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The Magic School Bus Rides Again
The Magic School Bus Rides Again.jpg
Title card
Genre Children's, Educational
Voices of
Theme music composer Peter Lurye
Opening theme "Ride on the Magic School Bus", performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Country of origin United States
Canada
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 29 (26 + 3 specials)
Production
Running time 25 minutes
Production company(s) Scholastic Entertainment
9 Story Media Group
Brown Bag Films (specials)
Distributor Netflix
9 Story Media Group
Release
Original network Netflix
Qubo
Original release September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29) – present
Chronology
Preceded by The Magic School Bus

The Magic School Bus Rides Again is a fun animated show from Canada and the United States. It's based on the popular book series The Magic School Bus by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. This series is a new adventure following the original 1994-97 TV show.

In this new version, Lily Tomlin returns as the voice of Ms. Frizzle. The show first appeared on Netflix on September 29, 2017. A second season came out on April 13, 2018.

Three special, longer episodes were released on Netflix in 2020. These specials were dedicated to Joanna Cole, the author of the original books, who passed away that year. The show also aired on the TV channel Qubo from November 2020 until February 2021.

Discovering Science with the Magic School Bus

This show is a sequel to the classic Scholastic's The Magic School Bus. In this new series, the original Ms. Valerie Frizzle becomes Professor Frizzle after earning her Ph.D. She decides to retire from teaching at Walkerville Elementary School.

Professor Frizzle then asks her younger sister, Miss Fiona Frizzle, to take over her class. She gives Miss Fiona the special keys to the amazing Magic School Bus. The students then go on exciting new field trips. They discover new places, learn about different creatures, explore various time periods, and much more. All these adventures help them learn about the wonders of science!

Meet the Voices Behind the Characters

  • Kate McKinnon as Miss Fiona Felicity Frizzle
  • Lily Tomlin as Professor Valerie Felicity Frizzle, Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)
  • Miles Koseleci-Vieira (Seasons 1-2) and Roman Lutterotti (specials) as Arnold Matthew Perlstein
  • Lynsey Pham as Wanda Li
  • Mikaela Blake as Keesha Franklin
  • Gabby Clarke as Dorothy Ann Hudson
  • Leke Maceda-Rustecki as Carlos Ramon
  • Matthew Mintz (Seasons 1-2) and Matthew Mucci (specials) as Ralphie Alessandro Giuseppe Tennelli
  • Birva Pandya as Jyoti Kaur (a new student who joins the class)
  • Kaden Stephen as Tim Wright

Special Guest Voices

  • Will Arnett as Galapagos Gil ("Frizzle of the Future")
  • Mae Jemison as astronaut Kathy K. Kuiper ("Space Mission: Selfie")
  • Sandra Oh as Dr. Sarah Bellum ("Ralphie Strikes a Nerve")
  • Jay Baruchel as Dr. Tillage ("Ghost Farm")
  • Nathan Fillion as Dorothy Ann's uncle, Dr. Axle "ValveStuck" ("Waste Not, Want Not")
  • Catherine O'Hara as Tina and Teresina Tennelli, Ralphie's aunts ("Ralphie and the Flying Tennellis")
  • Martin Short as Tony Tennelli, Ralphie's circus family member ("Ralphie and the Flying Tennellis")
  • Chris Hadfield as himself ("Kids in Space")
  • Lights as Maven, Ms. Frizzle's pop-star cousin ("In the Zone")

Episode Guide: Adventures in Science

Season 1 (2017)

No.
overall		 No. in
season		 Title Topic Directed by Written by Original release date
1 1 "Frizzle of the Future" Ecosystem Richard Weston John May & Suzanne Bolch September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Ms. Frizzle retires, and her sister, Miss Fiona Frizzle, takes over. The class learns about how living things fit into an Ecosystem.
2 2 "Pigs in the Wind" Engineering Aeroelastic Buildings Richard Weston Mike McPhaden September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Keesha directs a play, and the class learns how buildings and trees can resist strong winds.
3 3 "In the Swim" Fish Adaptations Richard Weston John May & Suzanne Bolch September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Wanda wants to help ocean life. The class explores how fish adapt to survive deep in the ocean.
4 4 "The Battle for Rock Mountain" Rock Cycle (Rock layers/Fossils & Erosion) Richard Weston John May & Suzanne Bolch September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Tim draws a comic. The students learn about the rock cycle and how rocks change over time.
5 5 "The Magnetic Mambo" Magnetism Richard Weston Jennifer Daley September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Ralphie's dance moves aren't orderly. The class shrinks to see how Magnetism can organize atoms.
6 6 "Carlos Gets the Sneezes" Allergies Richard Weston George Arthur Bloom September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Carlos gets allergies from a class pet. The class explores his immune system to find the cause.
7 7 "Hides and Seeks" Camouflage Richard Weston Richard Weston September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
The students learn about Camouflage in the rainforest to improve their hide-and-seek skills.
8 8 "Three in One" Solid, Liquid & Vapor Richard Weston Jocelyn Stevenson September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Jyoti needs a project idea. The class goes inside an ice cube to see how matter changes states: Solid, Liquid, and Vapor.
9 9 "Space Mission: Selfie" Satellites Richard Weston Mike McPhaden September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
A satellite breaks down. The class travels to space to fix it and learns about how satellites work.
10 10 "The Tales Glaciers Tell" Climate Change, Carbon Dioxide, Ice, Glaciers Richard Weston Story by : Josh Gal
Teleplay by : Jocelyn Stevenson, John May & Suzanne Bolch		 September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Dorothy Ann prepares a story. The class visits a glacier to learn about past climate change and carbon dioxide levels.
11 11 "Ralphie Strikes a Nerve" Nerves and the Human Brain Richard Weston Bernice Vanderlaan September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Ralphie wants a robot. The class explores Jyoti's brain and nerves to understand how movements are controlled.
12 12 "Monster Power" Renewable Energy Richard Weston Merrill Hagan September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Arnold is scared of the dark while camping. The class learns how to use renewable energy from wind and water.
13 13 "DA and the Deep Blue Sea" Ocean Zones Richard Weston Evan Thaler Hickey September 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
Dorothy Ann loses a locket in the ocean. The class explores different ocean zones and undersea life to find it.

