# Madeline (TV series)
**Madeline** is an animated television series adapted from Ludwig Bemelmans's books about Madeline, the smallest and most troublesome of 12 girls at a convent school in Paris, France. It began as six television specials broadcast from 1988 to 1991, continued as a regular series from 1993 to 1995, and returned as *The New Adventures of Madeline* from 2000 to 2001, for a total of 59 regular episodes plus the six specials.[1](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/) • [2](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/) • [3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Source | Ludwig Bemelmans's tales of a mischievous girl at a Paris convent school[1](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/) |
| Incarnations | Six TV specials (1988–1991); 20-episode season (1993–1994); 13 episodes (1995); 26 episodes as *The New Adventures of Madeline* (2000–2001)[3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline) |
| Producers | Cinar Films (Montreal) and France Animation, in association with Global Television Network and the Family Channel; episode production later moved to DIC studios[1](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/) • [2](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/) |
| Narrator | Christopher Plummer; replaced by Christopher Gaze for the Playhouse Disney episodes[1](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/) |
| Current availability | Streaming on Apple TV as *Madeline: Original Series*[4](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/madeline-original-series/umc.cmc.2cksi0ppfs2jr7t270u913vc7) |
## Origins and source material
The character comes from Ludwig Bemelmans's books, whose heroine is the smallest and most troublesome of 12 girls at a convent school in Paris.[1](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/) The first screen version was a 1952 animated theatrical short shown in movie theaters; the next six adaptations were television specials produced with Cinar animation.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/)
## Production and versions
The specials and series were built on a Canada–France partnership: Cinar Films of Montreal and France Animation co-produced, in association with the [Global Television Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/global-television-network) and the Family Channel, with Micheline Charest and Ronald A. Weinberg as executive producers.[1](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/) [Copyright](https://www.edgepedia.org/copyright) lines attribute ownership to [DIC Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/dic-entertainment) (1988, 1993, 1995) and Cinar VIII And Company (1989).[2](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/) When the property was picked up as a regular series in 1993 on The Family Channel, episode production moved to DIC studios.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/) Stan Phillips directed 33 episodes from 1993 to 1995 and produced 20 episodes in 1993–1994; Mark Bacino is credited as producer on 59 episodes spanning 1993–1995.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115257/fullcredits/)
[The Canadian](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-canadian) broadcast-history record identifies Canadian actor [Christopher Plummer](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-plummer) as the series narrator.[1](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/)
Music was a defining element of each version. Music from selected episodes was later released on the CDs *Madeline's Favorite Songs*, *Hats Off to Madeline*, and *Sing-A-Long With Madeline*.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/)
## Episodes and adaptation of the books
TheTVDB lists the run as six specials from April 1988 to November 1991, a 20-episode first season from September 1993 to October 1994, a 13-episode second season beginning August 1995, and a 26-episode third season from September 2000 to March 2001.[3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline) Ludwig Bemelmans is credited for characters on 20 episodes from 1993–1994, and Judy Rothman Rofé is credited as a writer.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115257/fullcredits/) Adapted storylines named in the Canadian broadcast-history record include *Madeline and the Gypsies*, *Madeline's Rescue*, *Madeline and the Bat Hat*, *Madeline in London*, and *Madeline's Christmas*.[1](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/)
## Broadcast, home video, and streaming
The regular series first aired September 1, 1993, on The Family Channel, with episodes running about 25 minutes.[3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline) In the United States the series also aired as part of CBS's Secret Saturday Morning Slumber Party block.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/)
The series is currently available on Apple TV as *Madeline: Original Series*, described there as an award-winning animated series about a little redheaded girl named Madeline and the teacher and friends with whom she lives in Paris.[4](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/madeline-original-series/umc.cmc.2cksi0ppfs2jr7t270u913vc7)
## Reception and awards
Apple TV's listing markets the series as award-winning.[4](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/madeline-original-series/umc.cmc.2cksi0ppfs2jr7t270u913vc7)
## The Madeline franchise on screen
The animated series sits within a wider franchise of Bemelmans adaptations.
## By the numbers
The television adaptations discussed here comprise 65 animated productions: 6 specials plus 59 regular episodes, of which 20 aired 1993–1994, 13 aired from August 1995, and 26 aired September 2000 to March 2001.[3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline) Episodes run about 25 minutes.[3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline)
## Dating discrepancies
Two dating points vary across databases. IMDb's series listing gives a 1989–2001 run and a US premiere of September 12, 1993, while TheTVDB records a first air date of September 1, 1993, with the specials beginning April 1988; the episode-level dates support the September 1, 1993, start.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115257/) • [3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline) Metacritic describes a 2000 return as *The New Adventures of Madeline*; TheTVDB lists the 13 episodes from 1995 as season 2 and the 26 episodes from 2000–2001 as season 3.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/) • [3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline)
## References
1. [Madeline – The History of Canadian Broadcasting, Canadian Communications Foundation](https://broadcasting-history.ca/madeline/)
2. [Madeline details – Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/madeline/details/)
3. [Madeline – TheTVDB.com](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/madeline)
4. [Madeline: Original Series – Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/madeline-original-series/umc.cmc.2cksi0ppfs2jr7t270u913vc7)
5. [Madeline (TV Series 1989–2001) – Full cast & crew – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115257/fullcredits/)
6. [Madeline (TV Series 1989–2001) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115257/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Adapted and franchise screen series › Children's and family franchise series*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license