Cartoon
Jelly, Ben & Pogo
The story
Jelly, Ben & Pogo is an animated shorts series created and directed by Filipina-American artist Jalysa Leva. It was animated and produced by the Atlanta-based animation studio Primal Screen. The series premiered on PBS Kids on October 4, 2021, following episodes of Alma's Way.
The series follows the adventures of two Filipino-American siblings, Jelly and her younger brother Ben, with their best friend Pogo, a sea monster. Each three-minute episode incorporates Filipino culture, traditions, food, and language as Jelly, Ben, and Pogo work together to solve problems using empathy and creativity. Geared toward 4-6 year-olds, each episode presents a problem and emphasizes social-emotional learning and design thinking as the three friends collaborate to find a solution.
Premise
Jelly and Ben are Filipino-American siblings living in a multigenerational household with their parents and grandmother. Their best friend Pogo, a sea monster who lives underwater, often visits them on land, though sometimes they visit Pogo at her home under the sea. The trio of friends play and learn together while experiencing Filipino culture. When they encounter a problem they must solve, they say, "Let's make it super-duper!" Once they have a discovered a solution, they sign off on their work with sticker that shows all three of their faces.
Characters
Jelly (voiced by Vanille Velasquez) is a Filipina-American girl and Ben's older sister. She often takes the lead. She is 8 years old, and is thoughtful, organized, and responsible.
Ben (voiced by Jalysa Leva) is a Filipino-American boy and Jelly's younger brother. He is 5 years old. He is curious and likes to build. He is often shy, sensitive, and careful.
Pogo (voiced by Christina Sivrich) is a fun-loving ogopogo-like sea monster eager to learn about life on land. She is playful and outgoing, but sometimes stresses, like when she can't find her special tail sock or decide what to pack for a trip.
Lola (voiced by Diadem Faith and Aife) is Jelly and Ben's grandmother from the Philippines. She is kind and loving. She sometimes joins the trio in their adventures and teaches them about Filipino traditions.
Mom (voiced by Diadem Faith and Aife) is Jelly and Ben's mother.
Dad (voiced by Bryan Encarnacion) is Jelly and Ben's mild-mannered father.
Mrs. Ogo (voiced by Sara Burmenko) is Pogo's mother.
Mr. Ogo (voiced by Eli Banks) is Pogo's boisterous father.
Reception
Jelly, Ben & Pogo has been praised for its humor and charm, as well as its authentic portrayal of Filipino culture. It has been especially well-received by the Filipino American community which is often under-represented in American media even when Asians are portrayed. When the show first aired, Jelly, Ben & Pogo gained rapid popularity on the social media platform TikTok.
Episodes
Sources:
Games
Super Duper Halo-Halo
Babysitting Squee
Karaoke Night
Sakto