Season 2 (2018)

No.
overall		 No. in
season		 Title Topic Directed by Written by Original release date
14 1 "The Land Before Tim" Fossils Richard Weston Brian Hartigan April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
The class prepares for a game show about fossils. They travel back in time to see how dinosaur fossils formed.
15 2 "Claw and Order" Birds Richard Weston Jennifer Daley April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Wanda befriends a magpie. The class travels the world to learn about different bird adaptations.
16 3 "Ghost Farm" Harvesting Richard Weston Mike McPhaden April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Wanda needs food for a fair. The class visits a farm and learns about modern harvesting methods.
17 4 "Nothin' But Net" Computer Codes Richard Weston John May & Suzanne Bolch April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Arnold accidentally turns into an email. The class learns about computer codes and how the internet works.
18 5 "I Spy with my Animal Eyes" Eyes Richard Weston Emma Kassirer April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
The class explores Arnold's eye. They then transform into animals to understand how different eyes see the world.
19 6 "Ready, Set, Fail!" The Engineering Process and Failures Lead to Success Richard Weston Evan Thaler Hickey April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Ralphie wants to pass tests easily. The class learns about the engineering process and how trying and failing helps you succeed.
20 7 "The Good, the Bad, and the Gnocchi" Simple machines Richard Weston Bernice Vanderlaan April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Carlos races his brother. The class shrinks down to explore how simple machines help overcome obstacles.
21 8 "Send in the Clouds" Clouds Richard Weston Mike McPhaden April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Jyoti invents an umbrella. The class goes inside clouds to learn how rain forms.
22 9 "Ralphie and the Flying Tennellis" Using Math in Real Life Scenarios Richard Weston John May & Suzanne Bolch April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Ralphie thinks math is useless. His circus family shows him how important math is for trapeze artists.
23 10 "Tim and the Talking Trees" Plant & Animal Communication/Interaction Richard Weston Nathalie Younglai April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Tim believes trees talk. The class discovers how trees communicate and interact with each other.
24 11 "Waste Not, Want Not" Utilizing Waste/Fertilization Richard Weston Evan Thaler Hickey April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Dorothy Ann's flowers are wilting. The class learns about the nutrient cycle and how waste can be used as fertilizer.
25 12 "Janet's Mystery Gene" DNA Richard Weston Bernice Vanderlaan April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Carlos and Janet argue. The class explores Janet's cells to find her DNA and learn about genetics.
26 13 "Making Magic" Sun Richard Weston Suzanne Bolch, John May & Mike McPhaden April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
The class travels to the Sun. They learn about its power and how it works, even with Principal Ruhle along.

Special Episodes (2020)

Title Topic Directed by Written by Original air date
"Kids in Space" International Space Station Richard Weston David Skelly August 7, 2020 (2020-08-07)
The class visits the International Space Station. They must find a shrink-ray after a tiny creature becomes huge.
"The Frizz Connection" Air current Richard Weston Merrill Hagan October 20, 2020 (2020-10-20)
Ms. Frizzle is split into three parts after a lightning strike. The students must use air currents to reunite her.
"In the Zone" Time zones Richard Weston Jennifer Skelly, Jocelyn Stevenson & Evan Thaler Hickey December 26, 2020 (2020-12-26)
The Magic School Bus glitches due to a software update across time zones. The kids must fix it to get to a concert.

Awards and Recognition

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2018 The Magic School Bus Rides Again Parent's Choice Silver Honor - Spring 2018 Television Won
2018 The Magic School Bus Rides Again Common Sense "Great For Families" seal Won
2018 Annellie Rose Samuel for episode "Space Mission: Selfie" Canadian Cinema Editors Award for Best Editing in Animation Nominated
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