's television program from Australia, produced by Film Australia in 1993. Developed by John Patterson and Ian Munro, who also co-created Johnson and Friends, the show was never aired on Australian television channels. Although the ABC initially intended to include it in their educational programming for schools, this plan did not come to fruition. The series found an international audience through distribution and translations into various languages, while in Australia, the ABC released it on home video in 1995.

Plot

The narrative centers on four small, furry alien-like characters called Boffins who investigate scientific ideas within familiar environments such as kitchen cupboards. Madame Curie and Aristotle are driven by a quest for scientific knowledge, whereas Newton and Echo prioritize enjoyment and playfulness. Each episode introduces young primary school viewers to essential science topics including how sound travels, the mechanics of levers and pulleys, magnetism, gravity, siphoning, evaporation, light reflection and dispersion, friction, and the necessities for growth.

Characters

• Aristotle: Named after the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle is passionate about science but tends to be lazy, arrogant, and domineering. He shares a kitchen cupboard home with Madame Curie and harbors envy towards Galileo because of his inventions.
• Madame Curie: Serving as a maternal presence alongside Aristotle in the kitchen cupboard, she is both strict and nurturing. Her name pays tribute to physicist Marie Curie.
• Newton: A teenage Boffin living next door who shows little interest in science but visits with Echo nonetheless. He sports a red flat cap and a yellow shirt adorned with a peace symbol; his name honors physicist Sir Isaac Newton.
• Echo: More intrigued by science than Newton, Echo resides nearby wearing a green shirt with symbols and a skirt. Her name alludes to the phenomenon of sound reflection.
• Galileo: Madame Curie's cousin who lives in another kitchen cupboard across town. He creates inventions that stir Aristotle’s jealousy. Although he never appears on screen, he is frequently mentioned; named after physicist Galileo Galilei.
• Doris: Madame Curie's sister who lives with Galileo; referenced only once when she sends Madame Curie a letter encouraging her to obtain a telephone.

Cast

Character	Costume Performer	Voice Actor
Aristotle	Peter Browne	Peter Browne
Madame Curie	Deborah Kennedy	Deborah Kennedy
Newton	James Caitlin Troy Rowley	Zachery McKay
Echo	Kirsty McGregor	Kirsty McGregor

Costume design and construction were undertaken by Studio Kite.

Episodes

No.	Episode Title	Scientific Topic

International broadcasts

Although Boffins was never shown in Australia, it found audiences abroad in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Israel, Brunei, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Canada, as well as regions across the Middle East and Africa. The program was adapted through translation and dubbing into several languages, including Hebrew, Malay, and Portuguese.

In North America, the series was made available exclusively to educational institutions like schools and universities in the form of video collections.

Video releases

In 1995, ABC Video issued three VHS collections:

Title	Release date	Episodes
Volume 1 - Over the Moon (14935)	17 April 1995	Wrong Number, No Entry, Over the Moon, Fridgestuff
Volume 2 - Upwards and Downwards (14936)	17 April 1995	Upwards and Downwards, Life in the Balance, Water Water Everywhere, The Disappearing Water
Volume 3 - Let There Be Light (14937)	17 April 1995	Let There Be Light, Feeling Blue, Moving Matters, The Miracle of Life, The Pledge