The Amazing World of Gumball

The Amazing World of Gumball is an British/American animated children's television series created by Ben Bocquelet for Cartoon Network. Produced primarily by Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe, the series first aired on May 3, 2011.

Production
When Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe was created in 2007, Ben Bocquelet was hired in order to help people pitch their projects to the network. However, when the studio decided to have its employees all pitch their own ideas, he decided to take some of the rejected characters he had created for commercials and put them all in one series, with a school setting. Daniel Lennard, vice president of Original Series and Development at Turner Broadcasting, was impressed by the premise and ultimately greenlit production of the series. The first series to be produced by Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe, thirty-six episodes were produced for its first season in collaboration with Boulder Media Limited and Dandelion Studios.

Characters

 * Gumball Watterson (voiced by Logan Grove, seasons 1–2; Jacob Hopkins, season 3 onward) – Gumball is a blue 12-year-old cat who repeatedly gets himself into troublesome situations. Throughout the series, he is shown to have very limited intelligence, much like his father; although he has been shown to be able to think for himself, his plans often end up backfiring and leading him into trouble. He has a massive crush on his schoolmate Penny Fitzgerald, who in turn shares the same feelings for him – however, they both struggle to properly express their feelings for each other. Gumball often fails to perform simple tasks and is noted to have very poor leadership abilities. Despite his rambunctious behavior, he can still be loyal, serious and kind-hearted.
 * Darwin Watterson (voiced by Kwesi Boakye, season 1-2; Terrell Ransom, Jr., season 3 onward) – Darwin, a goldfish, is Gumball's best friend and adoptive brother. Initially given to Gumball as a pet, Darwin later sprouted legs and subsequently became a full member of the Watterson family. Due to his sudden introduction into the world, he tends to be more naïve and gullible than other characters. He is easily fascinated and scared by simple things. Although his best friend can sometimes be a negative influence on him, he is extremely loyal to Gumball and has often helped him out of sticky situations. In the second season, Darwin started becoming more aggressive, often yelling and committing random acts of violence.
 * Anais Watterson (voiced by Kyla Rae Kowalewski) – A pink rabbit, Anais is Gumball and Darwin's 4-year-old sister. She is incredibly smart for her age, to the point that she attends Elmore Junior High with her brothers. Gumball resents the fact that she is always telling him what to do, but nonetheless loves her and acknowledges her good intentions. Although impatient with her brother, she often tags along with him on his misadventures as a voice of reason, usually having to help Gumball out of situations caused by these misadventures. She has, however, been shown to not be above manipulating her family to get what she wants. Despite her intellectuality, she still shows typical child-like behavior and has tried to fit in with Gumball and Darwin on numerous occasions.
 * Nicole Watterson (voiced by Teresa Gallagher) – Nicole is a blue cat who is responsible for the upkeep of her family, performing house chores and working long hours at The Rainbow Factory. A workaholic, she is often over-stressed and possesses a short temper that can turn into violent rampages. She acts as a guide to her children Gumball and Darwin when they get in a tough spot with their misadventures. Competitive by nature, Nicole is a master martial artist, and is very agile and flexible.
 * Richard Watterson (voiced by Dan Russell) – A pink rabbit and stay-at-home dad, Richard spends most of his time sleeping, eating, and watching television. Named "the laziest person in Elmore" since the summer of 1983, he has a large appetite and is a voracious eater. Richard often serves as a third-wheel to his sons' misadventures and cares deeply for his family despite his lethargic nature. He does not appear to have much sense of responsibility or intelligence; nonetheless, he usually has meaningful and constructive intentions.

Episodes
The first season of The Amazing World of Gumball premiered on May 3, 2011 with the episode "The DVD" and ended on March 13, 2012, with "The Fight". A 40-episode second season was announced on March 17, 2011, prior to the premiere of the series' first season. Speaking of the renewal, executive producer Daniel Lennard stated: "Commissioning a second series before the first show has aired shows our absolute commitment and belief in the series and we're hoping audiences the world over will embrace this show as much as we have." The Amazing World of Gumball was renewed for a third season consisting of 40 episodes in October 2012.In February 2013, the series was put on hiatus, but returned in June 2013.

Critical reception
The Amazing World of Gumball has received generally positive reviews, with most critics praising the show's visuals, music, and humour. In a favorable review, Brian Lowry of Variety described the series as "mostly a really clever spin on domestic chaos" and "first-rate silliness." Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly was also positive, writing: "There are few examples of mainstream children's programming as wildly imaginative, as visually and narratively daring, as The Amazing World of Gumball." Reviews from the Daily Mail praised The Amazing World of Gumball as a "gloriously surreal chunk of fast and funny telly" and "the kind of clever children's comedy that parents can also enjoy."

The A.V. Club's Noel Murray graded the DVD release of the series' first 12 episodes a B+, writing that "what sets [The Amazing World of Gumball] apart from the many other super-silly, semi-anarchic cartoons on cable these days is that it features such a well-developed world, where even with the eclectic character designs, there are recognizable traits and tendencies." Wired writer Z noted that the series "manages to have genuine heart even as the plots themselves transition from well-worn TV tropes to all out madness."

Ratings
The May 3, 2011, series premiere of The Amazing World of Gumball was watched by 2.120 million viewers in the United States.