SuperTed

SuperTed is a Welsh fictional anthropomorphic bear character created by Mike Young. Originally created by Young as a series of stories to help his son overcome his fear of the dark, SuperTed became a popular series of books and led to an animated series produced from 1982 to 1986.

SuperTed (1983-1986) is a Welsh animated children's fantasy series broadcast on S4C, originally conceived as bedtime stories by Mike Young to help his son overcome his fear of the dark. Its title character is SuperTed, a mild bear who transforms into a caped superhero to confront villains such as Texas Pete, Bulk and Skeleton, with support from Spotty and the Two Girls. Across three seasons of twelve ten-minute episodes each, the show is built as a standalone fable: each adventure opens on a gentle domestic situation and escalates into a short struggle between goodness and malice before resolving with reassurance. The tone is warm, whimsical and comforting, with a soothing narration from Peter Hawkins and a hand-drawn storybook look that suits young viewers and parents sharing a bedtime routine. Its emotional core is courage in the face of darkness, framed through friendship and the reassuring presence of a hero who is never far away. Fans of Bagpuss, The Gummi Bears and Postman Pat will find the same gentle, nostalgic charm in this classic British-produced children's cartoon.

• Bagpussgentle animated children's fantasy with a small hero battling cartoon villains, family-friendly tones
• The Gummi Bearsanimated children's fantasy with a heroic bear and whimsical stories, family viewing
• Postman PatBritish animated children's series with comforting tone and bedtime-friendly pacing

Created by

Mike Young

Release Date

1983-10-04

Episode runtime

10 min

Rating

6.8 / 10 (28)

What is SuperTed about?

A small bear with a secret superhero identity battles the forces of darkness to protect the innocent in a gentle animated fantasy for young children.

What is SuperTed like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of SuperTed as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is SuperTed violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in SuperTed.

Which shows are like SuperTed?

Shows with a similar feel include Bagpuss, The Gummi Bears, and Postman Pat.

How long is SuperTed?

SuperTed: 3 seasons, 36 episodes.

Is SuperTed still running?

No, SuperTed has ended.