Even the ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse’ Creator Can’t Believe How Big Her Netflix Kids Show Is (2024)

If you don’t have kids, you may not have heard of “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” If you have a preschooler, it has likely become a welcome upgrade from the “Cocomelon” of your child’s nursery school days.

No intended shade (or at least, not much) at “Cocomelon,” the other monster hit for Netflix in the kids space. “Cocomelon” is simplistic animation set to familiar nursery rhymes — it’s a low lift both in terms of production and consumption. “Gabby’s,” a combination of (a little) live-action and (a lot of) animation, is a child’s entry point into storytelling and imaginative play. It was for my kids — and millions of others.

For 2023, the top 5 children’s series on streaming ranked like this, per Nielsen:

1. “Bluey” (43.9 billion minutes streamed on Disney+)
2. “Cocomelon” (36.3 billion minutes streamed on Netflix)
3. “SpongeBob Squarepants” (19.8 billion minutes streamed on Paramount+)
4. “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” (13.9 billion minutes streamed on Disney+)
5. “Gabby’s Dollhouse” (12.8 billion minutes streamed on Netflix)

That’s some pretty good evidence of “Gabby’s” success, but it gets better. “Gabby’s Dollhouse” is the only one on that list that is original to its streaming platform, which means it is the number one streaming original series for kids. (“Bluey” is an Australian show that was originally imported for Disney Junior, “Cocomelon” is a YouTube series owned by British company Moonbug Entertainment, “SpongeBob” is a Nickelodeon original, and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” is a Disney Channel series now on Disney Junior.)

And before you start in on some that’s-just-kids narrative — ask Jack Ryan how he feels about sharing a slot with Gabby (played by the delightful Laila Lockhart Kraner, now 15). Amazon Prime Video’s “Jack Ryan” and “Gabby’s Dollhouse” tied for sixth place on Nielsen’s overall 2023 streaming-originals chart. Yes, “Gabby’s Dollhouse” is (tied for) the sixth biggest original series for any age, on any streaming platform, beating out “The Mandalorian” on Disney+ and and fellow Netflix series “Outer Banks” and “The Lincoln Lawyer.”

Not that having a hit in the preschool space is particularly new to “Gabby’s Dollhouse” showrunner Traci Paige Johnson, who co-created the series with Jennifer Twomey. Back in the ’90s, Johnson created “Blue’s Clues” (and is the voice of Blue, a “good party trick,” she says). That series went off the air in 2007 but returned a dozen years later as “Blue’s Clues & You,” and spawned (streaming) movie “Blue’s Big City Adventure.”

Hey, if the formula works…

In April, DreamWorks Animation gave Gabby a movie — and this one is getting a theatrical release (September 26, 2025). It will not double as a finale to the series, Johnson told IndieWire from the “Gabby’s Dollhouse” set in Brooklyn.

“I think it’s just the beginning,” Johnson said. “DreamWorks is all about movies too, and it’s taking that success of the [series] and bringing it to an even wider audience… We’re excited to fill the theaters with that whimsy and interaction and that fun, and have it be a real event to take your family to — a real family experience.”

The movie will see Gabby and the Gabby Cats leave her bedroom on a mission to bring back their missing dollhouse. They’ll travel as far as Cat Francisco, we’re told (which is really Cat-Vancouver, for the tax breaks). While nearly 90 percent of a “Gabby’s Dollhouse” episode (three minutes of the 24 minutes) is animated, the “Gabby’s Dollhouse” feature will feature much more live-action.

And after, not only will the show go on, it will “absolutely” go on with Laila, Johnson said; on April 26, they filmed the live-action portion of the 100th “Gabby’s” episode, hence the timing of our visit.

A potential future loss of her star is not yet something Johnson is thinking about, but it’s probably somewhere buried in the back of her mind. On “Blue’s Clues,” Johnson had to deal with the abrupt departure of Blue’s owner Steve, played by Steve Burns. Johnson ended up pivoting to Steve’s (the character, not the actor) brother Joe, played by Donovan Patton. Joe (and the show) lasted about half as long as Steve’s run; it wasn’t quite the same.

When Blue returned to Nickelodeon a dozen years later, she was with Josh Dela Cruz. All three of Blue’s handlers were in the movie, but Josh has been her steward since 2019.

Losing the Gabby of “Gabby’s Dollhouse” would be a bigger blow than the “Blue’s Clues” shuffle, but Johnson has no concern about that happening anytime soon. (Johnson also has no reason to worry about losing Gabby’s lone live-action cat, the impossibly chill Floyd, who is only five years old. Like Gabby/Laila, Floyd is not his real name. As a matter of fact, he’s not even a he: Floyd is a female named Amelia.)

The “Blue’s Clues” experience taught Johnson a lesson about how important the role of the one real person on the screen is for children watching at home. Gabby is “that camp counselor, that baby sitter, that older sister — it’s just a wonderful role model that kids aspire to,” she said.

Though in their natural habitats her dog Blue and the Gabby Cats might get along like cats and dogs, if Johnson had her “druthers,” the twain would meet. (Let’s be honest: Blue would behave, as would most of the Gabby Cats — it’s CatRat who would be the problem.)

In a Johnson Cinematic Universe, “Blue would come into the dollhouse,” Johnson said.

But there are rights issues that even the “Aw” factor could not overcome. DreamWorks does not own Blue — Nickelodeon, and thus Paramount Global, does. But hey, Paramount seems open to selling stuff these days…

In the interim (and in reality), DreamWorks owns plenty of kids IP for a potential crossover with “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” There’s “Trolls,” “Kung Fu Panda” is riding high, “The Bad Guys 2” is also coming out in 2025…

We missed the obvious one.

“We talk about that. Who knows in the future? We were joking for the movie that Puss in Boots would visit. I don’t know,” she said. Of course: the cat!

“I’m a ’70s baby, so I grew up with Fonzie visiting Laverne & Shirley and stuff like that,” Johnson continued. “So we love the crossover, and not to say it can never happen.”

One thing that may never happen is a sequel film to “Blue’s Big City Adventure.” Johnson does not think Nickelodeon is particularly interested in making one.

“Probably not,” Johnson said. “I think Nickelodeon is changing their— because linear is dying, they’re just figuring out that maybe [they’re] not preschool as much anymore.”

A spokesperson for Nickelodeon did not respond to IndieWire’s request for comment on its future plans — or lack thereof — for “Blue’s Clues.”

Season 10 of “Gabby’s Dollhouse” will be released by Netflix in August.